Technical Communication Essay Example for Free

Technical Communication Essay Chapter 1. Introduction to Technical Communication. Communication is the exchange of thoughts, message or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behavior. Derived from the Latin word â€Å"communis†, meaning to share. Communication requires a sender, a message, and a recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender’s intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast distance in time and space. Communication requires that the communicating parties share an area of communicative commonality. The communication process is complete once the receiver has understood the message of the sender. Technical Communication would mean a communication specific to the sender and the recipient and both would be from the same field of knowledge. This communication may not be understood by any others in the sense that the messages passed across are in a language that can be understood by persons from once field of knowledge. Here the importance subset of such a communication. Technical Communication is the flow or exchange of information within people or group of people sharing a common platform of similar knowledge or people from the same field with or without the technical knowledge. Means of Communication 1. Verbal Communication: Spoken and pictorial languages can be described as a system of symbols (sometimes as known lexemes) and the grammars (rules) by which the symbols are manipulated. The word â€Å"language† also refers to common properties of languages. Language learning normally occurs most intensively during human childhood. Most of the thousands of human languages use patterns of sound or gestures for symbols which enable communication with others around them. Languages seem to share certain properties although many of these include exceptions. There is no defined line between a language and a dialect. Constructed languages such as Esperanto, programming languages and various mathematical formalisms are not necessarily restricted to the properties shared by human languages. Communication should also include the display of text, Braille, tactile communication, large print, accessible multimedia, as well as written and plain language, human –reader, augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, including accessible information and communication technology. Manipulative Communications are intentional and unintentional ways of manipulating words, gestures, etc. to â€Å"get what we want â€Å", by demeaning, discounting, attacking or ignoring instead of respectful interaction. Sarcasm, criticism, rudeness and swearing are examples. 2. Non Verbal Communication: A variety of verbal and non-verbal means of communicating exists such as body language, eye contact, sign language. Nonverbal communication describes the process of conveying meaning in the form of non – word messages. Research shows that the majority of our communication includes chronemics (use of time) , haptics (using the sense of touch),gesture, body language or posture; facial expression and eye contact, object communication such as clothing , hairstyles, architecture, symbols infographics, and tone of voice as well as through an aggregate of the above. Speech also contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage. These include voice lesson quality, emotion and speaking style as well as prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation and stress. Likewise, written texts include nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words and the use of emoticons to convey emotional expression in pictorial form. 3Oral communication: Oral communication, while primarily referring to spoken verbal communication, can also employ visual aids and non verbal elements to support the discussion, and aspects of interpersonal communication. As a type of face-to face communication, body language and choice tonality play a significant role, and may have communication also garners immediate feedback. Historic Stages in Written Communication: 1. Pictograms in the form of stone graphics hence immobile. 2. Written form on papyrus, paper, clay tablets. Introduction of common alphabets and also the invention of printing in the 15th century made the written form a very strong means. 3. Transfer of information through controlled waves and electronic signals. Effective Communication All communication, intentional or unintentional, has some effect. This effect may not be always in communicator’s favor or as desired by him or her. Communication that produces the desired effect or result is effective communication. It results in what the communicator wants. Effective communication generates the desired effect, maintain effect increase effect. Effective communication serves its purpose for which it was planned or designed. The purpose could be to generate action, inform, create understanding or communicate a certain idea/point etc. Effective communication also ensures that message distortion does not take place during the communication process.

Employee Development Plan: Importance and Applications

Employee Development Plan: Importance and Applications Employee Development Plan Running Head: EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT PLAN Abstract With the nation’s economic turmoil still lingering it is more important than ever to develop plans that will encourage employees to remain with the company. Employee turnover is a crucial issue when it comes to the current economic standing of America. Each time an employee leaves the company the company loses the money it spent training and developing that employee for the future with the company. The training, classes, and cross skills the company has invested in the employee then benefit the new company. Because this situation costs the company money, a new employee development plan has been designed in the hopes of improving employee retention rates in the future. Employee development allows for the development of the employee so that they can better equip themselves for their career choices. It is important to support their desire to develop more fully at work, while at the same time not investing money that walks out the door and to the competition. This design allows the company to support and assist the employee desire to develop in career skills and to feel that the company supports the loyalty he or she has shown by years of service while encouraging education as well as cross training. The organizational consultant, per the research information and plan, challenges the organization to embrace the detailed plan to further develop each valuable employee. No matter what, organizational leaders must see the value in employee development and be willing to make the effort to show loyalty to its employees. Employee Development Plan With the nation’s economic turmoil still lingering it is more important than ever to develop plans that will encourage employees to remain with the company. Each time an employee leaves the company the company loses the money it spent training and developing that employee for the future with the company. The training, classes, and cross skills the company has invested in the employee are then benefiting the new company. Because this situation costs the company money, a new employee development plan has been designed in the hopes of improving employee retention rates in the future. Ebbert Hubbard, the prominent American philosopher and writer, once said, â€Å"One machine can do the work of 50 ordinary men, but no machine can do the work of one extraordinary man† (Goldstein, 2003). His statement seems to be more pertinent than ever in the contemporary context of commuting from organizations focused on tangible assets like land or property to organizations relying on intangible assets such as creativity, knowledge, or problem solving. Statistics show that more than 50% of the Gross Domestic Product generated by developed economies is based on knowledge—information technology (IT), education, and pharmaceuticals being the key sectors that account for the impressive percentage (www.yourpeoplemanager.com). This means that humans have become the major resource for modern companies. Consequently, their development and education are the major levers conditioning the organizational growth. For that, leaders must understand the value of their employees and develop them for organizational and employee benefit. This research defines employee development and addresses why organizational leaders need it. The research proves the link between employee development and company growth while sharing the benefits of employee training and development. Then the research outlines a plan that addresses hiring, training, development based on time, promotion, and education. Lastly, the conclusion calls leaders to action to realize the importance of, and build the plan for, developing their employees. What is employee development and why do we need it? Before starting to analyze the correlation between these two aspects, a clear picture of what employee training and development mean could prove extremely useful. First, a clear delimitation should be made among three concepts that people often confuse. These are education, training, and development. The first one consists of preparing an individual’s mind in a framework that is different from the organization. The second refers to attending courses aimed at improving skills, knowledge or attitudes for appropriately achieving a certain task within an organization, while the third is the natural result of the first two and is represented by the growth of the individual in terms of ability, understanding and awareness (www.accel-team.com). This triangle proves to be indispensable to company performance as it allows employees to account for more tasks that are difficult. In addition, it accommodates newcomers to the organization’s performance standards and helps them act w ithin the same competitive pattern responsible for the company’s success. Further, it enhances the organization’s efficiency and effectiveness, it responds to legislative requirements regarding health or safety, and sets an adequate framework for informing employees on changes that have been made and the courses they have to attend in order to cope with modifications. Detecting the personnel’s needs requiring employee training and development programs is very difficult. However, task as managers can rely on various sources such as common sense (for instance, the implementation of new technologies undoubtedly represents a solid reason for training) and negative aspects that statistics reveal (the decrease of output per employee, lower performance indices, behavioral problems like absences, sickness, lateness etc.). Furthermore, government recommendations, predictions, specialists’ advice, alarm triggers pulled by specialized journals or confessions made by other organizations which have encountered a certain problem also are other sources on which task managers can rely. Training and development may be achieved in both formal and informal ways. The former category implies attending courses held by internal or external managers who usually combine impersonal lectures with interactive activities like role-playing or simulation, forums, tests, case studies presented with the help of video and computers. The latter category is a non-official one, and is mainly based on the employees’ ability to draw their own conclusions after observing other workers, participating in meetings, rotating jobs within the organization or temporary assisting employees from another company, autodidactic teaching by reading texts or viewing video tapes, being a member of a research team and so on (www.accel-team.com). Measuring the outcome of such training and development initiatives is a very difficult thing to do because results are rather qualitative than quantitative. Still, managers may observe if the effectiveness and efficiency of their employees have increased by analyzing the number of customer complaints or the time in which a certain task has been performed. They can also notice a faster accommodation of new employees, more effective use of machinery, a higher job satisfaction reflected in performing more qualitative services to the client (and thus attracting new customers), fewer accidents etc. Managers can also draw some conclusions concerning the employees’ loyalty or the improvement of their qualification allowing them to contribute to tougher tasks or other positions within the organization (www.accel-team.com). Researches proving the link between employee development and company growth Undoubtedly, employee development has a significant impact on the customers’ satisfaction and the employees’ ability and willingness to solve crisis encountered by the organization or to adapt to changes occurred in the business environment. Through training and development, a company’s personnel may gain the necessary expertise for approaching new markets or technologies, thus inducing cost savings in the end. Additionally, employees value trainings because these are seen as strategic investments that the organization accepts to make because of the huge trust it has in its personnel’s potential. Therefore, employees will embrace a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards the organization concerned about their intellectual evolvement and will work harder for helping it achieve its mission and goals (Gross, 2000). The link between employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, and financial performance has also been outlined by AC Nielsen through its market researches or by Sears through surveys carried out on its retail stores (Goldstein, 2003). Another research survey, carried out by Sirota, Mischkind, and Meltzer (2005), on a sample of 2.5 million employees, highlighted that companies boasting high morale had the tendency to outperform competitors. Moreover, the research emphasized that out of 28 companies having almost 920,000 employees, the share price of 14 (known as high morale firms), had an average increase of 16% in 2004, while the share price of 6 (known as low morale firms) had an average increase of only 3%. The results were significant when compared with the industry average of 6%, calculated for 9,240 companies (http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu). In conclusion, higher morale and enthusiasm lead to increased financial performances. As employee development and training are said t o be rewards boosting the personnel’s positivism and satisfaction, they may be considered inherently linked to company growth. Benefits of employee training and development A major benefit of employee development is increased productivity. Because of the courses he or she attends, an employee may learn advanced techniques that lead to higher efficiency and effectiveness in performing tasks. For instance, if a company’s bookkeeper is sent to an Excel course, this will be taught several shortcuts that will help him or her comply faster with his job requirements. On one hand, this means that he or she can perform other activities that would have otherwise required hiring new employees, and spending more money. On the other hand, increased efficiency results in prompt accountancy reports and ledgers that may be timely consulted by managers in order to make operative decisions. This means shorter time, and consequently, less money spent. A second benefit of employee development refers to reducing turnover. Researches that have been carried out with regard to this issue have emphasized that an employee’s trajectory within an organization has the form of a parabola. In the beginning, he is enthusiastic about his new job and learns everything he needs in order to live up to the company’s expectations and gain recognition for his well-done work. This ascending trend (or honeymoon as Sirota calls it) lasts five or six months until the individual reaches a climax where routine comes into the limelight. Thus, he continues to do his job for a certain period, but as nothing new appears, the employee decides to leave the company and try something different or look for another challenge. Yet, Sirota’s (2005) research shows that 10% of the companies surveyed succeed in ensuring a prolonged honeymoon throughout the entire career to their employees because they understand the difficulty of â€Å"being enthusi astic about an organization that is not enthusiastic about you† (http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu). Consequently, they implement development programs that help employees seize opportunities and prepare for complex tasks that might reveal numerous latent skills or abilities. Additionally, employee development may be presented as a supplementary path to job security that has become a top need after the collapse of high-tech companies and September 11, 2001. A perfect example of a high-morale company in these terms is Southwest Airlines, which, after the terrorist attacks in September, stated: â€Å"We will take a hit in our stock price and not lay off anybody† (http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu). Furthermore, training and development can exert a positive influence in the recruiting process. First, managers may wish to hire an elitist who does not correspond to job requirements because of a certain skill. If the company is ready to offer trainings for developing the missing feature, it could win a valuable employee who may be responsible for future performances. The following is an example: A person applying for the PR executive position may be rejected because he or she does not correspond to a single requirement such as updating the company’s website. Although he or she is a performer and a fast learner, the organization prefers to hire a less brilliant candidate who poorly meets all the requirements instead of investing some courses in the first one. Such a decision may greatly affect the company’s performance and image. Secondly, development programs may prove enticing enough to potential employees. Therefore, the company can use them in order to attract the desired staff capable of inducing the organization’s growth. Thirdly, if existing employees are trained for different or more complex tasks, these may become eligible for vacant positions or may handle a wider range of activities. In this context, the company saves money by reducing its need to hire. Fourthly, development consists of rewarding loyal employees who after learning new skills are promoted to higher positions. This also accounts for a company’s performance. Lastly, development strategies allow employees to be more independent or, in other words, they give them wings to fly. This autonomy cuts off the supervision costs, thus increasing the company’s efficiency, and inherently, performance (Gross, 2000). Employee training also plays a major part in maintaining a work/life balance. This is essential for the organization’s health because the employee burnout phenomenon can decrease productivity or can have other negative consequences like: sickness, lateness, absenteeism as a result of the unusual stress; lower efficiency and morale because of their exaggerate workload; higher turnover rates. Consequently, employees should be helped to handle both work and life commitments through trainings teaching them how to better manage time and priorities or how to recharge batteries after projects or seasons involving an unusual amount of work. In response to the company’s concern, an employee may prove unexpectedly grateful and may voluntarily contribute to a future project, essential to the organization’s success (Gross, 2000). Employment Development Plan Hiring The first step to employee development is the hiring process. When there is an opening the department head will meet with human resources and determine exactly what the new job requirements will be. In addition, at this time there will be a discussion about where the position may lead in the future and what type of education or skills will be important to have for the path to be followed (Bass, 1985). Hiring in the future will involve a careful screening of applicants to cull the most qualified for the particular position in question. In the past, it has been accepted as a practice to hire the first one who was qualified in order to get the position filled. In the future, this will change and improve the retention rate of employees to the company. The applicants will be carefully examined so that the candidate who is most likely to advance within the company is selected. Hiring will happen by way of Internet sources, employee referrals, recruiters, and job fairs. When an opening occu rs it will be publicized in several publications so that the company will have a diverse applicant pool from which to select those who will be interviewed (Steines and Kleiner, 2003). Training Employee development is an expensive process. The company invests funds to train the employee, and then further train and then possibly invest in the employee’s college education as well. All of this is done with the hopes that the company will eventually reap the benefits of the investments made on the employee’s behalf (Liggett, 2007). The company’s employee development plan has changed to be more cautious about fund investments at the front end of the employee history with the company, but on the back end as time moves forward, the benefits are increased from previous years. When an employee is first hired, there will be a three-day training period by which the employee will view the videos and company policies, be given tours of the company, and will engage in a discussion about future possibilities. After the three days have passed, the employee will begin working along side someone in their chosen department who will assist with their acclimation (Liggett, 2007). While this will cost time and money because the training or supervising peer will have to slow down their own work when the new employee needs help, it is still less expensive than paying for the new employee to spend time in a training institution. The training will initially for nothing more than the job the employee was hired to do. At the first three-day session however, the employee will be told of the entire development package so the employee has an understanding of what the future holds and what staying with the company can mean to them. There will also be an employee suggestion box outside the cafeteria from which ideas for development will be read and discussed quarterly (Liggett, 2007). Development based on time The entire foundation of this employee development plan is to reward employees for loyalty and longevity. The plan is based on a staggered schedule that allows the company to provide the best benefits for those who stay with the company (Redling, 2003). The reward is incentive for employees to remain in the employ of the company while offering the company some security that it is investing in long-term workers. It also reduces the loss of funds that occur when a short-term employee goes to a competitor after receiving training at this company. Because the company’s new policy is operated with the bulk of the benefits on the back end of employment they must be made better than they were before so that employees want to stay and reap the rewards of the new package. After six months of employment the employee may request for a cross training package to be started. In this package, the employee will be trained in other departments so that he or she can work throughout the company in several different capacities. The company will provide a temporary worker to perform the employee’s duties while the employee is cross training for the other department (Redling, 2003). Each six months the employee will be encouraged to choose another department that he or she wishes to be cross trained for and the company will provide an temporary worker so that the employee can devote a full forty hour week to the business of learning the new skill. There will be no limit on the number of departments an employee can be cross trained in as long as there are at least six months worked at the regular position between training sessions. This allows the employee to develop their skills as well as provides additional back up support for the company because the empl oyee can handle multiple tasks within the company (Redling, 2003). Promotion It is important that an employee feel they are being treated well and given opportunities to advance in their careers (Solomon, 2002). Any time there is an opening the company employees shall have the first opportunities to apply for it. If there is an employee who is qualified, that employee shall be given the job and the hiring will focus on replacing him or her in the old position. Education After one year of employment with the company, the employee can apply for the education package. This will allow the company to reimburse for some costs of education. In years two through four of employment the company will reimburse the cost of tuition following the receipt of a report card that demonstrates a C average in the classes attempted. The classes can be based on any subject but there will be a one hundred percent reimbursement for classes pertaining to work and a seventy five percent reimbursement for classes that do not pertain to the industry. During years five through ten the company will reimburse at one hundred percent not only the cost of the tuition but also the cost of the books for any classes the employee chooses to take. The employee simply needs to provide a report card at the end of the semester to receive reimbursement. From years ten to 15 not only will the company pay for the employee college but will allow the employee to attend during the work day without docking the pay. This will work up to two hours a day for the duration of employment. The employment development plan not only allows for the development of an employee in the area of training but also in staff development. The managers of the company will attend annual seminars on staff relations so that they can better understand how to communicate with their subordinates (Dowling, 2001). The company wants to focus on employee retention and part of the reason employees choose to stay with a company or leave it for greener pastures is because they do or do not get along well with their superiors. Staff development and relations is an important aspect of employee development and annual staff relation seminars are targeting problem communications so that the employee will continue to feel loyal to the company. Conclusion Employee development can serve to save funds that the company would otherwise have to write off. Employee turnover is a crucial issue when it comes to the current economic standing of America. Employee development allows for the development of the employee so that they can better equip themselves for their career choices. It is important to support their desire to develop more fully at work, while at the same time not investing money that walks out the door and to the competition. This design allows the company to support and assist the employee desire to develop in career skills while at the same time discouraging a cash loss. If the employee stays with the company the development program risks very little of the company’s assets before the employee has proved themselves a long-term investment. This plan allows the employee to fully develop and to feel that the company supports the loyalty he or she has shown by years of service while encouraging education as well as cross tr aining. The organizational consultant, per the research information and plan, challenges the organization to embrace the detailed plan to further develop each valuable employee. No matter what, organizational leaders must see the value in employee development and be willing to make the effort to show loyalty to its employees. References Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations. New York, NY: Free Press. Dowling, F. (2001). â€Å"Just the Job: Bosses need work on staff relations.† Birmingham Post. January 6, 22 pp. Function 7: Employee education, training, and development. (2006). [Online], Available:http://www.accel-team.com/human_resources/hrm_07.html (2008, January 30). Giving Employees What They Want: The Returns Are Huge. (2005). [Online], Available: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1188CFID=3898075CFTOKEN=53249968 (2008, January 30). Goldstein, S. (2003). â€Å"Employee Development: An examination of service strategy in a high-contact service environment.† Production and Operations Management. Summer. Gross, B. (2000). Effective Training Programs for Managers, [Online], Available: http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/careers-job-training/2975408-3.html (2008, January 30). Helping Employees Maintain Work/Life Balance. (2006). [Online], Available: http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/employee-development-employee-productivity/1242-1.html (2008, January 30). Liggett, D. (2007). â€Å"Training and qualifying your employees.† Industry Applications Magazine. May, Vol. 13, Issue 3. pp.25-30. Redling, R. (2003). â€Å"Assembling a solid staff: Job rotation, job shaping and cross training help employee retention.† Connexion/Medical Group Management Association. March, Vol. 3, pp. 38-40. Sirota, D., L. Mischkind, and Michael Meltzer. (2005). The Enthusiastic Employee: How Companies Profit by Giving Workers What They Want. University City, PA: Wharton School Publishing. Steines, S. R., and B. H. Kleiner. (2003). â€Å"Keys to Hiring Employees Effectively.† Management Research News. Volume 26, Issue 2/3/4, pp. 170-180. Solomon, M. (2002). â€Å"Discovering the Leader Within.† Computerworld. August 5, 38 pp. YPM Briefing: Employee development. (2005). [Online], Available: http://www.yourpeoplemanager.com/YarBGXpoTX_-WA.html (2008, January 30). Total Quality Management: Advantages and Disadvantages Total Quality Management: Advantages and Disadvantages Quality plays a significant role in the development and success of any organization or product. UK is recognized as a core of the creation of petrochemical and other associated products of petrochemical. There is high demand for petrochemical products all over the world; so quality assurance and quality management are very important in petrochemical industry in order to exist in the global economy. There are many petrochemical industries in this country and millions of people are working in these industries. Even though this sector is one of the major sources of economic growth, the petrochemical industries are facing some problems regarding quality management and quality assurance (Grote, 2001). The main challenges faced by the petrochemical industry are the need to manage the commercial environment better and as a minimum to stop worsening the industrys inherent cyclicality  the need for further restructuring in order to improve underlying performance  and the need to improve relationships with the outside world because crucially these relationships increasingly will determine the scope for success in our industry (ibid). In terms of long term challenges, petrochemical industries in the UK are facing number of challenges that need careful planning. These challenges are firstly, the increase of demand (BP, 2010). This increase in demand is caused by the increase in population in the UK and around the world which will put petrochemical under pressure to follow the demand. Another problem is dealing with petrochemical suppliers it will be possible to survive the prices that are caused the changing in petrochemical raw material (oil and gas) in global market (ibid). For example, in 2008 the oil prices raised to record value over $138 for barrel. Thirdly, they need to find more resources to cope with demand increase (ibid). Finally, they are going to face a problem of where should they make investments and train their workforce (ibid). The investment should not be on only finding new oil field but Its about discovering new technologies and pioneering new methods; developing the best equipment and equipping our teams with the right skills and be more innovative to become even more environmental friendly (ibid). Some petrochemical industries in the United Kingdom have problems in utilizing their resources in best way. This causes a great loss of profit for them since in higher demand season they need to increase the capacity by hiring skilled workforce or buying needed products from competitors which needs extra costs. Others have problem recycling there products or some kinds of product or even recycling of the waste product. This also causes a big loss to the company because if a product has a defect, its not necessary mean that all material integrated in the product cannot be recovered. Implementation of the Latest technology and train the workforce on it is necessary as it recommended by TQM and ISO 9000 in system improving point. The pressure which making solving these problems even more difficult come from the financial crisis for the past few years that has affected the running of the petrochemical industries 2008 saw crude oil prices rise to record highs and then follow the financial markets to unexpected lows (BP, 2010). Increase in the price of the resources decreased the production of these industries or if the production doesnt change, the profit will decrease. The petrochemical products are used for a number of purposes and the number of competitors has increased recently; therefore, leading in quality and clearing the company brand guarantee the survival in this competition. Implementation of TQM as a precursor to ISO 9000 and vice versa: The petrochemical industries are those involved in the manufacturing of toxic chemicals and organic compounds which can affect the people when not maintained properly. Quality assessment and quality standard implementation should be done from the start-up of production to the final despatch of the product for customer satisfaction and for the maintenance of quality system. The petrochemical industry should also comply with the requirements of occupational health and safety management systems which deal with the precautions on health and environmental factors. This is applicable to all chemical industries. In Diagram 1, the implementation of quality factors starts with the vision and mission of the company, the vision are the future view of the company; the mission are the goals in terms of quality products, customer satisfaction and the profit which they want to achieve (DTI, n.d., p2). The statements should be clear and spontaneous (ibid). CSF/KPI: The critical factors for successful implementation are the building blocks for the success and those identified factors that affect in the implementation by analysing of the past data and the modification to be done in implementing the new standards (DTI, n.d., pp2-3; Oakland and Marosszeky, 2006, p363). They identify the key performance indicators like the employees, resources like plant and machinery, innovation etc. Encouraging new ideas and technology, discarding obsolete ones etc. contribute to the success in the implementation; they monitor the performance and report the progress and the feedback for the organizations well-being (ibid). Core process: The core business processes are the profit rearing segments of the business and they consist of suppliers, process and the customers (DTI, n.d., pp3-4). The quality implementations create a major impact on the core process and the competitive advantage when the implementation of the TQM is done in the business process (ibid). Defining of the business opportunity: Quality implementation is done mainly for increasing the reputation of the company which leads to increase in profit. The company must be against the acceptance of any kind of compromise in the product quality which affects the company and its reputation in the market. To make the situation at an ease and conducting a review to identify the particular need and the specification of the customer and the company and the analyzing whether the required standard is met or not, this becomes the method for getting a better business opportunity (DTI, n.d., p6). The ISO 9000: This is an important tool for the implementation of TQM. This is a general name given to the list of quality standards. The main aim of these quality standards is to provide the company with the standard products and to make the company a profit oriented and highly reputed. The brainstorming of the ideas is given a good place for the implementation. They help in several ideas generated by the people and the product analysis and the performing of the functions according to the effectiveness of the customer satisfaction and the major role in the quality assessment criteria and to enhance the company position, reputation and profitability (Karakas and Kavas, 2008, pp.8-11). Decision making by the management and the implementation to be done by the different standards and the performance of them are monitored continuously, and the demerits in the performance are identified and continuous improvement is done by providing adequate training and development (Maddalena, 2007, pp.71-72). ISO 9000 series is a quality management system that has to be maintained in an organization. This means what the organization does to fulfil:   the customers quality requirements, and  applicable regulatory requirements, while aiming to  enhance customer satisfaction, and  achieve continual improvement of its performance in pursuit of these objectives (ISO, 2010). The idea of improvement in implementing TQM by the companies is to have the accreditation, proper dealing with the customer for the certification for the business and exports to be done to other countries and also to increase the position and profit of the company. Advantages of implementing TQM as a precursor to ISO 9000 and vice versa globally: The ISO 9000 and TQM are two main subjects that are used to show the quality of an industry. Although fundamentally different TQM ensures organizations do the right thing, while ISO 9000 is about doing things right (Williams and Buswell, 2003, p133). There are many advantages in implementing ISO 900 as precursor to TQM and vice versa. ISO 9000 has grown popularity due to its advantages. The ISO 9000 is considered as a quality model, and it can be used as a tool to TQM. ISO 9000 helps in planning household finance because keeping records of paying bills and taxes is the first step to run a business effectively (Kurtus, 2001). ISO 9000 will help the process of production when the quality management process is at the starting stage. ISO 9000 has nowadays become a need to any organization because it helps to improve productivity (Pike and Barnes, 1996, p27). It helps in organizing the process of production, and it also helps in improving the performance of the company (ibid). The implementation determines whether the work is done in an efficient way or not, and makes sure that the system is on track (ibid). Moreover, ISO 9000 gives a great advantage to an organization to work globally (ibid). Finally, by implementing ISO 9000 first, the implantation of TQM will be more effective. On the other hand, Total quality management can be implemented as a precursor to ISO 9000. Implementing TQM as a precursor can be of advantage to the implementation of ISO 9000 because the company can keep its regular customers which can be possible because TQM helps in meeting the needs of the customers. The implementation of TQM creates a competitive advantage, and it will also improve the participation and dedication of the employees. The employees work as a team for the implementation activities and thus cooperation increases. Besides, the implementation of TQM as a precursor to ISO 9000 will reduce the time of the registration with ISO because most of ISO 9000 requirement should be met by the organization. The implementation of TQM and ISO 9000 helps provide quality to the customers. So, the advantages of both quality systems in an organization can be listed as follows; They improve the productivity of the organization from top to bottom. They are systematic and well-structured approaches that can be used for enhancing customer satisfaction. Theyre very improvement methods by which the deviations can be reduced. Both help in delivering the product and services that required quality which expected by the customers. Together they help in reducing a higher level of wastages. Implementation of ISO 9000 offers a strong foundation for the efficient implementation of TQM. The implementing of ISO 9000 as a precursor of TQM helps to create an understanding of the requirements of the customers. It enhances the involvement of the employees in the TQM process. It increases the relationship with the suppliers. The profit of the firm can be boosted up by implementing ISO 9000. Disadvantages of implementing TQM as a precursor to ISO 9000 and vice versa globally: ISO 9000 and TQM are the integral components of the successful running of every organization. While implementing TQM as a precursor to ISO 9000, few problems arise in connection with customer satisfaction, because without the incorporation of TQM and ISO 9000 does not bring enough customer satisfaction. They consider that ISO 9000 certification is the main thing which shows the manufacturers ability to produce high quality products (Schoonmaker, 1997, p5). Also implementation of TQM as a precursor to ISO causes difficulties for entering into international market because ISO 9000 certification is an integral component of petrochemical industry to enter an international market. In order to get ISO 9000 systematic planning is necessary and it will help bring faith from the part of the customer and also to produce good quality products. ISO 9000 certification is the major thing which is used to compete with the international markets. Also, implementing TQM as a precursor to ISO 9000 will cause difficulties to maintain quality improvement. So, it is better to follow ISO 9000 standards before TQM in every organization. Nevertheless, there exist few disadvantages also for this type of implementation. In order to achieve maximum profit from a business, the major thing is to fulfil the needs of the customer and TQM approach gives more consideration to customer satisfaction. So, by implementing ISO 9000 first will cause few problems regarding customer satisfaction. Even there is quality in the products for the satisfaction of the customer ISO 9000 and TQM certification is essential. It is better to implement ISO 9000 before TQM because in the newest version of ISO 9000 it includes several features of TQM. Therefore the implementation of TQM before ISO 900 is really wastage of time and money. There are some problems regarding the implementation of TQM as the precursor to ISO 9000 and some of that problems are Initially higher cost of production as more is recognized as rejects. Cost of training personnel, cost of implementing stages of feedback for employees (Voters 2010). The implementation of this TQM standard requires more cost because there need to bring total changes in the organization such as for the training of the employees, implementation of the latest technologies etc (Pike and Barnes, 1996, p275). It is difficult to alter the practice of the long-time workers to the TQM procedures and ISO 9000 procedures. While the organization is ru nning smoothly with their existing functional procedures as the customer demands for the ISO 9000 and TQM standard certification, the company owners are forced to change to these standard procedures. Even though an organization maintains quality in their products and excellent workers the customer does not agree the quality without the certification of these standards. The petrochemical products are used for several purposes so the certification of ISO 9000 and TQM for every product seems to be very difficult because sometimes the assurance of the quality of a product requires much more money than the money required for the manufacturing of that product. There are also some difficulties in implementation the ISO 9000 as the precursor. To finish the procedures of ISO 9000 registration it takes several months. The 1996 Quality Systems Update survey indicated that it took businesses an average of 15 months to move from the early stages of the process to passage of the final audit, and that processes of 18-20 months or even longer were not that uncommon (Answers, 2010). It is really wastage of time and effort to the business owners moreover wastage of time to other employees in the organization. Frequently companies will have a customer who demands that they be ISO 9000 certified to continue doing business. NOW the company has the choice of losing a customer or implementing ISO 9000. Either way money is lost in the short term (Gunaman and De-Almeida, 2000, p.5).

Case Study Mazda Motor Corporation Marketing Essay

Case Study Mazda Motor Corporation Marketing Essay Mazda Motor Corporation is one of the worlds leading car manufacturers with the total net sales in 2009 reaching a whopping 2,535.9 billion Yen. Mazda Motor Corporation was established in Japan in 1920, under the name, Toyo Cork Kogyo. Initially only dealing with the manufacturing of car parts, they have ventured out to the producing of commercial trucks, eventually proceeding on to the manufacturing of cars, which it is widely known for nowadays. As times passes, Mazda Motor Corporations has since successfully ventured out of Japan, conquering other parts of the world including Mexico, Italy, Thailand just to name a few, as well as establishing Research and Development sites in countries like Germany, China, and the United States of America. Mazda Motor Corporation mainly cater to the needs of 2 different segments of consumers: Commercial consumers and Non-Commercial Consumers. Vehicles under the Mazda E-series and Mazda BT-50 cater for commercial purposes. Examples of vehicles that fall under the above categories include pick-ups, lorries and vans which are most commonly used by companies for transporting of goods and materials etc. On the other hand, Mazda also cater to non commercial consumers and their vehicles are designed specifically to satisfy 2 groups of consumers: Family PMET ( Professional, Managers, Executives and Technicians). Models such as Mazda 5 and Mazda 8 are MVPs (Multi Purpose Vehicles) which are well suited for large families while models like Mazda 3 Mazda 6 are the typical family sedans suitable for smaller families. On the other hand, models like Mazda RX-8 and Mazda MX-5 offer a more sporty look and may seem to appeal more to young working professionals or PMETS. Mazda 2 Mazda CX-7 are SUVs( Sports Utility Vehicles which are targeted towards sports enthusiasts. The head office of Mazda Motor Corporation is located at 3-1 Shinchi, Fuchu-Cho, Aki-gun, Hiroshima, with different branches located at various parts of Japan like Osaka, Tokyo, Yamaguchi and many more to allow provide easy accessibility to consumers. Mazda Motor Corporation has adopted a mixture of B2B (business to business), B2C (business to consumer) business model. The company has a wide range of products to cater to the needs of both commercial and non commercial consumers. By segmenting out their target consumers, Mazda will be able to spread out the risk of doing business should the sales in one market suffer. This strategy will also enable Mazda to reap the benefits of increasing its market share in both the commercial and non commercial segments. Purchasing Strategies Mazda Motor Corporation, despite being a car manufacturer, obtains their parts and materials from suppliers. The 3 main suppliers which they obtain essential parts includes: Kanto Yokokai (located in Kanto, Kansai and Tokai regions of Japan) and Nishi Nihon Yokokai (located in Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu regions of Japan). Mazda Motor Corporation obtains their necessary materials like plastic from Yoshinkai. However, the engines of all Mazda cars are manufactured by the company itself, instead of obtaining it from suppliers. Parts for the car like screws and nuts are obtained from multiple suppliers. This allows the company to have a wider variety of choices to choose from since they are not limited to only one supplier. This provides them with flexibility as well as more bargaining power, which will allow them to obtain their necessary materials at the cheapest possible price. However, the materials used in the car manufacturing process are obtained from only one supplier. Though there is only a single supplier for the materials, Mazda Motor Corporation is also able to obtain the materials needed at a suitable price. This is due to the fact that Mazda Motor Corporation has chosen Yoshinkai as their sole supplier for materials. This will allow them to have special benefits since the honour of being the sole supplier of materials is given to Yoshinkai. A few reasons why Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to buy the materials and parts instead of making it themselves is because of cost advantages, lack of expertise as well as the quality of the supplied items. If Mazda Motor Corporation, a car manufacturing company, were to venture into the production of their own required parts and materials, the company will not be focused on car manufacturing but on other areas like manufacturing of metal for example. This will be expensive for the company since they would have to spend more money to research on the steps needed to carry this out since there is a lack of knowledge in this area. Even if this research is a success and the company managed to produce the items needed, the quality may not be as good as that of which are obtained from their suppliers, who are more experienced. This may also cause Mazda Motor Corporation to lose their identity as a leading car manufacturer as consumers might be confused as to whether Mazda Motor Corporation is a car manufacturer or a manufacturer of materials and parts. There are certain areas which Mazda Motor Corporation looks out for while deciding which supplier to purchase their parts and materials for. These areas are quality of the delivered items, time for delivery of the materials and cost of these materials. All if not most companies operate for one common aim, which is to make profit. Mazda Motor Corporation is no exception. Thus, it is essential for the company to obtain the materials needed at the cheapest price available without compromising the quality of the materials. This will allow their budget to be lowered, which will eventually lead to a higher profit gain as compared to when the company purchase the same materials, with the same quality at a higher price. The time at which the materials are delivered is equally important as well. If the materials ordered are delivered late, this may lead to a delay of production, which may lead to a loss of profit for the company. In worse case scenarios, the company may have to compensate their customers if production is halted because of this delay. Mazda Motor Corporation also adopts the Make-To-Stock strategy for its operations. This is due to the fact that the company is churning out the same few models of cars in a huge volume. Thus, by adopting this strategy, the company is able to meets its production target and satisfaction of the majority of its customers can be guaranteed. The low manufacturing costs also allows the company to make a profit as well. However, the company also utilises the Make-To-Order Strategy. This can be seen in the customization option which Mazda Motor Corporation offers to customers who wishes to customize their cars. This provides a wider range of product options to customers and not limiting them to purchasing cars which are already made. Order Management Mazda Motor Corporation has showrooms located in its head office as well as in many other regions around the country, be it in Japan, where their main head office is located, or in other countries which Mazda Motor Corporation has ventured into. Interested customers can either walk-in to any of their showrooms, where a sales associate will assist them in choosing a suitable car for them, or an appointment can be made beforehand either through telephone or email. Once the customer has chosen their desired car, an order form will be filled in, which will be entered into their system later on. An invoice will then be issued to the customer. The order will be passed on the head office, where the staff will check with their records to see if there are still stock available. If not, they will check if production for that particular car has been scheduled. Otherwise, a delivery order will be given to the distribution centre where the car will be picked by the staff according to details on t he picking list. Transport will be arranged to deliver the car to the selected venue where the customer will collect it. This venue will either be at the warehouse, or the service centre since the showroom may not have enough space to store the cars. Mazda Motor Corporation, at the moment, only handles sales of its cars at their showroom and not through other channels like email or telephone calls. ordermanagement model .jpg Inventory Management Mazda Motor Corporation has developed its own inventory management system called the Mazda Materials Management Planning, also known as M3P in the auto industry. This system allows the company to have efficient control over its stocks and inventory levels, which in turn will allow the company to have increased efficiency in meeting demands in production level. Alongside with M3P, Mazda Motor Corporation has also utilised the point of sale system, also known widely as POS, to complement their self produced inventory management system. POS allows the automation of inventory control in a bid to increase the work efficiency of the staff to allow them to obtain all the information required so as to handle customers needs without much difficulty. In the long run, the high efficiency of the staff will allow the company to bring in more revenue since the company will have made a name for themselves due to their high work efficiency rate. M3P also allows the company to have better demand forecast. This will allow the company to predict and plan and schedule order of parts and materials needed so as to continue productions and ensure that there are no unexpected halt to production plans because of insufficient inventory levels. Delivery time can also be further enhanced through the utilisation of this system. In turn, this will help improve satisfaction in customers and allow Mazda Motor Corporation to build up its reputation of having an organized and well-planned system to manage both the companys as well as the customers needs. Operations Planning Mazda Motor Corporation carried out long-range operation planning with the assistance of M3P. M3P, when coupled with all the different statistics of inventory management, provides a rather accurate forecast which allows it to handle supply and demand to meet its various needs. This allows the company to have detailed demand forecasts of up to a year, which enables them to have proper planning of their production schedules. This will give the company to have sufficient time to resolve any issues which they might encounter in the areas of outsourcing of their materials, expansion of the company and other various aspects. With all the above carried out, Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) is also carried out thereafter. Mazda Motor Corporations plans all the different parts of the car which will be produced. This allows the company to have a schedule at which a particular car should be completed, together with all the materials needed and whether there is a need to order these materials should there not be enough in the inventory. By doing so, the company will be able to meet all, if not most of their sales order. Customer Relationship Management Like most companies, Mazda Motor Corporation takes great pride in building up a good relationship between customers and the company. The company itself sees a need to have a common understanding with its customers. This is one of the reasons why the company has come up with an approach to ensure customer satisfaction. [INSERT MAZDA FOUR PILLARS HERE] The company believe in providing different appealing products to customers. Quality of the product is also ensured in order to maintain the reputation of one of the leading car manufacturers in Japan. Efficient after-sales service is also provided to make sure that customers are being taken care of even after a purchase has been made. The company believes that by understanding the various needs and wants of their customers, the company will then be able to improve and make changes to better suit the customers needs. Mazda Motor Corporation is also open to comments and suggestions from its customers through its call centre. The call centre handles inquiries, complaints as well as suggestion from its customers. Besides through the call centre, customers are also able to provide their input through the Mazda Motor Corporation website on the Inquiries page. The company takes all these input seriously. By doing so, they are able to make changes to keep up with the customers needs. This in turn, will allow the customers to feel that the company is doing their best to serve the customers and ultimately, allow them to have a good impression of the company. Mazda Motor Corporation will then be able to ensure a never ending flow of customers, which allows more generation of profit for the company. Purchasing Strategies Mazda Motor Corporation purchases its parts from multiple suppliers, but only a single supplier for its materials. On the surface, this may not be a problem to the company as of now. However, with only a single supplier for its materials, Mazda may end up being on the losing end in the event if the supplier is to increase price in order to gain more profit, seeing that they are the only sole supplier of the materials. If such a situation happens, the company will have to raise their budget to accommodate the sudden hike in price, which will in turn reduce their total earnings. In worse cases, if the company is unable to come to terms with their supplier, productions will have to be halted and production schedules will be delayed. This will cause the company to be unable to meet the demands of customers and the company may have to pay a large sum of money as compensation. A sudden shortage of materials from its suppliers may also cause the company to put their production plans on halt since there are insufficient materials. Time will then be wasted in order to source for another supplier to obtain the necessary materials. To solve this problem, Mazda Motor Corporation can outsource for a second supplier for its materials. By having a second supplier, the company will have a backup option should they be unable to obtain their materials from one of its suppliers. This will also allow the company to have greater bargaining power to obtain the materials at a lower cost since there are now competitions between the two suppliers. Order Management Customers purchase of cars in Mazda Motor Corporation is done on-site, which means that all orders are handled in the show rooms of the company. Since no orders can be done online or through phone calls, the company will lose business to its competitors in the auto industry who may have started accepting orders online or via phone calls. This, in the long run, will cause the company to lose its reputable position as one of the leading car manufacturers in Japan and ultimately, reducing profits for the company. Thus, a solution can be devised to solve this problem. Firstly, the company adopt the idea of e-commerce by having an online order system. This allows customers to make purchases online, anywhere 24/7. With such an approach, the company will be updated with technology trends and yet carry out business at the same time, killing two birds with one stone. A user-friendly e-commerce website can be incorporated into the current website of the company. This will allow the company to have a website with multiple usability. Customers can view available products and if they are interested, make purchases online. With such convenience, customers satisfaction is sure to be guaranteed as they are able to buy their desire car through a hassle-free process. By implementing the above solution, Mazda Motor Corporation will be able to portray themselves as a company that is able to accept changes to satisfy customers needs and keep their reputation as one of the leading car manufacturers in Japan. Inventory Management As mentioned in earlier parts of the report, Mazda Motor Corporation utilises their own unique inventory system, M3P to handle its inventory. Though this system has been said to aid the company in controlling its inventory levels to meet production demands, it is not entirely perfect. The reason being, any program, no matter how good it is, will bound to fail at times. Since Mazda Motor Corporation relies heavily on M3P to handle its inventory, there will be major problems should the system were to malfunction at any one point of time. Inventory levels will then not be updated and the company may miscalculate its production schedules. This may cause all productions to be affected. Demands will also not be met and it will affect the entire operations of the company. Another reason is that inventory levels in the system may not be updated real-time. This is a serious issue to the staff of Mazda Motor Corporation, The staff will not be able to gauge accurately whether there is a need to replenish its stocks since the inventory levels is not accurate. This might then lead to a shortage in supply of stocks, affecting the operation of the company. One measure which the company can undertake would be to have sufficient safety stock at any one point of time. Thus, if M3P were to fail because of any unexpected errors at any one point of time, there will still be enough safety stocks to provide temporary relief if there should be any miscalculations of inventory levels due to the system fault. Operations Planning Mazda Motor Corporation, with the help of its inventory management system M3P, plans its operations on a long term basis. This, on the surface may look impressive as it portrays the image that the company is able to do this because of their great foresight. However, though plans may be carried out beforehand, there might be certain unexpected situations that may occur in between. For example, the company may undergo acquisition by other company for commercial purposes. This may result in major changes in operations of the company. Suppliers may not be willing to supply necessary resources to the company, which may affect productions and delivery of goods to customers. Late delivery of goods will not only cause the company to incur additional costs, it will also affect customer relationship and the companys reputation may also be at risk. This problem is not difficult to solve. Mazda Motor Corporation can still have long term planning done ahead of time with the forecast predicted through the usage of M3P. However, backup plans should be done alongside with all its future plans and schedules. This will allow the company to have different alternatives when they are faced with an unexpected situation or emergency. The company will thus be able to have well-planned schedules and not worry if any problems will affect its operations since they have backup plans for insurance. Customer Service Relation Having good relations with customers is one of the values which Mazda Motor Corporation possesses. This is why the company has set up a call centre with around 50 staff to respond to any calls with questions regarding various issues. An inquiry page has also been set up to allow customers to enter all their queries for an answer online, on the Mazda Motor Corporation homepage. However, there might be certain questions which may be complicated and the staff may take more time to respond to these questions. Though there may be similar questions asked before, not all staff members may be aware of these questions and the solutions to it. Thus, the response time may be reduced greatly and the work speed may not be as efficient as expected. It will also pose a problem should there not be enough staff to entertain queries from customers since there is only 50 staff to handle all this questions. Thus, besides adding on to the inquiry page on the homepage of Mazda Motor Corporation, the company can also make use of the latest social networking tools. One example would be the use of Facebook. The company interact with customers with this. Customers will also be able to inquire about certain things by posting a comment on the page. This way, if the staffs of Mazda Motor Corporation are unable to provide a response to the customer quickly, there might be other people who will be able to answer these questions. One advantage of this is that customers are able to connect with other customers and not only the company itself. This will allow them to exchange information needed and ease the burden on staffs handling these inquiries, though this does not mean that the staff will not be responding to any questions posed by customers. This form of connection between customers will allow experience to be shared among each other as well. Besides helping to improve customer relationship, social networking can be a way for Mazda Motor Corporation to provide updates to its customers. This can include events or promotions. Thus, this form of interaction will be beneficial in helping bridging the gap between customers and the company.

Nurse Empowerment Essay -- Health Care, Nursing

Introduction Nurses have a vital role in the rapidly changing healthcare setting, which are characterized by critical care patients and shortages of nurses to meet demands of patient care (Ning, Zhong, Libo, and Qiujie, 2009). Therefore, it is important to maintain good working environments for nurses. Empowerment is seen as an effective method to advance nurse’s satisfaction (Ning, Zhong, Libo, and Qiujie, 2009). Empowerment as stated by Wittmann-Price (2004), is â€Å"the process of reaching a more positive state of being, a state of relative freedom in choice by first acknowledging an affective experience of oppression†. The purpose of this paper is to write a narrative about an experience as a student nurse practicing in a clinical setting where we felt oppressed due to class, race, cultural or gender biases. This narrative will be analyzed using relevant concepts in the literature. Narrative My experience happened when I was in second year nursing. We are just starting our clinical rotations in KGH. At that time, our instructors assigned us one patient to do our nursing care. The goals for the day are to do our head to toe assessments and be able to chart our findings. Throughout the shift, we have a co-assigned nurse that will aid us in our duties for the day. I did what I was supposed to do and charted accordingly. After the end of the shift I thought that I did everything right, until one of my classmates told me that my nurse talked to her and stating that I did not do a good job and telling her that I do not know how to chart. Upon hearing, this from my classmate I did not say anything to my clinical instructor and just let it slide. I felt embarrassed and ashamed. I thought that I cannot change what happened and I ... ...against oppressors I must recognized that I am being oppressed. I also must learn to change my attitudes towards my oppressors and change the way I am responding and thinking. Conclusion Empowerment is a vital factor in creating a positive working environment. Nurses that see their work environment as empowering are more likely to provide quality health care. Positive environments are important for the future of nursing development (Ning, Zhong, Libo, and Qiujie, 2009). Nurses should not only have the ability to recognized differences but also they must have the capacity to transform and change structures within the profession in order to achieved emancipation. To achieve empowerment they must take steps to overcome oppression. They must face their fears and be able to make dialogue with their oppressors and let them know that their actions are unacceptable.

21st Century Living Essay -- essays research papers

The 21st Century is just around the corner and with it will come many changes in today’s modern society. Changes occur daily, yet taken into view yearly these changes become extremely noticeable. The people of today’s society are changing everyday, and therefore so is the world. This report will express personal beliefs on what will occur in the 21st century. Within it are examples such as, crime rates, personalities, religion, and living environments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 21st Century will bring crime rates to a substantially high rate. In today’s society we have a high crime rate. Day by day more crimes are committed, and taken year by year the numbers rise hugely. This only shows that the police department’s system is not working the way expected. This system has not been modified to any extent, and therefore the numbers will not change. By the time the 21st Century comes along the numbers will have risen to a point where society will be terrified to leave their homes for fear of being attacked.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The on patrol system has not stopped criminals from committing another crime. Criminals who were once imprisoned come out different people searching for a new life. When these ex-criminals find that their previous record stops them from retrieving the dream they were told they could have, they return to the life of crime. The system takes into effect only the emotional changes of the criminal and has never reflected upon the actual ch...

Lionel Messi

Alex Bello Writing 2 Mrs. Chavez 1/17/13 Soccer I decided to write about soccer because it is something I love and have passion for. I have been playing soccer all my life since I started walking and haven’t stopped playing. I play soccer here at MCC and I was the leading scorer and I was selected for the 2nd team all-region as a freshmen. I was the only freshmen on the team to get this award. It is a privilege for me to have soccer in my life. I am so thankful that I am able to do something I love. I have an idol. A mentor and someone I look up to in soccer.His name is Lionel Messi. He is known as the best player in the world today, and some people say that he is the best ever. To my opinion, he is the best ever. He has done things in soccer that no one has ever done in the history of the sport. He scored 92 goals in one calendar year. The previous record was 86 goals in the 1980’s. That is an unbelievable record. Messi is only 5’6 but he is very strong for a sh ort guy. He was in born in Rosario, Argentina. He moved to Spain when he was only 7 years old and he has Spanish citizenship.When he became a pro, he decided to come play for his native country. Another part of soccer that really motivates me to play better, is watching the team FC Barcelona play. They are known as the best team In the world today. They are smooth and have a great touch with the ball. No other team in the world keeps up with their fast pace. Messi also plays for this team. This is where he set the record. In 2010, Barcelona set the record for winning every tournament of that year. I love to watch this team play. I learn a lot from them.Lionel Messi has played in 2 world cups, and by record, he doesn’t usually perform at his best. People say he is more lazy when he is playing for his country. Messi says that he always gives his 100% when he is out in the pitch. He also said that he is more nervous, but he promised that in the world cup of 2014 he will perform at a successful level. I am very excited to watch the 2014 world. It will be held in Brazil. It should be a very exciting event, also because it is the biggest sports tournament of the world.

Personal Marketing Plan Personal Essay

Introduction Upon completion of my undergraduate degree in Aviation Management, I will pursue a career with a major airline. Not only will I realize a life long dream but also it will be a personal accomplishment in an academic road that was often complicated. Ideals may change, values do not and some things just take a little more time to achieve. Situation Analysis *Significant Life Events Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona solidified my passion for a career in aviation. Ivy League it isn’t but it can be classified as the Harvard of the Skies for all practical purposes. That letter of acceptance provided me the validation I needed and the assurance that those with aviation expertise thought I â€Å"had what it took†. For the next three years I lived with people that shared the same aviation zest and passion that I do, the drive to succeed, to be the best that you can but learned that your attitude is what will get you places and skills can always be learned. When I was in middle school I underwent surgery for a â€Å"suspicious tumor† that had developed on my arm. Although day surgery provided me an opportunity to miss school for the day and a few days of sympathy from my family it wasn’t until my follow up visit with the surgeon that I realized the seriousness of the situation. When Dr. Coletta asked me if I had any concerns now that he had removed the â€Å"mass† I expressed my disappointment with the scar he’d left. Politely he answered that I at least had an arm to  be scarred because he truly felt that the mass was malignant and amputation was a consideration preoperatively. How inconsequential a scar was when faced with the loss of a limb. What is that saying about not sweating the  small stuff? I was born on August 15, 1978 and my grandfather died August 15, 1975. Although this happened 3 years before my birth it was an event that has held significance for me none the less. â€Å"VaVoo† was an immigrant and working class who labored 12 hour days in road construction so his children could have a better life. Though uneducated he believed in a college education, doing the best you could for anyone that employed you and strong values. I have cherished his qualities my entire life. *Accomplishments Earning a varsity letter for high school track taught me the value of team work and tolerance. Certainly there was personal accomplishment in my individual achievements but I opened myself up to a whole new range of rewards that I had never given much credence to before. It gave me a new outlook on the value of how much more we could accomplish as a group and the true recognition was in our school’s accomplishments and not Kevin Osborn’s. On Friday, November 13, 1998 I attained my private pilot’s certificate, another of life’s milestones. Every day at Embry Riddle I worked harder to advance my goal no matter how small it was. I had set my expectations high and with perseverance and hard work I realized personal success. I received the Presidential Award for Innovation as an instructor for College Success 101. This all started as an opportunity to earn some extra money before the term started and an  inflated ego that convinced me that it was a â€Å"no brainer†. After all, how difficult can it be to teach 20 new freshmen? My budget was lean and I looked through a new lens to view challenging situations, problems and tasks. I created an environment and style that invited participation from my students and a culture in which fun and humor were part of the normal day  and we all learned something when the final bell rang. *Dissapointments In my junior year at Embry Riddle I became ill and was forced to adjust my career path and my life. Flying jumbo jets wasn’t going to happen, I needed to come home to Florida to be closer to my support systems and eventually enroll in another university to complete my education. I learned how fragile life really is and that we really don’t know what life has in store for us. We can plan and prepare but when faced with change we have to make the best of things and move along. The past is gone forever and my life is today and now. *Interest Inventory MostLeast ManagingWriting AdministratingSelling ExploringFinance Innovating Training Counseling *Strengths Osborn 4 Professionalism Strong interpersonal communication skills and courtesy Adaptability to change Driven to succeed Positive attitude and motivation Self management Strong values Perform at my highest level and do my best. Team work Tolerance Perseverance and hard work Goal oriented Innovation *Weaknesses Financial aptitude Writing Selling products, cross selling *Opportunities Although the airline industry is in the business to transport people from one  place to another they could not function without those who keep the airplanes operating on schedule. The airline industry has become the major provider of public transportation for Americans traveling between the nation’s cities. Scheduled airlines now account for 92%  of public passenger intercity travel. The outlook for the airline industry is good and continued growth is likely. Airline jobs are located in every city that airlines serve and even in a few they do not serve. Of course, the larger the city, the greater the variety of job opportunities. Morale is generally high among employees and jobs with the airlines carries an aura of prestige and reflects the vitality of technological progress. A non-flight opportunity of interest is that of a flight dispatcher. In cooperation with the pilot, the dispatcher furnishes a flight plan that enables the aircraft to arrive at its destination on schedule with its maximum payload and the least operating cost. The flight dispatcher considers en route and destination weather, winds aloft, alternate destinations, fuel required, altitudes and traffic flow. The dispatcher’s signature, along with that of the pilot, releases the aircraft for flight. The dispatcher must be familiar with navigation facilities over airline routes and must ride periodically in the cockpit with the crew to observe routes, conditions and airports (avjobs.com). *Threats The deregulation of the airline industry, which began in the mid 1970’s, greatly changed the ways the airlines operated. Overall the result has been an expansion of the airline industry and a surge in hiring in most job categories. However, there is a down side: the industry has become less stable. Airlines have merged; others have gone out of business entirely, causing a dislocation of employees. â€Å"The economic health of the airlines,  however, is directly related to the economic strength of the country as a whole, as well as to outside influences such as the cost of fuel† (Freiberg 72). Objective Ten years into my career in aviation I hope to be an airline manager with British Airways at Heathrow Airport. My duties will be administrative dealing with station operations, passenger aspects, ground service, equipment, fueling and all facets of running the station. Other responsibilities will include reviewing operating statistics from the previous day, budget items, and meetings to discuss operational issues. An airline manager in this environment could command a $70,000 annual salary. Some of the characteristics I posses for success in this type of job relate to motivation and self- management. Number one is goal oriented and secondly is time management. You need to be open minded, capable of analyzing, evaluating and implementing. Since I enjoy a challenge I would welcome promotional opportunities. Target Market An entry level, post graduation position, will probably be that of a station manager for a small airline. Responsibilities will include responsibility for all flight and ground operations such as aircraft handling, passenger services, and air cargo operations. Selling tickets, checking baggage, preparing passengers and manifests, operating teletypes and computer terminals may also be included in the job duties. Aviation industries of interest include the Federal Aviation Administration, Airlines and Airports, all who require skilled professionals an aviation-related field that present career challenges. â€Å"The FAA operates the world’s biggest and safest aviation system with  responsibility for the licensing and certification of aircraft and pilots, for the security of  airports, and for the around-the-clock operation of the nation’s air traffic control system† (FAA.gov). Airports are gateways to the cities and countries they serve and provide a variety of jobs locally and nationwide contributing billions to the national economy. Although a career with a large international airport would be the most desirous employment with Boca Aviation would be an acceptable entry- level opportunity. The airlines provide job opportunities in every city they serve with the greater variety of job opportunities in the larger cities. â€Å"The largest concentrations of airline career opportunities are in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta and Boston: (). Foreign airlines flying into the United States hire Americans to handle their passenger and air cargo business, an opportunity that cannot be overlooked.