A Study On Customer Attitude Towards Online Shopping

Abstract:The technological development with respect to internet has given a new dimension to marketing. Online customers are increasing and the virtual marketers realize the importance of customer oriented approach. This online facility benefits the users to gain in depth information about the product and to compare and evaluate the products offered by various suppliers. To conduct an empirical investigation a survey was conducted to collect data and was analyzed and interpreted using SPSS.A questionnaire was developed based on the objective of the study. The factors facilitating online shopping were measured on a five point Likert Scale. It was very clear from the study that security was the main concern and the users also mentioned about the absence of physical handling of the products in online shopping. At the same time many users felt that it was very convenient and cost effective.IntroductionOnline shopping has been growing because of the technological advancement, convenience, better purchasing capacity and the availability of different search engines and easier payment modes. The availability of the quality of the information, various brands and products enable the customers to make a choice from a wider market. Customers come across different types of risks in online shopping and they may not opt for internet marketing.With the advent of the internet , online shopping has gained immense popularity . The ease and convenience of shopping from anywhere in the world without having a physical visit to any shopping mall, has made online shopping or e-shopping an indispensable facility for many people.Internet marketing tools such as e-mail marketing, blogs, face book,  twitter, MMS, SMS and webisodes ( webisodes are created to enable the customers to visit the sites repeatedly and thus converting them into brand loyal customers) make it easier for the marketers to reach to their customers. They also combine the various marketing activities such as advertis ing, online campaigns and other public relations to create product awareness.In a constantly changing world of today, where past is replaced by dynamic present and the dynamic present is replaced by more challenging future, the old ways of doing things is no longer valid thus a new technology brings with it not only the potential for success but also a good design , its value to its users, ultimate use and acceptability. The current situation of shopping is changing due to globalization, technical innovations and market saturation.The intensity of competition increases due to new products and services as well as the entrance of competitors from other industries. The continuously growing educational standards and the opportunity to gather information induce enormous changes in customer behavior.Consumer attitude towards e-shopping is s a new strategic marketing and the information available influences customer attitude positively. The advent of web technology constitutes a new medium of commerce which puts the customer in a position to directly and quickly interact with the web services.The empirical study will find whether online shopping will gain importance and its use will accelerate at a faster rate in the coming years. Thus the study concludes that the online shopping is more cost effective and less time consuming. The study also confirms that there is a willingness and readiness on the part of the users to go ahead with such technological sophistications or improvements.However in certain respects the users felt online payments system lacks in security and it caters to the needs of the educated mass and felt that it may not be of any use where the physical  handling of the product becomes important. A few users felt that shopping means a family affair and a few felt that they enjoy their shopping with friends. In such cases e-shopping may not be too interesting under certain field of marketing. This study covers the key areas related to internet market ing and the customers attitude towards shopping using internet.Literature ReviewThe researcher has made an attempt to present the reviews of available studies which consists of articles and other research papers in the related areas. The study revealed the customers’ perceptions and characteristics that influences customers attitudes toward online shopping. An earlier study conducted by Ghose (1998) predicted that the internet may be an important channel for marketing. Another study has revealed that the fear of security system in online shopping due to credit card fraud has been one of the major reasons for customers avoiding online shopping. (Ratnasingham 1998).A study by Palumbo and Herbig (1998) suggested that in coming years internet may offer cost effective and sophisticated tools for online advertising, sales promotion and placing orders and communicating with their customers all over the world. The study of Walters and Lancaster (1999) revealed that the internet offer s direct links with customers and suppliers and facilitates transactions processes and information transfer at a faster pace.Jayawardhena and Foley (2000) identified that convenience, site design and financial security are the dominant factors in customers assessment of e-satisfaction. A study by Torre and Moxon ( 2001), concluded that many companies have adopted internet for conducting business transactions and sharing business information with their customers. The study made by Thomas S.H. Teo (2001) revealed the linkage between the use variables such as age, gender,income, education and internet usage established the relationship of internet usage with respect to surfing , mailing, chatting and messaging.A study by Ranganatham and Ganapathy(2002) revealed that the safety, security and privacy of  websites have a greater impact on the intention of the customers do go for online transactions. The most important reason for internet users to avoid online shopping is its security. K een et al (2002) found that demographic factors such as age, gender, education and income has a significant effect on the attitude of the consumers towards online shopping and also revealed that educated internet users are more comfortable to go for online shopping. Benedict et al 2004 found from their study that the need to touch, feel, smell or ability to try a product influences customers decision whether or not to shop online. One of the main reasons for which customers hesitate to shop online is that online shoppers are unable to touch the real products in order to evaluate the quality.Different types of online buyers have different evaluations of website design and website reliability but similar perception of website security (Shegill and Chen 2005) . Nearly 70% of web users use internet for sending and receiving emails, surfing, chatting and messaging . India was ranked fourth after US, China and Japan in terms of internet users by Computer Industry Almanac in 2005. A study by Collier and Bienstock (2006 ) identified product delivery as an important factor that influences online customers satisfaction and future purchase intention.Online purchase intentions and influences of personal attitudes were similar for males and females. (Yu-Bin Chiu, Chieu-Peng Lin Taiwan and Ling Lang Tang ) Customers showed interest in products like cars, computers, mobiles apparel and also services such as ticketing, health management and tourism management. Approximately 10 percent of the world’s population use online shopping has been shown in Online Consumer Opinion Survey of AC Neilsen. Ebay Pay Pal has been established as pay sources for various online purchase that includes air , rail and movie tickets , electronic items and apparels Taylor Nelson Sofres refers in the Third Annual Global E-commerce report that e-shopping in India includes a variety of products such as  books, apparels and electronic items.Factors including competitive cost, better customer se rvice and other demographic considerations have helped the marketing industry to soar to greater heights. The development of information technology and the growth of the communication network has opened new horizons in the world of marketing . This has enabled the customer to enter into a new technological development called e-tailing. This e-shopping enables the customer to benefit from the pool of information , product comparison, cost effectiveness and various other offers from its suppliers and thus making a better choice of product.Research MethodologyA pilot study was conducted among fifteen people consisting of neighbors, students and colleagues to evaluate how well the questionnaire was framed and understood.Sampling DesignThe sample has been taken only from the IT industry and the education sector since they have the prior knowledge about internet browsing. A sample size of 240 was considered for the study. Respondents were selected by purposive and convenience sampling met hod for the study. The study uses exploratory research design and analyses the primary data to show customer attitude towards online shoppingThe primary data has been collected through a self administered and structured questionnaire. Questionnaires were given to different age group of people ranging between the age group of 25 to 50. The questions were framed in view of the main factors like Security, Reliability, Quality and Loyalty. The variables were measured against a five point Likert scale.Following the literature review Questionnaires were developed based on the literature to determine the behavioral pattern while purchasing  online. The questions were designed and presented in two different parts. Part I comprised of the respondents’ personal background such as age, gender, educational qualification , occupation and income per month. Part II enabled the respondents to furnish the factors that influenced them to buy the product online.The questionnaire was developed based on the observations of the researcher, review of the literature and consultations with the people on the same area of interest. The variables used in the study is also based on the review of the literature and the researches done by other researchers. The research objectives of the studyTo analyze the customer behavior pattern in on line shopping To understand the relevance of online shopping for retail products and services. To understand the views of the respondents about the retail and service industryStatistical AnalyticsData in this study were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (Version 19.0) and Amos (Version 19). Factor analysis is used to identify the load variables to the factors such as Security, Reliability, Quality and Loyalty. Further these factors are analyzed to identify the inter relationship among the factor using the path analysis.Data Analysis Frequency table of demographic profiles Table – 1 AGE Age GroupMale Female 25 – 3 04838 30 – 353930 35 – 403217 40 – 451908 45 – 500603 Total14496Table -2 EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION EducationMale Female UG7342 PG4124 PROFESSIONALS2116 RESEARCH ERS0914 TOTAL14496Table -3 HOUSEHOLD INCOME PER MONTH IncomeMale Female Less than 10,0002416 10,001 – 20,0004237 20,001 – 30,0004825 30,001 – 40,0001813 40,001 & above1205 Total14496Table -4 FREQUENCY OF USERS Frequency of usersMale Female Daily3728 Alternate days5134 Once in a week3823 Occasionally1811 TOTAL14496Table -5 ONLINE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AND SATISFACTION Satisfied with online shoppingMaleFemale Yes10258 No 4238 Total14496From the Tables 1 – 5 the following inferences were observed. Out of the 240 respondents men accounted for 60% and women accounted for 40% of the total respondents . Out of the 240 respondents the age group between 25 – 30 years represents 36% of the respondents and the age group between 30 – 35 represents 28% of the total  re spondents Out of 240 respondents, household income per month of Rs 10,001 – Rs 20,000 represent 33% of the respondents and income of Rs20,001 – 30,000 represents 30.4% of the total respondents.Out of 240 respondents holding Post graduate and above degrees represents 52% of the respondents and professional degree holders represent 15% and researcher scholars include 9% of the total respondents. Around 87.5% of the males use online services at least once a week while 88% of the females are online service once a weeks. About 71% males experienced satisfaction in online shopping while 60% females experienced satisfaction in online shopping.Hypothesis testing: The following are the findings of the hypothesis testing using chi-square through SPSS. Result 1: There is association between age and online shoppingResult 2: There is association between monthly family income and online shoppingResult 3: There is association between frequency of internet use and online shoppingResul t 4: Educational qualification and online shopping are relatedAround 82 % of the respondents felt that internet shopping was available 24Ãâ€"7 and it could be done from any place. They also expressed the convenience of home delivery at a cheaper price. A few respondents felt t hat it enabled them to engage themselves in other activities while shopping since extensive information was available online in different fields. However around 78% respondents felt t hat the payment gateway is not secure and they were under constant insecurity of their credit card information being hacked.They also said that it lacks the physical touch of the product and thus they were unable to judge the quality of the product. A few respondents felt that the absence of social interaction made online shopping a less interesting way of shopping. A few elders felt that  they didn’t have a credit card to use the internet shopping. One should accept the fact that though e- shopping is slowly increasing in India it doesn’t keep pace with the increase in global marketing.Many Indian customers do not use internet market due to their fear factor and the apprehension about the quality of the goods that they may receive. With increase of the secured payment gateways and the use of SSL ( Secure Socket Layers) which enables a safe transfer of private documents via internet may allow the e-marketing industry to flourish in the coming years.2.3 Factor AnalysisThe following table shows the various variables that were considered in the study. Table – 6Q1I trust the brand of the product Q2Novelty and innovation in the product Q3Delivery of the product is shipped to a wrong destination Q4My credit or debit card information can be misused Q5Product delivered on time Q6Shipping cost and FOB are clear Q7On line transaction is interrupted due to virus transmission Q8Product quality cannot be judged without physical touch Q9Extensive information about the product Q10Payment process is not safe Q11After sales services are not maintained Q12Goods delivered in good condition Q13Online customer satisfaction Q14Product packaging Q15Lack of knowledge about the stock in hand Q16Wider range of product line Q17Duplication of transaction due to network failures Q18Home delivery Q19Price list and discount offer are clear Q20Availability 24Ãâ€"7Table -7 KMO and Bartlett's TestKaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy..837 Bartlett's Test of SphericityApprox. Chi-Square3709.515 df190 Sig..000The KMO measure of sampling shows that 84% infers that the sampling procedure is good and this leads to factor analysis.Table 8 Extraction Method – Principal Component AnalysisQ210.894964 Q110.883193 Q1010.826436 Q1310.813798 Q1210.807486 Q1410.798794 Q1810.788084 Q1910.766677 Q910.751079 Q1110.74923 Q1610.726154 Q1710.69611 Q810.670899 Q1510.657976 Q510.649796 Q2010.573682 Q410.560741 Q610.478726 Q310.439737 Q710.434629From the scree plot we confirm that the four factors S ecurity (F1), Reliability (F2), Quality (F3), Loyalty (F4) can be formed.Table – 9Component 1234 Q11.772 Q8.755 Q12.753 Q5.744 Q17.685 Q10.666 Q4.661 Q7.656 Q15.639 Q3.607 Q6 .830 Q20 .787 Q9 .779 Q16 .582 Q19 .568 Q13 .876 Q18 .814 Q14 .789 Q2 .930 Q1 .924 Table – 10Rotated Component Matrix(a)Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. a Rotation converged in 8 iterations.Table -11 Transformation MatrixComponent1234 1.795.494.342.085 2-.420.404.198.789 3-.097-.450.887-.044 4.427-.625-.241.608 Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.Path Analysis diagram is drawn and from the diagram it indicates that the variables are factored as follws.This diagram shows that in Factor 1 Security the following variables are identified. Q17Duplication of transaction due to network failures Q10Payment process is not safe Q4My credit or debit card information can be misus ed Q7On line transaction is interrupted due to virus transmission Q15Lack of knowledge about the stock in hand Q3Delivery of the product is shipped to a wrong destination Q11After sales services are not maintained Q8Product quality cannot be judged without physical touch Q12Goods delivered in good condition Q5Product delivered on timeThe following variables are identified by Factor2Q16Wider range of product line Q19Price list and discount offer are clear Q6Shipping cost and FOB are clear Q20Availability 24Ãâ€"7 Q9Extensive information about the productThe following variables are identified by Factor 3Q13Online customer satisfaction Q14Product packaging Q18Home deliveryThe following variables are identified by Factor 4Q1I trust the brand of the product Q2Novelty and innovation in the productScope for further Research and Suggestion Several types of viral marketing can be studied with relevance to viral marketing for retail products in India. This study is restricted to Chennai and i t can be further extended to other metropolitan cities as a comparative study for future research.ConclusionThe study revealed that the customer were more willing to use internet for the services rather than the products. Most of them were content with rail booking through online however a few felt that booking air tickets were little more expensive since the travel agents were able to give better competitive ticket fare. The study also revealed that internet is less time consuming and more cost effective. Many were of the opinion that while travelling to new places they were very comfortable to find the details of places, accommodation and food.They were also able to make a better choice by comparison the prices offered and the kind of the service provided. Even though in many hospitals online booking was available many felt that it was easier to call and fix up and appointment rather than doing it thro online. However they felt that many foreigners take up the treatment by using t he internet. People were also keen on placing orders for health care products like Amway. Another factor that influenced the buyers was the physical touch of the product.Though there may be a larger range of products to select from, the n on disclosure of all the information about the product may pose a threat to the web users. Moreover the browsing speed, connectivity , power shut down and other technical problem may further crb the growth of internet marketing. The most important factor that prevents the growth of the online marketing is the safety and security .The fear of their debit/credit card being misused and the lack of information posted in their respective web sites post a major threat for the customers. A The online transactions doesn’t allow for a social network or a pleasant family outing and in practice the expectations of the customers is to shop with friends and family and such an expectation may not be fulfilled in online shopping.SuggestionsBrands should mo nitor the cyberspace for unauthorized use of their brand names. The companies should have policies and procedures that enable them to remove the web sites that violate the copyright laws. They should also educate their customers about the risks of buying from unauthorized sources and should have a consortium to report suspicious goods and sellers.

Marketing Case Study for Glitz Essay

1. What factors affect the pricing decisions for a product such as Glitzz? Analyze these factors and comment on the range of prices that can be set. The right price must generate enough sales dollars to pay for the costs of developing, producing, distributing and marketing the product as well as earn a profit for the company. There are various factors that affect the pricing decision such as objectives, demands and market forces. We will examine these factors in detail below. 1.1 Company Factors Before embarking on pricing decisions, it is necessary to understand company’s objectives. Lee Jr. and Albert are looking to achieve long-term profit making and sustainability in the market. Higher importance would then be given to obtaining increased market share and sales over immediate profit making. Glitzz needs to focus on gaining foothold in the market, as it would be a new product facing relatively established competing brands and products. As such, Glitzz should not be priced at premiums but instead work to encourage trials, consumer acceptance and return business. If successful, high profits should follow. 1.2 Consumer Factors Consumer factors such as demand for the particular product class, product or brand, price and availability of similar product, price sensitivity as well as perceptions of value can affect pricing decisions and help Lee Jr. and Albert gauge feasibility and acceptability of prices. The demand for the product is extremely important for pricing decisions. The greater the demand, the higher can the product be priced. Demand by consumers is affected by four factors. (1) Consumer Tastes (2) Price and Availability of Substitutes (3) Consumer Income and (4) Price of product. Glitzz can be classified as unsought goods; products that potential consumers do not normally want or know they can buy. These products are not searched for and do not create demand in consumers initially. Consumers of such product only buy when they perceive the necessity for it. As such, creation of awareness and education about product benefits becomes crucial for retailers and creators. This translate to the need for increased budgeting assigned to advertising strategies such as personal selling, relatively aggressive advertising and benefit demonstrations, increasing fixed overhead costs for marketing and distribution. Glitzz would be a complementary product, with its demand somewhat predicated on the prices and sales of relevant product classes such as jewelry, diamonds and watches. There is negative cross elasticity between Glitzz and the above mentioned product class, i.e. the decrease in prices of jewelry, diamonds and watches would bring an increase in demand for cleaning agents such as Glitzz. In times of recession, luxury goods such as the above may not be highly sought after, affecting Glitzz’s ability to sell due to its nature as a derived product. Pricing strategies should take into consideration market trends and demands of these product classes and be adjusted accordingly. Consumers’ perception of values and benefits provided by a product will affect the amount of money they are willing to pay in exchange for the product and their price elasticity. Assessing value involves the judgment by a consumer of the worth and desirability of a particular product relative to its substitutes. At the core level of the product, Glitzz is a jewelry cleaner, delivering to consumers the opportunity to renew and bring back the shine in their precious stones, jewelry and watches. The tangible benefits offered come from the product’s non-corrosive, non-abrasive and gentle on skin nature. Premium natural ingredients used in the making of the product are also marketed as a key attribute. The attribution values of Glitzz will translate into a definitive price that consumers deem worthy for the product. Lee Jr. and Albert have already taken steps to survey consumer market and test product responses. The NUS student researchers found that few consumers are willing to pay more than SGD20 for the product. Price and availability of similar products are also strong molding forces on pricing for new entry products such as Glitzz. Technological advances and increasingly discerning consumers meant heightened awareness about substitute products and prices. The ability to compare similar products and weigh out the benefits against cost, affects consumers’ decision-making and willingness to pay for a product. The way to mitigate such comparisons is to possess strong distinguishing characteristics from its competitors. Glitzz, however, seem to be substitutable by many alternatives in the market. An in-depth competitor analysis is as follow. Brilliant Restorer and Glitzz Brilliant Restorer and Glitzz appear to be offering analogous product benefits and have similar dispensing system and packaging. It is also under a largely established distributor brand, Gordon Max. It is distributed through channels that Glitzz is thinking of using, taking up counters at large departmental stores such as Tangs. It appears to be Glitzz’s main competitor, targeting similar markets, offering similar benefits and marketing in similar channels. Connoisseur and Glitzz Connoisseur practices product differentiation, offering a range of specialized cleaning agents for different kinds of metals. It may lose out on the convenience associated with the all-purpose Glitzz, but can market it’s specialized uses as a plus point. The company has strong advertising roots, marketing its products in mainstream newspapers and online. Glitzz may face threats stemming from Connoisseurs strong advertising efforts. Powervescent and Glitzz Powervescent is a tablet-form cleaning product, offering similar benefits at very low price. It may be less convenient to use when compared to Glitzz’s pump bottle design. Powervescent does not distribute in Singapore and is in process of setting up its e-store. While Powervescent may prove to be a competitor among price sensitive consumers in the future, its low prices may also be viewed as a reflection of its quality. As such, it may not be as big a competition to Glitzz as others. Cleaning Machines and Glitzz The second tiered competitors offer jewelry-cleaning machines with high technology performances such as the Connoisseur Jewelry Bath ($49), Savco Jewelry Cleaner ($95) and OSIM uSonic ($108). It is priced much higher than cleaning solutions such as Glitzz but seem to promise better and more targeted results. The products may be marketed at affluent consumers or retailers mostly. It is not as close a substitute as portable, self-administered cleaning products such as Brilliant Restorer. Other solutions for dirty or tarnished jewelry include common soap and toothpaste as well as free cleaning services provided by retailers as a value-add for purchases. The large number of substitutes makes demand for such products very elastic; i.e. consumers are price-sensitive and decrease in prices will lead to increase in demand for the product. Glitzz would have to pay extra attention to Brilliant Restorer and Connoisseurs as they are close substitutes and their prices will be critical in the pricing decision. Glitzz is a normal good and is relatively price elastic as compared to necessity goods or luxury goods. As such, lowering prices and keeping check with competitors’ prices becomes the key to increasing consumer demand. 1.3 Competitive Factors Pricing for Glitzz is constrained by the type of market in which it competes. Jewelry cleaning products compete in a monopolistic competition market structure. There are a number of competitors competing on both price and non-price factors. For example, Lockhart competes with its low prices in the sector while OSIM offers high technology solution as the unique selling point. Understanding the environment in which they compete will allow a deeper insight into the range of acceptable prices, extent of market differentiation and importance of advertising. In such an environment, Glitzz should allocate more budgets to advertising to distinguish itself from its competitors. This means a rise in costs and subsequently, a necessary rise in pricing. Also, its prices should strive to not deviate too much from the competing products’ prices. To be effective, pricing must work to cover the costs and make profits. It is therefore necessary to take into considerations the various costs involved in producing, packaging, marketing and distributing the product. The cost of production for Glitzz in this case includes the SGD5000 re-packaging consultation fee and the direct production cost of Glitzz cleaning solution and fees associated with packaging it into 30ml pump bottles to achieve sales state. Overhead costs may also include distribution fees such as retailer’s cut in exchange for sales services and media fees to advertise the product. Keen research and delicate mediation of all the above company, consumer and competitive factors will allow conclusion of a feasible price that is most symbolic of the value Glitzz hold. I propose a price range of SGD13 to SGD17. The ultimate upper limit as surveyed by NUS students is SGD20. The ultimate lower limit is established with the unit variable costs and other production costs in mind, which will be SGD5 at the initial stage. The recommended price ranging between SGD13 to SGD17 takes into consideration competitors’ prices, company’s objectives and consumers’ buying responses. The suggested price should work to undercut competitors’ prices and stimulate trials while not deviating too much from the market rate. This way, Glitzz can remain profitable, competitive and achieve a breakeven within a short period of time. 2. What price would you recommend for Glitzz? Why? I would recommend Glitzz be sold at SGD14. In the monopolistic competition market structure, Glitzz cannot simply establish its price as an independent company. It has to be subjected to the market demand and supply forces, causing prices to be relatively similar to its close competitors. To use a demand-oriented pricing approach, Glitzz should engage in penetration pricing. By setting a relatively lower price to its competitors, Glitzz can ensure interest and high levels of appeal during the launch stage in the market. Whether or not penetration market works is predicated on several factors. Firstly, consumer base should be relatively price sensitive. This aspect is fulfilled in the case of Glitzz. With the existence of many substitute products in the market, there is high demand elasticity. Consumers with no immediate preferences or prior experiences may make purchase decisions based on prices. By setting the price at SGD14, Glitzz can subtly undercut its competitors and establish its value. Secondly, as a new product in its introductory stage, Glitzz has to work on overcoming its weakness in terms of its new entry and unknown brand identity. Glitzz’s main objectives should then be to stimulate trials and slowly accumulate market share. Penetration pricing helps to encourage first purchases and can work hand-in-hand with quality control and good brand management to build market share. Increased volume of sales will help maximize profits for Glitzz as unit production and marketing costs falls. That being said, Glitzz products must not be priced too low and deviate too much from similar competitors. Assuming Glitzz eventually decides to market and distribute its product through large departmental stores like Robinsons, its breakeven price for the initial batch of 20,000 where total cost = profit margin will be at SGD10.50. We have to price higher than SGD10.50 to break even and lower than SGD14 to SGD17 to undercut the competition. It is not feasible for Glitzz to price its product closer to the end of SGD10.50. Firstly, it may encourage a price war where competitors engage in successive price-cutting to increase or maintain market share. This can only be detrimental to the entire industry in the long run. Secondly, Glitzz as a new company needs to have buffer in profits to invest in further marketing or advertising efforts, cope with emergency operational issues or save up for brand expansion. Also, the skimming pricing method would not work for Glitzz as its product is too homogenous and not differentiated enough to justify premium pricing. In addition, the pricing of Glitzz cleaning solution at the higher end of the SGD10.50 to SGD14 range ensures Glitzz have future opportunities and space to conduct promotional initiatives such as discounts and still be profitable. Consumers may not take kindly to products increasingly their prices after a successful intitial promotion period where low prices were offered. This may affect their perceived image of the brand and be detrimental to future sales. In essence, Glitzz product pricing must be low enough to undercut competitors to generate interest in consumers and high enough to allow profit maximization. While the penetration pricing strategy can help to build volume, managers must keep close track of the costs and monitor its effects on the market. 3. What strategy would you propose for Glitzz? What costs and expenses would be involved? Calculate the break-even point. Glitzz at its point of entrance would be at the introduction stage of its product life cycle. Here, the marketing objective should be to gain awareness. This objective is further amplified by the nature of Glitzz as an unsought good. There is high level of need for promotional and advertising efforts to inform and educate the public about the presence and benefits of Glitzz. According to past track records, Glitzz did well in promoting with in-store counters and consumer exhibitions. This has roots in the personal selling and benefits-demonstration means of promotion. I would recommend Glitzz to continue with such channels of marketing and to distribute and promote their products with departmental stores such as Robinsons. As a new product, this would allow consumers to experience the benefits of Glitzz first-hand at well-established shopping places, triggering first purchases and trials. To give a concrete example, on top of in-store distribution, Glitzz could hold demonstration booths at shopping mall forums to introduce its products. Free samples could be given out to generate brand awareness and trials. Costs involved and Assumptions made * Production cost of one bottle of Glitzz at SGD5 (Unit Variable Cost) * Branding Consultation Fee at SGD5000 (Fixed Cost) * Promotional Event at approximately SGD25000 (Fixed Cost) Amount from assuming a 3 days (6 hrs/day) promotional event at a shopping mall costing about SGD9000 in rentals, with an estimated 3000 samples to be given out and an employment of 3 sales assistants at SGD100 per day. The event will total up to about SGD$24900 * Distribution Margin for Retailers at its maximum of 50% Profit Margin * One bottle of Glitzz is priced at SGD14 Hence given the list price of SGD14, the newly incurred marketing cost coupled with the sunk cost of consultation fee will result in the breakeven point being at 15 000 bottles of Glitzz, a highly feasible goal. I believe that promotions and demonstrations should be used at the initial stage of the product launch to create awareness and inform consumers of its existence. Subsequently, advertising in other forms should follow to distinguish Glitzz from its competitors and achieve brand recognition and preference. Glitzz would have to reevaluate costs and prices to determine next marketing move then.

Buddhism Essay Essay

One of the Buddha’s most significant teachings is that everyone is different, and hence each individual’s path to enlightenment is unique. For this reason, Buddhists acknowledge that they must take inspiration from a variety of sources to complete their individual journey to Nirvana. Belief in the concept of enlightenment is therefore important within Buddhism with different branches and schools giving varying emphasis to the many teachings of Buddha and his close followers, while some believe in Bodhisattvas, from whom they take motivation, all believe in shaping their individual effort to achieve enlightenment. Throughout this essay, the Buddha’s teachings on belief and enlightenment, how the four Noble Truths and Buddhist practices relate to belief and enlightenment, and the positions of the two major branches of Buddhism – Theravada and Mahayana – will all be analysed to determine the role of belief in Buddhism, and hence prove or disprove the a bove comments on enlightenment and belief for Buddhists. Enlightenment or _Nirvana_ is a supreme state; free from suffering, individual existence and all worldly concerns; such as greed, hate and ignorance. It is the ultimate goal of all Buddhists, breaking the otherwise endless cycle of death and rebirth known as samsara. Theravada Buddhism (â€Å"Doctrine of the Elders†) teaches that by refraining from all kinds of evil, purifying the mind and having a deep thirst for knowledge, â€Å"†¦ a Theravada Buddhist can reach the state of perfection and enter Nirvana.† (Oracle ThinkQuest, 2012) This knowledge comes almost entirely from the Tipitaka, meaning â€Å"three baskets†. This collection of scriptures contains slightly different versions between the two schools, but is considered to comprise of the most accurate accounts of the Buddha and his close disciples. It is important to note that Theravada Buddhists believe that due to the requirements for enlightenment, monks and nuns are significantly more likely to achieve Nirvana than lay people who should therefore focus on gaining good karma enabling them to be a monk or nun in their next rebirth. Mahayana Buddhism has a variety of scriptures, many of which have been written by high ranking monks since the time of the Buddha, in order to keep the teachings up to date with the culture of the period. Notably, they also  believe that all people have the capability to become enlightened. Apart from the different scripture emphasis, Mahayana Buddism is significantly diverse to Theravada due to the belief in multiple Buddhas and Boddhisattvas. Boddhisattvas are people of deep compassion who are said to delay entering Nirvana in order to help guide others to enlightenment. As such, Mahayana Buddhism adds to the Theravadan definition of Nirvana being the absence of self-centeredness (and therefore the absence of suffering) and the state of spiritual perfection, displayed by total compassion and concern for others. Two well-known Buddhist quotes which summarise the Buddha’s position on beliefs and enlightenment are: â€Å"Don’t blindly believe what I say. Don’t believe me because others convince you of my words. Don’t believe anything you see, read, or hear from others, whether of authority, religious teachers or texts. Don’t rely on logic alone, nor speculation. Don’t infer or be deceived by appearances.† â€Å"Find out for yourself what is truth, what is real. Discover that there are virtuous things and there are non-virtuous things. Once you have discovered for yourself give up the bad and embrace the good.† The above quotes help explain why Buddhists dislike teachings being referred to as beliefs. The first quote highlights the need for scepticism when reading the teachings. The second quote goes further by explaining the individuality of Nirvana, and the idea that not all teachings apply to everyone. Because followers of Buddhism are encouraged to challenge ideas presented and ascertain their own understanding of the major teachings, it is offensive to refer to this knowledge as belief, since `belief’ often refers to faith or trust in an idea(s) which has not been personally experienced. Hence Buddhists only believe in Nirvana, and the basic principles to reach their goal. Theravada and Mahayana both agree with the Buddha’s view that anyone can attain Nirvana, and one can do it within one’s present life if the Buddha’s instructions are followed carefully and applied sincerely. The two main branches of Buddhism have the same Four Noble Truths and interpret these  teachings in a similar manner. The only relevant difference is that Mahayana Buddhists have Bodhisattvas to aid in follower’s quests for Nirvana, whereas Theravada Buddhists believe that since this path is unique, it is the individual’s task to determine how to incorporate the Buddha’s teachings in their own lives. As stated on BuddhaNet, _†Theravada Buddhism places great emphasis on the clergy (Sangha) as the only ones capable of attaining Nirvana__.†_ (Lyall, 2008). As such, the role of the laity (lay people: normal householders) in Theravada Buddhism is to support the clergy and lead a good life according to the Buddha, in the hope of a better rebirth. Whilst it is not taught that a lay person cannot reach enlightenment, as this would be going against a popular teaching of the Buddha, it is perceived as highly unlikely. In return for the lay people’s support, it is common for the monks to teach the laity, provide advice and conduct ceremonies such as marriages. In contrast, the Mahayana Teachings encourage both the laity and the clergy to become Boddhisattvas and attain enlightenment in their current life. Especially in the case of the laity, belief in the possibility of enlightenment at some stage in the many rebirths a person can undergo, is vitally important and an integral part of not only the religion, but the various cultures the religion exists within. The Four Noble Truths are the essence of the Buddha’s teachings. Similar to a doctor’s method for analysing a health issue, the Buddha has diagnosed the problem (suffering) and identified the cause (of the suffering) within the first and second Noble Truths. The third Noble Truth is the description of a cure, while the fourth is the prescription and instructions to recover. Buddhists believe in the Four Noble Truths in the hope of getting closer to enlightenment and find these teachings realistic and hopeful, rather than pessimistic. The first Noble Truth, suffering (Dukkha), describes suffering as presenting itself in many forms of which some are obvious, such as old age, sickness and death (which Buddha encountered immediately after leaving his palace), and others more subliminal. Buddha explained the problem in a more profound way, teaching that all human beings are subject to desires and cravings but acquiring satisfaction from these desires and pleasure is temporar y and will not last without becoming monotonous. The origin of suffering (Samudaya) is the second Noble Truth, and consists of Buddha’s  claims to have found the cause of all suffering – desire (tanha) – which comes in three forms (which have had various names including the Three Roots of Evil, the Three Fires and the Three Poisons). These forms are the ultimate source of suffering, and are; greed and desire, ignorance or delusion, and hatred and destructive urges. The way to extinguish desire is to liberate oneself from attachment, as is explained in the third Noble Truth – Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha). This truth states that attaining enlightenment involves extinguishing the three fires of greed, delusion and hatred and could be considered as a `definition’ for Nirvana. The path to the cessation of suffering (Magga) is the fourth Noble Truth and is often referred to as the Eightfold Path because Buddha outlined a set of eight principles to follow. These are the right understanding, intenti on, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. Theravada Buddhism, being the more traditionalist branch, follows the practices that have been passed down by senior monks since the Buddha’s time. These traditions or practices include living in forests and performing both sitting and walking meditation. As part of their early training, Theravadan monks and nuns generally live in huts called `kutis’ situated in forests. These huts are built on stilts to keep animals and insects out and have a path for walking meditation. Older monks and nuns are not required to live in the forest, often residing in monasteries. Early each morning and evening, the monks and nuns from a particular school meet together for meditation and recitation. After these ceremonies, which are called _pujas_, they are required to study the Dharma. An important ritual carried out by people entering the temples is to wash their feet with water which has been carried up to the monastery from a stream, generally found below in the forest. The goal of the monks and nuns is to become an _Arhat_, a person free of suffering, through the meditation. Once free of suffering they can continue on their path to Nirvana. Different forms of Mahayana Buddhism have different religious practices. These practices are often heavily influenced by the culture of the society the Buddhist school(s) resides in. Tibetan Buddhist temples are heavily â€Å"†¦decorated with many kinds of Buddha images and wall hangings called  _thankas_.† Big prayer wheels, containing mantras written on strips of rice paper, are set into the walls of the temple while smaller, handheld versions are also common. Tibetan monks generally live in these temples and in between turning the prayer wheels and studying the various teachings, they hold various festivals. These festivals incorporate an array of prayer flags and other colourful decorations to celebrate significant periods. Japanese and Chinese monasteries are very similar to the Tibetan’s, but often with less vibrant, colourful decorations and less festivals. The monks and nuns recite Sutras and sit in meditation together regularly, akin to their Tibetan counterparts. The idea of studying, reciting and meditation in Mahayana Buddhism is to endeavour to accelerate the monks and nuns journey’s to enlightenment, in order that they can become Bodhisattvas and assist others as they near their journey’s end. Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism are very similar with regard to the fundamental teachings. They both accept Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) as the Teacher, have identical Four Noble Truths (and therefore Eightfold Path), share ideas on the origins of the world, practice their faith similarly and accept many comparable Buddhist concepts. The only outright difference is the scriptures they most value and consider authoritative, which affect the general path members of each branch follow to attain Nirvana. Belief in the concept of enlightenment is therefore important within Buddhism with different branches and schools giving varying emphasis to the many teachings of Buddha and his close followers, while some believe in Bodhisattvas, from whom they take motivation, all believe in shaping their individual effort to achieve enlightenment. BIBLIOGRAPHY BBC, 2009a. BBC – Religions – Buddhism: Meditation [WWW Document]. BBC Religions. URL http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/customs/meditation_1.shtml BBC, 2009b. BBC – Religions – Buddhism: The Four Noble Truths [WWW Document]. BBC Religions. URL http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/fournobletruths_1.shtml Dr. C. George Boeree, 2000. Buddhist Meditation [WWW Document]. Shippensburg University. URL http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/meditation.html GCSE RE site, 2011. Revision: Buddhism [WWW Document]. GCSE RE Site. URL http://www.mmiweb.org.uk/gcsere/revision/buddhism/keybeliefs/6_theravada.html Goldburg, P., Blundell, P., Jordan, T., 2009. Investigating religion. Cambridge University Press, Port Melbourne, Vic. Gunasekara, V., 2012. Basic Buddhism [WWW Document]. URL http://www.vgweb.org/bsq/basbud.htm#ch5 Gursam, L., 2009. The Importance of Meditation [WWW Document]. URL http://www.lamagursam.org/importance_of_meditation.html Harderwijk, R., 2011. The Four Noble Truths [WWW Document]. View on Buddhism. URL http://viewonbuddhism.org/4_noble_truths.html Heckert, L., 2012. An Overview of Buddhist Meditation [WWW Document]. Johansson, R., Tillekeratna, A., De Silva, L., 2012. Buddhist Studies: Nirvana [WWW Document]. URL http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd43.htm Lyall, G., 2008. Buddhist Studies: The Rise of the Mahayana [WWW Document]. BuddhaNet. URL http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/maha2.htm Nikaya, S., 2012. The Fourth Noble Truth [WWW Document]. BuddhaNet. URL http://www.buddhanet.net/cmdsg/truths5.htm Oracle ThinkQuest, 2012. Buddhism: Buddha [WWW Document]. Oracle ThinkQuest Library: Projects by Students for Students. URL

Comparison of Judaism and Islam Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Comparison of Judaism and Islam - Research Paper Example The more understanding we gain with regards to anything, the more broadmindedness we become by evaluating Judaism and Islam. These systems of beliefs share the same thought of worshipping of a supernatural power or god. From this plain word, an enormous figure of individual interpretations has taken place. Religion has not merely turned out to be an arrangement of belief but a source for individualism, pre-eminence and conflict. All the way through the centuries rules have been performed, terrain taken, formed and then ruined and wars have been struggled in an attempt to protect one’s religion. Several religions have close towards nothing in common whereas others have various similarities. As compared with the three foremost western religions: In â€Å"Universal Peace: To Unite a Universal Brotherhood†, Mohammed Talib wrote that â€Å"Judaism and Islam, there have been indications of communal practice, perception and law† (Talib (2005), p. 71). Judaism appears to be one of the ancient religions recognized by man.   Judaism came to view roughly around 4000 years ago.   Several prominent individuals, as said by Arye Forta in the book â€Å"Judaism†, have been â€Å"Jewish citizens like Jesus, Moses, Einstein, Freud, Marx, even Mahler†. This religion is said to be a monotheistic creed, denoting that Jewish natives pray to solely one god.   There weren’t lots of religions like this since it was launched which made Judaism very exceptional during that time.   Nearly all of the religions during those days were polytheistic, meaning that they prayed towards more than one God (Forta (1995), p. 5). On the other hand the â€Å"word "Islam" indicates "obedience to Allah."† This was written in the book of R. W. Maqsood’s â€Å"Islam†. Anybody who does definitely present themselves towards the desires of Allah as obliged by Islam is labeled as a "Muslim," which implies one who has surrendered towards the

Cradle will rock Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cradle will rock - Movie Review Example He vicious outwardly his philanthropic wife and blemished children poor shopkeepers, a faithless priest, moll the prostitute and immigrant families. Moll acts as a prostitute; he gets arrested and jailed as she refuses to take the services given a police officer who is loyal to Mr. Mister. Moll meets Harry Druggist who has been repeatedly arrested ands judged with vagrancy after he loses his drugstore because of Mr. Mister. Harry explains to Moll how the Liberty committees are better prostitutes than her and tells him how they sell themselves to Mr. Mister including Harry himself. During the production of Cradle Will Rock, the government of the United States is struggling to work against the great hopelessness with many federal programs one being a Federal Theater Program. Unfortunately there is great political anxiety with the fear of communism spreading everywhere and everything from films to paintings are questioned of their political and moral objectives. The famous Orson Welles is also involved in the production of this play. In 1930s he tried to search for funds in order to make a film based on the early days of Federal Theater as he was a member. Cradle Will Rock was one of the productions of Federal Theater. It is about a greedy businessman who gets his retributions. The play production was funded by the government. However, the funding was withdrawn when it was claimed to be a threat to capitalism. Despite the funding withdrawal, Welles and his team continued with the production of the play. Cradle Will Rock is set based o the rock relationship between politics and art in America during 1930s according to Laird (2002). It also brings into picture the gap between the poor and the wealth in the country as Tim Robbins stages it. Robbins brings together various aspects from the real events, he examine the lives and the aspirations of various imaginative mavericks

Environmental scan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Environmental scan - Essay Example However, the management should be aware of some of the shortcomings of semantic technique: it is limited in its data content, it can not be used for navigating the website and it is complicated for beginners. Currently, many people make use of search engines to retrieve and search for data on the internet. There are over fifty search engines that are available to the user worldwide. Some of the search engines are regional while others are universal. For example, Google, Yahoo Search and MSN are some of the global search engines. These search engines came to the market at the start of the last decade of the twentieth century. Following are some of the search engines that are currently in use: It is an immense search engine (Takakuwa, 2004: 23). It is claimed to be one of the biggest search engines that is currently available to web browsers. Levene (2006: 123) is of the view that Google uses the PageRank system to display the information that the user is searching for. This type of page ranking is named after one of the pioneers, Larry Page. This technology gives the user the pages that closely resemble what he is looking for (Takakuwa, 2004: 100). The page with the highest similarity is ranked at the top. This search engine is effective as far as giving the user a multitude of hits that closely resemble what he is searching for. It can be used to search for books, blogs, images, patents amongst others (Takakuwa, 2004: 100). It also links the user to other sites that are relevant. Though not as big as Google, it has an excess of twenty billion â€Å"web objects† (Thurow, 2007: 23). It gives the user shortcuts to the relevant site that he is looking for (Thurow, 2007: 23). The results are ranked using the Automatic AND technique. Apart from the two above, there are many other services such as Exalead, MSN and a host of others. The current search engines have some efficacies based on their size of database, search

Time Management and Nursing Burnout Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Time Management and Nursing Burnout - Essay Example The time management techniques have been fairly well covered in the book chapter. We are exploring an article here which goes beyond just time management to relieve a person of stress and make his life more valuable. This article can be said to be of the type of self-care or self well being. This is absolutely an essential component in order to avoid a burnout. We will study some dimensions associated with the job of a person which should be satisfied for him to continue working. The absence of these dimensions can lead to burnout of the individual. We will initially review the article written by Matuska Christianen which has been attached in appendix A. This paper presents a proposed model of lifestyle balance that meets biological and psychological needs within the unique environment of individuals. The writer of the article claims that once the biological and psychological needs of the individuals are in alignment with the environment of the individual; the level of stress faced i n the work is reduced and the person is able to enjoy his job fully. This article claims well-being as the lack of stress during the work. ... are in alignment with the environment of the individual; the level of stress faced in the work is reduced and the person is able to enjoy his job fully. This article claims well being as the lack of stress during the work. The person should be satisfied with his work and look forward to do it every day to avoid stress and improve his well being. The article presents five factors, dimensions or conditions which need to be satisfied in order to achieve physical and mental well being. These 5 dimensions are essential for the well being of an individual and are thus key factors in preventing work related stress. The first dimension is biological health and physical safety. These can be said to be the most basic needs of the individual. If these are not satisfied it leads to a lot of stress and the person finds it extremely difficult to continue in the job as he faces a large amount of stress. The first dimension is the foundation upon which all other dimensions and the endeavors of the h uman being rest. The second dimension discussed in the article is rewarding and self-affirming relationship with others. This can be said to be the need for affiliation. A person wants his co-workers and those with which he works to appreciate the good work done by him. It can be easily seen in nursing that relatives of a patient might blame the nurses for any failure in health of the person. These accusations may not have any basis but increases the stress level of the nurse which leads to disillusionment with the job. Rewarding behavior discussed in this dimension need not be reward given by a third party. This may even by the reward which an individual decides to give himself for sticking to an action plan or achieving a target which was decided earlier by him. The third dimension

Christianity and the world at large Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Christianity and the world at large - Essay Example Its main aim can be summarized in the following ways: 1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes; 2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax; 3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance; 4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels; 5. Centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly; 6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State; 7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State, the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan; 8. Equal liability of all to work and establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture; 9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries, gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the c ountry; and 10. Free education for all children in public schools, abolition of children's factory labor in its present form and combination of education with industrial production (http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/ch02.htm).3 Since communism is against any form of subjugation, the Church is considered its enemy for a church has leaders, even a hierarchy of elders who would oversee the flock and make sure that no one goes astray. Charles Darwin's teaching of Natural Selection is anchored on the principle of preservation. According to him, natural selection, "on the principle of qualities being inherited at corresponding ages, can modify the egg, seed, or young, as easily as the adult."4 Plainly speaking, this...The likes of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington led the United States of America anchoring on Biblical truths and Christianity as a whole. America still looks back and acknowledges that some of the glorious past of this country were under the leadership of these two figures.Christianity in general should put itself in its proper place and not quarrel with other people insisting only on what it thinks is right. The first step is accepting that people of all ages and nations vary in many ways and one of these is their belief and principle in life. By learning to accept others the way they are leads to a better understanding of why they are so different and why they behave in the way they do. Having a n open mind can lead to less prejudice and judgmental spirit. The second step is respect. Since people are free to choose what they should believe in, Christianity should not impose on others what it thinks is right or wrong. In other words, to respect other’s religious conviction will lead to a more harmonious relationship. It has been said that man is not supposed to do to others what he does not want others to do to him. In this way, if Christianity seeks respect, it should also respect others. Finally, Christianity must not cease to be vigilant. It should continue to be a watchdog, a spiritual eye to the government and the nation as a whole. Although it may not force itself, its very presence will shed light to the world around it and will lead others to know the difference.

Business Cloud Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Business Cloud - Essay Example For instance, information of an organization needs to be protected and is the ultimate responsibility of the board of director for which they are also liable. Likewise, transferring information on the cloud determines that it is not managed by the organization anymore and any consequence or a breach of data occurring on the vendor side will be a prime threat to the organization. Therefore, information security is the part of due care and due diligence that is derived from the responsible employees of the organization. Cloud Deployment Models It is the prime responsibility of the ‘Business Cloud’ to protect intellectual property and confidential information that may be related to customer personal information, trade secrets, patents etc. Breach of any one of these classified information types can result in a permanent loss of business and ultimately bankruptcy that may result in legal and regulatory compliance. Likewise, before making any strategy for transferring critica l applications to the cloud, it is important to analyze deployment and service models of cloud computing. The correct choice needs to be made in order to align business requirements to the correct deployment and service model without any unnecessary risk. ‘Business Cloud’ will select the best possible cloud computing deployment method as per their business requirements and compatibility factors. Below are the four deployment methods are available for selection: Private Cloud The private cloud is also referred as a neologism. However, the concept of this term out dates cloud computing by 40 years. Private clouds are recommended for organization requiring advanced security and privacy measures. The private cloud is administered exclusively for only a single organization, in order to maintain strict level of security (, Cloud Deployment Models ). Community Cloud As compared to a private cloud, the community cloud is shared among many organizations having identical business requirements. Moreover, the required infrastructure is shared among all the organization that is connected to the cloud saving the cost and demonstrates one of the advantages of cloud computing (, Cloud Deployment Models ). Public Cloud Public computing is a traditional approach where the resources are accessible on the Internet. Third party providers, known as the cloud vendors, organize the hosting for these resources on the Internet. The services and resources on this cloud are accessible to the public and groups of various industries (, Cloud Deployment Models ). Hybrid Cloud A hybrid cloud comprises of a mixture of all types of clouds i.e. public, private and community. Most organizations deploy this type of cloud as it provides a range of options in the context of accessibility. By incorporating hybrid clouds, issues such as PCI compliance can be eliminated (, Cloud Deployment Models ). Cloud Computing Service Models Cloud computing consists of applications that are represent ed as a service on the web and the provision of hardware / software services provided by companies operating data centers. Likewise, the services provided over the Internet are referred as (Software as a Service) ‘SaaS’. There are few sellers who use the term (Infrastructure as a

Performance and Management Essay Example for Free

Performance and Management Essay Performance and Management A. Policy For Recognizing Employee Contributions The purpose of this report is to use the compensation system we previously developed in Phases I and II to pay people, develop plans that reward performance, add benefits into the mix, and evaluate these results. First we will look at performance-based-pay as a policy for recognizing employee contributions. Performance-based-pay is a pay plan that varies with some measure of individual or organizational performance, such as merit pay, lump-sum bonus plans, skill-based pay, incentive plans, variable pay plans, risk sharing, and success sharing. It is basically a pay plan that moves away from the traditional base pay and across-the-board increases, and focuses more on factors of performance that can increase overall productivity for a company. Performance-based-pay plans can be very effective in creating a positive impact in performance of both employees and a company as a whole, but only is the plan is designed well. In order to be successful, it is crucial that the performance-pay plan be designed to support FastCat’s business strategy and compensation objectives. To design this pay-for-performance plan, we will recommend a specific policy plan that is tailored to FastCat’s goals towards success. We will compare different performance-based plans, which include individual vs. group incentives and merit vs. incentive pay, to see which combinations will help FastCat compete more effectively. a. Emphasis on Individual vs. Group Incentives Two strategies to consider with performance-based-pay plans are providing individual incentives, group incentives, or both. Individual incentive plans involve incentive compensation that is tied directly to objective measures of individual production. On the other hand, group incentive plans are incentive plans that are based on some measure of group performance rather than individual performance. Taking data on a past year as a base, group incentive plans may focus on cost savings or on profit increases as the standard for distributing a portion of the accrued funds among relevant employees. We recommend a mixture of both individual incentive and group incentive pay plans. How the individual incentive plan will work is there will be a year-end bonus pool as function of company performance. The employee’s share in the pool will be based on three factors: (1) employee’s grade, (2) employees personal performance analysis, (3) employee’s tenure at the company. This plan will go hand-in-hand with the group incentive plan we recommend, which will be a profit-sharing plan. A profit-sharing plan is a plan that focuses on profitability as the standard for group incentive. This group incentive plan will encourage employees to work hard as a team to create better company performance overall. We used the balanced scorecard approach to measure the company’s performance. A balanced scorecard approach is a way to look at what contributes value in an organization. It is a corporate-wide overall performance measure typically incorporating financial results, process improvements, customer service, and innovation. We determined that there are eight main elements that must be measured to determine good company performance. These metrics, which are weighted differently based on importance to FastCat’s business strategy, are as follows: (1) revenue growth, (2) labor costs, (3) innovation, (4) customers see FastCat representatives as responsive and knowledgeable, (5) customers value FastCat solutions, (6) employees take pride in working for FastCat, (7) employees have the tools and support to do their jobs, (8) employees understand how to make teams successful. In essence, the individual incentive plan and the group incentive plan work together to increase both individual performance and company performance. The better the company performs based on the balanced scorecard approach, the more money there is for the bonus pool in the individual incentive plan. b. Emphasis on Merit vs. Variable Pay All the pieces of this compensation system fit together Add justification on why this matches FastCat’s business and compensation objectives from problems B. Implementation a. Matching FastCat Jobs With Benchmark Survey Jobs When matching FastCat jobs with benchmark survey jobs we first had to separate the jobs at FastCat into four different job families: engineering, technical, marketing, and administration. We started off with sixteen FastCat positions of the various job families and matched them with the benchmark jobs based on the responsibilities of the job as well as the experience and competencies required to hold the position. For example, take the engineering family. For the Engineer 1 of the benchmark survey job, it is described by the following statements: â€Å"Participates in development, testing and documentation of software programs. Performs design and analysis tasks as a project team member. Typical minimum requirements are a Bachelor’s degree in a scientific field or the equivalent and up to two years of experience. † We compared that to the Usability Engineer in our own organization. Some responsibilities of the Usability Engineer are as follows: â€Å"Contributes to the development and implementation of FastCat web applications,† â€Å"work with FastCat quality assurance to ensure integrity of FastCat software; test, debug, and fix data,† and â€Å"design appropriate software testing strategies. † The position requires a B. S. egree in Computer Science or related field plus at least two years of experience. A competency required of the position is to communicate with team members, support team decisions, and work effectively as part of a team. As the numbers within the families of the benchmark jobs increase (Engineer 2, Engineer 3) the responsibilities, experience, and competencies required of the position also increase. For example, Senior Fellow, the position we assigned the most JE points in the organization to, was matched with Engineer 5, the highest position in the benchmark engineer family. . Determining Relevant Market(s) When selecting market competitors to establish our suggested pay policy line for FastCat our team tried a few different markets before deciding on the one we felt most reflected the values of the company. The first market group we chose to try was all the surveyed industries provided to us by FastCat. This line fit well with our benchmark jobs being fairly close to the line on both the high and low end. The second fit we looked into was just using the data regarding Software companies, this line seemed to fit slightly better than the previous with jobs on both the high and low end of the JE scale being fairly evenly distributed above and below the line. The final fit we tried was software companies with the exception of company 15 because we found that their compensation data created a huge outlier from the average of the other companies. We decided to go with the final fit of only software companies excluding company 15 because we felt this line best reflected our views on which jobs were most important. c. Adjusting our Data for More Desirable Regression Results Our team was rather flexible when making decisions about possible adjustments to our data during and after making our regression results. At first when our team was benchmarking the FastCat jobs against other companies, we felt that a couple FastCat jobs were very similar. We matched two of them with the same survey job titles. The first match was Software Developer and Implementation Consultant, which were both matched with â€Å"Engineer 2†. The second match was with Administrative Assistant II and the Administrative Aide, which were both matched with â€Å"Office Support 2†. When we were entering the data into the software to create a regression analysis, we realized that we would only be able to create this analysis on fourteen jobs, instead of the sixteen that was expected. We initially decided that moving some of our matches around and entering full data for all sixteen jobs would be the proper route to take. Our R? number was not where we wanted it to be after doing this; coming in at less than . 70, and this was probably because it was a bit forced and unnatural for us to change the jobs around just to get the full amount of jobs. Going back to our original benchmarking brought our R? up considerably. When we looked at the new data we saw that there was one major outlier and it was the Senior Quality Assurance Technician. Our team had marked this position at a â€Å"Technician 4† originally, but we all took a look at the FastCat information again and reached an agreement that we had made a mistake in benchmarking the position. What threw us off at first was the statement that the Senior Quality Assurance Technician was, â€Å"at the direction of the Implementation Consultant, which had a rather low amount of Job Evaluation points. We decided to move the position from a â€Å"Technician 4† to a â€Å"Technician 5†. This is the last change we made, and it gave us our final R? of . 882. d. Different Grades and Ranges Regarding grades of pay and the range of pay within those grades we chose to go with 4 grades of 100 JE points each. We found this to be a satisfactory suggestion as the jobs falling within these ranges have a relatively similar importance to the company and should be compensated in a way that demonstrates this. We used 15% as our selected range for all grades, meaning that the amount paid in each grade would range from 15% below to 15% above the midpoint of our pay policy line within that grade. With the results from the selected grades and ranges we had one difficulty; the difference in pay from grade 1 to grade 2 was nearly $10,000. To fix this discrepancy and encourage our lower level employees to stay with the company we chose to use an above market policy of 15% for this grade to close the gap. After completing these steps we had a pay policy that we felt was right to suggest to the FastCat Company for their base wage policy.

Principle Of Wearing Gloves Nursing Essay

Principle Of Wearing Gloves Nursing Essay Gloves are mainly used for protection of hand from the contamination with organic matter and microorganisms and also wear to reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms to both patients and staff. However, a decision to wear gloves including its types should be based on an assessment of the risk associated with the care activity, specific nature of the task to be undertaken and the potential for contamination with microorganisms and hazardous chemicals. Perhaps, sterile gloves are used especially for the following practices . The rationale for wearing gloves will indicate the choice of glove required. . Major indication of wearing gloves are: The choice between sterile and non-sterile gloves is based on contact with susceptible sites or clinical devices. Sterile gloves have been recommended to be worn in the following circumstances some of the reason behind wearing gloves includes: During the procedure of Surgery. Surgical wound dressings Invasive procedures, for example lumbar puncture, for immune compromised patients. Procedures requiring an aseptic technique. Insertion of invasive devices, for example urinary catheters. Sterile pharmaceutical preparations. Warm saline or water Removing dressing and cleaning wound is the most painful wound care interventions. The application of cold cleaning solutions to wounds can be unpleasant and harmful to wound healing. Different techniques and solution are being used for dressing and irrigation in practice. The use of saline or water as cleansing solutions or leaving out the cleansing step resulted in similar infection and healing rates. However, the decision to use tap water to cleanse wounds should take into account the quality of water, nature of wounds and the patients general condition. Steps of wound Assessment Assessing wound via palpation mainly for Swelling Separation of edges Lightly palpate for localized area of tenderness or drainange May need to culture drainange if present Assess for pain. The initial wound assessment takes in the big picture location, shape, and size. Location Location of the wound can give clues to the cause. For example, a sacral wound may be the result of sitting long time in the same position specially the elderly patient or patients has a weakness musculoskeletal system applying pressure on sacrum. Used anatomic land marks and language while documenting location of wound. For example, right medial malleolus is preferred to right inner ankle. Trochanter is preferred to left hip. Body diagram is useful to document wound location Shape Shape of wound also can shed light on the cause of the wound. For example, a linear wound on the posterior mid thigh of patients who uses a wheel chair could be caused by pressure from the edge of the seat. A triangular sacral or coccygeal wound could be due to shearing and pressure forces caused by movement in bed. Tracing is useful to document size for irregular shape. Follow the facility policies and procedure for tracing. Always be sure to written consent and adhere to facilitys policies and procedures if wound is photographed. Use wound film with size markings included or place a ruler in the photograph for perspective. Size Measure the wound in 3 dimension length, width and depth. Measurement should be always in centimeters. To measure length place the measuring guide at greatest length (head to toe) likely to measure the width place measuring guide at greatest width (side to side) never the less to measure depth gently insert a cotton-tipped applicator into the deepest part of the wound. Place a mark on the applicator at the level of the skin (may be the clinicians thumb and index finger or an actual ink mark on the applicator) then hold the applicator against a centimeter measuring device to determine the depth of the wound. if possible measuring the wound by the same nurse for each subsequent assessment. While measuring the wound depth, moisten sterile, cotton tipped applicator with sodium chloride solution. (Dont use a dry one, which could injure newly formed granulation tissue.) Place the applicator tip in the deepest aspect of the  wound  and measure the distance to the skin level. If the depth is uneven, measure several areas; document the range and which part of the  wound  is the deepest. Types of tissue   identify the types of tissue for example viable tissue i.e. granulation, clean non-granulating, epithelial non viable (necrotic) may also visualize muscle tendon subcutaneous in the  wound  bed, estimate how much of each is present, such as 60% granulation, 20% slough, and 20% Escher. Document the percentages on a flow sheet to allow for assessment  of  wound  healing or deterioration. Wound integrity    If  your  patient has a full thickness  wound, assess for undermining, a hollow between the skin surface and the  wound  bed that occurs when necrosis destroys the underlying tissue. On the other hand, it is a passageway within and beyond the  wound  walls or base.   Examine the  wound  for the presence of supporting structures, such as tendons or bones. Note any orthopaedic hardware and be alert for foreign bodies, such as sutures and staples, all of which increase infection risk.  Wounds  with tunnelling or undermining are especially vulnerable for retained dressings. Lastly, assess for foreign bodies, such as a forgotten suture or lint. Exudate Follow  your  facilitys guidelines for defining None, light, moderate and high amounts. Describe the exudates types as serous, serosanguineous, sanguinous or purulent. Infection can affect the color, consistency, and amount of exudate as well as cause an odour. Examine wound edges Check for the characteristics like attached, unattached, fibrotic or scarred (closed) and rolled edges (epibole). In full-thickness  wounds, particularly when undermining (tissue destruction that occurs underneath intact skin around the perimeter of the wound) is present, the edges may curl under and delay healing. A white, shiny appearance at the  wound  edges may be the result of epidermal cells migrating across the  wound  to resurface it, which signals healing. Peri wound skin Assess the skin around the  wound  for color, moisture, intactness, in duration, edema, pain, and presence of a rash, tropic skin changes, and infection. For example, the color can be pink, red, blue, pale white, or gray; in darker skin, you may note deeper skin tones. Pink usually indicates healthy skin; red may indicate friction, pressure, or beginning infection; blue or pale white is often a sign of compromised circulation. The skin surrounding a  wound  may have too much moisture (maceration), which could increase the patients risk of fungal or yeast infection. Assess the peri wound skin for primary skin lesions. Documentation Documentation is a very crucial tool for nurses to evaluate provide proper nursing care plan, support mutual relation between the health professionals or colleague, it facilitate to meet and maintain professional and legal standards. Documentation of complete wound assessment includes pertinent history related to the wound. Depending on nature of wound assessments flow sheet can be used as alternative to reduce the documentation time . A wound assessment will be performed and result in documented evidence of a type of wound and a etiology of wounding Location of wound Dimensions of wound Clinical appearance of the wound Amount and type of exudate Presence of infection, pain, odor or foreign bodies State of surrounding skin and alterations in sensation Physiological implications of wounding to the individual Psychosocial implications of wounding to the individual and significant other.. Some of the examples of documentation are like Patients care plan Observation chart Wound assessment chart FBC and Daily drain chart GCS Chart Progress notes, etc. Risk and Complications Sometimes, a large amount of fluid may leak from around the drain site, making the gauze dressing completely wet. If this happens, use soap and water to clean the area. Pain may accompany drain removal and persist after removal. Impaired wound healing may be a complication if fluid accumulates beneath the skin. Infection and injury to adjacent tissues may also occur. Occlusion of the tubing by fibrin, clots, or other particles can reduce or obstruct drainage. Infection may develop at the tubing exit site. Other complications may include breakage of the drain, difficulty in removal, inadvertent removal, pain, puckering scar, and visceral perforation. The patient may develop allergic reaction. .

Focus On The Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report Social Work Essay

Focus On The Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report Social Work Essay In his statement to the House of Commons when presenting Lord Lamings Inquiry Report into the death of Victoria Climbià ©, on 28 January 2003, the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn, said: It is an all too familiar cry. In the past few decades there have been dozens of inquiries into awful cases of child abuse and neglect. Each has called on us to learn the lesson of what went wrong. Indeed, there is a remarkable consistency in both what went wrong and what is advocated to put it right. Lord Lamings Report goes further. It recognises that the search for a simple solution or a quick fix will not do. It is not just national standards, or proper training, or adequate resources, or local leadership, or new structures that are needed. I will give an overview of the inquiry. I will also give an overview of the themes, lack of accountability right through the organizations to the most senior level and staff not adequately trained in child protection. I will analyse and critique these themes in relation to agency policy, legal requirements, research, practitioner knowledge and the voice of the service user. Previous inquiries and there link to this inquiry will be discussed along with have we learned any lessons from this. The failure to implement a legal, ethical and political framework to inform current best practice will be utilized. I will reflect on the implications of evidence informed practice and how this will inform future social work practice. This paragraph will provide a summary of the events leading to the death of Victoria Climbie, and establish why there was a need for the inquiry. From the report (Lord Laming, 2003) we know that Victoria Climbie came to England with her great-aunt, Marie-Therese Kouao in April 1999. Within a year, she was dead. On 25th February 2000, Victoria died of hyperthermia at St Marys Hospital, Paddington. She was just eight years old and had 128 separate injuries to her body. On 12th January 2001, her great-aunt Kouao and her boyfriend, Carl Manning, were convicted of murder. The level of cruelty experienced by Victoria was truly horrific, with daily beatings using several different implements. Her final days were spent living and sleeping in an unheated bathroom in the middle of winter, where she was bound hand and foot, lying in her own urine and faeces in a bin bag in the bath. The secretary of State set up the independent statutory inquiry into her death, under the Chairmanship of Lord La ming, in April 2001, to establish under section 81 of the Children Act 89 the concerns with the functions of the local authority social services committees and the way they relate to children. The inquiry wanted to examine the way in which local authorities in respect of their social services functions and identify the services sought or required by, or in respect of Victoria, Marie-Therese and Carl. This section will now aim to analyse and critique the key theme I have identified that emerged from the inquiry report which is lack of accountability right through the organizations to the most senior level and staff not adequately trained in child protection. Lord Laming (2003) points out There were at least 12 key occasions when the relevant services had opportunities to successfully intervene to help Victoria, but had failed to do so. Within the Report Lord laming (2003) states That not one of these interventions would have required great skill or made heavy demands on staff, sometimes it needed nothing more than a manager doing their job by asking pertinent questions or taking the trouble to look in a case file. He continues to states Lord Laming (2003) There can be no excuse for such sloppy and unprofessional performance. As Lord Laming (2003) commented Not one of the agencies empowered by Parliament to protect children in positions such as Victorias emerged from the Inquiry wi th much credit, what happened to Victoria, and her ultimate death, resulted from an inexcusable gross failure of the system. Lord Lamings (2003) expressed His amazement that nobody in the agencies had the presence of mind to follow what are relatively straightforward procedures on how to respond to a child about whom there is concern of deliberate harm. The Inquiry Report (Lord Laming, 2003) highlighted widespread lack of accountability through the organisations as the principal reason for the lack of protection afforded to Victoria. Who should be held responsible for these failures? As Webb (2002) states: Lord Laming was clear that it is not the hapless and sometimes inexperienced front-line staff to whom he directs most criticism, but to those in positions of management, including hospital consultants, I think that the performance of people in leadership positions should be judged on how well services are delivered at the front door. Professor Nigel Parton (2003) points out that Too often in the Inquiry people justify their positions around bureaucratic activities rather than around outcomes for children. Frankly, I would be the very last person to say that good administration is not essential to good practice. Professor Nigel Parton (2003) continues to state that Good administration-and we did not see a lot of it, I have to say-i s a means to an end. I cannot imagine in any other walk of life if a senior manager was in charge of an organisation and that organisation was going down the pan-to put it crudely-in terms of sales and performance that someone would say My role is entirely strategic, do not hold me to account for what happens in the organisation. People who occupy senior positions have to stand or fall by what service is delivered at the front door. The Inquiry Report Lord Laming (2003) highlighted the apparent failure of those in senior positions to understand, or accept, that they were responsible for the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of local services. As Rustin (2010) states Lord Laming pointed to the yawning gap in the differing perceptions of the organisation held by front line staff and senior managers. Lord Laming was unequivocal that the failure was the fault of managers whose job it should have been to understand what was happening at their front door. As the Report Lord Laming (20 03) pointed out, some of those in the most senior positions used the defence no one ever told me to distance themselves from responsibility, and to argue that there was nothing they could have done. Rustin (2004) states this was not a view shared by Lord Laming. Rustin (2004) also continues to state that Lord Laming went even further in evidence to us, telling us forcefully that, in his view, accountability of managers was paramount, and that the front line staff were generally doing their utmost. In addition to the fundamental problems of a lack of accountability and managerial control, it was also apparent in the course of the Inquiry Lord Laming (2003) that other failings existed in all aspects of practice. This section will evaluate previous inquiries and how they link to this inquiry and have any lessons been learned from them. As Rustin (2004) states: As with many previous inquiries into child protection failures, Maria Colwell (1973), Jasmine Beckford (1984), Tyra Henry (1984 ) and Kimberley Carlile (1986) it was clear that the quality of information exchange was often poor, systems were crude and information failed to be passed between hospitals in close proximity to each other. As the Report commented Lord Laming (2003) Information systems that depend on the random passing of slips of paper have no place in modern services. The evidence from another report, Maria Colwell, who had died in January of 1973 pointed to similar weaknesses, which were found in Victorias report these weaknesses were, lack of accountability and staff not adequately trained (Corby et al, 2001). Inquiry reports are sources of evidence to inform social work practice and even though they have many weaknesses within them as illustrated. Professor Nigel Parton (2004) points out that In many respects public inquiries have proved to be the key vehicle through which changes in policy and practice have been brought about over the last thirty years in relation to child protection policy and practice in this country. Professor Nigel Parton (2004) continues to point out that Rather than public inquiries being ignored, they have been fundamental to the way child protection operates. In this respect, they are as much a part of the problem as they are the solution. Have lessons been learned from the many public inquiries over the previous thirty years. It was as if states Professor Nigel Parton (2004) The frontline professionals, and the key organisations and agencies who have responsibility for children and families were quite incapable of learning the lessons and, crucially, putting these into practice in such a way that such horrendous tragedies could be avoided. It is hoped by many, therefore, that the report by Lord Laming, and the changes brought about as a result, will mean that this will be the last report of its type. This section will address the other theme I have highlighted adequate training. The question of adequate training and supervision for staff working in all the relevant agencies were also an issue identified in the Inquiry. Professor Nigel Parton (2004) points out that In Haringey, for example, it was observed that the provision of supervision may have looked good on paper but in practice it was woefully inadequate for many of the front line staff. Professor Nigel Barton (2004) also points out that nowhere was this more evident than in the fact that in the final weeks of Victorias life a social worker called several times at the flat where she had been living. There was no reply to her knocks and the social worker assumed, quite wrongly, that Victoria and Kouao had moved away, and took no further action. As the Laming Report (Lord Laming, 2003) commented, It was entirely possible that at the time Victoria was in fact lying just a few yards away, in the prison of the bath, desperately hoping someone might find her and come to her rescue before her life ebbed away. This section will now look at the failure to implement the legal and political framework within the inquiry report. Lord Laming within the report (Lord Laming 2003) told us that he continued to believe that the Children Act 1989 was basically sound legislation. His recommendations do not argue for a major new legislative framework. However, Lord Laming (2003) states he did not believe that the Act was being implemented in the way that had been envisaged for it, and, in his view, there was a yawning gap at the present time between the aspirations and expectations of Parliament and the certainty of what is delivered at the front door. Rustin (2004) states In the absence of adequate managerial accountability, front line workers were obliged to make crucial strategic decisions, for example about the use of the Children Act, and between using sections 17 and 47 (relating respectively to a child in need, and a child in need of protection). The sections of the Act had been developed with th e intention of as pointed out by Rustin (2004) Of recognising the different needs of children. How the sections were being applied on the ground however as stated by Lord Laming (2003) is Quite different, far from employing the section of the Act that would best meet the needs of the particular child and their circumstances, what they were actually doing was using these sections to restrict access to services and to limit the availability of services to people. The Children Act, Lord Laming (2003) argued to us Should be about promoting the well-being of children, not about putting labels around peoples neck. Lord Laming (2003) went on to suggest that Front line workers were being forced into making decisions that should properly have rested with management and policy decisions. This raised major questions about the role of public services and the basic principles that should underpin them, as (Lord Laming 2003) stated We need to stand back and say that we need to discover the basic principle that the public services are there to serve the public, not just some of the public and not just some people who can get through eligibility criteria, or who are sufficiently persistent. Therefore services must be more accessible and they must be more in tune with their local communities. If, as Lord Laming believes Kirton (2009, p.17) states The Victoria Climbià © case was not unique, but highlighted widespread and major deficiencies in the implementation of the Children Act, this raises issues that Government should address. I believe that the Children Act 1989 remains essentially sound legislation. However, there is concern as pointed out by Professor Nigel Parton (2004) That the provisions of the Act which sought to ensure an appropriate response to the differing needs of children are being applied inappropriately, used as a means of rationing access to services, and have led to section 17 cases being regarded as having low priority. The Laming Inquiry (Lord Laming 20 03) recommended that consideration should be given to unifying the Working Together guidance and the National Assessment Framework guidance into a single document, setting out clearly how the sections of the Act should be applied, and giving clear direction on action to be taken under sections 17 and 47. Within this section I will discuss the ethical framework. It is important to include the issues of social class and gender, which were not evident in the Victoria Climbià © inquiry. However, it is issues around ethnicity and race that are more evident. However, the diversity referred to is incredibly complex. This is illustrated at various points states Webb (2002) For example: At the time Victorias case was handled in Brent, all the duty social workers had received their training abroad and were on temporary contracts. (In Brent) at least 50 per cent of social workers time was spent working on cases of unaccompanied minors. As Webb (2002) states There was evidence that Haringey has one of the most diverse populations in the country, with 160 different languages spoken locally, a long tradition of travellers settling in the borough and a high proportion of asylum-seeking families (9 percent of the total population). Within the report Lord Laming (2003) points out that In relation to all the London boroughs involved there were high levels of poverty and deprivation, diverse ethnic, cultural, linguistic backgrounds, as well as the diverse backgrounds of the workers themselves. In many respects, it seems Victorias situation was not unique in these respective boroughs. Webb (2002) indicated The impact of increased global mobility, more specifically the rapid increase in asylum-seeking families, together with the diverse backgrounds of the workers themselves increasingly seems to characterise work in many metropolitan areas. This has a particular impact states Webb (2002) On the nature, stability and cohesion of local communities. It is worth noting that, compared to the Maria Colwell case, no referrals are noted in the Victoria Climbià © case from neighbours or other members of the community apart from the child minder Mrs Cameron. We are not simply talking about diversity here but incredible compl exity. Kirton (2009) argues that Not only does it pose major linguistic challenges but also it poses major challenges for statutory departments in relation to the familial and cultural identities of those with whom they work and to whom they have responsibility. Issues around racism are clearly important here, however they cannot be reduced to a simple black and white community and cultural divide. This section will reflect on the implications of evidence-informed practice (EIP) and the usefulness of the inquiry to inform the development of future social work practice. Often, in hindsight, those who put people at risk are blamed for the misfortune and harm they cause. (Kirton, 2009) This is arguably the most signi ¬Ã‚ cant professional context in which EIP has emerged. According to Munro (1998) Social workers rely on vague assessments and predictions, rather than considering what is more or less probable. In everyday life decisions have to be made on a limited evidence base and professional decisions are also at best problematic. There are numerous unexpected and complex outcomes in social work, many of which rest on having to make judgments under conditions of uncertainty. (Kirton, 2009) The main problems associated with making effective decisions in social work as stated by Kirton (2009) include: risk and uncertainty, intangibles, long-term implications, interdisciplinary input and the politics of different vested interests pooled decision making and value judgments. Decision analysis has developed as a statistical technique to help overcome these kinds of problems. Decision analysis is closely related to risk assessment and actuarial practices. Evidence-informed practice and policy are self-explanatory. They involve the adoption of evidence-based protocols and use local standards for conducting social work practice and developing organizationally speci ¬Ã‚ c policies. (Webb, 2002) It has been suggested that evidence-informed protocols feed directly into the practitioner context to provide guidelines for carrying out EIP. Essentially evidence-informed practice and policy in social work will entail the explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the social care of service users. This de ¬Ã‚ nition is widely used and derived from Sackett et al.s Evidence-based Medicine (1996). A pragmatic approach as stated by Sa ckett (1996) Has been adopted here, which regards the practice of evidence as integrating practitioner expertise with the best available external evidence from systematic but multiple research methods. The implementation model outlined is the idea that the practice-based process begins with the evidence rather than the individual or groups of clients. Clearly the application of evidence-informed practice and policies will be governed by the economic scope of social work agencies in terms of resources and the development of an evidence-informed infrastructure. (Kirton, 2009) Sackett (1996) points out that At a local level it will also be dependent on incremental learning and accumulative professional development which are likely to be facilitated by the practice research networks and evidence-based brie ¬Ã‚ ngs discussed above. In this essay I have analysed and critiqued two key themes from the inquiry, lack of accountability right through the organizations to the most senior level and staff not, adequately trained in child protection. I have also analysed and critique these themes in relation to agency policy, legal requirements, research, practitioner knowledge and the voice of the service user. I have linked previous inquiries and discussed have we learned any lessons from these inquiries. I identified the failure to implement a legal, ethical and political framework to inform current best practice will. I also reflected on the implications of evidence informed practice and how this will inform future social work practice. A closing quote to finish from the Secretary of State, Alan Milburn (2003) It has felt as if Victoria has attended every step of this inquiry, and it has been my good fortune to have had the assistance of colleagues whose abilities have been matched by their commitment to the task of doing justice to Victorias memory and her enduring spirit, and to creating something positive from her suffering and ultimate death.