Understanding Specific Needs- Health and Social Care Related free essay sample

Understanding Specific Needs- Assignment 1 This assignment on understanding specific needs will look into the perceptions that people have of health, disability, illness and behaviour in a health and social care context. It will also look into and explain how attitudes towards individuals with specific needs and perceptions of those needs change over time and differ between cultures. I will then analyse how legislation, society, culture and social policy interact to influence attitudes toward and service development for individuals with specific needs. The World Health Organisation (WHO, 1946) describes health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. Concepts related to health and social care that have been adapted to define health and disease in individuals include disability, illness, impairment, sickness and behaviour to name a few. These concepts may be misused by individuals who don’t actually understand the term. In order to be a competent and professional health and social care practitioner it is extremely important to understand the correct definition and have the correct perceptions of health, disability and wellbeing, if not, we may end up offending individuals in our care without meaning too. We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding Specific Needs- Health and Social Care Related or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is hard to find a correct definition for ‘impairment’ and ‘disability’ but WHO describes impairment as ‘any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function’- an example of this would include someone who has suffered from a stroke and as a result loses function of one side of their body. They then go on to describe disability as ‘any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the matter or within the range considered normal for a human being’ followed by an example of ‘limited functioning of leg leads to inability to walk’. When it comes to illness, disease and sickness it is sometimes hard to differentiate between the three. Although they are quite closely related to one another they do each mean different things. Jones, 1994 described disease as a specific condition of ill health in a patient. Illness is about how you feel- it is related to disease in that you may have a particular disease but still feel well. Some people believe that if a person is ill they have a disease but this however is not always the case- a disease is a physical change or abnormality in the human body. A relevant example to highlight the difference between a disease and illness would be HIV and some forms of cancer- sufferers can live everyday relatively normal without feeling ill or sick while taking the correct medication. Most diseases will affect our behaviour if diagnosed- most obvious behaviour change could be feeling down in the dumps/ sad about the impact the disease may have on your own day to day life. However, it doesn’t have to be a problem- some people may be diagnosed with a disease, be optimistic and look at the ‘problems’ it poses but then be motivated to change those problems. Disease is the most likely out of the terms that would be most commonly used in health and social care as it is noticeable and certain whereas illness and sickness are feelings. A person has a disability if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities†. (Disability Discrimination Act 1995) I previously touched briefly on disability and WHO’s definition, however I have become more and more aware of disability and those who suffer from a disability within my own placement work in the c ollege helping out and assisting the students who have learning disabilities, therefore I can relate more to it. I agree with the above definition as the students in my placement, although a lot older than me; can’t complete the tasks that I take for granted everyday as well as us who don’t have a disability. I feel that by the college offering classes and providing facilities for those who have a disability is very positive and from having firsthand experience I feel that the staff do a very positive and great job with the students. There is also a door to door service available for those who are in wheelchair due to problems with their mobility- this bus collects students from their door and brings then directly to the college. This is also positive as in the past this was not available. In general I feel that discrimination against those who suffer from a disability is getting better- examples of this include ramps for wheel chair accessibility onto buses and trains which was not available in the past. I feel like we as a society are talking a step in the right direction in bringing equality to all including those who have a disability. According to Wolfensburger, 1972, the social roles perceptions of people with learning disabilities include subhuman, sick, menace, object of dread and object of ridule. The social model of disability says that disability is caused by the way society is organised, rather than by a person’s impairment or difference. It looks at ways of removing barriers that restrict life choices for disabled people. When barriers are removed, disabled people can be independent and equal in society, with choice and control over their own lives. The medical model of disability says people are disabled by their impairments or differences. Under the medical model, these impairments or differences should be fixed or changed by medical and other treatments, even when the impairment or difference does not cause pain or illness. The medical model looks at what is wrong with the person and not what the person needs. It creates low expectations and leads to people losing independence, choice and control in their own lives. An example of both models in action would be a wheelchair user wants to get into a building with a step at the entrance. Under a social model solution, a ramp would be added to the entrance so that the wheelchair user is free to go into the building immediately. Using the medical model, there are very few solutions to help wheelchair users to climb stairs, which excludes them from many essential and leisure activities. Each models have their individual strengths and weaknesses however I do feel that the one that I agree with most is the social model- I believe that the mind is a powerful thing, and thinking positively and pushing ourselves to reach our full potential is extremely important in how we develop- I believe that by the social model encouraging independence of those who are disabled they are doing exactly this. In saying this I of course still understand the importance of the medical side and its importance in disability. The most recent model in relation to disability is the affirmative model and it is all about celebrating diversity. In 2000, John Swain and Sally French came up with the idea for the new model. They believed that yes the social model was great from promoting independence and equality however with this, people were still going to see disabled people as a personal tragedy and feel sympathetic towards them and therefore they would never be treated equal to those without a disability. So the Affirmative Model was initially proposed as a counter to this personal tragedy narrative of impairment. It is expressed in the voices of people who say, Deafness is normal for me. I wouldn’t want to be other than Deaf. Or, I’ve been blind since birth. Why would I want to change? This is who I am. Or, I have learning difficulties. I have Down’s Syndrome but I don’t ‘suffer’ from Down’s Syndrome. This is who I am as a person. This is me. It encourages disabled people to be happy in the people that they are and in my opinion they should do exactly this. We as health and social care workers must be advocates to the disabled in our society. We must speak out and act persuasively on behalf of anyone in our cares rights and just in general should speak up for everyone’s rights. We must do so because of legislative requirements, our code of practice and care value base but most of all because we feel it is right to do so. Although, as mentioned above, Northern Ireland as a society is becoming more and more aware and accommodating to the needs of the disabled it has been quite a long time coming in comparison to other countries, Sweden being a prime example. There is a huge difference in how disabled people are treated here and how they are treated in Sweden. Sweden follow the Nordic Model which has characteristics such as welfare funded by high taxes (around 35%), universal welfare rights, high level of public/state interventions and political consensus and shared culture and belief. Benefits come from using the Nordic model and have helped Sweden in becoming the well thought of country it is today. For example, carers in Sweden can be off work for as long as they need and still be paid- they receive great benefits. It is a society focused on everyone which helps in the support of vulnerable people who are in need of help. Sweden has higher levels of social satisfaction and well being. They are great at negotiating issues and coming to agreements- there are very little strikes, protests and walk outs. In Sweden profit is not the most important focus- commitment to society is. They were also ahead of us in Northern Ireland in making significant decisions- one of these being the Grunewald’s 4 phases of care ervices which was introduced in 1974. The first phase in Grunewald’s phases of caring is diagnostic stage and ultimately identifying the problem. The next phase looks at the specialisation of the problem- this seen the need for a ‘specialist’ institution caring for people. The third phase of care services was differentiation which appreciated that one service was not enough and could not meet the need holistically therefore the development of multi disciplinary models was introduced. The final stage of Grunewald’s phases of caring was decentralisation- this ensured the integration of services and use of ‘ordinary’ facilities. This highlights just how quick and early Sweden were in discovering that those who had a disability in their country needed to be treated with equality and needed to be able to do the things that everyone else could do. The next part of the assignment will look into the development of community care in Northern Ireland which will then enable me to make fair comparisons between it and Sweden. Community care is not a new concept. The term however means different things to different people. This paper uses the term to mean care outside hospital’. Community care is in relation to those who previously lived in long stay institutions now live in and are cared for in the community. It ensures that those living in the community who need care, for example, older people, people with mental illness, learning/ physical disabil ity and those suffering from addiction, victims of abuse, homeless etc are facilitated to remain in the community. It is provided by three sectors; statutory sector which is the government/ Trusts, independent sector which is separate from the government and include voluntary organisations as well as private organisations and finally informal sector which is unpaid carers including relatives, friends neighbours etc. ‘Ever since the Health Service had been created, and indeed for long before it, the long stay services in hospitals for the mentally ill and elderly and handicapped had been a disgrace to a humane society. Glennerster (2000) P113 The 1960’s is when things started to change in relation to institutional care. Reductions in admission led the government to conclude that demand was not high, this alongside criticisms of institutional care from Barbara Robb’s book ‘Sans Everything’ as well as Geoffrey Howe’s critical inquiry into care at Ely Hospital for people with learning disabilities gave the government the recognition that things were not right h owever there were no solutions made in this decade. The next ecade, the 1970’s, presented better services debate on the agenda as well as beginnings of health service reform which was looking promising, however economic constraints led to not a whole lot of improvements being carried out. In the 1980’s much of the same negotiations took and things began to improve such as adult commission- making a reality of community care, cost of supplementary benefit spending on private residential and nursing care as well as Griffiths report on Community Care; Agenda for Action. The 1990’s saw the introduction of The NHS and Community Care Act 1990 as well as People First; Community Care in Northern Ireland for the 1990’s. After going through this timeline of the development of community care in Northern Ireland it is quite obvious that Sweden move a whole lot faster in developing their country for those in need. I feel like this is possibly down to the relationship between the public and the government in Sweden- they seem to have a good system and seem united in most decisions. As well as this their society focuses on everyone in the society, they support vulnerable people who are in need of help and this I feel needs improved in Northern Ireland. Although there have been many improvements from previous years it is quite obvious that we still lag very far behind not only Sweden but England and Wales as well. â€Å"Severe challenging behaviour refers to behaviour of such an intensity, frequency or duration that the physical safety of the person or others is likely to be placed in serious jeopardy, or behaviour which is likely to seriously limit or delay access to and use of ordinary community facilities. Emerson et al (1987) In our lifetime, most of us will come across instances of challenging behaviour, particularly those who work in health and social care environments. Behaviours that people find challenging can put people’s safety at risk, disrupt home life as well as stop a person taking part in everyday, ordinary social, educational and leisurel y activities. Challenging behaviour can affect a person’s development and their ability to learn. Problems are often caused as much by the way a person is supported – or not supported – as by their disabilities. People often behave in a ‘challenging’ way if they have problems understanding what’s happening around them or communicating what they want or need. The Alzheimer Society explained that ‘In many cases, challenging behaviours have meaning – the challenge is to figure out the significance, so that the behaviour can be managed, controlled or diverted’- this part of the assignment will look at the potential impact that challenging behaviour may have on health and social care organisations as well as analysing the strategies for working with challenging behaviours associated with specific needs. Challenging behaviour is often seen in people with conditions that affect communication and the brain, such as learning disabilities or dementia. Communication is the main way we interact and express our needs, likes and dislikes. If communication is a problem then it can be very frustrating for the person involved and may result in challenging behaviour. If this behaviour leads to a desired outcome, it may be repeated again and again. We as carers must be able to deal appropriately and effectively with challenging behaviour as we will more than likely face it in our career lifetime. As professionals we should determine whether the behaviour is challenging or safe for the person- it may be a problem for someone else which doesn’t trouble the individual at all. For example, if being in a large group of people makes the person you care for feel anxious and makes them become agitated, you could arrange for them to be in a smaller group or have one-to-one support- this will trigger challenging behaviour for some people but not everyone. In order to help deal with the behaviour we must try to understand the cause and why the person is behaving this way. We can start doing this by figuring out what has happened just before the behaviour, looking for any triggers, as well as determining what happened after the incident- it is extremely important to remember not to make assumptions as to what the cause of the behaviour is as this may bring on further challenging behaviour. Simple explanations can be the cause of challenging behaviour such as boredom and frustration as well as changes in routine, sometimes the behaviour is caused simply for a way to get attention. We must try to find the suitable solutions to meet the person’s needs and must be prepared to try different approaches in order to find the correct one. It is important to remember that challenging behaviour can usually be managed with good support and that teaching new communication skills is key in reducing the behaviour. If you as a carer are finding it hard to cope with the behaviour of the person you look after, you can ask your GP to refer you to a specialist with knowledge of challenging behaviour. The specialist will want to know what situations or people trigger the behaviour, what the early warning signs are, and what happens after the event. As well as this, there are organisations set up in order to cope with dealing with challenging behaviour, for example, many organisations for people with learning disabilities or dementia have strategies for coping with challenging behaviour. Some of these organisations also provide opportunities for carers to connect with other people in a similar situation including through family linking schemes. Similarly, family of the person with challenging behaviour can be affected by it and also need help and support. They most likely will be suffering from high levels of stress and often have emotional or physical problems of their own- they should seek help from a specialist, for example a ‘behaviour support team’ or they could alternatively speak to someone who is in a similar situation and therefore understanding of their own circumstances. Another option would be to seek comfort in speaking to a family counselling and support service. Physical Intervention can, sometimes, come along with challenging behaviour however this should only ever happen if needs be. Physical intervention can include restraints such as arm splints or helmets but again should only ever be implemented as a last resort. If they are employed, it should be with clear guidelines on their use, and alongside a range of other ways of supporting the person with their behaviour. This should be recorded and regularly reviewed with a clear aim of eliminating their use. However, before any healthcare professional carries out any sort of physical intervention they should receive the correct training- this will not only teach them how to carry out the intervention properly ensuring the safety of themselves as well as the patient but also it will ensure that the carer has confidence in doing so. Overall it is quite obvious the importance that communication has in carers dealing with challenging behaviour, if we can communicate with our patients effectively as well as identifying the cause of the problem challenging behaviour will be kept to a minimal. Those suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are prone to experiencing challenging behaviour. Part of this assignment is to look at and evaluate a case study based on a school boy, Michael, who because of ADHD IS having trouble in school. Difficulties that he has include listening in class, completing homework’s, shouting out inappropriately during class as well as talking during class with this said it is obvious that he struggles with understanding the social constraints of the classroom. However one point from the case study that I feel is relevant and important to remember is that Michael attends a grammar school with a 1950’s style ethos which does suggest that the school is outdates and therefore may not accommodate correctly to those suffering from ADHD. After reading the case study, my class group devised a communication chart and came to the conclusion that Michael is simply trying to communicate but he may be misunderstood because of his ADHD- we believe that he may have little to no friends and that he may not be able to cope with the demand of work and therefore is falling behind all because of his disability, all of which would be extremely frustrating. It is evident that support is needed, not only in school but also at home from his family. This could include a recording device to help record homework such as a homework diary. Also I feel that it would be beneficial for the school teachers as well as pupils to become aware and be given more knowledge as to what ADHD actually is and its impact on those who suffer from its lives, obviously without pin pointing Michael- this would reduce stigma and people labelling Michael as a ‘problem child’. PIES is vital in the development of anyone and is particularly important for those with specific needs such as Michael. When looking at the physical aspect I feel that physical activity in after school sports would be beneficial in Michaels development- not only would this keep him physically healthy but it would also ensure his social needs improve as he would be interacting and making new friends with other students. As well as this Michael should have a set routine at home, for example getting the correct amount of sleep and eating a health balanced diet. Intellectually it is obvious that improvements need to happen if Michael is to prosper in school. I feel that it is vitally important that he gets one to one attention from a teaching assistant- this way he could seek help from the teaching assistant by asking him/her questions rather than shouting out loud and interrupting the class. The school could also contribute by changing their teaching style by making it more up to date and interactive to suit all students, including Michael. Finally, as mentioned previously, extra support at home would be beneficial and effective communication between Michael’s parent and teachers would help develop his intellectual needs. Emotional support will help in Michael’s development in school. A school counsellor could be provided to help him with his transition from Primary school, in which the case study points out he had no problems, to secondary school where there are obvious problems. Another idea could be that the school could develop different methods of dealing with challenging behaviour rather than strict punishment, for example they could calmly speak to Michael and try to understand the problems that he may be having. Finally, in terms of Michael’s social development it would appear he has very little friends in school. As mentioned above, taking part in extracurricular activities could help develop Michael socially and would result in him making friends. After assessing the case study it is extremely obvious that the main implementation for Michael should be a person centred approach and under the Children (NI) Order 1995 Michael is entitled to receive this. â€Å"Put simply, person-centred planning is a way of discovering what people want, the support they need and how they can get it. It is evidence-based practice that assists people in leading an independent and inclusive life. Person-centred planning is both an empowering philosophy and a set of tools for change, at an individual, a team and an organisational level. It shifts power from professionals to people who use services. † http://www. dh. gov. uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_115249. pdf- accessed on 1/5/13. The school should recognise and be aware of Michael’s own needs and problems that he may have and they should accommodate these otherwise Michael could find the help he needs elsewhere. It should implement person centred thinking tools such as ‘The Doughnut’ which is particularly relevant to Michael as it helps promote independence by identifying responsibilities and avoiding the tendency to treat people with specific needs differently from everybody else which is exactly what Michael would not want. A good idea would also be for the school and Michael’s family to come together every month and assess how things are progressing, stating what’s working and what needs improved further. Person centred approaches bring a number of positive outcomes as they are a targeted intervention and they manage challenging behaviour through prevention- they should definitely be implemented in Michael’s case. After looking at challenging behaviour, the strategies and tools that can help cope with it and how to deal with people suffering from it as health and social care professionals, I feel that above all, communication is the most important aspect. If we can communicate effectively we should be able to solve any problems. Like everything in Health and Social care partnership and working together makes things go a lot smoother. Person centred approaches are also very important in those who have challenging behaviour’s development. Risk management also helps especially having a plan in the event of an emergency. Understanding Specific Needs- Assignment 2 One condition that can bring about challenging behaviour, as well as ADHD, is dementia. In order to care for those who have dementia, we as carers must have a better understanding of what the disease is and what it involves. According to the Alzheimers Disease International 2010, there are 7. 7 million new cases of dementia each year- highlighting the severity of the condition. Previously dementia was viewed as an inevitable part of the ageing process and individuals who had it were characterised as ‘senile old people who have lost their mind’. Many still hold on to this view and as a result individuals often go misdiagnosed by professionals, individuals and families (Berr et al, 2005). However as time has went on it has become more recognised as a mental health condition, given the medical definition of ‘Dementia is the insidious onset and progression of cognitive and/or behavioural symptoms that constitute a departure from the individual’s customary way of thinking and/or behaving. Wicklund and Weintruab 2005. As a result of this more research into the condition has been carried out. Dementia is not classified as a disease but rather a symptom, it indicates that the brain is not functioning ‘normally’ but researchers can not specify the cause or source of the ‘malfunction’. Dementia affects individuals i ndependence and as a result their daily living as well as social relationships. Their personality can change and their memory lost. Their emotional responsiveness changes alongside their language, reasoning, judgement and ability to communicate all of which can be very hard for loved ones to come to terms with. Alzheimer’s Scotland 2003 stress that being diagnosed with dementia is not ‘the end of the road’ and while it brings great changes and challenges ‘there’s still a whole world to enjoy’. A lot of individuals suffering from dementia, depending on the severity, live in care settings simply because they can become difficult for family members alone to look after. In my own experience of working in a care home I know too well about the care that those with dementia need. As carers it is important that we promote as much independence on those with dementia. It is important to help them remain as fit and healthy as possible- both mentally and physically. In my own care home we would fulfil this by simply taking residents for walks around the garden ensuring that they get some fresh air and aren’t just sitting in their chair all day. All principles of practice still apply for dementia individuals, we should respect their dignity when washing, respect their privacy by knocking their door before entering as well as respecting their personal style and identity when dressing them- this is reassuring for family member when visiting. As dementia develops, it can cause behaviour changes that can be confusing, irritating or difficult for others to deal with, leaving carers and family members feeling stressed, irritable or helpless. By learning to understand the meaning behind the actions, it can be easier to stay calm and deal effectively with the challenges that arise. Examples of changes in behaviour include asking the same question over and over again- in this case we should try encouraging the individual to find the answer for themselves and also ensure that we are patient and understanding. One example that is relevant to me and probably others working in a care home is residents repeatedly asking to go home; in this case we should be extremely understanding and reassure them that they are in a safe place and loved. As a result of looking after loved ones with dementia, we can sometimes neglect ourselves and it can become emotionally and physically draining. Pinquart and Sorenson (2004) suggest that the impact of caring for a person with dementia is greater than caring for a physically frail elder due to a number of challenges specific to caring for a person with dementia. Dementia results in an increased need for supervision which in turn can result in the carer becoming isolated and having no time for their own spare time activities. In making recommendations for inventions to support carers of people with dementia, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (NICE- SCIE) took into account the findings from the research literature. The most successful interventions are tailored and multi- component, including for example: Individual or group psycho- education Peer support groups with other carers Training courses about dementia, services and benefits, and communication and problem solving in the care of people with dementia Involvement of other family members All of this highlights the importance of information on dementia and how important education on dementia is for carers. Counselling sessions have also proved valuable for carers of those with dementia. Mittelman et al (1995, 1996, 2005) set up i ndividual and family counselling, support groups and access to long term telephone support. Content would include learning techniques for managing behaviour or promoting better communication between concerned family members. There has been no formal replication of the model in the UK but the service offered by Admiral Nurses is similar in that they provide long term, carer focused support. It is obvious that in the past dementia has been perceived wrong by the public, however with more and more research and exposure as to what the condition actually is and how it affects those who have it I feel that people have begun to realise just how serious it is as well as just how much it changes not only the lives of those suffering from it but also their loved ones as well as their carers. In order to continue with this progress I feel it is extremely important for future nurses, carers and people in general to be fed information on what dementia is, how it can affect us and how we can cope with the condition in our daily lives, for example by providing more support services for carers and families in need. Bibliography World Health Organisation 1946 1984 cited in L Ewles I Simnet [2003] â€Å"Promoting Health – A Practical Guide† 5th Ed London, Balliere Tindall L Jones [1994] â€Å"The Social Context of Health and Health Work† London Macmillan http://www. disabilityartsonline. org. uk/affirmative-model-of-disability- accessed on 1/5/13 http://www. scope. org. uk/about-us/our-brand/talking-about-disability/social-model-disability- accessed on 1/5/13 Grunewald [1974] The Mentally Retarded in Sweden† Swedish Institute, Stockholm CCETSW, Conn, L. and

Leadership and Organizational Studies, Dollar Tree

Leadership and Organizational Studies, Dollar Tree Free Online Research Papers Dollar Tree is the nation’s largest single price point retail with over 3300 stores across the United States. Originally founded in 1953 by K.R. Perry under the name of Ben Franklin variety stores. Then in 1970 Macon Brock, Doug Perry, Ray Compton and K.R. Perry changed the name to KK 5and 10 and a few additional stores were then opened. In 1986 the first Dollar Tree was opened and the KK stores were sold to K.B. Toys. (Associate Handbook 2006) By 1995 Dollar Tree began being traded on NASDAQ and by 2009 Dollar Tree stores numbered over 3300 coast to coast and being headquartered in Chesapeake Virginia. In addition to the stores Dollar Tree also operates 12 distribution centers with the logistics being mostly contracted out to Swift Trucking. During the four years employed by Dollar Tree several issues have been noticed that have lead to organizational and leadership problem. The first issue noticed is the rate of pay and lack of consistent pay increases. While many other retail organizations are starting associates with experience above minimum wage Dollar Tree does not. In addition other retail and no retail business to be competitive try and give wages above minimum wage and again Dollar Tree will not. Once someone is hired by Dollar Tree the method for reviews and raises is not set in writing and many store managers do not even bother to give part time associates reviews and raises when they are deserved. This has created some very poor job performance and job satisfaction. The is the hours kept by store management. The store managers are salaried managers and are required to work at least 48 hours. Many store managers have been told to work until the job is done or do whatever it takes to make sure your store is to standards. That can mean anything, store managers have worked open (7 am) to close (930pm) many times in one week because their stores were not up to company standards or a delivery was late or a sick call by an assistant manager. But mainly it is the attitude that the store manager will do whatever it takes that can and has ruined are marred job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is and was low also because of the procurement and logistics. Dollar Tree stocks their stores based largely on a computer assisted ordering system , which is when an item is sold in the store it begins to generate an order to restock that item. It sounds and should be an excellent tool, but there are other factors involved which confuse and complicate the restocking. Store size and sales also affect store’s orders. Procurement has not updated many of the stores data that affect these orders. For example the store I ran in Bedford Virginia was 13,000 square feet and should have a sales goal of 2 m illion a year. In reality the store began sales at 850,000 when I took over and when I left sales were at 1.25 million. While the 1.25 million was a bit more in line with the stores sales projection it was not enough to handle the excess stock that allocations were sending to the store. This created frustration because the staff was spending more time than needed unloading trucks. The unloading of trucks was another issue that caused frustration within management and with associates. All product was hand stacked on the trucks not palletized. This meant unstable loads, damaged product, ,long hours unloading trucks and at times late trucks forcing others to stay late or causing only management to unload to save payroll. Being a store manager meant 8 weeks of training and for assistants it meant 2 weeks of training. When I was hired I was in and out of training in 4 weeks and made to help train other store and assistant store managers. This was extremely aggravating to me and those I was training. So many mistakes were made by me and I was training them. In the end I was demoted from a DST( district store trainer) managing a high bonusing store to a store manager in a store that was struggling and in a bad area of Mesa, Az. Not only have I been unsatisfied with the company and my job because of training but so have many others I have tried to train as my assistants or regular associates. We were never given extra training hours to successfully train any new employee. We were forced to schedule them in a shift that was meant for regular production or cashiering, therefore, we were not able to successfully train them on true policies and procedures. Lastly, Dollar Tree’s upper management was not consistent in following through on adhering to policies and procedures and making changes when needed. When changes were made, they were implemented suddenly and this caused frustration and poor job satisfaction. Also, when it came to discipline, what was done for one person was not done for someone else in the same type of scenario. There was also inconsistencies in salaries in the form of higher pay for males, younger experienced managers, and in some cases, higher pay for certain ethnic backgrounds. According to Free Management Library Job satisfaction is in regard to ones feelings or states of why associates are disgruntled are poor wages and the company taking an attitude of â€Å"if you do not like it go work somewhere else†. (Fedec 2010) This dissatisfaction is not just at a single store level. It is multiple stores, in multiple states. It affects everyone from store manager to cashier at each store. It also has been noted to have affected district managers in some states. Poor job satisfaction affects stores in several ways: a. understaffing- no one wants to work for a company that is not paying at a competitive rate nor are they are consistent in giving raises and benefits. b. work not being done poor job satisfaction means poor job performance. Associates will not want to work at their peak performance if they are not happy with their job. c. high turnover- Because of low job satisfaction associates will not want to stay at their jobs very long. Creating high turnover rate in many competitive markets were there are other jobs to be found. d. stores are not well stocked and recovered- as understaffing occurs store conditions and customer service diminish. All stores should have trucks unloaded and new stock to the sales floor within 48 hours. In addition every night items that have been misplaced throughout the store need to be picked up and placed in the area that they belong. Also product should be pulled forward on the shelves to give a full appearance. These occur not just because of understaffing because of poor job satisfaction but also because of poor job satisfaction. No one wants to give 100% when they are not happy with their jobs. e. poor customer service- Customers are any businesses life blood . Organizations are in business to provide some service or product to a customer. If there is a lack of staff or lack of job satisfaction customers will not be treated to standards that are set by the company. Even if the company does not have a set customer service standard program a negative attitude will be shown on the faces , in the tone and the overall attitude of Dollar Tree associates. f. loss prevention issues- A big problem is loss prevention challenges. I have caught many associates as well as assistant managers stealing because they were not happy with their jobs. It was either poor wages, lack of concern for the associates by previous management, poor work conditions, and management just not monitoring the checks and balance that are in place to deter employee and customer theft. Much of Dollar Tree’s problem centers around their business model. They are a single price point retailer, they cannot raise their price from 1.00 to 1.50. This causes the organization to put tight controls on those expenses that are controllable, the biggest being payroll. In addition Dollar Tree must purchase very aggressively and when certain extreme values come procurements way they must take advantage even if it means overloading stores. In keeping with deliveries Dollar tree also saves money by not loading product on pallets because this give the warehouse the ability to stack product from floor to ceiling utilizing as much of the trucks as they can. If Dollar Tree was able to raise prices then we would have seen deliveries palletized as store orders and allocations would be decreased as the quantity of product sold would have decreased. The studying of employee satisfaction and how it affects an organization began In the 1980’s with Benjamin Schneider and his research on employee satisfaction.(Corporate Leadership 2003)Other studies have indicated that there is a link between employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, productivity, and financial performance: Unhappy employees are less productive and more likely to have higher absence rates Satisfied employees are more productive, innovative, and loyal Increases in job satisfaction lead to increases in employee morale, which lead to increased employee productivity Employee satisfaction leads to customer retention These points have been witnessed at Dollar Tree , any new store that I had taken over morale was low and so was productivity and absences were high. Once morale was increase by various methods associates wanted to come to work and productivity was higher than company standards. In an article on American Psychological Association’s website APA PsychNet it is also stated that there is a direct relationship between job satisfaction and customer satisfaction, productivity, profit, employee turnover, and accidents.(Harter 2002) One of the biggest reasons for low employee job satisfaction is related is the rate of pay or lack of pay increases. According to Colin Green and John S Heywood, pay is directly related to employee job satisfaction, job performance and satisfied with hours scheduled. (Green Heywood 2007)This means pay covers many problems an employee may have. Poor schedules can be fixed with a more solid hourly rate, poor job performance can be fixed with a raise. This i s such a shallow finding, that people would place all they care about second to money and it also means people can be bought. This is a poor attitude for so many organizations that have employees that will sell their soul for a higher wage. Though they may have a high productivity rate what of the quality of their work? It never seems to measure the quality only the quantity though in my experience someone who is very satisfied with their career not only has a high productivity rate but the quality of the work is generally flawless. That’s because those employees take ownership and pride in their careers. Unsatisfied employees skate by doing the minimum standard of their position. Retaining our employees is very important, and a high turnover is one area that has been noticed with poor job satisfaction at Dollar Tree. In an article entitled The satisfaction and retention of frontline employees: A customer satisfaction measurement approach by Roland T. Rust, Greg L. Stewart, Heather Miller,and Debbie Pielack, it is stated †that employee turnover is highest among employees who are not satisfied with their jobs. Because qualified employees are becoming more scarce and difficult to retain, organizations need to focus on increasing employee satisfaction.† The suggestion they give is treat an employee as customer. This illustrates how a customer satisfaction measurement approach can be applied to the measurement of employee attitudes. What a great idea if organizations would stop and think that employees are just as important as the people they sell too then employee satisfaction would grow. Retailers like Safeway spend so much time and money try i ng to give world class customer service that they forget the employee is the one that has to deliver this service and they should be treated just as equally important. Instead they get rated on how bad they do not how good they do when a mystery shopper comes in. (Graziano 2010)Their wages are cut and benefits are held back until they reach some ridiculous amount of hours worked. (Safeway union contract 2010) This to me does not promote job satisfaction it supports fear and a sense of let us just do enough to get by no more. In 1985 Heneman and Schwab used a PSQ Pay Satisfaction Questionnaire and studied 1,007 of a manufacturing firm and 95 employees from a healthcare firm. Depending on the job structure each of the 4 aspects, pay level, pay raises, pay structure-administration, and benefits affected employee satisfaction in some way. (Scarpello 2003 )So what Safeway had done with the union contract and what has been observed with Dollar Tree this research backs up that some of these if not all of the 4 factors will affect employee satisfaction. In observing what Dollar Tree has fell short in doing or providing to it’s associates, there is one main solution that needs to be accomplished. That is to be consistent in everything that they do. This sounds easy but all of their problems stem from not being consistent in following policy, pay structure, discipline, procurement, or to boil it down overall operational standards. In fact on a large level organizational restructuring has a positive response on employee satisfaction according to studies.(Howard, Frink 2010) We are not asking for a complete restructure just rethink and reintroduce new policies and procedures that will benefit the work force that is the front line service to the primary end user of your product and service. In speaking to an old District Manager out here in Arizona Rich Norkus Dollar Tree has begun to become more aware of their failing pay structure and has begun using a more consistent structure based on store volume or estimated store volume a nd experience. It seems each store has a salary for a store manager budgeted into it. That salary can fluctuate a few thousand dollars per year based on experience. (Norkus 2010) In addition the company is becoming more aware of reviews and raises with recent class action law suits against Wal Mart. Dollar Tree does not want to seem biased toward one class or gender and they are becoming more diligent in getting associates what they deserve and are entitled too. While the store managers are still working uncanny hours that is also being looked into as a law suit has been filed by several thousand current and ex store managers claiming unfair wages . In summation the claim goes after the excess hours store managers work during the holidays that is not currently laid out in the store manager’s job description. This would aid in some store managers having poor attitudes if they would get compensated for the 6th day they work and the loose of time with their families. The allocations and procurement has also been worked out according to Rich Norkus and Mike Moore my old district Manager in Virginia. The stores allocations and procurement needs have now been more closely linked to stores actual sales not their size or projected or supposed sales goal. It has been noted that load sizes have decreased slightly but the biggest issue is product being delivered that is not sellable in that area or store and the amount of excess product has decreased. The logistics department has been working harder at getting truck drivers to get loads thrown faster by giving help to the driver. This speeds the rate of unload time and more stores can be delivered in shorter period and earlier in the day. Managers no longer will work later to unload trucks and it alone. As a an ex store manager nothing irritated me more than waiting for a truck or waiting for a truck driver to unload the truck. Wasted time standing around I could have been home hours ago if the truck was on time. These steps that Dollar Tree has taken may in time solve some of their problems. I have spoke to several managers and they feel less stressed about their jobs and they sense associates are as well. They are beginning to feel more like a family again. The way it was 5 years and 1000 stores earlier. The growth of Dollar Tree is what hurt them in seems. They forgot where they started and really who helped them get to where they are now. That is why I no longer with the company some Human resource managers forgot what I did for the company for 5 years and when I needed help the door was shut on me. Maybe that will change but for now the path they are on will at least begin to help those currently employed. The problem and issues that have caused the problem discussed did not hinder my professional development. In fact it strengthened my leadership abilities. I had to compensate and be creative to keep employees motivated to be productive and friendly to customers. This issue caused me to step up and be a leader and motivate those employees who felt underpaid and who had poor job satisfaction. As I became better leader because of the problem the long hours worked because of high turnover impacted my school work and home life. Grades slipped, assignments were not done to the best of my ability. My family missed out on dinner together gatherings and other social events. Research Papers on Leadership and Organizational Studies, Dollar TreeThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Project Managment Office SystemIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanResearch Process Part One19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraOpen Architechture a white paperAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaMind Travel

the future of COBOL essays

the future of COBOL essays COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language) was the first widely used high-level programming language for business applications. Many payroll, accounting, and other business application programs written in COBOL over the past 35 years are still possible that there are more existing lines of programming code in COBOL than in any other programming language has been update over the years. Today we already stepped in internet Age, most of old style business also have been combined with intent to create the e-business, so we suppose COBOL is not useful anymore but before we made a conclusion wed better know hows COBOL worked, and hows COBOL will work in future then we could make decision. COBOL was an effort to make a programming language that was like natural English, easy to write and easier to read the coed after youd written it, and COBOL is one of the oldest, and arguably the most successful and popular of all programming languages. The earliest version of the language, COBOL-60 and -61, evolved to the COBOL-85 standard sponsored by the Conference on Data Systems Language (CODASYL). COBOL has been declared dead so many times since April 1968 till now, but COBOL lives on. Nevertheless, the somber pronouncements of COBOLs demise continue, and the pace has picked up with such developments as clients-sever technology, Visual Basic, Java, and the chaos associated with the Year-2000 problems. Since the year 2000 (Y2K) problem is common in many business applications and most of these are written in COBOL, programmers with COBOL skills have become sought after by major corporations and contractors. A number of companies have updated COBOL and sell development tools to meet the requirements about COBOL applications using in e-business. Since the COBOL use for Oriented of business it was mostly serviced for big company. Even now many large companies have a huge pool of COBOL-based applic ...

Definition of LD50 or Lethal Dose 50 Test

Definition of LD50 or Lethal Dose 50 Test Updated and edited on May 20, 2016 by Michelle A. Rivera, About.com Animal Rights Expert The LD50 test is one of the most controversial and inhumane experiments endured by laboratory animals. â€Å"LD† stands for â€Å"lethal dose†; the â€Å"50† means that half the animals, or 50 percent of the animals forced to endure testing the product, will die at that dose. LD50 value for a substance will vary according to the species involved. The substance may be administered any number of ways, including orally, topically, intravenously, or through inhalation. The most commonly used species for these tests are rats, mice, rabbits, and guinea pigs. Substances tested might include household products, drugs or pesticides. These particular animals are popular with animal testing facilities because they are not protected by the Animal Welfare Act which states, in part:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   AWA 2143 (A)   Ã¢â‚¬Å"†¦for animal care, treatment, and practices in experimental procedures to ensure that animal pain and distress are minimized, including adequate veterinary care with the appropriate use of anesthetic, analgesic, tranquilizing drugs, or euthanasia;†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The LD50 test is controversial because the results have limited, if any, significance when applied to humans. Determining the amount of a substance that will kill a mouse has little value to human beings. Also controversial is the number of animals frequently involved in an LD50 trial, which may be 100 or more animals. Organizations such as the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, among others, have all spoken out publicly against the use of too many animals in order to reach that 50 percent number. Approximately 60-200 animals are used even though the above organizations have indicated that these same tests could be successfully concluded by using only six to ten animals. The tests involved testing for â€Å",,,toxicity of gases and powders (the inhalation LD50), irritancy and internal poisoning due to skin exposure (the dermal LD50), and toxicity of substances injected directly into anim al tissue or body cavities (the injectable LD50),† according to the New England Anti-Vivisection Society, whose mission it is to end animal testing and supporting alternatives to testing on live animals. The animals used are almost never given anesthesia and suffer tremendous pain during these tests. Because of public outcry and advances in science, the LD50 test has been largely replaced by alternative test measures. In â€Å"Alternatives to Animal Testing, (Issues in Environmental Science and Technology)† a number of contributors* discuss alternatives that have been adopted by laboratories around the world including the Acute Toxic Class method, the Up and Down and Fixed Dose procedures.   According to the National Institute of Heath, the Consumer Product Safety Commission strongly discourages the use of the LD50 test, while the Environmental Protection Agency discourages its use, and, perhaps the most unnerving, the Food and Drug Administration does not require the LD50 test for cosmetic testing. Merchants have used the public outcry to their advantage. Some have added the words â€Å"cruelty free† or some other indication that the company does not use animal testing on their finished product. But beware of these claims because there is no legal definition for these labels. So the manufacturer may not test on animals, but it’s entirely possible that the manufacturers of the ingredients which comprise the product are tested on animals. International trade has also added to the confusion. While many companies have learned to avoid testing on animals as a public relations measure, the more the United States opens trades with other countries, the higher the chance that animal testing will again be part of the manufacture of a product previously deemed cruelty free. For example, Avon, one of the first companies to speak out against animal testing, has begun selling their products to China. China requires some animal testing be done on certain products before being offered to the public. Avon chooses, of course, to sell to China rather than stand on ceremony and stick to their cruelty-free guns. And while these tests may or may not involve LD-50, the fact is that all the laws and regulations that have been so hard fought and won by animal-rights activists over the years wont mean a thing in a world where global trade is the norm.   If you want to live a cruelty-free life and enjoy following a vegan lifestyle, you have to be part detective and research the products you use every day. *R E Hester  (Editor),  R M Harrison  (Editor),  Paul Illing  (Contributor),  Michael Balls  (Contributor),  Robert Combes  (Contributor),  Derek Knight  (Contributor),  Carl Westmoreland  (Contributor) Edited by Michelle A. Rivera, Animal Rights Expert

Hospitals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hospitals - Essay Example Services include more difficult treatment options such as traumatic brain injury repair and spinal cord injuries. This non-profit hospital appears to provide a higher standard of care than other hospitals in Chicago. Much of the funding for this hospital comes from donations from large benefactors and private donators as well. Many of the patients at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital are also on some form of public assistance which helps the hospital receive more patient revenues. A governmental hospital in Chicago is the Alton Mental Health Center which is fully funded by government agencies. This is a psychiatric treatment hospital in which patients are residents. The typical patient is urban and the hospital specializes in psychiatric treatment for people who have committed crimes or are dangers to society or to themselves. Alton Mental Health Center has high technology treatment facilities backed by government

Sensory Perception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Sensory Perception - Essay Example This means that whenever a certain sensation is perceived through the different senses of the body, information becomes processed as per what has already taken place in the past making it an issue of associating events. As a result, this is backed by the Pavlovian theory of reinforcement, and this makes information to be perceived as accurate provided a given stimulus is introduced every time to produced similar effects (Ban & Gantt, 2008). However, this pavlovian theory plays a significant role in labeling sensory information as inaccurate in events when experience contradicts sensory input. In most cases for sensory information to be perceived as inaccurate, a process termed as the construction of doubt takes place within an individual, whereby it creates a break down in the association between stimulus and expected results (Asratyan, 2001). The breakdown in belief takes place slowly and accounts for the largest factor that leads to inaccuracy of sensory information due to the pres ence of contradicting experiences from time to time leading to inconsistencies in perception of stimuli. In order to believe in sensory information, an individual’s intent also features in that it all depends on what the individual expects to perceive or gain from the sensory experience. This can be taken from the psychological situation of the individual making belief in sensory information to be accurate or inaccurate based on their state of being. For example, a fiercely hungry person perceives food on almost all instances including those that have nothing to do with relief from hunger. In addition, the external environment plays a key role in the accuracy, which is especially so in the case of cognitive impenetrability (Barth et al, 2012). The concept of cognitive impenetrability contributes to the inaccuracy of sensory information based on the environment in that the external environment may have objects and aspects that are not apparent to sensory organs, but these, bas ed on experiences are apparent to cognition. Consequently, cognitive impenetrability accounts for data inaccuracy in cases where one does not logically and critically process or analyze sensory information to make an immediate decision. This makes sensory data largely unreliable and invalid in spite of perceiving the immediate environment correctly as per available senses, but in the absence of cognition and experiences. Sensory information can further be made accurate or inaccurate based on confounding of different sensory organs and the data perceived. One sensory organ can pick information correctly, while another can take in information from a different angle making the information conflicting and interpretation becomes difficult. This also makes sensory information processed inaccurate by not following dynamics of the environment and the input of all the senses (Hwang, 2008). Besides the different factors mentioned in influencing the accuracy of sensory information, analysis an d assessment of sensory data, nature and nurture are involved. Nurture plays a large part in interpretation and evaluation of date through application of acquired information and experience in learning, also known as perceptual learning. Nurture allows interpretation of data as per active or passive cognition, in which case it serves to correct internal errors (Barth et al, 2012). These are errors emanating from nature in perception, as nature allows interp

Ethics in Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics in Marketing - Essay Example There are four fundamental issues that should be taken into consideration when making decisions that affects the society. These issues include; individuals, economy, business as well as the society. However, owing to the high rate of decreasing cigarette consumption most industries especially, cigarette producing companies have take unethical measures and decisions making processes that do not take into consideration the four fundamental issues. The article indicates that, cigarette producing countries have stepped up their modus operandi and have managed to modify the decisions made by governments and journalists to create awareness among the public on the negative effects of smoking. These companies have gone to an extent of bribing journalists in most African nations to avoid publishing information that may reduce the rate of cigarette consumption in Africa. Ethical and Social Responsibility of Cigarette Advertisement in Third World Countries Most cigarette manufacturing companies such as British American Tobacco, with large shares in the Third World Countries have taken improved measures to promote effective marketing of their cigarette products. The advertisements have taken a direction whereby; health issues ascribed to smoking have been neglected as the companies are striving to make the public informed of the benefits of smoking. The use of elegant persons, properly dressed men and women to advertize cigarette have shifted the minds of most people especially in the developing nations from the consequences associated with smoking. This form of marketing some of the fundamental issues indicated in the Decision Tree Model; specifically, such advertisements focus majorly on profits made by the companies while neglecting the society as well as individuals. Ethical and Social Responsibilities of the Focus on Developing Markets Owing to the increasing rates at which governments and other institutions formulate and implement strict rules and regulations, most o f cigarette producing companies have shifted their focus of markets where such laws are limited or less active. Cigarette producers like PMI have shifted their focus on third world countries where such laws may be manipulated through corruption. Moreover, such companies have also developed more advanced technologies geared towards improving the quality of their products for instance; addition of sweet smelling products on the cigarette in order to convince the public and the government that such products are not harmful to human health. This strategy focuses on the benefits of the company while ignoring the social and the individual negative effects that may occur from smoking. Ethical Issues of Anti-smoking Campaign Cigarette producing industries have taken prerogatives to ensure that

City of Santa Anas Purpose, Vision, Values and Goals Essay

City of Santa Anas Purpose, Vision, Values and Goals - Essay Example Each element of the vision is translated into measurable goals. For example, one element of the visions is â€Å"investment in children† (1). The goals set to realize this vision include ensuring a safe community and being a catalyst for the positive development of young people. It also has a vision of â€Å"appreciation of diversity† (2). This vision can be realized by the formulation of a specific goal which is â€Å"recruit and retain a highly-skilled and diverse workforce† (2). From these examples, it is clear that goals flow from vision. After setting the goals, the implementation process begins. This involves translating the goals into actions or formulating strategies to ensure the goals are achieved. For the organization purpose to be achieved, every department in the organization should work towards a common goal since each department has specific actions to perform that flow from the goals. For example, to â€Å"ensure a safe community† the commu nity development agency is required to â€Å"develop and implement programs to deter and alleviate the effects of illegal behavior† (2). ... However, for these actions to be enacted, the support in terms of funds, equipment, and manpower is needed; thus, the budgetary allocation is crucial. Through the roles assigned, each department in the city is made aware of what is expected if the council is successful in its endeavor. Identification of vision, goals, and actions is vital in strengthening the government’s budgeting process. From the vision, achievable goals are set, and in order to achieve the goals, some actions must be performed. In this case, if the actions are performed as expected, it means the vision, as well as the purpose of the organization, will be achieved. For this to happen, resources in terms of finance, materials and equipment, and manpower with required skills are needed. Where do the resources come from? The government has to provide the resources needed for successful implementation of goals, but it cannot just give out resources without a plan. It has to establish how much is needed in order to achieve each goal and allocate resources accordingly. Some goals which are more important are given more priority than others. Some actions can also enhance the implementation process by these means reducing the need for financial allocation. For example, by employing a highly skilled diverse workforce continuously, there is a possibility to ensure improved systems and high-quality services to customers and to develop the required programs. Thus, it is crucial for the government to have vision and objectives, so as to allocate resources efficiently for the overall success of government services and economic growth.  

Lenovo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lenovo - Assignment Example Consisting of the synergy of companies, the synergy of allocation canal, the synergy of the variety as well as management plus the synergy of price saving. The culture divergence; the disparity among the two countries might oblige the former staffs of IBM to depart from Lenovo. Such that Lenovo ought to respect the independence of abroad R&D centers. Numerous practices general in other authority is controlled in China. The Regulations stiffen regulatory necessities with deference to foreign attainment activities. The consequence will be to slim, rather than enlarge, the chances for foreign scheme capital. All these regulations are put for the safety and constancy of Chinese wealth, plus a means to keep the party’s organized over the financial system. Lenovo ought to intensify its internationalize attainment. Since Lenovo's achievement is accredited to its long-term centering on emerging sales plus successful abroad M&As, it ought to run a high-quality business of the businesse s it merged. Lenovo must place itself for the international market. Placing is at all times the critical subject that the Chinese corporations ignore, as well as it is the cause why Chinese corporation can barely last long. In conclusion, Lenovo should trim down their pricing plan. The worth of the produce is a significant factor to put into consideration; Lenovo is not able to make low-price policies to endure in the international market. Lenovo ought to rather be concerned as regards to the order of their target clients.

Chinese Revolution Essay Example for Free

Chinese Revolution Essay The Chinese Civil War was one of the most turbulent, chaotic, and effective series of events during the Cold War Era. It is difficult to conceive of any fashion in which the under-equipped CPC forces would be able to match and eventually overcome a powerful political regime with support vast support from the United States. However, even with limited aid from their Soviet allies, Mao was able to pull the marginalized, the poor, and the oppressed together to strengthen the communist cause. Although many of the issues from which the war stemmed were presented well before any real violence took place between Chinese Nationalists and Mao’s Communist Party the strategies employed by the communists and the emotional vigor with which they clung to their hopes of progress remain the center points Mao’s eventual victory. When carefully assessed; it is evident the CCP victory in the Chinese Civil War was due to the ability of Mao to mobilize the peasantry and institute land reform, the mismanagement of the Guomindang by Chiang Kai-Shek during the Japanese invasion of China and the Chinese Civil War, and the proclivity to violence (inspired by intense hatred of the enemy) that was deemed necessary in order to bring power to the CCP. It is arguable that the KMD should have been at its strongest during the decade preceding the Chinese Civil War. Chiang Kai-Shek had been quite successful in his campaign against the independent warlords and had recaptured many key areas of Chinese territory. However, June Grasso argues that Chiang made a key mistake in his treatment of his defeated opponents. She details this folly, writing â€Å"†¦Chiang absorbed, rather than eliminated, many warlords and their armies, in effect swallowing but not digesting them,† (Grasso, 90). Chiang’s army was growing at a rapid pace and the KMD was claiming large territorial victories. To an outsider, the party may have seemed at its strongest. However, the KMD â€Å"†¦remained faction-ridden into the 1930’s,† (Grasso, 91) and party unity began a major concern. Grasso continues to explain that the eventual oppression of the communist base in China would be a monumental mistake from which the party would never fully recover. At first glance, the expulsion of radical communists to the fringes of China seemed almost necessary in order to secure political control for the KMD. In reality the communist purge concentrated most of the Nationalist power in major urban areas and disallowed the spread of KMD support. Eventually Mao would make the most of his wide-spread supporters which allowed for a larger base of communism in the country. Considering his small numbers and the rural beginnings of his revolution, Mao worked incredibly well with what he had. Mao evidently knew that he had little choice in the matter of battle strategy. As Maurice Meisner reports in Mao’s China and After, â€Å"†¦the Maoist forces learned to employ the tactics of guerilla warfare upon which their survival was dependent.† (Meisner, 31) Mao also presented the peasantry of Jiangxi with a reform to the oppressive feudal system which granted redistribution of land to tenants. Through the implementation of revolutionary agrarian policies, Mao was able to secure the beginnings of a unified opposition to the Nanjing regime. Policies that were deemed too radical by the middle peasantry were thought to be â€Å"†¦politically and economically counterproductive in a situation that demanded a broad base of popular support in a rural society†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Meisner, 32) Although Mao seemed to have many of the necessary ingredients to effect change among his countrymen, the Guomindang armies were too strong to be defeated this early in the development communist response to Chinese nationalism. Mao would lead the First Front Army, out of necessity, from their now obsolete home of Jiangxi to mountainous Northwest regions of China. The Long March devastated the numbers of Chinese Communism and left the party disbanded and broken. Amazingly, the march also birthed profound changes in party leadership and revolutionary spirit. First and foremost the disbandment of other party leaders in the early 1930’s and during the 6,000 mile march allowed Mao to pursue his own ideas for communist overhaul, particula rly in opposition to Stalin’s form of communism. His ideas would eventually be accepted by the CCP. Meisner also contends that the Long March had enduring psychological effects on the communist contingent that were undoubtedly the most important feature of this new communism. He writes, â€Å"For Mao, at least, the experience served to reinforce his voluntaristic faith that the people with the proper will, spirit, and revolutionary consciousness could conquer all material obstacles and mold historical reality in accordance with their ideas and ideals.† (Meisner, 34) This so-called revolutionary consciousness combined with the passionate will to overcome great adversity, as displayed by Mao’s marchers, served as the greatest engine of communist success during the Chinese Civil War. However, a preceding war with the Japanese would create a rare opportunity for Mao and the Red Army to seize power in China. One of the most important pieces of the intricate puzzle of Chinese political struggle was the invasion of the neighboring Japanese which continued through World War II. Although the Guomigdang harbored superior weapons and were concentrated in some of the most important strategic positions, their leadership and numbers would be forever weakened by their invading neighbors. Although the Japanese were unable to hold large territories in China due to its enormous mass, they captured major cities and ports formerly under Chiang’s rule. The Guomindang could do little to stop the advances of the Japanese Imperial Army. Chiang was aware that he needed Western military aid in order to reclaim the cities he had lost in the East. However, his retreat to the center left Chiang with a single option for military success: implementing a strategy of guerilla warfare. In reality this was not a viable option for the Guomindang. In his article Origins of the Chinese Revolution, Lucien Bianco contends â€Å"Mobilizing the rural masses would have required transforming the Chinese countryside and limiting the power of large landowners; hence Chiang’s aversion to the idea,† (Bianco, 149) displaying Chiang’s lack of attractive options. If he were to unite and mobilize the peasantry he would risk the overthrow of large landowners—a consequence that played directly into the communist strategy. In other words Chiang would have to sacrifice his dominance over the Red Army in order to pacify the invaders from Japan. This turn of events seems almost too perfect for a Red Army that was poised to attack behind Japanese lines using guerilla warfare. The Red Army continued to chip away at the Imperial Army and eventually amassed a force over 3 million (two-thirds of which were militia) and the communists eventually ruled over 90 million peasants. The peasantry, as well as women and other previously excluded groups, would now be able to partake in the newly forming democracy. However, the majority of peasants joined the Red Army cause because it was necessary for survival. (Bianco, 150) Japanese soldiers were terrorizing the Chinese countryside and committing large scale atrocities that forced the peasantry into action. As Bianco puts it, â€Å"The thing to remember is that the peasant was often safer if he joined a guerilla detachment: since his life was in constant danger anyway, he was better off if he at least had a weapon.† (Bianco, 152) Their antipathy towards their enemies, both present and future, gave them strength of spirit that could not be matched by the Japanese or the Guomindang. Further atrocities committed by the Guomindang against the peasantry, including theft of food and murder, only furthered the peasantry’s love of the communist movement. As one patriotic war ended, another was looming over t he Chinese country. Among the most important factors in the Chinese Civil War were the failures in Chiang’s leadership and military strategy as well as the advancement of the people’s revolution. Chiang did not have the numbers to defend his holdings while attacking the Red Army. With his numbers greatly spread throughout the massive country, Chiang had great difficulty stopping the communist advance. The Red Army eradicated the Guomindag presence in the North and moved swiftly into Chiang’s territory. As hyperinflation due to poor economic policies afflicted Chiang’s regime, Mao was eventually able to finish off his opponent and reclaim Beijing by 1949. (Grasso, 124-129) The aforementioned people’s revolution was a way of uniting the peasants against the common enemy. Everyone was expected to contribute to the war effort, not simply to preach its necessity. Grasso contends â€Å"Alone, the peasantry lacked the insights, what Marxists call ‘consciousness,’ to make a genuinely socialist revolution,† (Grasso, 121) highlighting the mutual necessity that the people and the party shared in each other. In his speech entitled How to Be a Good Communist, Liu Shao-Ch’I reiterates the necessity of party unity and revolutionary consciousness stating, â€Å"†¦we must modestly listen to the opinions and criticisms of our comrades and of the masses, carefully study the practical problems in our lives and in our work and carefully sum up our experiences and the lessons we have learned so as to find an orientation for our work.† (Liu Shao-Ch’I, How To Be A Good Communist, 251) In other words, the partnership of the peasantry and the party were one of the strongest tools in the successful victory of the CCP. The peasant ry’s hatred of their oppressors became a major motivation for the overthrow of the Guomindang. Gold Flower’s Story, a chapter of Jack Belden’s book China Shakes the World, presents an insightful and useful microcosm of the agrarian communist viewpoint in Northern China. The specific instances presented in her story are quite particular to women, evident in Belden’s assessment â€Å"And there was a Gold Flower, more or less, beaten and bruised, saddened and soured, in every farm of North China.† (Belden, 288) However, the emotional hardships and overall struggle of Gold Flower and the countless other members of the abused female gender share common themes with the whole of the revolution and the Communist and Maoist supporters. The mistreated women of China also provided an effective and powerful outlet from which Party leaders could find support. As Belden continues, â€Å"The Communist Party saw her and schemed to serve her and themselves through her. She was that spirit that forgets nothing and forgives nothing. There she stood at the gate, slow burning revenge incarnate, waiting a better time, waiting an opportunity,† (Belden, 288) one is immediately taken by the spirit of revenge personified in Gold Flower. This need for revenge in the form of vigorous and frequently violent action acts as fuel to the flame that was the revolution. Here, one can see an obvious divide between the two parties. The violence perpetrated by Mao’s supporters heeds immediate results in the form of social change and freedom from oppression. Of course, there was a plethora of mistreatment in all forms perpetrated against the marginalized masses of rural China. Gold Flower’s struggle represents a shift in economic and social precepts that provide the basis for revolution. Under the regime of Chiang Kai-Shek and his Kuomintang predecessors, these marginalized groups stood little chance of peacefully and diplomatically obtaining equality of social standing and political prowess. Gold Flower echoes this sentiment of hopelessness. Early in Belden’s account he writes, â€Å"She felt as if a great weight were pressing down on her. Not able to marry the man she loved, not able even to kill herself so that she could remain loyal to her lover, completely done in and drained of all strength, she at last fell into a deep stupor,† (Belden, 284) highlighting the depressing nature of Golden Flower’s life. If the young girls inability to freely choose her destiny stands as a metaphor for the frustrations of t he people of her region, her husband’s cruelty and overall attitude is most certainly akin to the landowners’ perspective. Blind to the injustices that those in power had maintained, Chang aggressively remarks â€Å"As for the poor, if they have not enough to eat, let them go. As for the rich, do you think their property was stolen from others?† (Belden, 305). Unwilling to sacrifice personal standing for the greater good of all, men such as Chang soon became an easy target for the coming backlash. Simply because it was the most accessible and immediately effective tool afforded to communist revolutionaries, violence became the most important means by which the marginalized would repel their oppressors. Violence seems to satiate (at least temporarily) the anger and helplessness felt by the poor of China. The roles of victim and perpetrator could be instantly reversed. The power of action was now in the hands of the oppressed. As Dark Jade put it, â€Å"This is our day. This means the end of our suffering. The beginning of our hope.† (Belden, 289) Although the fact of the matter is that war inherently brings a multitude of violent acts, it is evident that the motives behind communist violence among the peasantry were significantly more powerful than those of their opponents. It was their only chance of evading the â€Å"black society† (Belden, 284) into which they had been thrust. The feats that the CCP accomplished are astounding considering their humble beginnings. Though much of their success is owed to events preceding the civil war, Mao’s management of his party as well as the fervor with which the communists united and mobilized cannot be discounted. Again, it is my contention that the success of the CCP was due to multiple factors. The first of which was the ability of Mao to strategize the mobilization and unification of the countryside. Secondly, Chiang was unable to effectively manage his political and economic as well as military policies during the Japanese invasion. Finally, the emotional and violent response to Nationalist and feudal repression was of overt importance to the war efforts of the Red Army as well as the advancement of the CCP. When put in perspective the accomplishments of Mao; whether social, political, or military; are nearly unfathomable.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Sexual Harassment Unwelcome lewd gestures, demands for sexual favors and other verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature. A verbal badgering is in oral structure and incorporates uncomfortable and hostile teasing, clowning, addressing, joking or making suggestive comments or sounds, or verbal repartee. Though a sneer with foul suggestion, sexual movement or yearning meant by hand sign, lips licking or nourishment consuming and industrious being a tease are classified as non-verbal badgering. Covering the divider with pin-up, schedules, drawings, photos of bare and sparsely clad ladies or other sex-based materials and composing sex-based letter are viewed as visual provocation. Sexual presentation likewise falls under this manifestation of inappropriate behavior. Mental badgering damages an individuals mental prosperity and incorporates abusively consistent proposition for dates, rehashed undesirable physical closeness or social welcomes. Physical badgering incorporates tacky activity, for example , touching of a personal body part, tapping, squeezing, stroking, looking over against the body, embracing, kissing, petting and rape. All types of inappropriate behavior will be conduct that inspire sexual consideration There are a few sorts of lewd behavior one of it are sexual compulsion It is known as quid star qul inappropriate behavior in the United States. Sexual Coercion is a kind of provocation which has direct results in some result to the victimized persons occupation. It is occupation separation. Sexual pressure is under a state of occupation, where a straightforwardly or verifiably offer in keeping work or getting an advancement is made by a manager to a worker in return for sexual favors. Such individual regularly has the control over advancement or raise of the representative. In sexual intimidation, advancement and ideal occupation advantages will take after if a worker takes the focal point and agreed to sex. Actually, if the worker rejects, the employment advantages are denied. Next sorts of lewd behavior is sexual disturbance which confront by a large portion of the representative. It is otherwise called threatening environment inappropriate behavior. Then again, the irritating con duct makes a hostile work space which influences the exploited persons capacity to keep working. Lewd behavior is an unbiased offense, from a certain perspective: Men can sexually annoy ladies, and ladies can sexually irritate men. Notwithstanding, insights demonstrate that the mind larger part of inappropriate behavior claims and charges are brought by ladies asserting that they were sexually pestered by men. Individuals of the same sex can likewise sexually badger one another the length of the badgering is in view of sex as opposed to sexual introduction, which is not an ensured trademark under Title VII. Case in point, if a mans collaborators always assault him with sexually express photographs of ladies, and this makes him uncomfortable, he may have an inappropriate behavior claim. In the event that, in any case, a mans colleagues tease and disparage him in light of the fact that he is gay, that may not be unlawful badgering under government law as it is right now deciphered. In any case, such lead may be unlawful under laws instituted by specific states, or even urban areas . There several reason why is sexual harassment is happening. One of the reason is the attire of the individual that is tempting the opposite sex to approach them by wearing clothes that can see their flesh from the outside or wearing sharp colors under garment such as wearing a white color shirt and under garment is bright color for example, pink, red and so on. A manager suggests to a worker that the representative must lay down with him to keep an occupation. Business representative makes disparaging remarks about female clients to his collaborators. An office supervisor in a law office is made uncomfortable by legal counselors who frequently tell sexually express jokes. A clerk at a store squeezes and pets a collaborator without wanting to. A secretarys associates put down her and allude to her by sexist or belittling terms. A few workers post sexually express jokes on an office intranet announcement board. A worker sends messages to associates that contain sexually unequivocal dia lect and jokes. The harasser can be the victimized persons manager, chief, or colleague. A head honcho may even be at risk for provocation by a non-worker, (for example, a merchant or client), contingent upon the circumstances. There is stand out law in presence that verges on managing the issue of lewd behavior in Malaysia Penal Code, segment 509. The Penal Code, segment 509 gives that : Whoever, meaning to affront the humility of any ladies, articulates any words, makes any sound or signal or display any article, expecting that such word or sound should be listened, or such motion or item might be seen by such lady, should be rebuffed with detainment for a term which may reach out to 5 years or with fine, or with both. There are various steps that Human Resources (HR) can take to diminish the danger of lewd behavior happening in working environment. In spite of the fact that will be unable to make the greater part of the strides recorded beneath, Human resources ought to take the greatest number of them as they can. Receive a reasonable lewd behavior approach. In worker handbook, HR ought to have a strategy committed to lewd behavior. That arrangement ought to: characterize inappropriate behavior state in no questionable terms that you wont endure inappropriate behavior state that HR will teach or fire any wrongdoers set out an agreeable strategy for recording inappropriate behavior dissentions state that HR will examine completely any protest that any individuals get, and state that HR wont endure countering against any individual who gripes about lewd behavior. Train representatives. Once year behavior preparing sessions for representatives. These sessions ought to show representatives what inappropriate behavior is, clarify that workers have a privilege to a working environment free of inappropriate behavior, survey their protestation methodology, and urge representatives to utilize it. Train bosses and directors. In any event once a year, behavior preparing sessions for chiefs and administrators that are independent from the worker sessions. The sessions ought to instruct the supervisors and managers about lewd behavior and disclose how to manage grumblings. To take in more about managing representative grumblings, see Nolos article Guidelines for Handling Discrimination and Harassment Complaints. To urge exploited people to report inappropriate behavior, there ought to be sufficient measure to guarantee greatest privacy to minimize shame to the victimized person particularly at the time of reporting and in the process of examination conc erning the protestation. For a situation where the casualty of lewd behavior has endured a misfortune, for example, a downgrade or a disavowal of an advancement, it is fitting to restore such individual to his or her legitimate position at work. The victimized person ought to likewise be adjusted for any financial misfortune emerging out of a dissent of livelihood related profits which were legitimately because of him or her. Where the objection is discovered to be unjustified and unjustifiable, fitting cure ought to be conceded to the denounced individual if there has been any misfortune endured by such individual. Sexual harassment in the working environment exhibits a continuous and developing danger working in a organization. Today, the time is ideal for organizations to start to deal with their danger around there all the more carefully. Counteracting inappropriate behavior in the work environment obliges an impressive speculation of time and staff. At last, then again, these expenses will be balanced by huge investment funds in lawful charges and human services costs. Organizations will likewise profit from expanded laborer gainfulness. From a simply business point of view, an organization just stands to pick up on the off chance that it takes a serious, hard-line position on inappropriate behavior. Not just is it the correct thing to do, it is the brilliant thing to do. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Introduction Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was established in 1975 and since this time sexual harassment has been one of its major issues that arise in the workplace on a day to day basis. Sexual harassment can be defined as â€Å"unwanted sexual attention that would be offensive to a reasonable person and that negatively affects the work or school environment† (Brandenburg 1997, p.1). The key word in this definition is â€Å"unwanted.† The EEOC has used its influence under the Sex Discrimination Act to support claims of sexual harassment at employment tribunals. It has also initiated investigation on organizations that had an excessive number of sexual harassment complaints. The guidelines by the EEOC about sexual harassment are defined as unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature in the working environment. (Bohlander Snell pg112) There are two types of sexual harassment quid pro quo harassment and hostile environment, in which the EEOC recognizes that, will elaborate on. We will also investigate the liability that is held by employers if sexual harassment is not recognized and how employers can prevent from being liable. We will also discuss how failure to adopt a pro-active and aggressive stance on this issue can result in costly lawsuits, and also be a loss of employee morale, decline in productivity, and an erosion of a companys public image. Review of Literature â€Å"A Legal and Psychological Framework† focuses on variety of points concerning sexual harassment. First of all, in the order for companies to act wisely they need to understand the whole issue of sexual harassment. They should consider the disturbing statistics behind an often hidden problem, the legal grounds available to victims, the current trends in the law, and the ways that companies can protect themselves. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is an act that should be studied and acknowledged by all companies. It has made it â€Å"illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin and sex†. (Bladley Fishkin, 1998, p. 207). This gave birth to Title VII of the Act, which states that when a complaint is made, employers are obligated to investigate and take necessary corrective measures. In 1986, the Supreme Court held that employers can reduce the danger of being held liable for sexual harassment by establishing procedures calculated to encourage victims of harassment to come forward. Since then, almost 75 percent of companies with more than one hundred employees have adopted anti-sexual harassment policies. Most of those policies look very much like the Sample Antiharassment Policy reproduced in Barbara Lindemann and David Kadues Sexual Harassment in Employment Law, which first appeared in 1992. (Rosen, 1998, p. 25-35) If you are in management, now is the time to refine your sexual harassment policy so that it is in the spirit of your organizations values rather than written to the letter of the law, writes Rita Risser in a report in 1996 by Fair Measures Management Law Consulting Group. Your policy should go beyond [what the law forbids]. If you set your standards too low, one mistake by one supervisor could make you the next landmark case. Also, the EEOC accepts claims for conduct that clearly is not illegal. Since its costly to respond to such claims, its in an organizations best interest to minimize them. (Rosen, 1998, p. 25-35) Sexual harassment is embodied in two different forms and companies should be aware of them. The first type is Quid pro quo is a Latin term, which means this for that. It occurs when an individuals submission to or rejection of sexual advances or conduct of a sexual nature is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting the individual or the individuals submission to such conduct is made a term or condition of employment. It is sufficient to show a threat of economic loss to prove quid pro quo sexual harassment. A single sexual advance may constitute harassment if it is linked to the granting or denial of employment benefits. Courts have held employers strictly liable for quid pro quo sexual harassment initiated by supervisory employees. A subordinate who submits and then changes his or her mind can still bring quid pro quo harassment charges against the alleged perpetrator. For example, a supervisor promotes a female employee only after she agrees to an after-work-date, the c onduct is clearly illegal (Bohlander Snell, 2007, p 112). Hostile Environment is the second form of sexual harassment. This occurs when unwelcome sexual conduct unreasonably interferes with an individuals job performance or creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive work environment even though the harassment may not result in tangible or economic job consequences, that is, the person may not lose pay or a get a promotion. Employers, supervisors, coworkers, customers, or clients can create a hostile work environment. A hostile work environment might include, repeated requests for sexual favors, demeaning sexual inquiries and vulgarities, offensive language, other verbal or physical conduct of sexual or degrading nature, sexually offensive, explicit or sexist signs, cartoons, calendars, literature or photographs displayed in plain view, and offensive and vulgar graffiti. SEXUAL HARASSMENT INTERVENTIONS Sexual harassment has an effect on people of all races, ages, and regardless of sex. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits sexual harassment and still today many organizations have failed to successfully implement adequate policies and procedures to address sexual harassment issues. According to the U. S. Equal Employment Commission, their agency received an increased number of filed grievances from 10,532 in 1993 to over 15,000 in 1998 (Ganzel 1998). U. S. Supreme Court rulings on cases such as Faragher vs. City of Boca Raton and Burlington Industries vs. Ellerth attempts to decrease the number of sexual harassment grievances filed with the EEOC and the court rulings are requiring employees to work in conjunction with their employer to resolve sexual harassment issues with the EEOC. This requirement places the responsibility on the employer to employ guidelines for preventing sexual harassment and it also places responsibility on the employee to follow the guidelines s et forth by the employer. In turn, the rulings are serving as a motivator to employers so that their action will be in compliance with federal laws. COMPANY POLICY It is important for companies to maintain effective compliance with the rulings of the Supreme Court. It is a requirement of all federally-funded organizations, as well as, schools to establish sexual harassment policies in writing, distributing the policies to employees, and to enforce the policies (Barrier 1998). Effective organizational policies on sexual harassment mush clearly identify (Ganzel 1998): 1)The behaviors constituting the harassment along with the companys intolerance of these behaviors 2)Channels employees must follow to report sexual harassment complaints to their supervisors or designated company representative 3)Strategies the company will follow in investigating and resolving a complaint to include confidentiality practices 4)Warnings that violation of the policy will result in punishments that could include dismissal Assurance that retaliation will not be allowed Good sexual harassment policies echo partnership among company executives, supervisors and employees, and among administrators, teachers and students. Sexual harassment is a demonstration of deeply held beliefs, attitudes, feelings, and cultural norms (Brandenburg 1997). It shows the abuse of power, a gender-power discrepancy, and sometimes power-related vengeance. Marjorie Fink, a national sexual harassment prevention trainer, attributes climate as a major element to guide prevention efforts (â€Å"Trainer: Stop Bullying† 1999). The climate in business and schools is unique. In some organizational climates, verbal teasing, dirty jokes, and sexual pictures may be the central behavior that mirrors sexual harassment; in other instances, improper touching, stalking, or shoving may be the behavior that reflects sexual harassment. As all members of a work organization or school become involved in establishing policy, these related issues can be more effectively addressed and behaviors pursued. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES Companies and schools are finding internal grievances to be an effective tool to handle sexual harassment claims. Internal grievance procedures may save time, minimize emotional and financial expense, and be more sensitive to all involved parties (Brandenburg 1997, p. 53). In order to be effective, grievance procedures must include clearly defined informal and formal steps for employees to follow when submitting claims. Informal claims should specify how the harassed party should proceed with seeking advice or counsel about a proper response to the offending behavior. Also, informal claims should explain the process of mediation, negotiation, and problem solving that may be used to resolve the issue. In formal claim procedures, grievances are required to be submitted via writing and must present all related facts to the incident who, what, where, when, the scope of the incident, and the names of the individuals involved in the claim. Employees should submit sexual harassment claims immediately after the incident. It is also important for organizations and schools to specify the procedures that are required of employees or students to follow. Grievance procedures should also identify the party or parties to whom grievances must be submitted. According to the grievance officer model, all complaints are processed through a designated supervisor or officer; in the grievance board or committee model, grievances are submitted to a group (Brandenburg 1997). An advantage of the grievance officer model is that it includes one entry point for complaint submission. An advantage of this model is that is may require the harassed employee to deal with someone with whom he or she may feel uncomfortable with discussion the issue. The grievance board or committee model places the problem in the hands of many and has the disadvantage of requiring greater communication and coordination between committee members and the harassed employee which in turn makes the issue more difficult to remain confidential. SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION TRAINING All employees (supervisors down to line workers, administrators to custodial staff) must have clear and acquired knowledge of the companys policy and grievance procedures. In order to prevent or decrease sexual harassment allegations, it is imperative for organizations and schools to provide access to training for all employees and document their sexual harassment training participation and completion of the training program. It is important that the employees are made aware that although Supreme Courts rulings held companies liable for harassment by supervisors even when management was unaware of the incidents in which a harassed employee did not follow the companys reporting procedures or did not participate in company-sponsored sexual harassment prevention training (â€Å"Protecting Employees† 1988). Effective training should include training on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits sexual harassment, identify the required actions that may be categorized as sexual harassment, and describe the companys policy and its grievance procedures. Therefore, training provided should serve as a tool to enhance awareness of sexual harassment and present strategies for intervention. Effective training programs provide: 1)Good teaching and learning practices if training is descriptive, intensive, relevant, and positive 2)Involvement of all members of a company or school 3)Interactive problem-based learning experiences 4)Present information from a positive viewpoint, encourage healthy behavior rather than forbidding poor behavior 5)Teach intervention skills (Berkowitz, 1998) Help learners to recognize sexual harassment by providing them with appropriate and relevant definitions and examples of sexual harassment Help learners to interpret which behaviors indicate harassment Encourage participants to share their experiences and their tolerance for certain behaviors as a means of demonstrate their common ground Encourage participants to feel responsible for dealing with the problem Teach intervention skills and provide opportunities to practice them. Use role play scenarios to assist participants find comfortable and appropriate ways to express their discomfort with anothers behavior Assist participants to be free of retaliation. Explore participants fears about retaliation and provide examples of how interventions will be supported. Department of Defense 1995 Sexual Harassment Study In 1994, the DoD implemented 3 types of surveys regarding sexual harassment. The first survey (Form A) was a replica of a 1988 DoD. Disadvantages of the1988 survey was it did not provide opportunities for those responding to the survey to report certain types of behavior related to sexual harassment, the survey limited reporting of sexual harassment claims to occurrences at work, and it did not include items that measured various areas of importance such as how much training was being provided; how effective was the training; what were the opinions of the responders regarding the complaint process. Therefore, two surveys were compiled in which Form A provided comparative data and Form B permitted collection of important information that broadened the DoDs knowledge of sexual harassment in the active-duty member services in 1995. The main purpose of conducting the Form A survey was to compare sexual harassment incident rates between 1988 and 1995. Form B (the second survey), provided an expanded list of potential harassment behaviors of those survey participants, provided respondents to report sexual harassment experiences that took place outside normal duty hours and on/off a military installation, and the measures of service members perceptions of the complaint process and training. For research purposes, the third survey (Form C) was conducted with a small sample of active-duty members. The results from this survey were not calculated. Over 90,000 active-duty military personnel received one of the three surveys between February 15, 1995 and September 18, 1995. Approximately 30,000 members received Form A, 13,600 actually completed the survey resulting in a response rate of 46 percent. Form B was mailed to about 50,000 members with a completion number of 28,300 resulting in a 58 percent response rate. Form C was mailed to approximately 9,500 members and 5,300 surveys were completed with a 56 percent response rate. Major Finding 1: How much sexual harassment is occurring? How do 1995 results compare to those obtained in 1988? (Form A) Major Finding 2: Form B consisted of 25 items. Once the data was collected, it was analyzed and reported into five broad categories. This survey doubled the possible categories of reporting and broadened the circumstances under which harassment could be reported (off-duty hours, off-based). This survey concluded that 78 percent of women and 38 percent of men indicated that they had experienced one or more of the behaviors listed in the survey within the previous 12 months. Major Finding 3: Did service members consider the experiences they reported to be sexual harassment? Many of the service members did not consider the experiences they reported to be sexual harassment. Although 78 percent of the women and 38 percent of men checked one or more items, only 52 percent of women and 9 percent of men indicated that they considered experiences they checked on the survey to be sexual harassment. Major Finding 4: Comparison of surveys and results Based on the information collected from the three surveys, evidence shows that sexual harassment within active-duty military services has declined. Between 1988 and 1995, the percentage of women reporting incidents declined 9 percent while the percentage of men declined 3 percent. Method In our method we decided to have several different people complete an anonymous questionnaire that held a position at United Parcel Service. The questionnaires were handed during the employees lunch break and returned to us at the end of the work day. A large amount of sexual harassment is not reported due to embarrassment or being fearful of termination. Date of Birth Employer Name Have you ever sued anyone before for any reason? Yes No If Yes, Who have you sued? If Yes, Why were you suing them? What is your job title? When did you start working for your employer? Are you still employed there? Yes No If not, were you fired? Yes No If you were fired, when were you fired? What has happened that makes you believe you have experienced sexual harassment? What has been said to you? What is the job title of the person in relation to you that has said or done these things? Have you been touched physically in any part of your body, either with or without your consent? Yes No If you consented to being touched, or involved sexually, did you feel this was important to your job to do so? Yes No Have you reported this behavior to anyone at all? Yes No If so, to whom? Have you reported this behavior to anyone in management? Yes No If so, to whom? When? Was the report verbally or in writing? Verbal Written What was managements response? When did the acts that you believe were harassment take place? Have you had any emotional or psychological consequences from the sexual harassment in the workplace? Yes No Have you shared these experiences with a support group, a doctor, a minister, a spouse, or any other person? Yes No If so, with whom did you share? Have you had any physical illness or results from the sexual harassment? For example, breaking out in hives; insomnia (inability to sleep); nausea or vomiting; pregnancy resulting; headaches (migraine), anxiety attacks, shingles. Yes No If Yes, Why were you suing them? RESULTS Equal Employment Opportunity Data Posted Pursuant to the No Fear Act Equal Employment Opportunity Data Posted Pursuant to Title III of the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (No FEAR Act), Pub. L. 107-174 *Unable to reconstruct data from FY 2002 through FY 2003 CONCLUSION We have determined that sexual Harassment is definitely not about sex, instead it is about power. This type of harassment is disrespectful and has no justification for the actions that are presented. Companies need to understand the sexual harassment and its severity that can be caused. All companies should have guidelines into place in order to protect themselves. One of the best tools is training on this behavior in order to prevent the action before it takes place. Companies can begin by describing the forms of sexual harassment, which are quid pro quo and hostile environment. Quid pro quo harassment occurs when â€Å"submission to or rejection of sexual conduct is used as a basis for employment decisions and hostile environment can occur when unwelcome sexual conduct â€Å"has the purpose or effect of reasonably interfering with job performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.† Although, these two forms have different definitions the ir base point still remains the same â€Å"unwanted behavior.† Intervention is one of the major sources that companies can use in order to save themselves time as well as money on lawsuits. In addition, it can save the employee of any embarrassment they may feel. Sexual harassment continues to go till this day, but we must intervene the first time that it occurs. Allowing this type of behavior to continue is the mistake that is made so often. REFERENCES Berkowitz, A. D. How We Can Prevent Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault. Educators Guide to Controlling Sexual Harassment 6, no. 1 (October 1998). Bohlander Snell. Sexual Harassment. Nations Business 86, no. 12 (December 1998): Bradley, David Fishkin, Shelley Fisher. (1998). The Encyclopedia of Civil Rights In America. New York: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., p. 207. Brandenburg, J. B. Confronting Sexual Harassment. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University, 1997. Ganzel, R. What Sexual-Harassment Training Really Prevents. Training 35, no. 10 (October 1998). â€Å"Protecting Employees-and Your Business. Nations Business 86, no. 12 (December 1998). Roberts, Barry S. Mann, Richard A. (2000, June 19). Sexual Harassment In The Workplace: A Primer. Retrieved July 2, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.uakron.edu/lawrev/robert1.html Trainer: Stop Bullying and Teasing in K-6 to Prevent Sexual Harassment Now, Later. Educators Guide to Controlling Sexual Harassment: Monthly Bulletin 6, no. 4 (January 1999):