Indian calling to far away towns

Indian calling to far away towns 1 Introduction With the development of economy, call centres have played an important role in the companies operation (Patel Broughton, 2002). However, in recent years, the economic challenges have made the increasing number of corporations which from developed countries moved their call centers to developing countries (Keith, 2001). This paper will evaluate the journal article of Taylor and Bains â€Å"India calling to the far away towns: the call centre labour process and globalization† critically. This paper is organized as follows: firstly, it will have a comprehensive understanding of the authors aim, and evaluate in terms of the research methods briefly. Secondly, it will use a series of research method literatures to find the drawbacks or limitations of the journals research design and approach. Furthermore, a number of studies in the literature of call centre will be presented to strengthen the authors claims. The essay will conclude by giving some suggestions about any other alternative research methods that can prove the authors ideas. 2 Research design and methods used Taylor and Bain (2005)s article argues that the increasing number of prominent UK-based companies have migrated operations to India. Scotland and India both were main call centres in the world, but now â€Å"there would not be a call centres in Scotland in five years† (Donoghue, 2003).The authors attempt to though an investigation of the Indian call centre labour process to prove the assumption that the offshoring of call centre is unproblematic. Furthermore, the authors provide a range of adequate academic literatures for the proposed research, and reveal a clear framework though the study of Indian development (Taylor Bain, 2005). Several issues that authors reported in the research had been raised in the critical review. The central one is tensions of operators that because of the Indian context, all employees from call centre must be both customers-oriented and cost-efficient. As Korczynski (2002) says customers-oriented and cost-efficient are two main logics that should be infused by operators. Another issue is comparing with British, Indian has different culture and working style, whether can Indian operators accept the routinized workflow has become a question. In order to solve those questions, the authors use a series of research methods to explore that situation about offsourcing practices, including: case study, semi-structured interview, formal and informal interview, sectoral audit conducted by questionnaires analysis (Taylor Bain, 2005). Basing on collecting the quantitative data, the authors mainly use the qualitative methods to tackle the issues. Qualitative research methods are valued in concept understanding (Hodges et al, 2007), and combining the quantitative research methods, the research study will be more convictive (Saunder et al, 2009: 151). The authors access seven call centres in Indian by virtue of National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM). Nasscom presents that as third-party operations, call centres have become various sectors of companies, and Nasscom also provides several useful materials about Indian call centre to authors. It cannot deny that using the secondary date which from other organization is really helpful, because of it is hard to search information of other countries. However, relying on Nasscom, the information that authors can select and evaluate is limited. Taylor and Bain (2005) get the detailed information such as recruitment, culture capability, and workflow about call centres by having semi-structured interviews with senior management. Semi-structured interview is one of the greatest methods to obtain specific qualitative information from a person, and gain insight into specific issues (Davis, 1990). And the interviews will be recorded by audio-recording (Saunder et al, 2009: 321) in order to provide convenience to further researchs. Additionally, the authors have formal interviews with Nasscom senior personnel, industry leaders and trade union officials. Authors also find opportunities to communicate with personnel from across the industry though participating in three industry conferences (Taylor Bain, 2005: 266). Researchers may gain unexpected achievement from informal interview. The authors also can learn more information that cannot be directly observed by using the interviews. Scotland provides useful materials for evaluating UK trends to complement the Indian data which extracting from questionnaires. The questionnaires were distributed to 290 call centres, and conducted between February and July 2003. Finally, 250 full questionnaires were collected (Taylor Bain, 2005: 267). The questionnaire is one of the most widely used methods to collect data, and â€Å"it provide an efficient way of collecting responses from a large sample prior to quantitative analysis† (Saunder et al, 2009: 361). Saunder et al (2009) also says comparing with face to face interviews, questionnaires can give people deep impress. It is very useful in large sample size and wide areas data collection. Questionnaires are easy to analyze and easy to complete. It is familiar to most people. And the most important advantage is the respondents will not be influenced by the researchers ideas. 3 Literature review, discussion and findings Having a critical review of Taylor and Bains journal, it is can clearly find that Indian has advantaged factors to become a major region of call centres. The key advantage is India has cheap labour forces. In order to reduce cost, the increasing numbers of companies remove their call centres to India. A study by McKinsey, Indian can ahead of China, France in call centres rely on the labour pool, costs and skills. And Indian operators also have high-quality in professional knowledge. According to Keith (2001), Indian can catch the computer skills faster than any others because India has large resource of computer technologies. Indian can think independently and critically. Another similar study by O2I (2009) says that comparing with China, Philippines, Malaysia and other Asian countries, most of international companies choose India for their call centers, because of â€Å"Call centres in Indian offer cost-effective customer support services without compromising on quality† (O2I , 2009). With low-cost in labours, and high-quality call center outsourcing services, Indian call centres can save half cost that if performed in the US or UK. In addition, Taylor and Bain (2005: 268) say â€Å"Indian government commitment to economic reform and the tenets of the Washington consensus liberalization, privatization and globalization have facilitated migration†.The Indian government has raised some policies to support the offshoring, such as reducing the tax of companies. The Indian government also helps compaies to build facilities and infrastructure in order to make India become the worlds most preferred call center (O2I, 2009). Taylor and Bain (2005: 272) mention that comparing with UK counterparts, Indian operators work in more pressurized environment. And Indian workers cannot have normal sleep because of the time different. Furthermore, working in a narrow space and breathing foul air under a long time, Indian workers will have healthy problems. Other researchers have similar findings in this field. A research by Patel and Broughton (2002) presents that people work in call centres will has a risk of hearing damage, the noisy from headsets will higher than regular level. A survey by Boyce et al (2007) reveals that the operators who have worked in call centres for 8 months gain the same average weight for males and females at 5.1 kg. Obesity has become another healthy problem for call centres workers. Indian call centres also encounter such problems: denial of identity, working in tensions, and long commuting distance. Cornell (2009) mentions that distance and isolation between clients and workers is a main problem of call centres, so that operators must adapt the culture of west countries. Indian call centres provide a range of activities to avoid those problems, selecting workers in attitudinal characteristics: positive attitude, personal skills and the work efficiency under the high pressure. And providing training to operators to improve their skills and English pronunciation (Taylor Bain, 2005: 274). In order to avoid the risk of hearing damage, call centres hold trainings about using the headset and how to protect their ears regularly (O2I, 2009) 4 Limitations and drawbacks This research by Taylor and Bain achieves success. However, there still have some limitations and drawbacks. The information that authors gain from Nasscom may be limited and unuseful. Secondary data may not be accurate, and the data maybe out of date (Borders et al, 2000). The authors are hard to find valued information from the limited data. This research also has drawbacks in the interviews of Nasscom supervisor, industry leaders and trade union officials. The number of interviewees is unknown, and the detailed questions are not mentioned. In order to get the information the researchers want, interviewees will be asked some directedness questions (Wimmer and Dominick 1997:162). And validity and reliability of the interview data may also be influenced by interviewees consideration (Breakwell et al, cited in Oatey, 1999). Considering the relationship of other companies, the interviewees will give optimistic information rather than objective information. And it cannot reflect the information fully because of usually the sample size is small. The questionnaire is directed to different cases has different types, including self-administered questionnaires, interviewer-administered questionnaires, and telephone questionnaires (Saunder et al, 2009: 363). However, in Taylor and Bains essay, which type of the questionnaires is not mentioned. And the truth of the questionnaires might be doubted. In a similar survey (Boyce et al, 2007), the researchers distributed 1100 questionnaires to workers of the call centres, unfortunately, only 393 employees completed the questionnaires. The low response is in expectation, because employees had to find time during the work shift to complete the questionnaire. This research also not provides the detailed questions in the questionnaire. It has no strong data to persuade people to believe this analysis. 5 Conclusion In conclusion, Indian have become the major call centre in the world, more and more companies remove their call centres to India, because of the low-cost, customer-orientated, the government supporting and the high-quality of Indian operators. However, Indian call centres also encounter difficulties. Indian workers must to adapt the western customer and work in tensions. And healthy problems have become the main emergency of call centres. From taking a brief look at other researches, the qualitative research methods such as interview, case study are suitable methods in doing researches. Combining with qualitative and quantitative methods together is the best way to do researches. In most cases, researchers fall into researches because of only rely on one research method. Researchers like to use questionnaires but have not do a clear analysis, or only use qualitative methods. Most of readers are not experts, cannot understand the rationalistic analysis. Quantitative research methods are designed to ensure objectivity and reliability. The researcher uses this method to survey the external environment, and record the first data to further research. Qualitative research methods are designed to give the researcher with a clear view about the situation and result. Researchers also use this method to have a deep interaction with people who take part in this research. â€Å"Integrating quantitative and qualitative research m ethods lends depth and clarity to do researches† (Weinreich, 1996). This combination of approaches is necessary because of the range of data can help researchers have a deep impress of this situation. And then researchers should use qualitative methods to analyze the data in order to extract more useful information to support the arguments. In this journal, the authors use both quantitative and qualitative research methods to analyze the issues. Taylor and Bain gain the secondary date from Nasscom, and have interviews with supervisors, analyze the questionnaires of call centres. The achievements should be acknowledged, however, it cannot deny that this research has a lot of limitations. There are several suggestions that can improve further researches. Firstly, the secondary data should be checked, in the case study, authors did not mention that whether the data has selected. Because of some of the information from other organizations may not true. Secondly, authors should provide the data of how long the interviews lasted, and the details about the interviews. Thirdly, the researchers should give more data or tables of the research. With numerous data, the results of researches will more convincing. Furthermore, in the final of the research report, the authors should give more information about the difficulties they encountered when they did the researches, and how they overcame the difficulties. References Borders, T. F., Rohrer, J. E., Vaughn, T. E. (2000) ‘Limitations of secondary data for strategic marketing in rural areas, Health Services Management Research : an Official Journal of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration / HSMC, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 216-222. Boyce, R. W., Boone, E. L., Cioci B. W., Lee, A. H. (2007) ‘Physical activity, weight gain and occupational health among call centre employees, Occupational Medicine, pp. 238-244, retrieved December 13, 2007. Cornell, G. (2009) ‘Offshoring work is a quick fix laden with many pitfalls, NJBIZ Back Issues, 19 October, p. 2. Davis, D. (1990) The communitys toolbox: the idea, methods and tools for participatory assessment, monitoring and evaluation in community forestry, Bangkok : Regional Wood Energy Development Programme in Asia. Hodges, S., Hernandez, M., Pinto, A., Uzzell, C. (2007) ‘The use of qualitative methods in systems of care research, The Journal of Behavioral Health ServicesResearch, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 361-368 Keith, F. (2001), India call center advantage: competitive options in a tough economy, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3995/is_200108/ai_n8983959/ Korczynski, M. (2002) Human resource management and service work, Basingstoke: Palgrave. Oatey, A. (1999) The strengths and limitations of interviews as a research technique for studying television viewers, Retrieved April 19, 1999, from http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/aeo9702.html O2I (2009) Call centers in India, from http://www.outsource2india.com/why_india/articles/call_centers_india.asp Patel, J. A. Broughton, K. (2002) ‘Assessment of the noise exposure of call centre operators, The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, vol. 46, no. 8, pp. 653-661.Retrieved March 8, 2002, from Oxford Journal. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. Thornhill, A. (2009) Research methods for business students fifth edition, Harlow: Pearson Education Limited Press, pp. 321, 361-363. Taylor, P Bain, P. (2005) ‘India calling to the far away towns: the call centre labour process and globalization, Work, Employment and Society, vol. 19, no. 2, Retrieved June, 2005. Weinreich, N. K. (1996) Integrating quantitative and qualitative methods in social marketing research, Retrieved Winter, 1996, from http://www.social-marketing.com/research.html Wimmer, R. D. Dominick, J. R. (1997): Mass media research: an introduction. Belmont, MA: Wadsworth.

Walter Lees Dreams in A Raisin in The Sun Essay -- Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun is a play about segregation, triumph, and coping with personal tragedy. Set in Southside Chicago, A Raisin in the Sun focuses on the individual dreams of the Younger family and their personal achievement. The Younger's are an African American family besieged by poverty, personal desires, and the ultimate struggle against the hateful ugliness of racism. Lena Younger, Mama, is the protagonist of the story and the eldest Younger. She dreams of many freedoms, freedom to garden, freedom to raise a societal-viewed equal family, and freedom to live liberated of segregation. Next in succession is Beneatha Younger, Mama's daughter, assimilationist, and one who dreams of aiding people by breaking down barriers to become an African American female doctor. Lastly, is Walter Lee Younger, son of Mama and husband of Ruth. Walter dreams of economic prosperity and desires to become a flourishing businessman. Over the course of Walter's life many things contrib uted to his desire to become a businessman. First and foremost, Walter's father had a philosophy that no man should have to do labor for another man. Being that Walter Lee was a chauffeur, Big Walter?s philosophy is completely contradicted. Also, in Walter?s past, he had the opportunity to go into the Laundromat business which he chose against. In the long run, he saw this choice was fiscally irresponsible this choice was. In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, Walter Lee's dreams, which are his sole focus, lead to impaired judgement and a means to mend his shattered life. Initially, Walter?s sole focus on his dreams lead to impaired judgment. One way Walter portrays his impaired judgment is when he makes assorted empty promises. In the Yo... ...se. Still Walter will face many more roadblocks, but perhaps his shattered life may begin to repair itself, even without financial security. Evidently, Walter Lee?s judgment becomes significantly impaired and all because of his dreams. In the world today, people still struggle with the same problems and desire the same things Walter does. Success is a seemingly huge necessity. In the course of ones life, each person is destined to face personal conflicts and contradictions. These problems, with the ability to overcome them is truly how to achieve greatness. As Mr. Langston Hughes questions so powerfully in his poem, ?What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun With the help of Walter Lee Younger, the answer becomes evident. Dreams never dry up? they just change. Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. New York: Signet, 2008.

Basic Steps in Strategic Planning Process Essay

Strategic Planning Model Many books and articles describe how best to do strategic planning, and many go to much greater lengths than this planning response sheet, but our purpose here is to present the fundamental steps that must be taken in the strategic planning process. Below is a brief description of the five steps in the process. These steps are a recommendation, but not the only recipe for creating a strategic plan; other sources may recommend entirely different steps or variations of these steps. However, the steps outlined below describe the basic work that needs to be done and the typical products of the process. Thoughtful and creative planners will add spice to the mix or elegance to the presentation in order to develop a strategic plan that best suits their organization! Step One – Getting Ready To get ready for strategic planning, an organization must first assess if it is ready. While a number of issues must be addressed in assessing readiness, the determination essentially comes down to whether an organization’s leaders are truly committed to the effort, and whether they are able to devote the necessary attention to the â€Å"big picture†. For example, if a funding crisis looms, the founder is about to depart, or the environment is turbulent, then it does not make sense to take time out for strategic planning effort at that time. An organization that determines it is indeed ready to begin strategic planning must perform five tasks to pave the way for an organized process: identify specific issues or choices that the planning process should address clarify roles (who does what in the process) create a Planning Committee develop an organizational profile identify the information that must be collected to help make sound decisions. The product developed at the end of the Step One is a Workplan. Step Two – Articulating Mission and Vision A mission statement is like an introductory paragraph: it lets the reader know where the writer is going, and it also shows that the writer knows where he or she is going. Likewise, a mission statement must communicates the essence of an organization to the reader. An organization’s ability to articulate its mission indicates its focus and purposefulness. A mission statement typically describes an organization in terms of its: Purpose – why the organization exists, and what it seeks to accomplish Business – the main method or activity through which the organization tries it fulfill this purpose Values – the principles or beliefs that guide an organization’s members as they pursue the organization’s purpose Whereas the mission statement summarizes the what, how, and why of an organization’s work, a vision statement presents an image of what success will look like. For example, the mission statement of the Support Centers of America is as follows: The mission of the Support Centers of America is to increase the effectiveness of the nonprofit sector by providing management consulting, training and research. Our guiding principles are: promote client independence, expand cultural proficiency, collaborate with others, ensure our own competence, act as one organization. We envision an ever increasing global movement to restore and revitalize the quality of life in local communities. The Support Centers of America will be  a recognized contributor and leader in that movement. With mission and vision statements in hand, an organization has taken an important step towards creating a shared, coherent idea of what it is strategically planning for. At the end of Step Two, a draft mission statement and a draft vision statement is developed. Step Three – Assessing the Situation Once an organization has committed to why it exists and what it does, it must take a clear-eyed look at its current situation. Remember, that part of strategic planning, thinking, and management is an awareness of resources and an eye to the future environment, so that an organization can successfully respond to changes in the environment. Situation assessment, therefore, means obtaining current information about the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, and performance – information that will highlight the critical issues that the organization faces and that its strategic plan must address. These could include a variety of primary concerns, such as funding issues, new program opportunities, changing regulations or changing needs in the client population, and so on. The point is to choose the most important issues to address. The Planning Committee should agree on no more than five to ten critical issues around which to organize the strategic plan. The products of Step Three include: a data base of quality information that can be used to make decisions; and a list of critical issues which demand a response from the organization – the most important issues the organization needs to deal with. Step Four – Developing Strategies, Goals, and Objectives Once an organization’s mission has been affirmed and its critical issues identified, it is time to figure out what to do about them: the broad approaches to be taken (strategies), and the general and specific results to be sought (the goals and objectives). Strategies, goals, and objectives may come from individual inspiration, group discussion, formal decision-making  techniques, and so on – but the bottom line is that, in the end, the leadership agrees on how to address the critical issues. This can take considerable time and flexibility: discussions at this stage frequently will require additional information or a reevaluation of conclusions reached during the situation assessment. It is even possible that new insights will emerge which change the thrust of the mission statement. It is important that planners are not afraid to go back to an earlier step in the process and take advantage of available information to create the best possible plan. The product of Step Four is an outline of the organization’s strategic directions – the general strategies, long-range goals, and specific objectives of its response to critical issues. Step Five – Completing the Written Plan The mission has been articulated, the critical issues identified, and the goals and strategies agreed upon. This step essentially involves putting all that down on paper. Usually one member of the Planning Committee, the executive director, or even a planning consultant will draft a final planning document and submit it for review to all key decision makers (usually the board and senior staff). This is also the time to consult with senior staff to determine whether the document can be translated into operating plans (the subsequent detailed action plans for accomplishing the goals proposed by the strategic plan) and to ensure that the plan answers key questions about priorities and directions in sufficient detail to serve as a guide. Revisions should not be dragged out for months, but action should be taken to answer any important questions that are raised at this step. It would certainly be a mistake to bury conflict at this step just to wrap up the process more quickly, because the conflict, if serious, will inevitably undermine the potency of the strategic directions chosen by the planning committee. The product of Step Five is a strategic plan! 2 What’s in a vision statement? [From http://www.allianceonline.org/faqs.html] Martin Luther King, Jr. said, â€Å"I have a dream,† and what followed was a vision that changed a nation. That famous speech is a dramatic example of the power that can be generated by a person who communicates a compelling vision of the future. Management author Tom Peters identified a clear vision of the desired future state of the organization as an essential component of high performance. Widely-read organizational development author Warren Bennis identified a handful of traits that made great leaders great. Among them is the ability to create a vision. So, What Is a Vision and How Do I Get One? A vision is a guiding image of success formed in terms of a contribution to society. If a strategic plan is the â€Å"blueprint† for an organization’s work, then the vision is the â€Å"artist’s rendering† of the achievement of that plan. It is a description in words that conjures up a similar picture for each member of the group of the destination of the group’s work together. There is one universal rule of planning: You will never be greater than the vision that guides you. No Olympic athlete ever got to the Olympics by mistake; a compelling vision of his or her stellar performance inevitably guides all the sweat and tears for many years. The vision statement should require the organization’s members to stretch their expectations, aspirations, and performance. Without that powerful, attractive, valuable vision, why bother? How a Vision is Used John Bryson, the author of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations, states that typically, a vision is â€Å"more important as a guide to implementing strategy than it is to formulating it.† This is because the development of strategy is driven by what you are trying to accomplish, your  organization’s purposes. A mission statement answers the questions: Why does our organization exist? What business are we in? What values will guide us? A vision, however, is more encompassing. It answers the question, â€Å"What will success look like?† It is the pursuit of this image of success that really motivates people to work together. A vision statement should be realistic and credible, well articulated and easily understood, appropriate, ambitious, and responsive to change. It should orient the group’s energies and serve as a guide to action. It should be consistent with the organization’s values. In short, a vision should challenge and inspire the group to achieve its mission. The Impact of Vision John F. Kennedy did not live to see the achievement of his vision for NASA, but he set it in motion when he said, â€Å"By the end of the decade, we will put a man on the moon.† That night, when the moon came out, we could all look out the window and imagine†¦ And when it came time to appropriate the enormous funds necessary to accomplish this vision, Congress did not hesitate. Why? Because this vision spoke powerfully to values Americans held dear: America as a pioneer and America as world leader. In an amazing longitudinal study on goal setting, Yale University surveyed the graduating class of 1953 on commencement day, to determine if they had written goals for what they wanted their lives to become. Only three percent had such a vision. In 1973, the surviving members of the class of 1953 were surveyed again. The three percent who had a vision for what they wished their lives would become had accumulated greater wealth than the other 97 percent combined. Great wealth, a man on the moon, brother and sisterhood among the races of the globe†¦ what is your organization’s vision? Shared Vision To a leader, the genesis of the dream is unimportant. The great leader is the servant of the dream, the bearer of the myth, the story teller. â€Å"It is the  idea (vision) that unites people in the common effort, not the charisma of the leader,† writes Robert Greenleaf in Leadership Crisis. He goes on to write: Optimal performance rests on the existence of a powerful shared vision that evolves through wide participation to which the key leader contributes, but which the use of authority cannot shape†¦. The test of greatness of a dream is that it has the energy to lift people out of their moribund ways to a level of being and relating from which the future can be faced with more hope than most of us can summon today. The Process for Creating a Vision Like much of strategic planning, creating a vision begins with and relies heavily on intuition and dreaming. As part of the process, you may brainstorm with your staff or your board what you would like to accomplish in the future. Talk about and write down the values that you share in pursuing that vision. Different ideas do not have to be a problem. People can spur each other on to more daring and valuable dreams and visions — dreams of changing the world that they are willing to work hard for. The vision may evolve throughout a strategic planning process. Or, it may form in one person’s head in the shower one morning! The important point is that members of an organization without a vision may toil, but they cannot possibly be creative in finding new and better ways to get closer to a vision without that vision formally in place. Nonprofit organizations, with many of their staff and board members actively looking for ways to achieve a vision, have a powerful competitive and strategic advantage over organizations that operate without a vision. Perceptions of Ideal Futures: An Exercise in Forming Vision This section outlines an exercise you may employ to assist your organization in defining its own vision. By using this exercise to develop your organizational vision, you may be better assured that the vision statement that is developed is a shared vision. At a retreat, or even at a board meeting or staff meeting, take an hour to explore your vision. Breaking into small groups helps increase participation and generate creativity. Agree on a rough time frame, say five to ten years. Ask people to think about the following questions: How do you want your community to be different? What role do you want your organization to play in your community? What will success look like? Then ask each group to come up with a metaphor for your organization, and to draw a picture of success: â€Å"Our organization is like †¦ a mariachi band – all playing the same music together, or like a train – pulling important cargo and laying the track as we go, or †¦.† The value of metaphors is that people get to stretch their minds and experiment with different ways of thinking about what success means to them. Finally, have all the groups share their pictures of success with each other. One person should facilitate the discussion and help the group discuss what they mean and what they hope for. Look for areas of agreement, as well as different ideas that emerge. The goal is to find language and imagery that your organization’s members can relate to as their vision for success. Caution: Do not try to write a vision statement with a group. (Groups are great for many things, but writing is not one of them!). Ask one or two people to try drafting a vision statement based on the group’s discussion, bring it back to the group, and revise it until you have something that your members can agree on and that your leaders share with enthusiasm. 3 What’s in a mission statement? [From http://www.allianceonline.org/faqs.html] In just a few sentences a mission statement needs to communicate the essence of your organization to your stakeholders and to the public. For example: At the Developmental Studies Center we develop, evaluate, and disseminate programs that foster children’s ethical, social, and intellectual development. While nurturing children’s capacity to think skillfully and critically, we also strive to deepen children’s commitment to prosocial  values such as kindness, helpfulness, personal responsibility, and respect for others – qualities we believe are essential to leading humane and productive lives in a democratic society. Often, however, organizations want to say more about who they are, what they are doing, and why they are doing it. Therefore, another example of a mission statement format is illustrated by the mission statement developed by the Forest Service. After a brief statement, the Forest Service uses three pages to elaborate its mission, vision, and guiding principles. Excerpts from the expanded statement include: The phrase, â€Å"caring for the land and serving the people,† captures the Forest Service mission. As set forth in law, the mission is to achieve quality land management under the sustainable multiple-use management concept to meet the diverse needs of people. It includes advocating a conservation ethic†¦ Vision: We are recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in caring for the land and service people†¦ Guiding Principles: To realize our mission and vision, we follow 13 guiding principles †¦ Neither approach is necessarily the â€Å"right† one for your organization. What is important about your mission statement is that one guiding set of ideas is articulated, understood and supported by the organization’s stakeholders, board, staff, volunteers, donors, clients, and collaborators. The Need for a Mission Statement In Profiles of Excellence, the Independent Sector lists a clear, agreed upon mission statement first among the four primary characteristics of successful nonprofit organizations. Specifically, the four primary characteristics include: a clear, agreed-upon mission statement a strong, competent executive director a dynamic board of directors an organization-wide commitment to fundraising. The primary importance of the mission statement means that failure to clearly state and communicate your organization’s mission can have harmful consequences, including: organization members can waste time â€Å"barking up the wrong tree† the organization may not think broadly enough about different possibilities if its mission statement is unclear or overly narrow the organization may not realize when it is time to go out of business Finally, the importance of mission statements is summarized quite eloquently by Lewis Caroll through the words of the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, â€Å"If you don’t know where you’re going, it doesn’t matter which way you go.† Indeed! What Should Be in a Mission Statement? The following concepts are critical in defining â€Å"who† your organization is: The Purpose Statement The purpose statement clearly states what your organization seeks to accomplish: Why does your organization exist? What is the ultimate result of your work? Purpose statements usually include two phrases: an infinitive that indicates a change in status, such as to increase, to decrease, to prevent, to eliminate an identification of the problem or condition to be changed. An example of a purpose statement is â€Å"to eliminate homelessness.† In defining purpose, it is essential to focus on outcomes and results rather than methods: How is the world going to be different? What is going to change? Thus, the purpose of a mental health counseling agency would never be simply â€Å"to provide counseling services,† for that is describing a method rather than a result. Rather, the purpose might be â€Å"to improve the quality of life† for its clients. The Business Statement This statement outlines the â€Å"business(es)† (i.e., activities or programs) your organization chooses in order to pursue its purpose. Specifically, you must answer, â€Å"What activity are we going to do to accomplish our purpose?† For example, there are many ways to work on the problem of homelessness: to construct housing for homeless individuals to educate the public and advocate for public policy changes to provide job training to homeless individuals. Each of these are different businesses, but they may be different means of achieving the same purpose. Business statements often include the verb â€Å"to provide† or link a purpose statement with the words â€Å"by† or â€Å"through.† For example: â€Å"To eliminate homelessness by providing job training to homeless individuals.† A cautionary note: If the word â€Å"and† is in your purpose or business statement, ask yourselves, â€Å"Are we really committed to both ideas connected by the word† and, â€Å"or have we simply not been able to accept that one idea is more important?† Values Values are beliefs which your organization’s members hold in common and endeavor to put into practice. The values guide your organization’s members in performing their work. Specifically, you should ask, â€Å"What are the basic beliefs that we share as an organization?† Examples of values include: a commitment to excellent services, innovation, diversity, creativity, honesty, integrity, and so on. Values may include beliefs such as: â€Å"Eating vegetables is more economically efficient and ecologically responsible than eating beef.† (Vegetarian Association) Marvin Weisbord writes in Productive Workplaces that values come alive only when people are involved in doing important tasks. Ideally, an individual’s personal values will align with the spoken and unspoken values of the organization. By developing a written statement of the values of the organization, group members have a chance to contribute to the articulation of these values, as well as to evaluate how well their personal values and motivation match those of the organization. The example of a mission statement cited at the beginning of this response sheet includes all three elements of what should be included in a mission statement. To review: At the Developmental Studies Center we develop, evaluate, and disseminate programs [business] that foster children’s ethical, social, and intellectual development [purpose]. While nurturing children’s capacity to think skillfully and critically, we also strive to deepen children’s commitment to prosocial values such as kindness, helpfulness, personal responsibility, and respect for others – qualities we believe are essential to leading humane and productive lives in a democratic society [values]. Below is another example of a mission statement which includes all three elements: The YMCA of San Francisco, based in Judeo-Christian heritage [values], seeks to enhance the lives of all people [purpose] through programs designed to develop spirit, mind and body [business]. In addition to the th ree elements discussed above, you may want to address the following questions in developing your organization’s mission statement: What is the problem or need your organization is trying to address? What makes your organization unique? Who are the beneficiaries of your work? Clearly, the answers to the these questions could be included in the mission statement or added as elaboration of the mission statement. How To Write a Mission Statement There is no formula for finding the wording that best expresses the collective intention of your organization. It can be drafted by one person alone or after input gathered at leadership retreat. The most important issue is that there is consensus on the answers to the questions used in developing the mission statement. One approach is to use time at a board retreat to discuss these questions and find out where the areas of consensus are and where there are differences. There is a â€Å"process† benefit to hashing over an organization’s mission statement as well. In the course of discussion and debate, new members are  introduced to nuances of an organization’s mission and changes in the environment, and old members refresh their understanding of both. As a result, the group will have confidence that the mission statement which emerges (whether it is a new statement or a rededication to the old mission statement) is genuinely an articulation of commonly held ideas. Groups are good at many things, but one of them is not writing. Have group discussions about big ideas and concepts and then let one or two individuals draft and redraft the wording before submitting a reworked version for the group to respond to. It is important to circulate the draft mission statement a few times to board, staff, and other stakeholders. Some consultants advise organizations to also seek an outside opinion from someone unfamiliar with the organization to see how easily the mission statement can be understood. Mix with passion, humanity and an eye on the big picture, and keep refining the mission statement until you have a version that people can actively support. 4 Applying this to the Garfield High School Foundation We need to spend the face time (as suggested in the â€Å"Strategic Planning† section above) to construct the Mission and Vision for the Foundation. In the meantime, here are the Mission and Vision Statements for the school. Garfield High School Mission Statement (from http://www.ghs.seattleschools.org/aboutus.php) To provide a comprehensive and effective educational experience for all students, with opportunities for achievement that encourage skill development, self-confidence and an appreciation of cultural diversity. The school staff will use a variety of approaches in motivating students to: Gain knowledge through critical thinking, exploration, and discovery Contribute their knowledge, compassion, and leadership to society Meet the technological challenges of 21st Century Take responsibility for their personal and educational development Garfield High School Vision Statement: (from http://www.ghs.seattleschools.org/aboutus.php) The vision of Garfield High School is to educate and prepare all students to become successful in class, socially, and in their future

New Economy vs Old Economy - 6826 Words

Table of contents Introduction | | * New Economy vs. Old Economy | 2 | * Microsoft Corporation | 3 | Ford motor | 3 | Revenue and profit | 4 | Code of ethics statement | 5 | How effective is the firms? | 14 | Conclusion | 17 | Introduction * New Economy vs. Old Economy The world economy has recently changed. A new world economy has emerged over the last decade as two long-run broad trends, globalization and advances in information and communication technology (ICT) have converged. This ‘new economy’ is significantly different to the ‘old economy’, as knowledge has replaced traditional productivity inputs, such as labor and natural resources, as the primary ingredient for economic growth. A new landscape exists and†¦show more content†¦Henry Ford was 40 years old when he founded the Ford Motor Company, which would go on to become one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world, as well as being one of the few to survive the Great Depression. The largest family-controlled company in the world, the Ford Motor Company has been in continuous family control for over 100 years. Ford now encompasses several brands, including Lincoln and Mercury. Alan Mulally is president and chief executive officer of Ford Motor Company. He also is a member of the company’s Board of Directors. Microsoft’s Mission and Vision: Microsoft’s global diversity and inclusion mission is to be the world’s #1 provider of innovative technology solutions that help realize the full potential of its diverse customers and partners around the world. Microsoft Vision is to be led by a globally diverse workforce that consistently delivers outstanding business results, understands the various cultural demands of a global marketplace, is passionate about technology and the promise it holds to tap human potential, and thrives in a corporate culture where inclusive behaviors are valued (History of Ford Motor Company). One Ford Mission and Vision: One team: People working together as a lean, global enterprise for automotive leadership, as measured by: Customer, Employee, Dealer, Investor, Supplier, Union/Council, and Community Satisfaction. One Plan: * Aggressively restructure toShow MoreRelatedEvaluate the Differences Between the New England Colonies and the Chesapeake Colonies.730 Words   |  3 PagesScanlan 1st Period 6 September, 2010 DBQ #1 Although both the New England Colonies (Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire), and the Chesapeake Colonies (Virginia and Maryland) were both settled by people of English origin, by 1700 they were both very distinct for a multitude of reasons; Three of which being, their economics, African Slave population, and their life expectancies. The New England colonies vs. the Chesapeake colonies had many differences in there economicalRead MoreThe Economic Recession Of Italy1703 Words   |  7 PagesConstitutional Republic and has a diversified industrial economy with developed infrastructure. The economy consists of a vast majority of small and medium sized businesses, with few large corporations; and according to the United Nations, citizens of Italy enjoy the 26th highest HDI (human development index), indicating that the country overall is healthy. And while Italy is the 8th largest economy in the world by GDP, at $2.129 Trillion, its economy has been sluggish since 2000 with real GDP growth rateRead MoreNational Differences in Political Economy1295 Words   |  6 Pages2 National Differences in Political Economy Global Political Economy Global political economy (GPE) is an academic discipline within the social sciences that analyzes international relations in combination with political economy. Political economy is most commonly used to refer to interdisciplinary studies that draw on economics, law, and political science in order to explain how political institutions, the political environment, and the economics mix with each other. 1 Roles of HistoryRead MoreEssay on Slavery: a Positive Good or a Positive Evil?1448 Words   |  6 Pagesthe late 1700s exploded with a need to reform in American civilization. Christians were trying to rid society of the new American ideals based on a market economy. The revival of religion inspired people to analyze the greedy new ways and thoughts Americans were adopting. People began to criticize wrong-doings in the public and strive for change. Many wanted to return to the old Puritan dream of a perfect society. One of the changes they hoped to make was to become that â€Å"city on a hill† and eliminateRead MoreThe Effects Of Mining On The Environment And Economy For Lake Michigan And Wisconsin1433 Words   |  6 PagesMining is the process or industry of obtaining coal or other minerals from a mine. A new mining project, called the Back Forty, is was proposed and is located on the Michigan and Wisconsin border. This project is said to begin around 2020 and created concern for some people. The Aquila Resources Inc. is the company behind this proposal, and they said â€Å"it will invest more than $300 million to extract gold, zinc, copper and silver along the Menominee River† (Bergquist, 2016). The Menominee river isRead MoreConservatism vs. Labour Essay837 Words   |  4 PagesConservatism vs. Labour Conservatives: Conservative policy: There are two different types of Conservative. There is the Traditional Conservative and the Neo-Liberal Conservative (Thatcherite). Conservatives generally, are pragmatic. This basically means that each political situation should be judged on its own merits. This also means that the idea of a fixed political response or formula is rejected. However, it is interesting to note that many Thatcherites Read MoreThe Current Status Of The U.s. Economy1440 Words   |  6 Pagesthe health of the U.S. economy, specifically through gross domestic product (GDP). Wheelan touches on the subject of how statistics can be used in conjunction with economics; however, there is much more he does not mention. The health of the U.S. economy is imperative to every American. It dictates whether it is a good time to splurge on a pricey vacation, invest in a new company, or save for the future. The only way to truly understand the current status of the U.S. economy is by being able to interpretRead MoreAmerican Healthcare Reform Essay1187 Words   |  5 Pagescitizens were not capable of doing it themselves. The bill that was passed is known as the Health Care-Reform bill. This Health Care –Reform is a terrible solution to the even worse problem that is Americas’ broken Health care system. What this new bill is intended to provide universal access to healthcare for all Americans, and control the rising costs of Healthcare. Along with regulating the private insurance industry through things like state-based private exchanges an online marketplace thatRead MoreA Brief Note On The Global Price Of Petroleum Exporting Countries Essay1219 Words   |  5 Pages1. Use the AS/AD framework to show the separate effects on GDP, inflation and public sector borrowing on any single national economy ( unnamed) of: a. a rise in the global price of oil Figure 1.1 Oil Supply, demand and price Source: euanmearns.com Figure1.2 SRAS shifts as a result of a negative cost shock Source: http://www.harpercollege.edu/ Higher oil price would make products price go up and moves AS curve from AS toRead MoreThe Benefits of Early Childhood Education1201 Words   |  5 PagesThe Benefits of Early Childhood Education The writer of Proverbs 22:6 wrote: â€Å"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it†. Early Education has benefits that can follow well into adult hood. Early childhood education is the organized practice of educating those who are in early childhood. According to the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), early childhood spans the human life from birth to age eight (Early Childhood Education