Sunday, December 29, 2019

Managing People and Organization - Coloplast - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 15 Words: 4647 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/09/12 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? Managing People and Organisations COLOPLAST A/S – ORGANISATIONAL CHALLENGES IN OFFSHORING 14 July 2010 Word Count 4072 Contents 1. Executive Summary4 2 . Introduction5 2. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Managing People and Organization Coloplast" essay for you Create order 2 Coloplast Products and Revenue Contribution in Percentage. 5 2. 3 Distribution of Global Sales6 3. External Environment of Coloplast6 3. 1 Reimbursement Policy Change6 3. 2 Ruling and Opposition Parties7 3. 3 Medical Science Advancements7 3. 4 Labour Laws7 3. 5 Harmonization of health care systems7 3. 6 Market Currency Fluctuations7 3. 7 Forum for addressing best practice8 4. Four Dimension of Complexity8 . 1 Multiplicity8 4. 2 Interdependence8 4. 3 Ambiguity8 4. 4 Flux8 5. Internal Environment of Coloplast A/S9 5. 1 Coloplast – Denmark9 5. 2 Goffee Jones model10 Sociability10 Solidarity10 5. 3 Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions. 11 5. 3. 1 Power Distance Index (PDI)12 Key Implication12 5. 3. 2 Individualism (IDV)12 Key Implication13 5. 3. 3 Masculinity (MAS)13 Key Implication13 5. 3. 4 Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI)13 Key Implication13 5. 3. 5 Long-Term Orientation (LTO)14 Key Implication14 6. Employees Motivation and Commitment14 6. 1 Key Implications on future man agement14 . 2 Motivation15 6. 3 Motivation Theories15 6. 3. 1 Content Theory15 Herzeberg’s Hygiene Factors and Motivators15 6. 3. 2 Process theory16 Goal Setting Theory16 7. Recommendation to Rasmussen16 7. 1 Kotter’s Implementation Plan17 8. Bibliography19 9. Appendix20 1. Executive Summary Coloplast A/s Values Our values define the way we think and act, both as individuals and as a company. As an appointed Management Consultant of Coloplast to assist Allan Rasmussen, Director of Coloplast A/S on critical imminent decision about the off shoring ventures to Hungary and China. My report covers the below scope. * Key factors that contributes to the External Environment of the Global medical devices Industry in the current condition. * Analysis of Internal Environment of Coloplast A/S * Motivation and Future Management of Coloplast A/S * Off shoring Recommendation to Rasmussen Coloplast has been in the global market in terms of distributing their products in Europe and America. However in terms of production, Denmark has been the base of the production unit. To achieve 10% organic sales growth, it is important for the organisation to generally reduce costs, among other things by continuing to relocate production to low-wage economies and on being strongly focused on maintaining cost-conscious behavior. â€Å"Change is the only constant† Heraclitus, Greek philosopher What was true more than two thousand years ago is just as true today. We live in a world where business as usual IS change. New initiatives, project-based working, technology improvements, staying ahead of the competition these things come together to drive ongoing changes to the way we work. As an organisation, relocation of the volume production to Hungary was the first attempt by the Coloplast to shake the apple cart. Analysing the lessons learnt during the relocation Hungary has already given vital clues to the organisation to think about other ventures. The next off shoring destination China is challenging in terms of moving the production line, however the external environment foresight conveys that the Government approvals take much longer period that, it is ideal to kick off planning the shift right now. At the same time, many projects fail because Victory is declared too early. It is important to not lose focus on the new location Hungary which has created the mood of Change within the organisation. I strongly recommend the relocation of the volume production for the mature product lines to Hungary and China. 2 . Introduction Mission Making life easier for people with intimate healthcare needs Coloplast develops and markets products and services that make life easier for people with medical conditions that are deeply private and personal. Coloplast works closely with users to develop solutions that meet their special needs, called as intimate healthcare. Coloplast operates in these business areas: * Ostomy care products for people whose intestinal outlet has been rerouted through the abdominal wall * Urology and continence care products for people suffering from diseases of the kidneys, the urinary system or the male reproductive system * Dressings for the treatment of chronic wounds, skin care and Breast care products. 2. 2 Coloplast Products and Revenue Contribution in Percentage. Coloplast market and sell their products and services globally, and in most markets local healthcare authorities provide reimbursement for the products. Coloplast also supply the products to hospitals, institutions as well as wholesalers and retailers. 2. 3 Distribution of Global Sales Subsidiaries and manufacturing units at * DENMARK * GERMANY * HUNGARY * UNITED STATES * COSTA RICA * CHINA 3. External Environment of Coloplast Key factors and implications for the Management of People and Organisation based on the PEST analysis, (Appendix A) 3. 1 Reimbursement Policy Change The Reimbursement policy changes can affect a serious cut in the profit of Coloplast; Since Coloplast sales are also based on the deals with the medical institutions and insurance policies, the changes which are unfavourable to these deals may affect the large chunk of the sales volume. German Reimbursement policy changes in 2005 had a substantial impact on Coloplast, as a result the price reduction on Ostomy care and continence care products were 10% and 10 to 15% respectively. Similar changes were expected also in Italy, Spain and France; such changes impede the growth of the Coloplast. 3. Ruling and Opposition Parties Coloplast has to be completely cognizant of the Ruling and Opposition parties in the countries of interest. The agenda and vision of the country’s political parties can be favourable in terms of working out a business deal for a company like Coloplast which creates mass employment opportunities, brings investments in to the medical sector of the country. Gover nments like China provide Tax holidays to the companies for a certain period as a result of setting up business in their soil, which might work in the favour of Coloplast. 3. 3 Medical Science Advancements The advancement in the medical study is one factor which keeps changing the future of Coloplast. Certain products that are produced by Coloplast have enjoyed long product –life cycles which have not deviated for 30 years. This proves, the products are used by people in their homes where stability and conformity were important parameters; which may not likely to be the case in terms of the new customers. The advancements in the medical science can prescribe alternative methods of treatments or changes to improved surgical procedures to the new and existing customers. . 4 Labour Laws The labour laws are currently applicable for Coloplast across all the units, which might stifle certain business decisions. Off shoring can be challenging as these laws restricts movement of critical resources between countries when needed. During employment, relocation or off shoring, Coloplast has to stick to the immigration regulation policy, Health and Safety policy of the country. 3. 5 Harmoniz ation of health care systems The selling price of the Coloplast health care products can be increased are ecreased based on the selling price of the similar products by their competitors. Since the successful product always attracts attention there can be increase in parallel importing, which may result in fall in the revenue. 3. 6 Market Currency Fluctuations In general, when the world economy is in the positive direction, medical sector performs well in the international indices, the market capitalisation of such company increases. For a Global organisation like Coloplast, the Market sentiments play a vital role in determining the cash flow. Every decision regarding growth of the organisation has to go through the decision of the shareholders. Since Coloplast reports the profits in DKK, all the sales and revenue figures which involves various currencies has to go through a conversions based on the International currency rate. The slightest of dip in the rate can create an impact on the revenue. 3. 7 Forum for addressing best practice Coloplast Danish manufacturing unit has six locations, and each location specialises in a specific product. The resources do not interact in terms of sharing of best practises over a forum, there can a process line available in one of the units which might have answers to issues in another unit which is failed to tap with the current process. Most of the process in the Danish unit is made simplistic by the employees, however there is very less documentation of these simplistic solutions which might be handy during off shoring. 4. Four Dimension of Complexity While the dominant western management theories favour prediction and control, a more appropriate focus might be on channelling the complexity presented. Adopting a more Eastern, holistic approach to thinking will aid this focus. (Lane, et al. , 2004) Refer Appendix B. The dimensions are 4. 1 Multiplicity Coloplast as a global organisation has to align the view points of Governments of the countries like, Hungary, Denmark, China, Germany, Costa Rica, US and China while setting up a unit. The employees of the different countries vary in their expectations which might have telling tale on the production line. It is absolutely important for the Coloplast to constantly review the Suppliers and other players whenever a new country is set up. . 2 Interdependence In case of Denmark unit, the 6 Coloplast destinations had less interdependence in terms of sharing of best practices. The production level and communication of the information was structured and efficient however there wasn’t any knowledge sharing between these units. The fact that the organisation which is overlooking relocation; should encourage platforms of more interactio ns in all possible methods. 4. 3 Ambiguity Coloplast has handled communication with Denmark about major business decisions equivocally, which is a positive energy around this business unit. The standing testimony of this clarity in term of no production losses or stoppages occurred on hearing the news about the relocation. Every employee was aware of what is going on in the higher level and what is the expectation from each one called as the Cause-effect relationship. 4. 4 Flux Even though certain Coloplast products have not changed in terms of dimension for 30 years, there are many changes happening in terms of achieving the 10% Organic growth every year. Flux is the degree and speed of change, which is represented as Dynamic Complexity. Dynamic Complexity = Multiplicity x Interdependence x Ambiguity. 5. Internal Environment of Coloplast A/S 5. 1 Coloplast – Denmark Coloplast facilities were characterized by a decentralized organisational structure with a high degree of autonomy in its production planning systems and documentation. Coloplast had six different plants in Denmark, each of which specialized in one of coloplast’s three main business areas Ostomy Continence products and adhesives. The decentralized production facilities and the lack of fixed procedures and tructured interfaces worked very well in a purely Danish context, because communication was still relatively easy with most facilities located within half an hour’s drive from each other. 5. 2 Goffee Jones model High Coloplast Denmark Sociability Networked| Communal| Fragmented| Coloplast Hungary Mercenary| Low Low High Solidarity Goffee and Jones (1996) strongly advocated that it is culture that holds a company together and that wi thout it, the organisation lacks values, direction and purpose. Sociability is â€Å"the measure of emotional, no instrumental relations.. † Coloplast shared ideas relatively easily with most facilities located within half an hour drive from each other. When Sociability is high, there is high there is an enjoyable atmosphere in the workplace while fostering teamwork and sharing of ideas, Solidarity is â€Å"a measure of a community’s ability to purse shared objectives quickly and effectively regardless of personal ties†. Coloplast had decentralized groups less united with solidarity because of the task itself or the outcomes of achievement. Coloplast A/S Denmark units were characterised by a family-type atmosphere and my not lack a hierarchy, but work on ways to get around them. The friendliness exhibited can also be detrimental when trying to achieve goal requiring a structured approach. Each Factory used different programmable logic controllers and computer to control and manage automatic production machines. Each unit felt that its way of organizing production was unique and could not be altered. Coloplast A/S Hungary is the opposite of Networked and characterised in professionalism and systematic structured approach. Even though the facilitation of knowledge transfer to local employees was considered as a challenging task by Coloplast, the Hungarians brought fresh set of skill sets with very high technical level, production planning and quality controls. Need of the hour for Coloplast is the forum to share the best practices across all offices where the volume production is carried out. The reason of this forum is the not going to benefit not only the Hungarians for understanding the process but also the Danish employees about the approaches to issues. 5. 3 Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions. Figure (a) – Comparison of Hungary Denmark Cultural Dimensions. Figure (b) – Comparison of Cultural dimensions of Denmark, Hungary, China, Germany, USA and Costa Rica 5. 3. 1 Power Distance Index (PDI) that is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. This represents inequality (more versus less), but defined from below, not from above. It suggests that a societys level of inequality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders.. Key Implication Coloplast Denmark is a family type atmosphere which is not only evident in the Goffee and Jones, but also in the Hofstede model. On comparing the PDI value for Denmark, Hungary and China; the managers might play powerful and significant role in Hungary and China than in Denmark. Hence it is important for Coloplast to count on Managers more in terms of crucial day to day business decision in Hungary and China. (Refer fig b). 5. 3. 2 Individualism (IDV) on the one side versus its opposite, collectivism, that is the degree to which individuals are inte-grated into groups. On the individualist side we find societies in which the ties between individuals are loose On the collectivist side, we find societies in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, often extended families which continue protecting them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. Key Implication Coloplast Hungary resources posses strong individual skills and can handle issues with panache, this is one of the reasons the pilot phase and off shoring phase of the relocation was a bit stable even though there was lack of proper documentation and knowledge transfer was ineffective by the Danish. The team at the incipient stage was brilliant in terms of their approach in learning the process and adding values to it. This might not be the case during the off shoring to China, as the Chinese employees believe in collectivism. The Asian culture grows and succeeds as a group whereas the European culture is individualistic. The important take away from this analysis is that there has to be many teams formed in China which would have been otherwise carried out by few resources in Hungary and Denmark. As part of the employee package, family oriented benefits such as Family Health benefits, Family Insurance Benefits may not be a wise decision to attract resources in Europe, while these benefits might be a game changer in China. (Refer fig b) 5. 3. 3 Masculinity (MAS) versus its opposite, femininity refers to the distribution of roles between the genders which is another fundamental issue for any society to which a range of solutions are found. Masculinity refers to Assertiveness and Competitive values and Femininity refers to values such as Modest and Caring. Key Implication Coloplast Denmark has been more caring and everyone felt within a family which was the highlight of the Goffee and Jones model, which is substantiated here in the Masculinity figure as well. This one of the reasons for the Danish unit was successful and each of their six units behaved distinctly in their day to day work process, even to the extent of using different PLC’s and Computers. Hungary and China units will be more competitive and assertive in their approach. The reward programs might be more beneficial in the long run, in creating more challenging and positive environment. (Refer fig b) 5. 3. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) deals with a societys tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity; it ultimately refers to mans search for Truth. It indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. Unstructured situations are novel, unknown, surprising, and different from usual. Uncertainty avoiding cult ures try to minimize the possibility of such situations by strict laws and rules, safety and security measures, and on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in absolute Truth; there can only be one Truth and we have it. Key Implication Coloplast Hungary cannot tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity, whereas Denmark and China are more phlegmatic and contemplative. There is a need for more plans and policy to satisfy people in Hungary; that the uncertainty will be minimized. The safety standards and security measure in Hungary needs to be much higher than Denmark and China. It might be a good idea for Coloplast to avoid uncertainty in all the units, but Hungary care for it more. (Refer fig b) 5. 3. Long-Term Orientation (LTO) versus short-term orientation: this fifth dimension was found in a study among students in 23 countries around the world, using a questionnaire designed by Chinese scholars it is explained as a value that deals with thrift and perseverance. A low score for LTO is associated with a respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations and protecting one’s face. Key Implication China is unchallenged in terms of planning Long term and gives an edge to Coloplast to conceive long te rm ideas and decisions. Hungary and Demark can support Coloplast in all their short term business commitments. Refer fig b) 6. Employees Motivation and Commitment 6. 1 Key Implications on future management In periods of Organisation change such as Coloplast’ off shoring and relocation, employees may feel that their attachment to the organisation has waned. This is particularly true if the organisation change brings job insecurity because of layoffs. Even if only the potential for exists it is still possible that the level of emotional attachment may reduce because of a perceived break of psychological contracts between employees and management, though normative and continuance commitments may be unchanged. Motivation is absolutely important during the relocation process. Motivation helps Coloplast Denmark to restore stability in their day to day business activity. The last thing Coloplast would be interested is to lose out to their competitors during the testing time like relocation. Such a situation most often leads to a dent in the revenue with various questions and doubts about the off shoring raised by the stakeholders. Knowledge transfer is another vital factor that can suffer due to varied level of motivation. The management was able to ascertain that Danish employees might be less forthcoming if they are convinced that their job is at loss. The fear of job loss can create a big hiatus between the organisation and employees. Coloplast Denmark management has handled the fear factor during the pilot project in a better way by providing alternate assignment for the resources, who had their job off shored. The Danish employees fear factor was totally alleviated and were able demonstrate normal attitude at work without setting panic. 6. 2 Motivation those psychological processes that cause an arousal, direction and persistency of voluntary actions that are goal directed. † For a Managerial useful concept, Mitchell (1982,p. 81) This definition may remind the manager that motivation is not only about what initiates an action or behaviour by staff, but that there is the alignment with organisational goals, and just as important the continuation of the cause and desirable effect of motivation . Extrinsic Motivation is related to tangible rewards such as salary, company car and nice office. In general Mullins (2005) says extrinsic motivation is that something that is more addressed by the organisation than the individual manager although the manager may certainly influence of initiate such rewards. Intrinsic Motivation results in good feelings hat improve our concept of who we are and what we can achieve. Intrinsic motivators include curiosity, discovery and sensory stimulation which are innate or coming from within a person ( Eisenberger, 1992) 6. 3 Motivation Theories Motivation theories help us understand what motivates people at work, classified as Content and process theories. The different motivation theories address the various elements in the motivational process. Content or Need based Theory – that emphasise what motivates individuals, what address the intrinsic causes of behaviour. Process Theory – gives attention to how people are motivated or demotivated, focussing on behavioural processes such as perception, cognition and learning. 6. 3. 1 Content Theory Herzeberg’s Hygiene Factors and Motivators – also called the Motivation-hygiene theory is another popular needs based theory. On the bases of his research the factors leading to job satisfaction are separate nd distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction. Therefore managers who eliminate factors that create dissatisfaction may bring about peace and harmony but not necessarily motivation. The below mentioned hygiene factors prevent dissatisfaction and move individual to a state where he or she can be motivated. Another set of factors then should be in place to mo tivate the person call as Motivators. (Refer fig c) Figure C – Herzeberg’s Hygiene Factors and Motivators Hygiene Factors Motivators Salary Achievement Job Security Recognition Working Conditions Promotion Company Status Responsibility Technical Assistance Personal Development Administrative Efficiency Autonomy 6. 3. 2 Process theory Goal Setting Theory emphasis on the role of an individual’s perceptions of the work, or other situation, in which they are required to exert effort. It is also clearly important that they have the ability to perform the task, and that other resources- equipment and other hygiene factors are felt to be adequate. It is not the final answer to the problem of hot to motivate people, but does show my practical promise. It is also useful for managers in that it highlights the role of incentives and provides clear indications of how it can be implemented. It is also widely accepted in the human resource management practices by organisation. It also provides holistic link between features of jobs, the individual’s experience and the outcome in terms of motivation, satisfaction and performance. . Recommendation to Rasmussen * Coloplast decision to relocate to Hungary is one of the best decisions made by the management. Off shoring to China is another major realistic challenge for the management, but the lesson learnt in the Hungarian migration has provided valuable insight to the organisation. * The resources have embraced the visi on of change and mood is set. Coloplast is now in the position to create a template and roll on a systematic migration to China and various other locations in the future. The Training and Knowledge transfer team in Hungary comprised of Danish staff, however the training team to China should comprise of both Hungary and Denmark resources. There are many theories about how to do change. Many originate with leadership and change management guru, John Kotter. A professor at Harvard Business School and world-renowned change expert, Kotter introduced his eight-step change process in his 1995 book, Leading Change. We look at his eight steps for leading change below. 7. 1 Kotter’s Implementation Plan Step One: Create Urgency For change to happen, it helps if the whole company really wants it. Coloplast should develop a sense of urgency around the need for change. Open an honest and convincing dialogue about whats happening in the marketplace and with the competition. * Identify potential threats, and develop scenarios showing what could happen in the future. * Start honest discussions, and give dynamic and convincing reasons to get people talking and thinking. * Request support from customers, outside stakeholders and industry people to strengthen your argument. Step Two: Form a Powerful Coalition Managing change isnt enough, Organization have to lead it. To lead change, bring together a coalition of influential people whose power comes from a variety of sources, including job title, status, expertise, and political importance. Once formed the change coalition needs to work as a team, continuing to build urgency and momentum around the need for change. * Identify the true leaders in all six Danish units. * Ask for an emotional commitment from key Danish employees. * Work on team building within your change coalition. Check your team for weak areas, and ensure that you have a good mix of people from different departments and different levels within your company. Step Three: Create a Vision for Change A clear vision can help Danish employees understand why youre asking them to do something. When people see for themselves what youre trying to achieve, then the directives theyre given tend to make more sense. * Determine the values that are cent ral to the change. * Develop a short summary that captures what to see as the future of Coloplast. * Create a strategy to execute that vision. Ensure that Coloplast change coalition can describe the vision in five minutes or less. Step Four: Communicate the Vision What Coloplast does with the vision after creating it will determine the success. The Managers shouldn’t just call special meetings to communicate the vision, instead, talk about it every chance they get. Its also important to walk the talk. * Talk often about the change vision. * Openly and honestly address peoples concerns and anxieties. * Apply the vision to all aspects of operations from training to performance reviews, Tie everything back to the vision. Lead by example. Step Five: Remove Obstacles But is anyone resisting the change? And are there processes or structures that are getting in its way? By putting in place the structure for change, and continually check for barriers and removing obstacles can empo wer the people and it can help the change move forward. * Identify, or hire, change leaders whose main roles are to deliver the change. * Look at your organizational structure, job descriptions, and performance and compensation systems to ensure theyre in line with Coloplast vision. * Recognize and reward people for making change happen. Identify people who are resisting the change, and help them see whats needed. * Take action to quickly remove barriers (human or otherwise). Step Six: Create Short-term Wins Nothing motivates more than success. Give your company a taste of victory early in the change process. Within a short time frame (this could be a month or a year, depending on the type of change), the result that every staff can see. Create short-term targets not just one long-term goal. Each win that you produce can further motivate the entire staff. * Look for sure-fire projects that you can implement without help from any strong critics of the change. Dont choose early targe ts that are expensive. * Thoroughly analyze the potential pros and cons of your targets. * Reward the people who help you meet the targets. Step Seven: Build on the Change Kotter argues that many change projects fail because victory is declared too early. Real change runs deep. Quick wins are only the beginning of what needs to be done to achieve long-term change. * After every win, analyze what went right and what needs improving. * Set goals to continue building on the momentum achieved. Step Eight: Anchor the Changes in Corporate Culture Finally, to make any change stick, it should become part of the core of Coloplast. Make continuous efforts to ensure that the change is seen in every aspect, this will help give that change a solid place in your organizations culture. * Talk about progress every chance you get. Tell success stories about the change process, and repeat other stories that are heard. * Publicly recognize key members of the original change coalition, and make sure the rest of the staff new and old remembers their contributions. * Create plans to replace key leaders of change as they move on. The carry lessons learnt during the change hence will be absolutely critical to the future off shoring projects. 8. Bibliography Kingston University Business School, Managing People and Organisation Chapters 1 13 Lane, H et al (2004) The Blackwell Handbook of Global Management and Guide to Management Complexity P. 3 – 22, 199 – 226 Paine, L (June 2010) Harvard Business Review – The China Rules P. 103 – 108 Goffee, R and Jones, G(1996) What holds the modern Company together? Harvard business Review. Mitchell, T (1982) Motivation: New directions for theory, research and practice. Academy of Management Review. Vol 7, No 1, 80-88. Pyndt, J and Pederson, T (2007) Journal of International Business Studies – Managing Global Offshoring Strategies: A Case Approach. P. 207 – 210. Hofstede, G https://www. geert-hofstede. com/geert_hofstede_resources. html accessed 10th July 2010. https://www. kotterinternational. com/KotterPrinciples/ accessed 11th July 2010. Mudambi R (2007) Journal of International Business Studies – Offshoring: Economic Geography and the Multinational Firm P. 21O 9. Appendix A – PEST Analysis B – Four Degrees of Complexity Global Complexity Multiplicity Interdependence Ambiguity Flux People Processes Collaborating Discovering Architecting Systems thinking

Friday, December 20, 2019

Questions On Good Decision Making Essay - 2333 Words

6 Obstacles To Good Decision Making And How to Overcome Them By Nick James Smith | Submitted On March 28, 2014 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest Expert Author Nick James Smith When it comes to making decisions there are many obstacles to overcome, some easier than others, depending on the decision; how large it is, how emotionally charged and so on. There will be some that we look back on and wish we d done differently. There will be others where our choice proves to be right but there is an element of luck involved too. If we could make better decisions from the start though, we would possibly have a smoother path, be more successful and make fewer mistakes . Chip and Dan Heath in their book, Decisive list some simple yet effective ideas to help, which I have expanded on below. The six obstacles I talk about are: Not actually making a decision in the first place, either through ignorance, fear or deliberate choice. Making a decision for a good option and missing a great one. Having assumptions in place that are false but on which the decision is based. Being emotionally attached in some way to a particular solution and missing out on a better option. ConfidentlyShow MoreRelatedEthical Decision Making: What Are the Elements and the Impact?1366 Words   |  6 PagesTo answer this question, we must first examine the thinking process and define the meaning of morality. We continually make decisions without regard to ethics or moral values on a daily basis. We can define morality as a system of shared rules, or values that dictate specific behavior during the interaction of people. 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Thursday, December 12, 2019

Use of Kevlar as a Composite in Aerospace

Question: Discuss about theUse of Kevlar as a Composite in Aerospace. Answer: History Composite materials are key materials since their invention due to their continued advantages from individual materials. Composite materials are composed of several materials in order to enhance some key aspect of the final product. Aramid Kevlar is one of the key composite material which has been used in aerospace industry in order to increase several characteristics and enhance the industry. Kevlar is a synthetic fiber which was developed in 1960s by Stephanie Kwolek (2002). The major characteristic since its invention is the high strength, was used to replace steel in the 1970 in high racing tires, and has evolved it use to the aerospace industry. Kevlar was found due to the demand of a lightweight material which would perfectly replace the steel in its use (Kwolek, Mera and Takata, 2002). In its chemical composition, Kevlar is made of poly-p-phenylene-terephthalate and polybenzamide, which is made from liquid crystal. Initially, before its invention, this cloudy, opalescent mate rial, which is known to have low viscosity, was being thrown away. On the process, Kwolek persuaded one of the technician to run a test on the material and through the test; he discovered that the material was not breaking as it was in the case of nylon (Kwolek, 2009). Therefore, through this discovery, the seniors took the initiative to develop the discovery and come up with the polymer. Nevertheless, through the process Kwolek was not much involved in the development of the Kevlar material to its final stages and helping it to attain its current characteristics. Synthesis of Both Fibers The composite materials are always made of several mixture of materials in order to make their composition. In these mixtures, the materials are chosen in order to bring out the required characteristics, which are meant for specific purpose. The Kevlar is a synthentised material which is made from the monomers 1,4-phenylene-diamine (para-phenylenediamine) and terephthaloyl chloride through a condensation process, which leads to the formation of hydrochloric acid as a by product (Quintanilla, 1990). The major process for the synthetic process in pol;ymerization and Hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) was used as a solvent initially. Nevertheless, the safety issues led to the abortion of the use of the HMPA and DuPont is used instead, which is used and it is a solution of N-methyl-pyrrolidone and calcium chloride (Kwolek, 2009). The production of Kevlar is expensive due to the use of the sulfuric acid, which is needed to keep it soluble in water as a polymer during the synthesis and spinnin g process. In addition, the protection of the Kevlar against sunlight is key since the ultraviolet component of the sunlight is able to lead to the UV degradation. This lead to the degradation and decomposition of the Kevlar and therefore the composite is mostly made indoors. Mechanical Properties The mechanical properties of Kevlar is able to change at different temperatures. More specifically, the strength of the composite is related to the temperatures at the different stages. Kevlar is more stronger at low temperatures as it is compared at high temperature. When the temperatures increase, the strength is able to reduce and the reduction is able to change considering the different level of temperature. At high temperature for instance, the tensile strength of Kevlar is able to reduce immediately and the reduction ranges between 10 and 20 percent (Kwolek, Mera and Takata, 2002). After some hours, further reduction of the tensile strength is experienced. In addition, the tensile strength of Kevlar is about 3,620 MPa when it is spun well and a relative density of 1.44. the bond type for the Kelver (Kwolek, Mera and Takata, 2002) Advantages Disadvantages As noted, the composites have their advantages and disadvantages as well. nevertheless, regardless of the shortfalls, the advantages of the material are able to outdo the disadvantages and this has led to their continued usage in the past few years. Advantages Reduction of weight is one of the major advantage of Kevlar as a composite material. The use of steel and aluminum have been the major materials which have been used for long is aerospace industry. Nevertheless, the use of the composites and more specifically Kevlar has been able to reduce the weight of the airplanes. The weight of aerospace bodies is a key factor which is able to dictate several factors such as fuel consumption and efficiency of the machines. The usage of the Kevlar composite in this industry is able to reduce the fuel consumption for the airplanes since they are lighter than before (Quintanilla, 1990). This helps to increase the efficiency and therefore increase the economic factors in terms of profit generation. In addition, the Kevlar material is formed through high number of bond inter-chains, which lead to higher strength of the composite material. The hydrogen bonds in the Kevlar material are able to increase the strength of the material and this enhances thei r usage in aerospace industry. (Shepherd et al., 2013). The airplanes are able to move at high speed and the need of a high strength material has been required for a long time. The introduction of the Kevlar composite material has been able to solve the problem and therefore enhancing the use and efficiency of this industry. The high strength of the material is able to reduce the number of casualties, which are experiences in case of any accidents. For instance, in the F18 Midair Collision the use of the Kevlar composite led to zero casualties (Circa 2002, no injuries) (Shepherd et al., 2013). In addition, the Kevlar composite has a stiffness factor of close to 125 GPA in tension. This enhances its usage on different positions and therefore able to withstand strong tension forces without breaking. This is another vital key advantage, which has led to the continued use of the material since its invention (Gong, 2011). In addition, the weak interface is able to act as impact protection in airplanes and therefore making the material useful i n the aerospace industry. This helps to create the air and other material resistance and therefore increasing the usage factors of the material. In addition, in terms of the chemical resistance, the Kevlar composite is able to act inert and therefore does not react with most of the chemicals. This means that the life cycle of the material is increased and therefore promoting its usage in the aerospace industry. Disadvantages Nevertheless, the Kevlar composite has its shortfall as well. First and foremost, the properties of the properties of Kevlar is highly affected by impurities such as salts and this affects the effectiveness of the material. For instance, the presence of calcium is able to lower the strength of Kevlar and therefore affecting the effectiveness and life cycle of the material. This is a key property, which is considered in the use of the material, and therefore when the factor is altered the effectiveness is affected. In addition, these impurities are able to affect the bonds and this leads to the change of the strength of the matters. This means that the life of the airplanes and other materials made from this composite is able to reduce and therefore making its use expensive (Meyer, 2015). Another major disadvantage, which is experience, is on the production stage of the Kevlar. Its production is much more expensive than other available composites and therefore this makes the materials much more expensive. This makes the material rarely used and therefore affects its usage in the aerospace industry. At the end, the cost is transferred to the consumers and this makes it uneconomical to use. Another major disadvantage of the Kevlar composite is its degradation when exposed to the sun UV rays and moisture. This means that its usage is altered and therefore cannot be used under some circumstances. This limits the full exposure of the material potential and therefore able to offer limitation during the usage (Fink, 2010). In addition, during the production process, the material is as well skeptical to the UV rays and this means there is a limitation of the areas of production since it cannot be manufactured outdoors. Additionally, at times, the fibers fail to bond well and this creates a point of weakness leading to weak fiber or even matrix interface. This limits the usage and lead to the failure of the parts when much loading is done (Pagen, 1990). This is a key factor that leads to continued analysis of the material and therefore making it expensive to use the material. All the analysis has to be done before the go ahead to use it is reached and this increases the cost o f production and at most limiting its usage. Possible uses Apart from the aerospace industry usage, the Kevlar material is also used in manufacturing of the bulletproof vests and helmets. This is because the material can resist other introduced tensional forces by a large factor. All these fall on the personal protection category for the usage of the material. In addition, Kevlar is used in the cryogenic field due to its low thermal conductivity and high strength (Quinn, 2009). This is due to the enhanced suspension rate of the material as compared to other materials. The material is also used as a personal armor in the military industry. The ability to withstand tensional forces makes it suitable to be adopted in this category (Michael, 2007). Other areas where this composite is used is in the shoe industry, the musical category and fire dancing among other areas. Reinforced composite material are used to enhance the quality of the composite materials. These elements are usually added to enhance the qualities of the composite material, whic h has been already formed. Environmental Impact The environmental impact of any manufactured material is given a great weight in the current days through the green engineering aspect. The environment degradation and climatic changes are led to the increased through concerning the materials being manufactured and this does happen for the Kevlar as well (Fink, 2010). The transportation factor of the material is one of the environmental issue which the use of the composite and especially Kevlar is looked at. Transporting heavier materials lead to high consumption of fuel and this lead to higher release of greenhouse gases and thus increasing global warming. Using Kevlar therefore reduces the fuel consumption and the amount of greenhouse gases released to the atmosphere. This leads to less depletion of the ozone layer and therefore leading to its enhance use due to the environmental conservation (Quinn, 2009). In addition, Kevlar is carrion resistant and therefore unable to react with most of the chemicals. This means that it is frien dly to the environment and helps to conserve the environment. Nevertheless, the material does not decompose easily and this offers a environmental challenge when the material is already out of use. This means that the material end up in landfills and it can stay there for many years and therefore affecting the soil composition. References Kwolek S. , Mera H. and Takata T. (2002) "High-Performance Fibers" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. Fink J. K., (2010). Handbook of Engineering and Specialty Thermoplastics: Polyolefins and Styrenics, Scrivener Publishing, p. 35 Kwolek S. (May 24, 2009). "Inventing Modern America: Insight :". Lemelson-MIT program. Archived from the original on May 24, 2009. Quinn, J. (May 24, 2009). "I was able to be Creative and work as hard as I wanted". American Heritage Publishing. Archived from the original on May 24, 2009. Quintanilla, J. (1990). "Microstructure and properties of random heterogeneous materials : a review of theoretical results". Polymer engineering and science. 39: 559585. Michael C. P. (2007). Molecular electronics: from principles to practice, John Wiley Sons, p. 310 Pagen, D. (1990), Paragliding Flight: Walking on Air, Pagen Books, p. 9, ISBN 0-936310-09-X Shepherd, Robert; Stokes, Adam; Nunes, Rui; Whitesides, George (October 2013). "Soft Machines That are Resistant to Puncture and That Self Seal". Advanced Materials. 25 (46): 67 Gong (Ed), RH (2011). Specialist Yarn and Fabric Structures: Developments and Applications. Woodhead Publishing. p. 349. ISBN 9781845697570. Meyer, B. (November 9, 2015). "Unaflex adding space, capacity at S.C. plant". Rubber Plastics News.096713.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Elder Abuse Inquiry-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Man that dies in hospital after Gold Coast nursing home staff fail to Properly treat wounds. Answer: Nursing approaches in professional nursing are measures or precautions which professional nurses are needed to employ in treating patients in their areas of working. In this case new approaches needs to be employed in treating wound patients. As we all know, wounds are painful and needs to be well treated or else they can cause damage to the patients affected part of the body. Failure of good treatment, wounds can cause death. Wounds can affect any part of the body, for example; legs, hands, stomach and even the head. When a wound affects any part of the body, it affects the normal functioning of the whole body, since all parts of the body are essential and they work hand in hand for a normal body functioning. Professional nurses therefore need to come up with new approaches of treating wound patients in their areas of working since wound are dangerous and if not well treated, they can cause a lot of damage to the patients body cells and can lead to death to the affected patient. The elderly man who died in the gold coast hospital due to wounds was as a result failure of the available nurses to employ good treatment measures in treating his wounds. Due to poor treatment the wound spread to other parts of the body hence damaging more cells. The elderly man then succumbed the wounds hence his death. If the nurses who were available would have treated the wounds well, the man would have healed and continue with his normal life. As a professional nurse, the death of the elderly man at the gold coast hospital as a result of wounds made me feel very bad and so much annoyed. It made me psychologically experience the pain that elderly man experienced hence his death. I was annoyed by the nurses who were taking care of the elderly man, since they failed to employ professional nursing approaches, in order to save the life of the elderly man. As professional nurses, they should have ensured that the wounds were cleaned and dressed frequently. They should also have ensured that the elderly man gets the required drugs which would have healed his wounds hence saving his life. The death of the elderly man as a result of wounds affected me both positively and negatively. It inspired me in doing more research on wound treatment. this also inspired me to study hard so that I can save the lives of wound patient in future as a professional nurse. This also made me eager to search for professional nurses to guide me on how to deal with cases of wounds in my future carrier as a professional nurse. This also inspired me to prefer community nursing in my future carrier, since unity in strength hence if the nurses in the gold coast hospital were united, they would have treated the wounds well hence their healing and saved the elderly man from dying. On the negative part of it, I thought of a would patient dying under my care. How would have the family members of the patient taken me and how would I have explained about the death of the elderly man to them. If I was at the care of the elderly man, would I had have managed to treat me wounds well hence their healing. In order to enhance my learning in professional nursing, I will research more about wound treatment in order to come up with new measures to treat wound patients. I will gather information from different wound patients which I will use to understand more about the cause of wounds so that I can educate my patients on measures to prevent occurrence of both internal and external wound in their bodies in future. I will also approach professional doctors who can feed me up with more information on how to treat both internal and external wounds. By gathering all these information, I will be in a chance to treat a wound patient hence successfully healing. if I case of an elderly man dying of wounds happens again. I will do a research to know the cause of the death first. Secondly, I will use the gathered information to improve the wound patient care in the hospital, which would have been employed to save the life of the wound patient. Nurses can improve wound patient care by employing new approaches on wound treatment to their patients. There are new approaches which are being employed to save the lives of wound patients. These include; thermographic imaging, data trending and other approaches which wound treatment experts are employing in order to treat wound patients. Thermographic imaging is a technic used in detecting the tissues which are affected and which a doctor or a nurse cannot see with a naked eye in wounds (Schultz et al, 2013). This technic has helped much in treating wound patients and should therefore be employed in wound treatment since even the most inner affected tissues can be seen and well treated. Thermographic imaging also enables professional nurses to know the kind of treatment which a wound patient needs since through it, they are able to see all the affected tissues of the body (Millard et al, 2012). The professional nurses are therefore able to treat wound patients well hence their heal ing since it is easy for them to monitor the process of healing of a wound in a wound patient using thermographic imaging. Data trending is a case were data on wound treatment is electronically kept to enable professional nurses understand the progress of wound treatment on a wound patient. Data trending has much improved care on wound patients, since in a hospital a patient is attended by different patients. Different professional nurses are able to provide valuable services to a wound patient (Masters, 2015). where data trending is employed since there is enough information about the progress of wound treatment progress, hence different nurses can proceed with the wound treatment from where the other patient reached. Data trending enables progressive and orderly manner of treatment of a wound in a wound patient. Data trending also enables professional nurses to be able to note any change in the wounds extend and if the wound is healing or not. Data trending also enables professional nurses to be able to understand whether the past medication on a wound patient worked well, and if not to be able to give a different medication which would rather heal the wound. The gibs cycle enables nurses to critically think on how to tackle wound cases in their wound patients at nursing homes. Nurses need to get a description of what caused the wound in the patients body before commencing the treatment. The nurses who were taking care of the elderly man might not have taken the description of the cause of the wound hence wrong medications, which lead to spreading of the wound to other tissues hence his death. A good description can be given by the patient, family members, a relative or a guardian (Gottrup et al, 2010). Nurses should therefore consult their patients in order to get enough information about the cause of the wound. The amount of information delivered by the patient or the relative on the cause of the wound also depends on the way the nurse approaches the them. Communication ethics therefore (Fitzpatrick et al, 2008) matters a lot in this case. In order to gather more information on a patient, nurses should therefore employ good communicatio n ethics. As a professional nurse one has to develop a plan of the progress of treatment of a wound patient. The plan developed will determine the kind of treatment that the patient will get hence his or her healing (Fonder et al, 2008). the nurse who was taking care of the elderly man might not have planned well about his treatment progress hence the wounds did not heal. Planning for a patients treatment is very important since it tell you as a nurse the next step to take after a particular step of treatment. It is therefore important a professional nurse to plan about patients treatment. It is important for a nurse to understand the feelings of their patient. As a professional nurse, one should monitor the feelings of his or her patient, since a patients feeling shows the progress of healing of a patient (Hooper-Kyriakidis et al,2011). Would the nurses at the nursing home noted the feelings of the elderly man early in advance, they would have known the progress of the wounds healing and if the feelings persisted they would have changed the medication and this would have enabled them in treating the wounds well hence their healing, and this would have saved his live. It is therefore important as professional nurses to monitor every feeling on our patients health and therefore be able to offer best treatment to our patients. Professional nurses should analyze the process of treatment of their patients. In order to come up with a good treatment process a nurse should analyze all the medications that their patient need from the first to the last step of their medication. Analyzing enables a nurse to avoid confusion on which treatment to give their patients (Chinn et al 2009). It also enables the nurses to offer the right medication to their patient since everything is in order hence no confusion in the patients treatment. Analyzing the process of treatment of a patient also ensures that a nurse observes time, since time factor is a key thing in every profession. This also ensures that the patient get the required treatment which is necessary for quick healing of a patient. In order to give the required treatment to a patient, professional nurses should research more about their patients health and more treatment technics which should be employed in treating their patients (Benner, et al,2011). This can be done by engaging themselves in team work with other professional nurses in order to come up with new ideas on how to tackle their patients health problems. A professional nurse also seeks more information on how to tackle their patients health problems from the professional doctors since they have more knowledge which is helpful to them. In case of complication in the patients health, it is important to seek clarification on which medication is needed of overcome the complication from professional doctors. It is important as a nurse to keep records of treatment of their patients ( Barnum, 2008) Records are kept as a reminder hence they show the past medication of a patient. Keeping your patients records ensures that past medication is not given to a patient again. This also ensures that the patient receives the medication they need for their healing. In conclusion, it is important for professional nurses to come up with new treatment method for their patients in order to successfully treat their patients. Wounds are dangerous and if not treated well they can cause death. Professional nurses should gather enough information on their patients health before embarking on the treatment process of their patients. Team work is important in treating a patient considering is or her condition of health. It is important as professional nurses to do more research on our patients health in order to save their lives. Professional nursing approaches such as thermographic imaging are necessary in wound treatment. References Barnum, S. (2008). Nursing theory analysis, application, evaluation. Benner, P. E., Hooper-Kyriakidis, P. L., Stannard, D. (2011).Clinical wisdom and interventions in acute and critical care: A thinking-in-action approach. Springer Publishing Company. Chinn, P. L., Kramer, M. K. (2009). Theory and nursing a systematic approach. Fitzpatrick, J. J., Whall, A. L. (2008). Conceptual models of nursing analysis and application. Fonder, M. A., Lazarus, G. S., Cowan, D. A., Aronson-Cook, B., Kohli, A. R., Mamelak, A. J. (2008). Treating the chronic wound: a practical approach to the care of nonhealing wounds and wound care dressings.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,58(2), 185-206. Gottrup, F., Holstein, P., Jrgensen, B., Lohmann, M., Karlsmar, T. (2010). A new concept of a multidisciplinary wound healing center and a national expert function of wound healing.Archives of Surgery,136(7), 765-772. 8). Masters, K. (2015).Role development in professional nursing practice. Jones Bartlett Publishers. Millard, L., Hallett, C., Luker, K. (2012). Nursepatient interaction and decision?making in care: patient involvement in community nursing.Journal of advanced nursing,55(2), 142-150. Schultz, G. S., Sibbald, R. G., Falanga, V., Ayello, E. A., Dowsett, C., Harding, K., ... Vanscheidt, W. (2013). Wound bed preparation: a systematic approach to wound management.Wound repair and regeneration,11(s1).