Working Capital Management and UK Listed Companies Profitability Dissertation

Working Capital Management and UK Listed Companies Profitability - Dissertation Example Research Question How do the working capital management affect the profitability of manufacturing companies of UK? 2. Aim and Objectives of the Research The research paper will strive to deal with the relationship of companies’ working capital management and their profitability. Working capital management is vital area for the growth and sustainability of companies and hence, it plays very significant role in determining the level of profitability. However, the corporate environment of different countries varies and hence, management of specific region have their different priorities for achieving growth and success. This is the reason correlation between the two or more variables of different regions vary. The primary aim of this paper is to examine the relationship of working capital management with profitability level of the listed manufacturing companies in UK. Working capital management includes number components that determine the efficiency of the management. Considerin g these facts, the research will also focus on certain specific objective as follows. To determine the efficacy of management in managing working capital of manufacturing listed companies of UK. To present and understand theoretical background relating to efficiency of working capital management and company growth. To determine the relationship between different components of working capital management and components of profitability. To determine influence of efficient working capital management on level of profitability and growth in listed manufacturing companies of UK. 3. Literature Review 3.1. Theoretical Background of Research This section will attempt to a theoretical background relation to the working capital management and profitability. Working capital management has always been a very critical area for companies’ growth and sustainability. Working capital mainly includes two basic components i.e. current liabilities and current asset. The efficient management of th ese two types of capital is known working capital management (Siddiqui, 2006, p.279). In order to present a detail background of working capital management, this section will explicitly present need of working capital and its importance for the growth of a company. Next, it will also analyse the different objectives of working capital management. Efficient working capital management is also highly required for managing risks within a company. A company is always exposed to number of risks and the working capital management is directly related to certain risks like operational risks, liquidity risks, credit risks, and information reporting risks. An efficient management of working must assure a lower level of risks. Therefore, working capital management can also be termed as a tool to overcome the stated risks that may create threat to sustainability of a company (Sagner, 2010, p.201). Another major role of working capital management is that it strives to create a trade off between r isk and profitability. In this regard, the risk is technically insolvency which is measure by net working capital (NWC). It has been found that many firms can operate in spite of facing technically insolvency. However, in such case, the company suffered from ‘slow poisoned’ as technically insolvency negatively affect growth, profitability and operational efficacy. If the management is unable to overcome this technically insolvency position, it may lead to business collapse (Khan, 2004, p.26.4). Using the financial techniques like ratio analyses, efficacy level of the working capital can be determined and it also reflect the managements’

Plato, Gorgias Essay Example for Free

Plato, Gorgias Essay Introduction  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Plato’s Gorgias is actually the story of virtue. Plato was evidently trying to resolve the ever lasting debate of what virtue was and what elements constituted virtue. In his dialogue with Gorgias, Socrates has not unilaterally concluded what virtue was; he has rather discussed what it could be. I totally agree with Plato who states that â€Å"the good is not the same as the pleasant, my friend, nor the evil as the painful† (Plato), because to be pleasant means to be subjective, and the notion of good is evidently an objective philosophical category. Virtue may be determined through the prism of its separate elements. Even when each of us individually determines what virtue is, there are still certain specific societal norms which may help us distinguish between good and evil. Plato has actually created several grounded suggestions as for what virtue was by discussing its separate elements: power, justice, temperance, and art.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Rhetoric is to justice what cookery is to medicine† (Plato). This may initially seem surprising, as virtue and rhetoric are the two completely different philosophical categories. Moreover, there can hardly any connections between these two. However, Plato links them through the importance of rhetoric to justice, and through the importance of justice to the virtue. Objectively, the whole dialogue between Socrates and Gorgias comprises several separate discussions which are connected by one common topic: virtue. Plato was trying to depict virtue as the system of separate attributes and elements, and to discuss them through the prism of those elements: art, temperance, evil, and good. This is why Plato has concluded that good could not be equaled to pleasure due to its objectivity as opposed to the subjectivity of pleasure. Plato started Socrates’ dialogue with the discussion of art of rhetoric, and has led it to the issue of the greatest good. As virtue is determined and is directly connected to the greatest good, it is crucial that people know what this greatest good is. â€Å"That good, Socrates, which is truly the greatest, being that which gives men freedom in their own persons, and to individuals the power of ruling over others in their several states† (Plato). That was the vision of the greatest good as expressed by Gorgias. This is the individual vision of Gorgias, which may not always be accepted by others. As a result, how do we determine the difference between the false and the true arts? How do we determine what false and what truthful knowledge is? These were the questions raised by Plato in his Gorgias, and this is where the philosopher again implied that the greatest good was an objective, and not subjective philosophical category. Good and evil are the two objective categories which can even be taught or learnt. Subjective categories can hardly be learnt, this is why Plato implies that good is objective. Only objective philosophical categories can be learnt by others and can be perceived in a manner expected by other members of the society: â€Å"so he whom you make a rhetorician must either know the nature of the just and unjust already, or he must be taught by you† (Plato).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In his work, Plato speaks much about evil. Evil is opposed to good, and is also considered to be an objective philosophical category. According to Plato, evil is rooted in the wrongful and shameful acts. The seriousness of evil can either be determined by the extent of shame the person experiences, or by the severity of physical pain the person feels. It is interesting that this is the only position which is unilaterally accepted by all participants of the conversation. â€Å"Then I said truly, Polus that neither you, nor I, nor any man, would rather, do than suffer injustice; for to do injustice is the greater evil of the two† (Plato). Plato explicitly determines what the greatest evil is, and Socrates’ opponents have but to agree with him. Pain is subjective, and being involved into evil does not mean experiencing pain. Evil is the integral element of the discussion of virtue. There cannot be any effective discussion of what virtue is, without trying to define what evil can be. The importance of evil as philosophical notion is in its being linked to other crucial notions within the framework of virtue discussion. Politics, power, temperance – a philosopher cannot evaluate these categories away from evil. As Plato concludes that injustice and intemperance are the two greatest evils, he not only confirms the philosophical objectivity of evil, but he once again returns to the issue of pleasant and good: pleasant cannot always be good, and evil cannot always be pain. There is clear distinction between subjective and objective philosophical categories, and this is the key to understanding the implications of moral standards in Plato’s society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As Plato speaks about good, evil, justice, temperance, power, and other important philosophical categories, he pursues the ultimate aim of his discussion and his lifelong philosophy: to define what virtue is. Those who participate in Socrates’ discussion, actually participate not in the dialogue, but in the brilliant argument upon the relevance and objectivity of these categories. Nonetheless, the objectivity of power, temperance, and justice is not debated: these also constitute the objective notion of virtue. As evil is not always pain, and good is not always pleasant, Plato also tries to show that â€Å"a man should be temperate and master of himself, and ruler of his own pleasures and passions† (Plato). Thus, a person should realize what common good is, what pleasures he is to suppress and to temper his passions. This knowledge of good and evil is the objective realization of societal standards and norms. This is the realization of how good or evil impacts our existence. Plato uses this key comparison between pleasant and good to show that he was correct in his assumption: virtue is the objective notion, and it can be determined in universal philosophical terms, which are objective, too. The separate objective elements (power, justice, temperance, art) ultimately constitute the philosophical structure of virtue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I absolutely agree with Plato: pleasant is never equal to good, and pain is never equal to evil. Let’s discuss this point in detail. A simple example will help understand my position. We are constantly involved into the process of taking decisions. We must decide how to behave, how to apologize, how to avoid troubles, etc. There are the two distinctive criteria, on which we can base our judgments. First, we can rely on the universally accepted norms of human behavior in our society. Our standards make us aware and teach us how we should behave in certain situations, and what good and evil is. Second, we may also rely on our pleasure, and pleasure may become the main criterion in our decision making. This means that we will not rely on norms and standards of human behavior: we will use extremely subjective measurements which may hardly be accepted by others. Here pleasure is very close to personal tastes, which are never identical. If I enjoy historical documentaries, this does not mean that my brother will like them too; he would hardly accept the situation in which I will constantly watch this type of TV programs, and will not let him watch what he wants. This is where pleasure and good come into action. This is where objectivity and subjectivity of virtue become almost tangible. If I base my decision on pleasure, I will neglect the interests of other family members, and will keep doing what I want. Does this mean that I am good, if I experience pleasure in this situation? Certainly, it does not. Good is not similar to pleasant, and pleasure is a subjective category. What pleases me does not necessarily pleases others, but what is good is usually good for everyone. Being generous, attentive to others, and sharing is good; it is also good for those who need this attention and generosity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This prism of discussion also possesses a different facet. When a person is good to others, does it mean that this person is pleased with such situation? Coming back to the issue with television and documentaries, a person may certainly accept the need to follow the general standards of virtue, good, and temperance. This person will do everything possible to suppress the wishes and pleasures, and to let other family members watch TV. Simultaneously, this need â€Å"to be good† will probably urge the person to step over his inner principles, and to pretend that to be good is pleasant. This person may avoid displaying the displease with such situation, or may not conceal the irritation, but it is evident that to be good for this person is not to feel pleasure of this goodness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What I see as the key element of Plato’s argument, is the need to distinguish between the true and the false elements of virtue, between the objective and subjective standards of our conduct, and between pleasure and good. Plato was also discussing the elements of evil and pain in his work, but these issues seem less relevant to our lives. Evil is always evil, no matter whether it causes pain, but good is not good if it is based on one’s pleasures only.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In his philosophical work, Plato was actually trying to determine what virtue was. The philosopher used a bright parallel between good and pleasant to suggest that good was objective, and pleasant was subjective. The criteria of pleasure are mostly misleading when a person has to decide what good is. The problem is that good is an objective notion, and the standards of good are usually universally accepted within the specific society. Simultaneously, pleasure is a narrow subjective philosophical category. There is no such notion as universal pleasure. If a person pursues pleasure, this person risks being rejected by the society in the way he rejects the principles of objective good and virtue. If a person wants to follow the standards of good, pleasure should be pushed to the background. In this context, good is not always pleasant. The obligation to conform to the norms of the society is not always linked to any pleasant emotions or perceptions. In order to be accepted by the society, a person might need to overstep his personal principles, and to recognize the importance of good, temperance, power, and justice as the integral components of virtue. Ultimately, the person is to praise the objective moral categories, and to put them ahead of subjective perceptions. This is how human virtue works for the benefit of the whole society. Works Cited Plato. â€Å"Gorgias†. Translated by Benjamin Jowett. 1995. ILT Digital Classics. February 14, 2008. http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/publicATIONS/Projects/digitexts/plato/gorgias/gorgias.html

Impact Of New Media On Internal Communications Media Essay

Impact Of New Media On Internal Communications Media Essay Cornelissen (2008) defines internal communications as communication with employees internally within the organization (pg195) He also went further to state that the emergence of new inventions in technologies like internet blogs and emails has evolved into messages not just been restricted to the confine of the office, but have faded the boundaries between internal and external communications. This translates to the fact that employees can now distribute information about an organization or even a co-employee electronically to outside stakeholders and they can share their views and publish their grievances as well as organise and demand action from the organization. With access to email, blogs and social networking sites for sharing corporate information, many employees become corporate communications professionals themselves. Before the advent of World Wide Web, media communication as means of mass communication was to a large extent one-sided. Newspapers were written by a few people and read by thousands; television programmes (including news and documentaries) were made by a few people and watched by thousands; books were typically written by one person and read by thousands. Internal communications was no different. Employee newsletters were typically developed by a handful of employees and disseminated to the entire workforce. The advent of Web 2.0, which brought with it a clutch of new technologies such as social networking websites, blogs, etc., changed this nature of few-to-many communication. These new technologies allowed everyone to participate in the discussion. Suddenly, communication was not communication at all; it became discussion i.e from one way to two way method of communication. This is a fundamental shift in perspective. In the workplace, the roles and explicit power of the players however have not changed. The employers are still the employers with the power to hire and fire employees; the employees are still employees who are bound by their employment contracts to their employers and are most times to be seen and not heard. Hence it is interesting to examine if there has been a change in the nature of internal communication within the workplace as a result of the advent of the new media. This paper attempts to examine the ways in which each new major technology has changed the nature of internal communications, and concludes with a view towards the future. 2.0 New Media inside the Workplace Holtz (2006) points out that any technology that becomes a commonly used tool on the Internet will find its ways onto Intranets. There is always a lag between the widespread adoptions of the new technology and the adoption of the technology by corporations. Holtz is also of the opinion that this is because business leaders tend to dismiss new technologies with contempt, viewing them as nothing more than diversions for youngsters and computer nerds. (pg22). These business leaders will eventually see a different side to this as the roles between the old and new media is obviously changing, or should I say have changed? Companies used to rely on the intranet and emails to communicate with their employees, so also face to face, but with the emergence and infiltration of new media into peoples lives, communication has taken a totally different form, and it is bound to improve in years to come. According to Henneman 2010, Gartner Inc, a research and advisory firm have predicted that social networking will replace email as the primary form of communication for 20% of business users by 2014. 2.1 Instant Messaging A prime example of this is the use of instant messaging. Initially no corporate use of instant messaging was found to be acceptable. However, as the technology began to be used more and more widely, it began to be adopted by corporations. Today instant messaging is used by a large number of companies to provide customer support, and to facilitate internal communications. Within the corporate network, especially within large corporations, instant messaging represents a non-intrusive method by which two employees can communicate. If two employees speak over the phone, the conversation may not be private because it is conducted in an office cubicle where conversations are easily overhead. Instant messaging on the other hand allows two employees to communicate without making any noise whatsoever, and therefore the conversation can remain private. Instant messaging also allows these two employees to communicate without moving from their cubicle. Isaacs et al (2002) find that social use of instant messaging (IM) has a rather different nature compared to the use of instant messaging in the workplace. They find that whilst social use of IM is short, quick and the users multitask when chatting using IM. Media switching is also very common. However, the use of IM in the workplace is slightly longer, and therefore comparable to other impromptu conversations such as face to face conversations, phone calls, etc. Media switching was also not common. Two main styles of use could be identified, namely working together and coordinating. Working together involved the use of IM For a number of collaborative activities, such as multipurpose discussions. The conversations are rather intense, with threading of the messages. Pairs of employees who work together tend to use IM more frequently, and for working together. The use of IM for coordinating on the other hand is often with the objective of scheduling interactions in other mediums. The conversations here are slow paced, with fewer and longer turns and little threading and multitasking. Cameron and Webster (2004) find that the success of the use of IM depends on whether a critical mass of users has been established. They also find that employees use IM as a replacement for other communication media and also as an additional method for reaching others. Both Cameron and Webster (ibid) and Herbsleb et al (2002) find that IM is used in internal communication where informal communication generally takes place. 2.2 Social Networking Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Skeels and Grudin (2009) report that the use of social networks websites are increasing in the workplace. They opine that the nature of use of social media in the workplace, the impact of this use on productivity, and the nature of any evolution in enterprise-friendly use are all open questions. Their study finds that the use of social networks often creates tensions which span social groups and the organisations firewall, That is to say, the impact of the use of social networking websites can have an influence not only on the internal communications but also on the image and business of the organisation externally. Furthermore, they find that the use of social networking websites have only weak ties to productivity. 2.3 Blogging and Micro-blogging Ehrlich and Shami (2010) examine the use of micro-blogging in the workplace and find that confidentiality issues separate micro-blogging inside the workplace and outside the workplace. Micro-blogging was however relatively widely used, for the following main purposes: Conversation and help from colleagues internal micro-blogging allowed the employees to have conversations with their colleagues in an environment that was perceived to be familial. As the discussions were kept within the corporate boundaries, they believed that constructive criticism could be voiced, and to seek for help. The sense of belonging to the organisation also gave some employees an obligation to help others and actively search for colleagues who needed help. Real time information sharing and awareness One of the main benefits of internal micro-blogging was that it allowed employees to gain information in real time. It allowed for the free sharing of information as well as ideas. Reputation management The authors of posts in the micro-blogging also attempted to use this activity as a method of reputation management. They published information that was of use to a wide variety of people not only with the desire to help their audience but also with a desire to enhance their reputation as having access to the latest information. Feeling connected micro-blogging helped create a sense of interconnectedness and familiarity, especially amongst mobile workers. This was partly because micro-blogging did not focus solely on work-related topics but also included personal topics. 2.4 Wikis Hilska (n.d.) examines the effects of the implementation of a wiki-based intranet. He finds that wikis have multifarious uses in such a work environment such as writing the minutes of meetings, publication of news and announcements, task management, project management, documentation, for use as home pages for individuals, departments and work groups, etc. Wikis therefore can be said to be used for both internal communication as well as collaborative work. He also finds that there is a lot to be gained from the use of wikis, such as enabling people to participate in internal communication, participate in collaborative projects, share information, seek for information from colleagues, and manage work. Wikis also facilitate easy authorship by all the employees in an organisation. The main disadvantage of using wikis that was identified is that it was difficult to find relevant and up to date information. 3.0 Discussion Fidler (1997) points out that the rise of the new media is but one wave of change amongst many others that have occurred in the past. He points to the changes in communication that can be traced back from the time of recorded history, such as the invention of the telegram message, the invention of the telephone, the printing press, etc. In all of these changes that have been introduced into communication, it can be said that the principle of survival and delayed adoption has held true. The different forms of media, as well as media enterprises will adapt and evolve in response to the changing environment, otherwise they will become extinct. The forms of communication will evolve, such that the older forms of communication will no longer be used. The telegram for example, became quite irrelevant when telephones were invented and widely adopted. As VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology matures and becomes more usable, the migration of users to the Internet may well render the telephone obsolete. The Apple iPhone for example facilitates videoconferencing between users directly using the Internet. This technology is therefore already sufficiently mature and established. What remains is for the adoption of the technology and crossnetwork adoption of common protocols. The main question that arises from the discussion above is, as the nature of communication has changed from a few-to-many style of communication to a discussion in which a large segment of the traditional audience participate in the communication, how has the nature of communication in the workplace changed? Lengel and Daft (1989) make the important point that the selection of medium of communication has an impact on the meaning of the message. This collaborates with other findings discussed above that IM is generally preferred for informal communication. Holtz (2006) also explains that the employee is not just an employee 24/7; he is also a customer, shareholder, etc. Hence internal corporate communication cannot always be distinguished from external corporate communication. Indeed the use of the new media for whistleblowing and activism is very high (Walter, 2009). The author agrees with van Dijk (2006, pg. 240) who states that new media has the effect of organising the entities engaged in the communication or discussion. As the media facilitates both public and private discussions, the choice of medium of communication reflects the desire of the initiator of the communication to have the contents of the conversation be public, or kept private. Furthermore, new media always provides an electronic record of the communication. This facilitates the verification of the message and authorship of the message. This helps to provide structure to the collection of individuals who collectively use the media. Within corporate environments, it can be seen that organisations that have a relatively flat structure generally employ new media to a greater extent than those that have a rigid and bureaucratic structure. The flat structure allows for open communication, and the consequent formation of societal structures with the use of new media. It encourages pa rticipation and interaction by opening a door of opportunity for employees to speak their minds. Rooksby et al (2009) provide an excellent overview of the use of new media in the workplace. They explain that internally new media technologies are often used to locate the person who would know the answer to a question, rather than to find the answer to the question itself. One of the reasons for this could be that as the economy becomes more and more knowledge based, the answers that are sought could be implicit knowledge and not codified. This use of new media for expertise finding represents an opportunity for the people in the organisations to share their expertise. This in turn facilitates organisational learning, knowing and judging peoples competencies, the creation of ad hoc teams to solve time-critical problems, and generally developing social capital. They further explain that information itself is not a scare resource any longer, but time and attention are. Social networking technologies help people deal with information overload by finding the right person, source of help. These technologies help people become connected, and to share and consume information. This in turn leads them to form social connections, satisfying the human need to connect to people in their vicinity. Rooksby et al (2009) state that social capital is difficult to quantify; it is also difficult to identify its exact influence on the productivity of an organisation. However, the formation of social relationships that is facilitated by the social networking technologies helps to build trust, reciprocity, and understanding between the workers in an organisation. This is clearly very important for the success of the organisation. Cornelissen (2008, pg. 194) explains that organisations require employees to cooperate in order to achieve the companys goals. Todays organisations are often large corporations with a large number of employees. These employees are frequently required to perform highly specialised tasks, resulting in efficiency payoffs. These tasks however need to be coordinated, such that together they create value for the organisation. The organisation has to balance its own needs as well as the needs of its employees in order to ensure that they remain motivated and happy. Internal communication therefore serves a number of purposes, such as to fulfil the needs of the employees. Raeth et al (2010) narrate that the cycle of adoption of new media can be described as having three distinct phases, namely the idea phase, the project phase and the use and impact phase. The idea phase is when the idea for the development and deployment of new technology is put forward inside the organisation. This idea phase moves forward when there is support from management, proper justification for the project, funding, etc. When development is initiated, then the adoption of the new technology is said to move to the project phase. Here the actual system is developed and deployed. When it is adopted by the rank and file employees, then the adoption is considered to have moved to the use and impact phase. In this phase, the new systems are used, and the benefits are facilitated by training, communication and advocation. There is also analysis as to whether the systems are successful in achieving the desired goals. Rooksby et al (2009) also highlight that one of the major problems associated with the use of social media is time wasting. The time spent by employees in social networking websites is not always productive, and this could lead to significant wasted time. Furthermore, there are also concerns about the privacy and confidentiality of information that is published on new media technologies, such as blogs and social networking websites. In workplace uses, there is a similar concern about the maintenance of confidentiality of information. Cornelissen (2008, pg. 194) explains that new media technologies have served to blur the boundaries between internal and external communications. This means that the communications that would otherwise have remained within the organisation are sometimes disseminated outside the organisation. 4.0 Conclusion The author contends that new media has indeed changed society, and consequently the nature of internal communications, as described by Popp (2009). As the world has become more and more globalised, this is reflected in the changes in society where people have friends and family all over the world. New media facilitates interaction between these people in far flung geographical areas. Herman and McChesney (2001) rightly state that communication is becoming more important in todays globalised economy. Society is also changing, as it is becoming more open, democratic and activist in nature. New media has certainly been a facilitating factor to this change, but it is important to note that society itself could be said to have been ready for change. Without this, new media alone would not have been able to effect any change. The author opines that in line with these changes in the wider society, a similar change in internal communications (in the delayed adoption fashion) is also already occurring. New organisations tend to have a flat structure, which is more democratic. The use of social media for internal communications allows for the effective communication of employees in far flung geographical locations. A prime example of this is the organisation which supports one of the most well known open source databases in the world, MySQL. The employees in this organisat ion are scattered all over the world, and have to rely on new media for communication. The rise of democracy can be thought to coincide with the rise in organisations with a flat structure. For these reasons, it can be said that the changes inside the workplace mirror the changes in wider society to a large extent, with a delay. The new media does indeed bring a number of benefits to the corporate entity, just as they do to the wider society, such as creating relationships, enabling collaboration and communication, etc. Klopper (2010) also states that internal communications tools create the opportunity for employees to not only ask questions but to answer them, increasing their visibility as an influencer in their niches. He refers to a study done by IBM which looked at over 5000 posts by their employees who use an internal IBM micro-blog called blue twit which though similar to twitter but can only be used internally, it was revealed that employees benefitted as they saw their interaction on bluetwit as family conversation because users could constructively criticise company products. As a result, people were able to use this tool to engage in a two way communication. Hence in conclusion, it has been noted that the new media of the past is the old media of today. Change is inevitable, and it has been seen that internal communications within the workplace often tends to be a reflection of the general nature of communications in the wider society, and has helped companies recognise the fact that they need to keep changing in order to meet up or surpass their competitors and in so doing not lose manpower and company reputation due to absence of employee engagement. Hayes (2010) notes that some organizations probably fail to recognise the need for change until they have little choice but to react to an unforeseen situation. Naslund (2010) believes that social media and communities are as distinctive as the businesses in which they exist.. Undoubtedly building internal communities and introducing social media initiatives can be an effective method in building the brand, exchange opinions, discuss freely and encourage employee engagement and interaction, it is also a new and refined method of identifying with the lively society that have been created within the company, so also an influential means of re-instating the facts that employees make up the framework of the company.

French democracy 1970- future :: essays research papers

A comparative chronology of democracy/election and how it has and will influence politics in France between the time period of 1970-2020.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1958, the highly centralized Fifth Republic was created, which lasts to the present day. Its constitution is characterized by the strong executive powers vested in the presidency. This constitution was approved by popular vote, and direct elections every seven years elect a President. The President presides over a cabinet of members headed by a Prime Minister of his or her choosing. The legislative body is divided into two houses, the National Assembly and the senate, whose members are elected for nine-year terms. The National Assembly's members are directly elected for five-year terms. The Senate members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms. The French judicial system assesses the constitutionality of legislation that is referred to review by the Parliament, Prime Minister or President. The Fifth Republic was almost overthrown in 1968 by a radical alliance of students and industrial workers. In reaction, conservative presidents and center-right majorities in the National Assembly governed France throughout the 1970s. In 1981, a Socialist Francois Mitterland won the presidential election, the first time the Socialist party’s candidate had been victorious. In May 1988, he was reelected for a second term. Jacques Chirac, who had been both mayor of Paris and Prime Minister, had succeeded Mitterland as president in May of 1995 after a narrow victory over the Socialist challenger Lionel Jospin. In the legislature, Chirac had the benefit of a conservative majority. This came about after a victory for the right in the legislative elections in March 1993: unusually, the two right-wing parties, the Gaullist Rally for the Republic Party (RPR) and the more centrist Union Democratique Francaise (UDF)-normally fierce rivals, agreed to present joint candidates. Edouard Balladur of the RPR, a sometime Minister of Finance, became Prime Minister. In 1995, Balladur was replaced by Alain Juppe, whose rigorous pursuit of an economic austerity program undermined the support for the government and opened the way for revival of the left.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Presently, France has a mixed presidential and parliamentary government that unites directly and popularly elected President, as Head of State, with a cabinet dependent on parliamentary confidence. As in other presidential governments, the president’s term is fixed, but he or she may be reelected an unlimited number of times. The French Constitution of 1958 reduced the power of the Parliament and conferred onto the President the right to dissolve the National Assembly and to appoint the head of French government, the Prime Minister, as well as the Council of Ministers. French democracy 1970- future :: essays research papers A comparative chronology of democracy/election and how it has and will influence politics in France between the time period of 1970-2020.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1958, the highly centralized Fifth Republic was created, which lasts to the present day. Its constitution is characterized by the strong executive powers vested in the presidency. This constitution was approved by popular vote, and direct elections every seven years elect a President. The President presides over a cabinet of members headed by a Prime Minister of his or her choosing. The legislative body is divided into two houses, the National Assembly and the senate, whose members are elected for nine-year terms. The National Assembly's members are directly elected for five-year terms. The Senate members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms. The French judicial system assesses the constitutionality of legislation that is referred to review by the Parliament, Prime Minister or President. The Fifth Republic was almost overthrown in 1968 by a radical alliance of students and industrial workers. In reaction, conservative presidents and center-right majorities in the National Assembly governed France throughout the 1970s. In 1981, a Socialist Francois Mitterland won the presidential election, the first time the Socialist party’s candidate had been victorious. In May 1988, he was reelected for a second term. Jacques Chirac, who had been both mayor of Paris and Prime Minister, had succeeded Mitterland as president in May of 1995 after a narrow victory over the Socialist challenger Lionel Jospin. In the legislature, Chirac had the benefit of a conservative majority. This came about after a victory for the right in the legislative elections in March 1993: unusually, the two right-wing parties, the Gaullist Rally for the Republic Party (RPR) and the more centrist Union Democratique Francaise (UDF)-normally fierce rivals, agreed to present joint candidates. Edouard Balladur of the RPR, a sometime Minister of Finance, became Prime Minister. In 1995, Balladur was replaced by Alain Juppe, whose rigorous pursuit of an economic austerity program undermined the support for the government and opened the way for revival of the left.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Presently, France has a mixed presidential and parliamentary government that unites directly and popularly elected President, as Head of State, with a cabinet dependent on parliamentary confidence. As in other presidential governments, the president’s term is fixed, but he or she may be reelected an unlimited number of times. The French Constitution of 1958 reduced the power of the Parliament and conferred onto the President the right to dissolve the National Assembly and to appoint the head of French government, the Prime Minister, as well as the Council of Ministers.

Evolution of Health Care Information Systems Essay

Today we have the pleasure of discussing the Evolution of Health Care Information Systems. Specifically we will review a compare and contrast of a health care facilities operations today with the operations of it 20 years ago. We will define HCIS as well as look at different health information systems today and major events and technological advantages that have influenced current Health Care Information Systems (HCIS) practices. We will learn how health care information systems have shaped the delivery of health care today so that we may be a part of the solution. Health Care Information Systems To truly understand the benefit of Health Care Information Systems, it is critical that a clear understanding of its true definition is learned. We know that data consists of raw facts about people, places, events and other things that are of importance in any organization. When that data is processed into a more meaningful form, it is then called information and can be the basis for decision making. According to Wager, Lee & Glaser (2009), â€Å"a health care information system (HCIS) is an arrangement of information (data), processes, people, and information technology that interact to collect, process, store, and provide as output information needed to support the health care organization†. To further put things into perspective, there are two primary classes of health care information systems and they are administrative and clinical. Although they are both health care information systems, they perform totally different functions and contain different information. An administrative information system would contain information specific to financial data or administrative that would help to support management and general operations of the health care organization. These systems might support personnel management, supply management, equipment or human resources management. Clinical information systems are very different from administrative in that  they contain information that is clinical in nature or health-related that is used by health care providers when diagnosing, treating, and monitoring patients care. Wager, Lee & Glaser, (2009). Another interesting fact about clinical information systems is that these systems can be departmental such as radiology, pharmacy or laboratory systems. Wager, Lee, & Glaser, (2009). Skilled Nursing Facilities 20 years later Skilled Nursing Facilities have made leaps and bounds in significant changes over the past 20 years. Tanner Memorial Hospital, which is now Tanner Health System is nothing like it originated 20 years back and has now transformed into a health system with all its specialties and wide range of services currently offered. It did not offer inpatient behavioral care in the same capacity as today and in fact, when the new Willowbrooke at Tanner opened in Villa Rica, GA, it was the newest facility of its kind in the last 20 years and consisted of beds for adults, elder adults, children and adolescents. Tanner Health Systems, (2012). Information technology was slow to take off 20 years ago in the health care industry. Skilled nursing facilities were doing things manually which was hand written documentation or typewritten. This is quite different from today when information technology has exploded and continues to expand and develop at a rapid pace. According to Sheehan (2011), until recent years technology was not a subject that was often mentioned in the long term care environment. There was a perception that the â€Å"LTC industry is somewhat of a late adaptor of technological advancements†. Today all that is changing due to â€Å"provider demand, vendor interest and a growing number of tech-savvy seniors†. (Sheehan, 2011). Although 20 years ago skilled nursing facilities may have been falling behind in recognizing the vital importance of implementing information systems, today skilled nursing facilities relay heavily on technology like telemedine or tele-health. Many facilities that are in rural areas are really dependent on telemedicine and tele-health. Billing operation systems, clinical and administrative information systems are now a necessity for successful daily operations and skilled nursing relies heavily on information technology to process payroll, employee records, updating patient care and treatment plans, insurance and personal information. During the 1980’s, health care systems were for collecting data about patient demographics, insurance information and other information for billing purposes. Today, current health care information systems offer a more flexible and sophisticated framework. There is no longer the daunting tasks of writing things manually and other administrative duties that were time consuming. We now have sophisticated systems that are capable of handling clinical decision support systems, archiving communication systems, and digitization of diagnostic images. (Hebda, Czar, & Mascara, 2009). 20 years ago, physicians were a bit reluctant to share patient information with other physician practices, today physician practices are finding creative and innovative ways to exchange patient health information in a timely, efficient and secured manner which enhances coordination of patient care. The implementation of electronic medical record systems prevents the delays attributed to traditional mail or faxing paper medical records. These health care information systems help physician practices to effectively and efficiently share information that can reduce health care costs as well as improve patient care. Two Major Event and Technological Advantages A major event that influence health care information systems is the enactment of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This law plays a pivotal role in â€Å"regulating, and increasing the confidentiality, and securing of health care data† (HIPAA, 2003). With the ability to pay and submit claims electronically, there was a definite need for protecting data and it was apparent. Before HIPAA came along, the rules and regulations were quite different from state to state and between health care organizations. There was no consistency and the need for regulation was visible from all stakeholders involved. Another major event was in 2004 when President Bush asked health care providers to implement Electronic Health Records (EHR) by 2014. The Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) joined the initiative and also asked health care providers to be compliant with the new legislation. Many community-based physician practices that were once reluctant to conform to the implementation of new technology are now realizing the many benefits of  the health care information systems like computerized physician order entry (CPOE), electronic medical records (EMR), tele-medicine and automated billing systems. The implementation of tele-health and telemedicine brought about many advances in healthcare and continue to prove to be a needed health resource. Conclusion The evolution of health care information systems will continue to have a positive effect and a huge significance to the health care industry. Tele-health and telemedicine are major events that have shaped todays delivery of health care and HIPAA laws will continue to protect the rights of patients and their personal information. In the Mid 1980’s and early 1990’s, physician practices would not have imagines that Health Care Information Systems would play such a vital role in shaping the delivery of health care and yet, here we are. References Czar, P., & Mascara, C. (2009). Handbook of informatics for nurses & health care professionals (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall HIPAA.org (February 12, 2003).HIPAA. Retrieved July 13, 2014 from http://www.hipaa.org/ Sheehan, P. (2011, July). Technology takes off in health care. Long-Term Living, Retrieved from http://www.ltlmagazine.com/article/technology-takes-long-term-care Hebda, T., Tanner.org (2012) Retrieved July 12, 2014 from http://www.tanner.org/Main/History.aspx Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., & Glaser, J. P. (2009). Health care information systems: A practical approach for health care management. (2nd ed.). (pp. 87-90). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Wiley.

government control of freedom essays

government control of freedom essays People are always fighting against the government's control of freedom. What are they fighting for? Are they fighting for absolute freedom? What is absolute freedom? How much freedom do we have to sacrifice to keep our freedom protected? Is the freedom we One of the major reasons freedom is so desirable is because many of the limitations by the government on freedom are disallowing humans the right to have control over their bodies. Control of the human body is the only thing that people have power over. When the government can take away your choice to smoke, tell you when to wear a seatbelt, set laws to limit your right to do what you want to your body, or decide what constitutes a religion we should all be concerned! To preserve the Bill of Rights for ourselves, we must defend them for everybody. A large number of the prohibited freedoms are crimes where the criminal makes himself the victim. For example, the use of drugs, prostitution, suicide, vagrancy, possession of illegal substance, dodging the draft, entering the country illegally, and disregard for the age limits set on the purchase of pornographic materials. All of these crimes are punishable under the law. These crimes are set apart from most others because the person willingly chooses to victimize themselves. What people choose to do to themselves, in my opinion is the least of our worries as a country or a society. The last thing the government should have control over is what you choose to do to yourself. As long as you are not directly harming anyone else in the process, the government should not waste their time and money on something that is so trivial in comparison to crimes involving a victim. In general, people do not agree with the government controlling what they ca ...