American Express's Relationship Care strategy has at a general level given the company's customer service agents more control and purpose in their jobs. However, that overarching strategy is supported by a number of specific rewards and policies. From an extrinsic perspective, the company has instituted a pay for performances system that ties incentives to customer satisfaction surveys. In particular, the company tracks the degree to which customers would recommend the company to their friends. Agents get their survey results 5-7 days after a given call and can check how their results compare to those of their peers. Rewards are doled out every two weeks, giving agents the ability to connect their behavior to the bonuses they receive. Although agents start out at a salary of $30,000 these rewards can add up to 35 percent of their base. Such aggressive incentives have increased compensation costs for American Express, but those increases have been offset by lower turnover levels. The incentives are paying off according to other metrics as well. Survey studies show that 82 percent of American Express customers are aware of their card services, above the 70 percent industry average. Most importantly, the strategies have been credited with an 8-10 percent boost in member spending.

Some compensation experts worry that these sorts of pay for performance programs can have a downside. Traditionally, having a lot of data on employees was synonymous with objectifying them, notes one experts. Fortunately, American Express has supplemented its extrinsic rewards with some intrinsic ones. Symbolically, the company changed agents titles from customer care representative to customer care professional. The company also provided agents with business cards for the first time, echoing that professional labeling. Agents were also given more flexible scheduling, which is unusual in call center jobs. These sorts of steps are meant to signal that customer service agents are not part of some back office cost center, but rather a unit that is critical to firm success.

Of course, such rewards cannot be effective if agents lack the competence and confidence to attain them. To supply high levels of both, American Express shifted its recruiting efforts to focus on individuals with hospitality backgrounds, not merely call center experience. The company also shifted its training resources from technical skills to interpersonal skills. In addition, if agents struggle, the company steps in to help. Such agents are given access to additional training, as well as coaching from supervisors and experts in their area. They're then given incremental goals to try to improve bit by bit over time. Thomas Parker, vice president of human resources, notes that such steps can save may struggling agents. our success rate is well over 50 to 60 percent, Parker said. The end result of these strategies is care agents who have the ability and the motivation to handle the unexpected when it arises. Wendy Fondrin, in the Phoenix service center, is one such agent. She spoke with a card holder who had lost her card at the same time her mother passed away. The lady was in hysteria, Fondrin notes. She needed to make funeral arrangements immediately. Fondrin arraged to have a card delivered that same day, with American Express picking up the $500 charge. The loyalty and that refer friend is worth that money, Fondrin summarizes.

Questions:

1. Consider these strategies in the context of the theories reviewed in chapter 9 and 10 (needs theory, expectancy theory, goal setting theory, equity theory, agency theory). Which theories seem to be most present in these strategies? Which seem to be least present, and what could the company do to rectify such omissions?

1- What might be the underlying motivations of Geely's acquisition of foreign auto brand?
2- How does cooperation in international business offer competitiveness?
3- What role can the government play in promoting internationalisation?

China Globalises London's Black Cabs lobalisation refers to international transactions, co- company for last 70 years. Coventry city is the birth place of operation, and competition among firms. China has British motor industry and has long tradition of manufacturing become one of the most active trading nations in an iconic automobile brands like Jaguar, Rover, Triumph, and increasingly globalised world. China's pursuit in transforming Armstrong Siddeley. The FX4 model taxis rolled out in 1959 itself into an industrial economy gave birth to a thriving auto from Coventry plant set the quintessential shape for the black mobile industry and Geely Automobile Holdings Limited was cabs. They formed partnership with Geely in 2006 which fi- founded in 1986. Geely is a subsidiary of Li Shufu's Zhejiang nally acquired the taxi maker in 2012 for £11.4 million after it Geely Group. They began with motorcycle production and went into administration. London Taxi Company's current annual eventually started manufacturing cars in 1997. Geely's moto production is approximately 2000 taxis. Geely has been con- of 'Happy Life, Geely Drive' encompasses its customers, sup- stantly investing to increase capacity and competitiveness since pliers and human resource to manufacture safe, environmental acquisition. The company has recently announced a £250 friendly and god value automobiles. Relentless pursuit of bet million investment to build a new factory with a production ter technology, foreign brands and oversees market resulted capacity of approximately 36000 cars annually. This new in- in Geely's European acquisition of Volvo cars in 2010 and vestment is celebrated locally and nationally due to 1000 new London Taxi Company (LTC) in 2012. jobs creation and boost to the local economy. Geely's ambition London Taxi Company is the manufacturer of the iconic to put iconic London taxis in all major cities in the world require London Black Cabs. Coventry has been the home of the lots of innovation in emission technology and globalising the London taxi experience. The current technology is not suitable The Chinese state extended its support to fund Geely's for bigger cities due to high emission, less fuel efficiency and oversees ambitions. China EXIM bank is offering a 20 billion bulky weight. The company has pledged to invest a further £80 yuan credit line to Geely. This is exciting news for privately million in research and development of TX5 model with hybrid owned enterprises in China as favourable credit lines were engines. Hybrid and electric taxis are expected to roll out from mostly available for the state owned enterprises (SOEs) until the new factory in 2018. recently. This is an expected move from new Chinese leader- Western manufacturers are also developing strong manu- ship team under chronic overcapacity and mounting losses of facturing bases in China to tap the opportunities presented the State Owned Enterprises. by the increasing purchasing powers of Chinese people. Geely's ownership of London Taxi Company is an ex- Competition from foreign manufacturer, cost pressures due ample of multinational corporations (MNCs) from emerging to stringent regulatory requirements at home and volatility in economies acquisition in the industrial hearts of developed some export markets are some of the current challenges for countries. This is a fairly new phenomenon in international Geely. The management is searching for new opportunities to business which becoming more and more common with grow- overcome these challenges. ing powers of emerging economies.

. Managing Employee Benefits: Cutting Benefits at Generals Construction As Generals Construction moves into its tenth year, the company’s future is promising. The company has continued to grow and profit, but the CEO has asked company leaders to examine expenses to ensure that the company is financially stable going forward. As the Director of Human Resources, Jane Smith is examining opportunities to cut employeerelated expenses while maintaining employee satisfaction and morale. However, Director of Finance Ann Lane is pushing some cost-cutting measures that Jane thinks may have a negative effect.

Generals Construction employs over 100 full-time construction workers and about 40 other workers that include construction supervisors, office staff, and management. Right now, all employees receive the same basic employee-benefits package, which includes a health insurance plan fully paid by the company and a generous vacation allowance. After 30 days of employment, all employees can enroll in the health plan and receive coverage for themselves and their families, and the company pays the full premium. New hires receive 5 vacation days, employees with one year of service receive 10 vacation days, and employees with three years of service receive 15 days. Finally, the company also provides a modest retirement plan benefit. The benefit offerings were determined when the company was started, before Jane joined the company. At the time, the CEO needed to hire nearly 50 workers in a short period of time to fulfill a new contract, and the attractiveness of the health insurance and vacation benefits in particular were instrumental in meeting the company’s recruitment goals. Ann suggests that the company make some significant changes to the benefits offerings in order to stabilize company finances for the future. While Jane agrees that the benefits that the company offers are fairly generous compared to those of competitors, she does not think the cuts Ann is suggesting are a good idea for the company. First, Ann wants some dramatic changes to the health insurance plan. Ann thinks the employees should bear more of the cost of the health insurance plan, including asking the employees to pay at least half of the cost of the premiums for individual coverage and the full premiums for family coverage. This shift would result in an increase of several hundred dollars in deductions from the biweekly pay of many employees. Ann also suggests a cut in the number of vacation days, but only for the construction workers. She thinks construction workers should receive 5 vacation days after one year and 10 vacation days after three years of service. However, she states that these cuts are not necessary for other workers, including the supervisors, office workers, and management. She argues that the vacation time for the construction workers is costing the company too much money because they must pay overtime and hire temporary workers to cover the absences. She notes that when others are absent, the same coverage is not required, and thus, it won’t cost the company anything to keep the same vacation allowance. While Jane understands that some reduction in employee benefits expenses is needed, she is concerned that the cuts Ann is recommending are too drastic and may be perceived as unfair. While she knows the employees will understand that they may have to contribute to their health insurance premium eventually, she thinks that the changes Ann is proposing are too much of a change at one time. Further, Jane has serious concerns with offering different vacation allowances for the front-line construction workers and the other employees. As she prepares to meet with the CEO to discuss reducing expenses, she needs to consider her response to Ann’s recommendations.

1. Does Jane have a valid concern?

2. What kind of changes could the company make to benefits to address Jane’s concerns?

Cases: Case 5-1 FedEx Corporation

Federal Express Corporation, now known as FedEx, was started in 1971 by Frederick W. Smith, an entrepreneur who recognized the need for a company that could deliver documents overnight. The company is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and it maintains a workforce of more than 290,000. The company provides transportation, e-commerce, and business services in more than 220 countries through a portfolio of businesses including FedEx Express, TNT Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services. FedEx’s main competitors include UPS and DHL along with various smaller, local delivery providers. The company is known for being a great place to work at, as it has frequently made Fortune magazine’s list of the Best Companies to Work For. It accomplishes this through the use of annual employee surveys (The Survey Feedback Action Program), evaluations of leadership potential (The Leadership Evaluation and Awareness Program), and a Reward and Recognition Program (e.g., Golden Falcon and Bravo Zulu! Awards).

The mission of the company is as follows:

FedEx Corporation will produce superior financial returns for its shareowners by providing high value-added logistics, transportation and related business services through focused operating companies. Customer requirements will be met in the highest quality manner appropriate to each market segment served. FedEx will strive to develop mutually rewarding relationships with its team members, partners and suppliers. Safety will be the first consideration in all operations. Corporate activities will be conducted to the highest ethical and professional standards.

The company’s strategic objectives are to:

• Achieve 10%-plus operating margin
• Increase EPS 10% to 15% per year
• Grow profitable revenue
• Improve cash flows
• Increase ROIC
• Increase returns to shareowners

In terms of corporate strategies, FedEx focuses on growth in the following areas:

• Grow internationally
• Grow our supply chain capabilities
• Grow through e-commerce and technology
• Grow through new services and alliances

One core competency for the company is its ability to use the planning process to support continuous improvement and innovation in all aspects of its operations. Technology has been a major focus of the company’s planning efforts. This has resulted in a variety of industry-leading innovations, including the first automated customer service center that includes the COSMOS (Customer Operations Service Master Online System), real-time package tracking, and the Command and Control satellite-to-ground-level operations system that enables the company to deliver packages based on the fastest and safest routes possible. It manages the interface between more than 750 customer service stations and 500 air traffic and traffic hubs around the world. This enables the company to coordinate inbound and outbound aircraft and thousands of delivery vehicles to ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of packages to their destinations. Other examples of how FedEx’s superior operational planning process has led to the creation of innovative technological solutions include the SuperTracker devices that are used by drivers to track and retain detailed information about all packages and the APEC Tariff Database that is used to expedite global delivery of packages through the creation of an integrated information source for the specific tariff and customs requirements of most countries.

Discussion Questions

1. How does FedEx engage in both strategic and operational planning?

2. Conduct a SWOT analysis of FedEx. Based on this analysis, what can you conclude about the company?

3. What is FedEx’s competitive advantage?
4. What are the human resources functional strategies used at FedEx?
5. Do you think it is beneficial for organizations to engage in a strategic planning process? Why or why not?
6. Think about a student organization you have been involved with or a part-time job or internship you have held. Did this organization have a competitive advantage? If so, what was it?

Please Use your keyboard (Don't use handwriting)

MGT211

I need new and unique answers, please. (Use your own words, don't copy and paste)

THE RELUCTANT WORKERS

Tim Aston had changed employers three months ago. His new position was project manager.

At first he had stars in his eyes about becoming the best project manager that his company had ever seen. Now, he wasn’t sure if project management was worth the effort. He made an appointment to see Phil Davies, director of project management.

Tim Aston: “Phil, I’m a little unhappy about the way things are going. I just can’t seem to motivate my people. Every day, at 4:30 P.M., all of my people clean off their desks and go home. I’ve had people walk out of late afternoon team meetings because they were afraid that they’d miss their car pool. I have to schedule morning team meetings.”

Phil Davies: “Look, Tim. You’re going to have to realize that in a project environment, people think that they come first and that the project is second. This is a way of life in our organizational form.”

Tim Aston: “I’ve continually asked my people to come to me if they have problems. I find that the people do not think that they need help and, therefore, do not want it. I just can’t get my people to communicate more.”

Phil Davies: “The average age of our employees is about forty-six. Most of our people have been here for twenty years. They’re set in their ways. You’re the first person that we’ve hired in the past three years. Some of our people may just resent seeing a thirty-year-old project manager.”

Tim Aston: “I found one guy in the accounting department who has an excellent head on his shoulders. He’s very interested in project management. I asked his boss if he’d release him for a position in project management, and his boss just laughed at me, saying something to the effect that as long as that guy is doing a good job for him, he’ll never be released for an assignment elsewhere in the company. His boss seems more worried about his personal empire than he does in what’s best for the company.

“We had a test scheduled for last week. The customer’s top management was planning on flying in for firsthand observations. Two of my people said that they had programmed vacation days coming, and that they would not change, under any conditions. One guy was going fishing and the other guy was planning to spend a few days working with fatherless children in our community. Surely, these guys could change their plans for the test.”

Phil Davies: “Many of our people have social responsibilities and outside interests. We encourage social responsibilities and only hope that the outside interests do not interfere with their jobs.

“There’s one thing you should understand about our people. With an average age of fortysix, many of our people are at the top of their pay grades and have no place to go. They must look elsewhere for interests. These are the people you have to work with and motivate. Perhaps you should do some reading on human behavior.

1. “Employees are not showing interest in meetings and discussion”. Why do you think such culture exists in the company? Share your views.
2. What are the challenges Tim is facing to execute his project. Explain.
3. “Motivation is a key to change”- what according to you should be Tim’s approach towards employees.
4. What is Work, Life balance? What role does it play in day-to-day life of an employee?

QUESTION 14

Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy is a condition that leads to blindness. It results due to a lack of chemical energy (ATP) in certain cells of the eye. Based on your knowledge, the organelle responsible for this disease is the _______________.

	A.	cell membrane
	B.	mitochondria
	C.	ribosome
	D.	cytoplasm

  

QUESTION 15

A man has a sister and a mother with albinism, an autosomal recessive disorder. The man (who is not ablino) has a child with a homozygous dominant (normal) woman. The chance that their child does NOT have the disease is _________.

	A.	0%
	B.	25%
	C.	50%
	D.	75%
	E.	100%

  

QUESTION 16

If an individual expresses a dominant disease, which of the following is true?

		All of his children will always inherit the disease.
		He will pass this disease to all of his daughters.
		There is at least a 50% probability that his children will inherit the disease.
		There is a 100% possibility that his sons will inherit this disease.

  

QUESTION 17

Freckling is a dominant characteristic. Which of the following crosses can produce individuals that exhibit a recessive phenotype?

	A.	Ff X FF
	B.	FF X ff
	C.	FF X Ff
	D.	Ff X Ff

  

QUESTION 18

If a true-breeding tall pea plant is crossed with a tall pea plant of unknown parentage. Which of the following is correct?

		All of the offspring (F1) will be short.
		Over several generations, no short individuals will appear.
		Some short individuals may appear in the F2 generation.
		Some of the F1 generation will be short.

  

QUESTION 19

If a heterozygous dominant tall pea plant is crossed with a short pea plant, what is the expected phenotypic ratio of tall:short plants?

		1:1
		1:2
		3:1
		all tall

  

QUESTION 20

Some cats are white, which is a dominant trait (W allele). Other cats are not white (they can be any other color). This is recessive. Which of the following is a black cat?

	A.	B-
	B.	BW
	C.	ww
	D.	W-

  

QUESTION 21

Morgan buys a male python from a snake dealer who tells him that the snake carries the albino allele. What is the most effective way for Morgan verify this statement?

		Breed the snake with a heterozygous female.
		Breed the snake with a homozygous normal female.
		Breed the snake with a female sibling.
		Breed the snake with a homozygous recessive albino female.

  

QUESTION 22

In a monohybrid cross, how many traits are examined?

		1
		2
		3
		4

  

QUESTION 23

In a one-trait test cross, the phenotype that disappears in the F1 generation is the -

		dominant trait.
		negative trait.
		recessive trait.
		heterozygote.

  

QUESTION 24

Allele is defined as _________________.

	A.	a recessive trait
	B.	a dominant trait
	C.	an alternate form of a gene
	D.	two genes that have identical traits

  

QUESTION 25

A cow with black and white patches is produced from a white bull and a black cow. This is an example of -

		incomplete dominance.
		codominance.
		dominance/recessive trait.
		polygenic.

  

QUESTION 26

Recessive phenotypes are "recessive" because ____________________.

	A.	people with these traits are easily dominated by other people
	B.	"recessive" refers to the fact that a lower case letter is used to represent the allele
	C.	an individual must possess two recessive alleles to exhibit the recessive phenotype
	D.	the allele is deeply recessed within the gene on the chromosome

  

QUESTION 27

Sickle cell disease is caused by a single mutation in the DNA of a particular gene. A person with this disease has red blood cells that lose their original donut shape and form a sickle shape. People with this disorder suffer from low energy levels, blood clots, and strokes. This is an example of -

		a multifactorial trait.
		polygenic inheritance.
		pleiotropy.
		codominance.

  

QUESTION 28

If both parents express a particular trait, but their child does not, what does this indicate about the trait?

		The trait is sex-linked dominant.
		The trait is sex-linked recessive.
		The trait is an autosomal recessive trait.
		The trait is an autosomal dominant trait.

  

QUESTION 29

A male is always homozygous for a trait that is -

		codominant.
		X-linked.
		autosomal.
		dominant.

  

QUESTION 30

Polydactyly (many digits) is a dominant condition. A person who has the genotype Pp will exhibit __________.

	A.	no fingers
	B.	5 fingers on each hand
	C.	2.5 fingers on each hand
	D.	more than 5 fingers on a hand

  

QUESTION 31

"Phenotype" is another word for _____________.

	A.	appearance
	B.	behavior
	C.	DNA
	D.	allele

  

QUESTION 32

A small segment of DNA that contains the specific code for a specific trait is known as a(n) _____________.

	A.	organism
	B.	genotype
	C.	chromosome
	D.	gene

  

QUESTION 33

Which of the following would not be a viable (alive) offspring?

	A.	XO
	B.	YO
	C.	XXY
	D.	A and B

  

QUESTION 34

Which of the following human syndromes is a monosomy?

	A.	Turner syndrome
	B.	Klinefelter syndrome
	C.	Down syndrome
	D.	Swyer syndrome

  

QUESTION 35

A genetic profile includes -

		the location of all known genes in the human genome.
		the entire base sequence of an individual's genome.
		all of an individual's normal genes.
		an individual's complete genotype, including mutations.

  

QUESTION 36

Preimplantation diagnosis is performed on _______________.

	A.	a sperm or egg from a person with fertility problems
	B.	a woman before she attempts pregnancy
	C.	a fetus, prior to birth
	D.	an early , 8 celled, embryo

  

QUESTION 37

In hemoglobin, the shift from glutamic acid to valine is considered what type of mutation?

		point mutation
		frameshift mutation
		deletion
		duplication

  

QUESTION 38

The technique of ultrasound provides a picture of the _____________________.

	A.	genes
	B.	mother
	C.	chromosomes
	D.	fetus

  

QUESTION 39

Inversions are chromosomal mutations that -

		always result in a syndrome.
		neither increase nor decrease the amount of genetic material in the cell.
		result from duplication of a portion of a chromosome.
		never disrupt gene regulation or cause physical abnormalities.

  

QUESTION 40

Which of the following syndromes is caused by a translocation?

	A.	Turner syndrome
	B.	Cri-du-chat syndrome
	C.	Down syndrome
	D.	Alagille syndrome

  

QUESTION 41

A tube placed through the female sex organ into the uterus to obtain a small sample of tissue is characteristic of ______________________.

	A.	chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
	B.	embryonic stem cell analysis
	C.	amniocentesis
	D.	genetic counseling

  

QUESTION 42

The sperm and egg of alligators contain 16 chromosomes each. A fertilized egg that will develop into a baby alligator contains _________________.

	A.	16 chromosomes
	B.	32 total chromosomes
	C.	8 homologous chromosomes
	D.	64 chromosomes

  

QUESTION 43

A parent has a deletion on one homologue of a pair of chromosomes. What is the probability of this individual's child carrying the same deletion?

		0%
		25%
		50%
		75%

  

QUESTION 44

A karyotype shows chromosomes arranged by -

		banding patterns, size, and shape.
		shape, size, and complexity.
		length, structure, and color.
		color, width, and length.

  

QUESTION 45

What kinds of mutations can be revealed through ultrasound?

		Some chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome and Edwards syndrome, and a few other known inherited disorders
		The genetic profile, including any mutant gene alleles the fetus may have.
		All chromosomal mutations, including deletions, duplications, inversions, and translocations.
		Only larger chromosomal mutations, such as the large deletion seen in individuals with cri du chat syndrome.

  

QUESTION 46

A person without a Y chromosome is always:

	A.	not able to be born (miscarried)
	B.	an abnormal male
	C.	a person with 45 ½ chromosomes
	D.	a female

  

QUESTION 47

A translocation chromosomal mutation is the exchange of segments between two homologous chromosomes.

True

False

  

QUESTION 48

A missing piece of chromosome 5 may result in a child whose glottis and larynx do not develop properly resulting in an abnormal cry. This is called -

		inv dup 15 syndrome.
		Klinefelter syndrome.
		Huntington syndrome.
		Cri du chat syndrome.

  

QUESTION 49

Chromosome number 1 is the ____________________.

	A.	most important chromosome
	B.	most of mutated chromosome
	C.	longest chromosome
	D.	only chromosome that is not paired

  

QUESTION 50

Chorionic villus sampling carries less risk of causing miscarriage than amniocentesis.

	A.	True
	B.	False

Below is the extract of a research

Qualitative Design

The philosophical underpinnings of qualitative studies include perspectives of phenomena and a consideration for multiple realities held by different individuals (Munhall, 2010). The outcomes of qualitative research rely heavily on the information provided by those with subject experience related to the study (the participants), providing data through first- person narratives (Munhall, 2010). The acquisition of contextualized, multi-faceted descriptions enrich the understanding of a phenomenon (Holloway & Wheeler, 2010). In contrast, a quantitative study focuses on collecting numerical data to validate hypotheses and draw generalizations (Maltby Williams, McGarry, & Day, 2013).

Phenomenology is based on the idea that understanding a phenomenon is attainable through the subjective perceptions of people who underwent the experience being studied (Flood, 2010). Phenomenological studies emphasize that the person is fundamental to the environment; therefore, researchers must focus on individual perceptions (Flood, 2010; James, Cottle, & Hodge, 2010). The purpose of phenomenological research is often to describe the participants’ experiences with the phenomena, the interpretations of these experiences, and the meaning of those experiences to the participants (Sissolak, Marais, & Mehtar, 2011). This study investigated the phenomenon of elderly patients’ perceptions of pain 48 hours after undergoing ORIF surgery.

The study used a qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach to explore the following two research questions: (a) What are the perceptions of pain and pain management of patients between 65 and 75 years of age 48 hours after ORIF surgery? (b) What are the perceptions of adaptation for patients between 65 and 75 years of age after ORIF surgery?Husserl’s (1970) descriptive approach was selected because it used knowledge development that could effectively achieve the objectives of this inquiry and supplement what was already known regarding the phenomenon under investigation. The philosophical underpinnings of qualitative studies include perspectives of phenomena and a consideration for the multiple realities held by different individuals (Munhall, 2010).

Data Collection and Instrumentation

The study integrated a pilot study into the methodology, which explored one research question: What are the perceptions of pain and adaptation of patients 65 and 75 years of age after open reduction and internal fixation surgery? The pilot study was conducted with four patients, who answered 11 interview questions. Results of the pilot study were used to validate the appropriateness of the research questions.

Before conducting any data collection procedures, a letter of cooperation was received from the hospital prior to seeking Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals from the University of Phoenix and the hospital. This facilitated the appropriate access to hospital records to identify the patients who had ORIF surgery within the specified period of the study. I sought self and peer monitoring to adhere to HIPPA laws. No participant information was left unattended and all documents pertaining to the study were confidential. Once IRB from the University of Phoenix and the hospital were approved, data collection started with recruiting participants for the study. An introductory and recruitment letter was sent to the patients and the orthopedic surgeons asking for assistance in finding candidates who were suitable for the study. Information on patients who had ORIF was obtained from the patients' charts. The patients consented to disclosing their identities and surgeries to a researcher. The participants were approached after their procedures, and informed consent and interviews were scheduled at the patient’s convenience. No patient was asked to sign an informed consent or beinterviewed while under the influence of pain medication.

Data collection was conducted as a one-on-one recorded personal interview and was facilitated by a semi-structured interview guide composed of ten open-ended questions, which made up the Pain Perception Interview Questions (PPIQ). A closing semi-structured question ("Do you have anything else to add?") was added to facilitate further information gathering or clarification. Interviews were one hour long and took place in the participant’s room. Questions focused on the perceptions of pain and pain management 48 hours after ORIF surgery and adaptation after ORIF as narrated in participants’ own words.

Population and Sampling

Prior to data collection, each participant reviewed and signed a consent form and received information about the reasons for the study. Before the start of each interview, participants were made aware that they could discontinue the interview if they experienced pain and if their healthcare provider entered the room. One of the most important responsibilities of a researcher of human subjects is to ensure informed consent of any participants. Research cannot be undertaken without this consent. Informed consent gave the researcher permission to delve into private areas of a human subject’s life and enter a person’s emotional, physiological, intellectual, or other very intimate arena that must be protected. I transcribed all information obtained from the participants and I was the sole individual with access to the participant information. At the conclusion of the study, all information, including audio recordings and field notes, were locked in an encrypted secure electronic database.

A total of 12 participants was recruited from a community primary care hospital that conducted an average of 12 ORIF surgeries monthly. Ten participants met the study’s inclusion criteria: (a) age between 65 and 75 years; (b) have undergone ORIF surgery in the past 48 hours, (c) speak and understand English fully; and (d) should not exhibit any form of mental illnesses. The concepts of diminishing returns and saturation in qualitative studies were considered when determining the sample size for the study.

Data Analysis

The use of NVivo 10.0 (QSR International) to process the data collected from the interviews enhanced categorizing statements and emerging themes. The modified Van Kaam (1969) method, based on Husserl’s (1970, 2012) philosophy, was used to analyze the data collected. Van Kaam’s method requires that intersubjective agreement be reached with other expert judges. Roy’s four modes of adaptation -- physical, self-concept, role function, and interdependence -- were used to determine adaptation responses (AR) and ineffective responses (IR) of participants based on responses to the PPIQ. Van Kaam’s (1969) approach in the phenomenological generation and analysis of data has been frequently utilized by nurse researchers because of its rigor in accomplishing accurate results from studies.

Using Moustakas' (1994) seven-step approach in conjunction with the NVivo© 10 software, participants were interviewed, and textual datum collected and analyzed to discern themes that developed from the data. Additionally, a descriptive analysis was conducted regarding the differences between the participants’ responses. Analysis involved comparing the invariant constituents that was revealed within the main themes.

The coding process utilized the NVivo© 10 software that has the capability to list the key words and phrases emerging from the transcripts of the participants. For instance, key words identified in interview question one was (a) personal, (b) different, and (c) self. This list of words and phrases guided me to identify specific codes that were then re-uploaded in NVivo© 10 for code grouping. For instance, the key word “personal” was identified as “differences of pain.” The grouped codes served as the basis for determining the themes. These themes were refined from the coded text to reflect the themes critical to the central question.

The preliminary grouping was coded by the following: (a) experiences of pain, (b) perceptions of pain, (c) failure of pain management, (d) understanding pain management options, (e) involvement mechanism in pain management, (f) factors affecting caregiver interaction, (g) meanings of adaptation, and (h) recommendations of pain management. These groupings were then utilized to understand the lived experiences of elderly concerning pain management.

Question:

a) Please illustrate the methodology used in this qualitative study

b) Describe the application of the methodology stated above in qualitative research study

Read the article below and complete the task at hand.

LISTERIOSIS OUTBREAK IN SOUTH AFRICA In March 2018, Tiger Brands suspended operations at its factories in Polokwane, Germiston and Pretoria, which the department of health had linked to the listeriosis outbreak and had claimed over 200 lives in South Africa, and infected over 1,000 others, mostly pregnant women, children, the elderly and people with chronic health conditions fell ill because of the infection. Tiger Brands was thrown into the centre of the listeriosis storm after South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases announced that its investigation had traced the origins of the disease to one of the company’s biggest meat processing plants. The culprit was identified as polony from the Enterprise Foods facility that produced a range of cold meats. Tiger Brands, a $2.5-billion Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed business, owns Enterprise Foods among another continent-wide popular food brands. South Africa has been struggling with the listeriosis outbreak for 14 months. Unable to find the source of the affected products, the outbreak developed into the worst case of listeriosis in the world. By the end of February 2018, health authorities had confirmed 948 cases with 180 fatalities. The repercussion was always going to be unforgiving. But Tiger Brands did not help the situation. It overlooked a number of the accepted protocols of handling a crisis of this nature. As a result, the company’s brand equity took a serious strain. The SA government decisively responded to stop the outbreak of Listeriosis. All manufacturers were instructed to recall processed, ready-to-eat meat products; exports of such products were suspended; the public was advised to avoid all processed, ready-to-eat meat products; the products were isolated, returned to the stores for a refund and thorough cleaning was carried out both at the stores and at home where they were kept. This intervention was welcomed by all, but more decisive measures were required. Tiger Brands recalled all products across the country. At the time, it projected that the recall would cost it as much as R377 million. The costs excluded ongoing trading losses and were calculated on the assumption that the facilities would be reopened by 30 September 2018. All frozen stock tested proved negative for Listeria monocytogenes. The remaining carrying value of frozen stock exposed to potential future write-offs is R80 million. All other stock of product, raw materials, packaging and ingredients, which were expected to be utilised following a recommencement of operations amounted to R103 million at 31 March 2018. In March, the group warned that the monthly impact of a complete cessation in production equals an ‘adverse movement’ of approximately R50 million at earnings, before interest and tax level relative to the existing earnings base. Tiger Brands published its interim financial results for the six months ended March 2018, showing what effect the devastating listeriosis outbreak had on its bottom line. The group recorded a 4% decline in revenue for the period to R15.7 billion (from R16.4 billion before) while operating income (before impairments and ‘abnormal items’) declined 8% to R2 billion. The recall associated with its value-added meat processing (VAMP) amounted to R415 million but balanced at R363 million, net of the R50 million insurance claim, and R2 million in profit from the disposal of related property. HEPS was down 16% to 868 cents, while an interim dividend was declared at 378cps. “With the exception of VAMP, the group’s core domestic food businesses delivered a steady performance in the six-month period ended 31 March 2018, notwithstanding intense competition and ongoing pressure on pricing as consumers continually search for value,” the group said. However, the R363 million blow was certainly felt, with a further R183 million hanging in the balance as tests for Listeria continue on remaining stock. Tiger Brands faced serious brand erosion as a result of the way it had handled the unfolding crisis. It could have responded better, by being more rapid in its responses. The company only held a media briefing a day after the minister’s announcement of listeriosis.However, the Tiger Brands noted with concern the media statement released by the Department of Health and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) on 4 March 2018, which essentially concluded that the present outbreak was traced to a food production facility in Polokwane whilst raising further concerns about a facility in Germiston. They claimed media released was devoid of detail and this lack of details resulted in misinformation which was not only detrimental to the consumer, but also the South African Red Meat Industry. In this regard, the average consumer was being led into a Listeria hysteria which had unfortunate consequences for families who relied on processed meat as their source of protein. At the outset, Tiger Brands pointed out that food safety remained at the heart of their business and assured the consumer that everything possible is being done with the utmost urgency to ensure that consumer’s personal health and well-being were protected not only as a matter of routine but with increased vigilance. The outbreak emphasized the responsibility of the Tiger Brands together with other food industries to provide for proper and improved hygiene during the production, processing, packing and preparation of red meat and red meat products. However, according to Tiger Brands, during the processing of livestock to meat at the abattoir, particular attention is given to slaughter procedures, personal hygiene and sterilization of equipment to minimize bacterial contamination during this process. Furthermore, meat inspection of each animal and carcass ensure the health of the animal and removal of any possible contamination that might have occurred. Microbiological testing of water, product, contact surfaces and hands is a prerequisite at a registered abattoir in terms of the Meat Safety Act, 2000 and supporting regulations. Whilst Tiger Brands was responsible for producing food that was safe for human consumption, it was also the responsibility of consumers not to content themselves, that the only contamination can come from the facilities implicated, but to adopt basic hygienic practices when buying, transporting food home, preparing and storing food to protect their health and to ensure that cross-contamination does not occur between cooked and raw products or from human hands and equipment. Listeria presents a particular concern with respect to food handling because it can multiply at refrigerator temperatures. It is therefore imperative that consumers ensure that the meat they purchase is sourced only from registered abattoirs that have an Independent Meat Inspection Service and that once purchased the cold chain is maintained at all times; as well as to avoid eating raw or undercooked meat products. The SACP called on the government to hold Tiger Brands accountable. They protested that heavy penalties must be imposed for the negligence that resulted in the failure to prevent the bacteria at Tiger Brands Enterprise Foods in Polokwane, in Gauteng and elsewhere at the monopoly’s facilities, and at other companies that failed to uphold food health and safety, Rainbow Chicken included. The union further requested that all workers at Tiger Brands’ Enterprise Foods must receive urgent priority for screening, paid for by the monopoly. The workers’ conditions of employment, including hours of work, must be looked into and be addressed.

TASK: “Unfortunately, the aforesaid media release is devoid of detail and this lack of detail has resulted in misinformation which is not detrimental to the consumer. In this regard, the average consumer is being a Listeria hysteria which is having unfortunate consequences for families who rely on processed meat as their source of protein.” Having been appointed as Marketing Manager of Tiger Brands, you are required to advise the board on the most appropriate brand crisis management and provide a revised marketing strategy going forward to restore confidence in the brand and prevent any further negative impact on the brand. You are required to research this incident and the company in detail. Your report should focus on the following issues:

1. Situation analysis: assess the current situation that Tiger Brands is facing

2. The impact the incident had on the brand

3. Tiger Brands’ positioning strategy before and after the incident and assess how this situation has affected the positioning of the brand in the mind of the consumers.

4. Public Relations steps and approach to be taken to diffuse the public outcry.

5. Revised Marketing strategy GOING FORWARD

Barcelona Restaurant Group is always trying to attract and retain only those employees who reinforce its service-oriented culture and provide top-quality customer service. The manager being interviewed in the video is constantly recruiting and hiring new employees and letting low performers and poor fits go. He also tries to provide job candidates with a realistic description of the company’s expectations to ensure that they know what they would be getting into if they took a job with the company.

Task: Read the “Barcelona” case below and then consider the following questions.

>> It's funny, when I got hired I had to define the philosophy. I figured the more I say it and the more I preach it and the more people I hire and tell that to, eventually that would happen. And I think we're getting there three years later. Human resources is one of the most important things we do in our business. You can't train people to be enthusiastic, nice, fun, great people. We have to hire that. And this is a transient business. So, people are constantly moving. So, the minute you stop looking you're actually sliding backwards. So, we're always hiring. And we're always firing. My name is Scott. I'm the COO for Barcelona Restaurant Group. I think in the three years I've worked here only one or two managers out of quite a few have quit. However, we've turned over probably 60 to 70% of management in the past three years. And that is because we were not afraid to let people go. We demand a certain level of quality. And we're continuously raising the bar on what our expectations are. And the other thing is this is a high burnout business. People burn out. Somebody who was great a year ago may not be great this year. You guys are famous for friendly service. I mean this is how you built the business. This is how you guys went from a losing restaurant to a restaurant that is making money that's in the game with everybody else. And I'm getting some signs. They did not feel welcome by D.J. They love Barcelona, but they said it just didn't feel like Barcelona to them.

>> That's what they perceived it to be. That is what it was. I'm not, I'm not denying that from any standpoint. I just saw him hustling and doing a really good --

>> Well, let's put it another way. D.J. can be good. Right now he's not. So, Yeah, so have somebody else there or make him real good, real fast.

>> If you think it's somebody who's got, you know, who has got the ability, happy in the kitchen, then you owe it to them to spend a night, two nights, three nights glued to them. Figure it out.

>> So, we got to just double our efforts. Does everybody have a Craigslist ad in right now for servers?

>> I need bussers. I just hired servers. I need bussers.

>> OK. We're always hiring. We're always, keep the ads running. That's our philosophy. We're always bringing in. We're always calling out the bottom 20%. There's always somebody better out there than our worst servers. I have an interview every day. I interview people every single day. You guys should be too. That's how you get better. You hire your way out of your problems because we can train people all day, but we can't find happy people with good attitudes. We can't train that into people. Either they are or they aren't. Human resources is the biggest thing we do. And I really think for any company that is involved in customer service it is the most important thing you can do is have the right people in front of your customers. You don't have to have the greatest resume in the world to make it into the interview. I'll have as many as four to six interviews a day. They last 20 minutes. I don't take a long interview. I don't take a long interview because I don't believe I get anything out of the actual conversation. I've hired too many people that I thought were amazing in an interview, and they ended up being a dud and vice versa. I do more talking than they do quite often in the interview because I am trying to just kind of get across the philosophy, who we are, what we're going to do, and I've got the spiel pretty well nailed now. But my process is a three-stage process. Interview them. Send them out on a shop. I send prospective management, whether I like them or not, even if I know I'm not going to hire them I still send them on the shop. And I give them $100 allowance and tell them to go out to the restaurants, one or two of the restaurants if possible and eat a few tapas, sit down, have a couple drinks, and write me an essay. It lets me see what is important to them within the restaurant because I think we, as professionals, in this industry cannot just go to a restaurant and not pay attention to what's going on whether, it drives my wife crazy, but I see everything. And I have to make a conscious choice not to get annoyed by it. So, I try to tap into that with our candidates. I also get a sense of their level of education, of their intelligence, of their ability to complete a task. There's a lot of other ancillary things that come out of that process, how long it takes them to do it, whether it's two weeks later, whether it's the next day, how excited they are. And I think they get something out of it too because sometimes these candidates come in blind. They don't know our restaurant group or, you know, they might be from New York. They might be from somewhere else, and they're driving in for the interview. So, this introduces them to the brand. So, they're learning about us at the same time. If it's a good shop, it doesn't have to be a great shop, if it's a good shop I'll go to the Stage 3, which is I want you to pretend like you've worked for us for six months, and I want to see who you are. I want to see you commanding the floor, making friends with the guests, talking to the staff. I want to see who you would be for me. If they do a good job on that, at that point we start talking about a job.

>> Would you pass your own test? Would you hire you?

>> That's a good question. I think I would. Well, I don't know. I don't know if I would have the floor presence that I demand out of my managers. I am not sure that I would be a great floor manager for Barcelona.

1. (a) How does the Barcelona Restaurant Group focus on fit?

     (b) What types of fit does Barcelona try to optimize when hiring?

    

2. (a) How does sending managerial candidates on a $100 “Shop” serve as an RJP?

     (b) Explain why you think this would or would not be effective in helping job candidates assess their fit with the Barcelona Restaurant Group.

3. (a) Besides the “Shop,” how else does Barcelona try to maximize employee fit?

     (b) What other suggestions do you have for the company to improve new hires’ fit with the job and organization?

Pathways out of Poverty: PROGRESA/OPORTUNIDADES The Mexican Program on Education, Health, and Nutrition is widely known by its Spanish acronym, Progresa, though officially renamed the Oportunidades Human Development Program. Progresa/ Oportunidades combats child labor and poor education and health by ensuring that parents can feed their children, take them to health clinics, and keep them in school while providing financial incentives to do so. Progresa/Oportunidades builds on the growing understanding that health, nutrition, and education are complements in the struggle to end poverty. The program features the promotion of an integrated package to promote the education, health, and nutrition status of poor families. It provides cash transfers to poor families, family clinic visits, in-kind nutritional supplements, and other health benefits for pregnant and lactating women and their children under the age of 5. Some of these benefits are provided conditionally on children’s regular school and health clinic attendance, and so programs of this kind are commonly called conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs. In effect, low-income parents are paid to send their children to school and clinics, and this is one of the recent tactics most widely believed by the donor and development community to be effective in sustainably reducing poverty. The benefits compensate parents for lost income or the lost value of work at home. Such payments work to increase school enrollments, attendance, progress through grades, other schooling outcomes, and nutrition and health. Before the program, Mexico operated a maze of inefficiently run food subsidy programs managed by as many as ten different ministries. These programs were very blunt instruments against poverty and often failed to reach the very poor. For example, the better-off urban poor benefited far more than the hard-to-reach but worse-off rural poor. There was no mechanism to ensure that food subsidies benefited vulnerable children in poor households. Nor was there any clear exit strategy for sustainably helping poor families stay out of poverty. Malnutrition remained common in poor rural (especially indigenous) families, and educational achievements and health gains had failed to reach the poor in the way they had benefited the better-off in Mexico. For economic reasons, many poor children had to work rather than go to school. But poor health and education as a child are major determinants of lifelong poverty. One solution has turned out to be Progresa/ Opportunidades, an innovative developing-country- designed integrated poverty program. Its major architect was Santiago Levy, a development economist who led the design and implementation of the program in the 1990s while serving as deputy minister of finance. Levy describes the program and its development, implementation, and evaluation in his excellent 2006 book, Progress against Poverty. From its inception in rural areas in August 1997, the Progresa program had grown to cover some 5 million rural and urban households by 2007. It has been estimated that more than 21 million people benefit—approximately one-fifth of the Mexican population—in over 75,000 localities. In 2002, the program distributed 857 million doses of nutrition supplements and covered 2.4 million medical checkups. Over 4.5 million “scholarships” were provided to schoolchildren. By the end of 2005, the program had covered 5 million families, which contained almost one-quarter of the country’s population and most people living in extreme poverty. Progresa/Oportunidades affects child nutrition through four program components, called pathways: cash transfers, which may be used in part for improved nutrition; nutritional supplements given to all participating children under 2, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and children between the ages of 2 and 5 who show signs of malnutrition; growth monitoring, which provides feedback to parents; and other preventive measures, including re- quired participation in regular meetings where vital information about hygiene and nutrition is taught. Participating families receive school program payments every other month. In addition, families receive grants for school supplies and food subsidies, on the proviso that they get regular public health care for the children, including medical checkups and immunizations. Payments are generally provided through the mother, because evidence shows that mothers use more of their available funds in support of the children’s wellbeing than fathers do. The payments are supplied via a bank card, directly from the federal government and not through intermediaries, reducing chances of corruption, and mothers are taught how and where to cash in their payments. Program payments are conditional on children in grades three through nine attending school regularly. In developing countries such as Mexico, children are often enrolled in school but do not attend for long. The payments increase as the child in- creases in grade level. This gives an incentive to keep children in school longer and helps the children continue into higher grades. Initially, parents of a third grader received a little over $10 per month; parents of girls in ninth grade got over $35 per month. This was close to two-thirds of the in- come the children would receive as laborers. The overall result was to break the trade-off that parents face between higher consumption for the family to- day and the higher future consumption possible when the child has completed school. Families of girls also receive slightly higher payments than boys, partly because girls are more likely to drop out, while the social benefits of keeping girls in school are well known from development economics research to be very high. Provided that the school and health checkup conditions are met, the families, not the government, decide how to best spend these extra resources. Levy estimates that the average family participating in the program receives about $35 per month in combined cash and in-kind transfers, which is about 25% of average poor rural family income without the program. The program is also more effective than standard alternatives. For example, evidence shows that Progresa/Oportunidades has a larger impact on enrollment and performance per dollar spent than building new schools. The budget for even the much-expanded Progresa/Oportunidades program in 2005 was still some $2.8 billion—modest, even in Mexico’s economy. This represented less than 0.4% of gross national income. Only Mexico’s pension (social security) scheme is a larger social program. Progresa/Oportunidades is also organizationally efficient, with operating expenses of only about 6% of total outlays. This it owes in part to the direct provision of cash grants via bank cards to the beneficiaries, bypassing the sometimes ineffective and potentially corrupt administrative bureaucracy. Fully 82% goes to the direct cash transfers and the remaining 12% to nutritional supplements and other inkind transfers. Some additional costs for provision of health care and schooling are borne by the Mexican health and education ministries. However, Progresa/Oportunidades is lauded not so much as for its modest cost as for the fact that it works. It has been subject to one of the most rigorous randomized trials of any public poverty program in the world. The Washington-based Inter- national Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), with many affiliated researchers, has intensively studied the program, using a variety of methods. The most convincing evidence comes from the way the program was initially rolled out. Only some communities were to take part in the program at first, before it reached full scale, and the order in which initially targeted communities were included was randomized. Data were collected from both initially included and excluded families, so that the impact of the program could be studied independently of the many possible confounding factors that can otherwise distort the results of an evaluation. Participants in these rigorous studies have included some of the world’s leading development micro- economists. Evaluations of Progresa/Oportunidades indicate that its integrated approach has been highly successful, with large improvements in the well-being of participants. Malnutrition has measurably declined; family use of health care, including prenatal care, has increased, and child health indicators have improved; school attendance is up significantly, and the dropout rate has declined substantially, especially in the so-called transition grades six through nine, when children either get launched to- ward high school or drop out. In general terms, the research showed that Progresa/Oportunidades in- creased by some 20% the number of children who stay in school rather than drop out just before high school. Child labor decreased by about 15%. At first, there were some concerns that adults might work less when receiving the transfers, but the evidence is that no work reduction has occurred. Several of the most statistically reliable studies and their research methods and findings are reviewed in Emmanuel Skoufias’s 2005 IFPRI report, PROGRESA and Its Impacts on the Welfare of Rural Households in Mexico. Other key research reports are listed among the sources at the end of this case study. The lessons of Progresa/Oportunidades are spreading throughout Latin America and some of its features are also found in the Bolsa-Familia pro- gram in Brazil, Familias por la Inclusión Social in Argentina, Chile Solidario, Familias en Acción in Colombia, Superemonos in Costa Rica, Bono de Desarrollo Humano in Ecuador, Programa de Asignación Familiar in Honduras, Programa de Avance Mediante la Saludy la Educación in Nicaragua, Red de Oportunidades in Panama, and Proyecto 300 in Uruguay. By 2010, Progresa had been replicated in whole or in part in 29 countries. Although the cost of a CCT program like Progresa/Oportunidades may be manageable in middle- to upper-middle-income countries, in low-income countries, outside financial assistance is needed, both for the payments them- selves and to increase the number (and quality) of clinics and schools to be availed of in the pro- gram. Poverty reduction still requires complementary improvements, such as better roads to poor areas, public health investments, and local empowerment. The will to replace poorly per- forming but politically expedient programs with more effective ones is necessary. Administrative infrastructure may be a major challenge and disbursing funds to beneficiaries electronically can prove problematic. But CCT pilot or larger-scale programs have been launched in recent years in several African countries including Nigeria, Malawi, and Mali. In conclusion, CCT programs focusing on improving health, nutrition, and education are a key component of a successful policy to end poverty— although in most cases, they will need to be part of a broader strategy to be fully effective. In Mexico, as in other countries, the broader package includes development of infrastructure so the poor can get their products to market and get access to safe water and electricity But by building the human capital of the poor, the program provides the essential foundation for the poor to increase their capabilities and take advantage of opportunities as the economy grows. It thereby also enhances the prospects for Mexico’s own growth and development. In sum, the Progresa/Oportunidades program is a model of success in many ways. The rigorous program evaluations show that it has a substantial effect on human welfare. It was designed and implemented in the developing world with close attention to local circumstances while making constructive use of what has been learned in Development Economics. It placed the crucial complementarities between education, health, and nutrition at the center of the program design while paying close attention to the need for appropriate incentives for beneficiaries. Finally, its method of cash transfer and the move away from cumbersome and nontransparent in-kind transfer programs placed constraints on possible bureaucratic inefficiency as well as official corruption. Progresa/Oportunidades thus offers a model for providing health and educational progress for poor families and opportunities for their permanent escape from poverty.

Questions:

a) Critically evaluate the poverty alleviation programme of Mexico in the context of its role in economic development

b) Analyze the relation between poverty and development under conceptual framework through suitable examples.

In detail anwere please

its for 20 marks

NO HAND WRITTEN ANSWER PLEASE