How Diversity of Faith is Effectively Used in Nursing Care Essay Example for Free

How Diversity of Faith is Effectively Used in Nursing Care Essay Even though medical healing is mainly based upon scientific beliefs, one cannot discount the effect of religious beliefs in the healing of a patient. For many people with a strong religious conviction, the simple belief in the power of prayer is enough to create signs of healing even in the most critical of patients. Even though the effects of prayer are undocumented, there is a growing belief among many that faith plays a significant role in healing a patient when science has given him up for dead. In the medical field, nurses are slowly realizing that a diversity of faith among their patients has them in a bind. Not all nurses are religious, nor do they share the same religious traditions as the patient. In such instances, it is up to the nurse to find a middle ground where they can honor the religious beliefs of individual patients without losing sight of their own religion. Nursing is a highly technical occupation. This is why even though nurses realize that each patient has a spiritual need, the nurse may not always be trained to respond to it. So this job is usually relegated to the hospitals pastoral care workers even though nurses would be better placed to deliver such patient needs. It is not for a nurse to question the religious beliefs of her patients, but it is her job to insure that these beliefs are fully utilized in the process of helping a patient to heal both physically, mentally, and spiritually. Unfortunately, the nursing shortage in the country does not leave the nurses with much to connect on a personal basis with their patients. Patient care and comfort are forgone in lieu of time management and getting the job done. Though nurses have traditionally been viewed as both medical and spiritual healers because of the personal connection they have with their wards, the lack of time and instruction as to how to combine patient care and religion are sending our nurses off the original objectives of why they became nurses. Roberta Bube, RN, PHN currently works part time as nurse at the Marion Medical Center in Santa Maria, Calif. According to her interview in Nurseweek for the article You Gotta Have Fait, she realized that You have to address mind, body and spirit, I always found time to do it [in a hospital]. I did have to be cautious. Id have to do it quietly. Everybodys beliefs are different. So, how can a nurse integrate the religious aspect and its various differences in their daily dealings with their individual patients? Firstly, a nurse can typically start by incorporating the patients religious belief into her basic daily care routine for the patient. At the Saint Francis Medical Center in Santa Barbara, California, clinical coordinator Jan Ingram, RN, explains in the same article that Whether youre giving them a sponge bath or putting them on the commode, if youre really there with them-mindfully present-that is a spiritual action. Nurses have to realize that listening and communicating with their patient is of vital importance in helping a patient heal. This includes developing ways and means for the patient to be able to effectively practice their beliefs and be able to assist in the patients personal spiritual care. Once a nurse learns to approach a person holistically, the nurse will now be in a very good position to accept the various faiths of their patients and convert the same or varied belief amongst the patients she is in charge of. Secondly, the nurse must be willing to set aside her own personal spiritual beliefs and instead be open minded and willing to accept the faith of the patient while she is caring for him or her. A patient may request for a bible reading, a short prayer, or simply letting the patient talk with the nurse listening and prepared to reassure her at the end that God has not abandoned him or her. If need be, a nurse must not hesitate to accommodate a patients request to join him in a religious activity. Such activities tend to reassure a patient and keep him calm throughout the healing process. Lastly, it is highly imperative that nurses know and understand the religious beliefs of their patients as these beliefs can affect their medical decisions pertaining to procedures such as operations or end of life decisions. So, a nurse is encouraged to discuss and explore their patients religious beliefs if a patient is comfortable doing so with the nurse. This will allow a nurse to develop and gain the trust of the patient because the patient will be comfortable in the knowledge that the nurse in charge of her care understands her religious belief and will always respect its role in their lives. Such support systems between patient and nurse usually prove vital in the therapeutic alliance of the two parties. Â  It is also highly important that a nurse, even though not a devout practitioner of her religion, believes in God and knows how to pray. Even though a nurse is taught how to compartmentalize her feelings and not be affected by the events of the day at the hospital, one cannot help but be affected. There will be times in the course of performing her duty that she will call science into question and why it failed certain patients, or why it cannot seem to heal a patient who has no reason to be ill. During those situations, when science seems to fail her, the only thing she will find herself clinging to is her belief in god or her religion. It is this faith that she will take with her as she tries to heal her patient and help him cope with his medical situation. This will be the common denominator binding them. Faith in religion regardless of what the religion is commonly called. At the end of the day, nurses will have to learn to accept and integrate the diversified cultures and religious beliefs of their patients. The nurse will have to turn to her own personal faith for support as well. All of this because healing a patient is not all a matter of science. It is also a matter of spiritual belief in a Supreme Being who can heal us all of our aches and pains in any form or guise. Work Cited Hebert Randy S. ; Jenckes., Mollie W. ; Ford, Daniel E.; OConnor, Debra R. $ Cooper, Lisa A. (2001). Patient Perspectives on Spirituality and the Patient-Physician Relationship. Journal of Internal General Medicine. Retrieved May 25, 2007 from http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1495274 Hemilla, Donna. (2002). You Gotta Have Faith. Nurseweek. Retrieved May 20, 2007 from http://www.nurseweek.com/news/features/02-09/faith.asp Mitchell, Joyce Haroun, Lee. (2005). Healthcare. Singapore. Thomson Delmar. Wensley, Michelle. Spirituality in Nursing. Retrieved May 21, 2007 from http://www.ciap.health.nsw.gov.au/hospolic/stvincents/1995/a04.html

Hobsons Choice Essay Example for Free

Hobsons Choice Essay Again in this Act we see Willies potential when Maggie goes round to Hobsons to collect some old broken chairs she tells Vicky and Alice, Wills handy with his fingers. Hell put in this afternoon mending them. This shows that Willie has the ability do other things apart from just making boots, so this shows he is not just a simple boot maker that we think he is. He has the capability to use his hands to mend near enough anything. One of the main points of this act is the fact that Willie now accepts the marriage freely and he is not just marrying Maggie because he is scared of her, like he was at first. We know this as he says, Yes Maggie, Im resigned! Youre growing on me lass, and Ill toe the line with you! This is the second time in the play we see Willie make a decision for himself, but this decision is important as the rest of his life depends on this decision. This proves that Willie is a slightly stronger character but the marriage is still just a business proposition. Despite the fact that Willie is now able to make decisions for himself he is still a rather humble character as Vicky asks Willie if he has got the rings and Maggie replies, I have. Do you think I trust him to remember? This shows us Maggie still takes charge of everything and does not trust Willie to do anything. Act Three is set later the same day after the couple have got married and everybody is at Maggie and Willies for the after wedding party, apart from Hobson. Willie decided to make a speech this shows how much his reading has improved, although he is still in Maggies shadow as when Willie is making the speech Maggie has to correct him, generous she says when he forgets the word he is looking for. Also when he makes the speech Maggies family notices his development, as when Albert wants to make a speech Alice says, But youll not speak as well as he did. This just shows that Willie must have progressed if Alice has noticed, as they do not think that he is good enough to be in their family. After the speech Hobson comes round to their home to ask for Maggies advice, and with some help from Maggie, Willie is able to take control of the situation with Hobson. Willie puts Hobson in his place when he speaks the truth and tells him what he really thinks of him as he says, Im sorry if my well meant words dont suit your taste, but I thought you came here for advice But despite this Hobson still does not see why Maggie has chosen Willie for a husband, as he cannot see that Willie has changed and has much more strength in his character. After Willie offends Hobson, Hobson then goes on to offend Willie by saying, I didnt come to you, you jumped up cocka-hooping.. Again we see Willie as a weak character when Maggie has to step in and intervene, to defend her husband, Thatull do father. My husbands trying to help you. Again we see that he is still in Maggies shadow as she asks him to wash up, Willie, well need this table, when theyre gone. Youd better be clearing the pots away This shows he still does not stand up to Maggie all the time and he is still scared of her. This scene is also full of humour when Willie shows one of his remaining weaknesses the fact that he is still a virgin and he does not want to go to bed with Maggie so he does not want their guests to go home and even Freddie notices this and says, Hes afraid to be alone with her, This is important because in the end Maggie drags him to bed and in Victorian society woman were not supposed to enjoy a sexual relationship but still the roles in this absurd relationship are reversed, which is extremely humorous. However, this is the last time we see Willie as a ridiculous figure. Act Four is set a year later so in this act the audience do expect a dramatic change in Willie, and that is what they get. Before Willie even enters the act we see that he has built up a successful business, a business that is ruining Hobsons. We know this as Tubby says to Hobson, In Chapel Street they say its Willie Mossop This just shows that Willie has developed in leaps and bounds since the last time we saw him. In this act we find out that Hobson is a chronic alcoholic and that he is feeling melancholic and suicidal. The doctor tells Hobson he must refrain from drinking and asks Maggie to come back home and look after him. Maggie comes back but she says that she will have to have Willies permission. Hobson finds this hilarious because he does not know how much Willie has changed, so Maggie simply replies, maybe Willie has changed since the last time you saw him Willie arrives at Hobsons and he goes straight to look over the stock. Alice and Vicky question what he is doing and Willie replies, If Im to come into a thing I like to know what Im coming into This shows that Willie has become a changed man as he is definitely more confident and stronger than he was in the previous three acts, we know this because Alices reaction is, Thats never Willie Mossop Later in the Act Willie says to Maggie about moving back to Hobsons, If we come here we come on my terms This shows that Willie is now the dominant one of the couple and that he is not afraid of Maggie, this is a complete role reversal as before it was Maggie who told Willie what to do. To make sure that Maggie comes home to look after Hobson he decides to set terms by offering to pay Willies old wages and allowing Maggie to live in his house rent-free. Willie is not fooled and simply says, Come home Maggie, because why would he want to get paid his old wages when he has a successful business in Oldfield Road? Later Willie sets down his own terms to Hobson. His terms were that they would only move back if Willie owns half of Hobsons shop and Hobson is a silent partner. He even says he cannot refuse because Willie owns a business that is starving Hobsons to death, as Willie says, Me thats the owner of a business thats starving yours to death Willie even stands up to Maggie because Willie wants the sign above the shop door to read, Mossop and Hobson but Maggie disagrees. So Willie says, Its Mossop and Hobson or its Oldfield Road for us, Maggie! Eventually Maggie gives in, just proving that now she is the weaker character and Willie is the stronger, more dominant one, and in Victorian England it was thought that that was how it should be.

Investigating General Motors Chevy Volt Project

Investigating General Motors Chevy Volt Project What does the Chevy Volt case tell you about the nature of strategic decision making at a large complex organization like GM? In a complex organization such as GM, it appears that decisions concerning Chevy Volt project were reached without giving thorough plan outlay to the planning groups in the company. There was a lot of thing that put the company at stakes from the wrong strategic decision undertaken. All aspects of the project were done at the individual and subjective level. Take for example the proposal presented by Larry Burns and Bob Lutz concerning Chevy Volt to the top management presents a missing link of strategic leadership that should have been a transformational force. Yet the sad state of affairs is that strategic formulation and its implementation also were all compromised upon, which happened when the Chevy Volt concept car was launched. This shows that managerial level function, their involvement and leadership were not collaborative in a sense as far as implementation processes goes. Together with it, shareholder values and business plan also were not emphasized upon when decisions were made, which appears that the responsibility attached with managerial role and their expertise were all taken for granted that put the company in the threshold of a gamble and a joke. Explain briefly the changes in the external environment that made it favorable to undertake the Chevy Volt Project? As we relate to the given case, rising fuel prices, new environmental regulations, new entrant for green concepts cars and stiff competitors give abundant evidence to the changes in the external environment. There is some relevancy that microenvironments also were emphasized upon in context of Porter five forces model and SWOT analysis. Thus, the Chevy Volt project can significantly foster the CSR of GM, which is favorable. As a green concept car, the Chevy Volt scores a point as far as cost saving for users goes in context of rising oil prices then. However, what is crucial also can be exemplified in context of sustainable development process that the Chevy Volt can impact, let say limiting carbon gas emission in the backdrop of global warming and greenhouse effect and most importantly presents a wider socio-economic relevancy and impact. What internal obstacles do you think existed within GM that were unfavorable to the pursuit of the Chevy Volt project? Cost factor also is one unfavorable point that existed, given that GM have already invested billion of dollars for the development of Lithium-Ion batteries, which did not registers with the top management. The relevant cause for that also can be emphasized in context of the internal obstacles at GM as can be observed in respect of top management who were skeptical of Chevy Volt project, especially when the EV1 Hybrid model, a green concept electric car that run on conventional fuel cell introduced by the company way back in the 90s did not succeed and was a sheer loss in term of resource and brand image. Besides leadership in the company also have it flaws, and were not wholly involved. That is to say, strategy planning, its formulation and lifecycles that guaranteed the outcome of project was a missing links, which are the internal obstacles that are unfavorable for the pursuit of Chevy Volt project. The plan for the Chevy Volt seems to be based partly on the assumption that oil prices would remain high, and yet in late 2008, oil prices collapsed in the wake of a sharp global economic slowdown: What does this tell you about the nature of strategic plans? Chevy Volt project which is partly based on the assumption of fuels prices is rather skeptical. Plan outlay in context of rising oil prices, and environment sustainability only does not in a sense constitute total business plan layout. External environment analysis such as the macro and micro-economic factors also should have been focused, so that an alternative plan layout to develop new innovation for its benchmark cars model that run on fuel and that which should meet the tighter regulation in the future. Yet that was not the case, which we feel posit the flaws in the nature of strategic plan concerning Chevy Volt, and presents the uncertainty of such development course, which in the other case economic factor should have been given more emphasis for strategy, wherein economic theory of demand and supply also should have been brought in contention in regard of decision and strategy. How do falling oil prices affect the Chevy Volt project? The Chevy Volt project strategic plan was based on factor that kept rising oil prices in contention to market its electric car model for profitability. That is true to some extent. Yet, buying a car is long-term investment for buyers. That factor also should have been given due importance. Besides, investment made by GM in the Chevy Volt project also posed huge cost factor. In business context, Chevy Volt is less competitive and cost already incurred for the project means that the company has to compromise with its benchmark to foster a profitable outcome from situation of spiraling oil prices. Thus, falling oil prices can affect Chevy Volt project in terms of profitability directly from the sale of electric cars. However, such marketing concepts pose many risks and uncertainty, which in simple economic sense can be justified in context of supply and demand rule applicable to economics, be it for oil prices or the Chevy Volt car models and its demands in situations when oil prices would remain high. Do you think oil prices will remain low? There is no reason to think that oil prices will remain low, because it happened in a situation when demand for the product was low in the market. Rising oil prices defines the simple economic basis of the law of demand, which depends on market equilibrium for a product in influencing the inflation and deflation of particular product. Thus, it is very likely and in simple economic sense that once the demand for oil increases, prices also is also likely to surge accordingly. Besides there are no substitute product as far as fuel goes and in the case of Chevy Volt cars the case is otherwise, wherein substitute product can be emphasis in context of internal combustion engine cars which pouts competitors in a favorable situation as far as car model goes. a) What are the external conditions that need to be present for the Chevy Volt to be a successful car? For the success of the Chevy Volt Project effective marketing strategy has to be formulated. Marketing aspects also should capitalize on the internal and external forces that influence the products within the industry and against its rival for the competitive factor. From our understanding, the Chevy Volt is a high-tech car. Hence, external analysis from operational and business perspective should focus on the competitive structure of the industry and factors such as; innovations, socio-economic, and environmental impact that defines value added product, and the opportunistic cost that comes with it. Thus, a lot of innovation in the development process of the car should be fostered as one factor to benchmark against rivals and competitors in the industry, which is critical for success for a profitable outcome and goals achievements. Part of it also should focus on the strategic marketing aspects that give the car and its salient feature to reach the people through advertisement and awareness created in that regard are interrelated and need to be present for the Chevy Volt to be a successful car. Given its long presence in the market GM may not lack competency and skills, however, its strategic planning and decision making is stifled by strong resistance from its managers. This may be due to the complexity of the organization and resulting problems associated with strategic decision making. What would you suggest for GM to make its strategic planning and decision making effective and relevant? To facilitate effective strategic, it is advised that GM managers should take into account the following:- Response to the competition that the market posed and demands. Management Responsibility in decision undertaken. Knowledge sharing as a basis for project formulation and effectiveness. Cost factor analysis. Collaborative leadership as a means to negotiate against redundant formulation process. Do away with subjective and unreasonable reasoning and decisions. Transformational change has to be initiated. Management and supervisors involvements in any given projects. Business plan and layout should be effectively defined for any major outcome and long-term effects. Apart from these point and list of suggestion, we feel that strategic group in the company should be given ample hand to empanel for strategic plan layout, given that there are huge stakes for any given undertaking. After all, strategic group are expert panel. Yet, decision being reached is more or less subjective. Hence, a collaborative approach to management thinking, leadership and strategy formulation should be the core cultural basis in the company, which can effectively and relevantly drive the strategic planning and decision making in the course of goals achievements. In light of your analysis, what are the costs of failure in this project for GM? The cost of failure as far as Chevy Volt car concerns is huge and tremendous, as far as operation and economic consequences goes. Less involvement from the managers also brought to fore the cost and its effect to directly hit the company that brought it to the stage of total shutdown of its operations. Since the company is already in the threshold of bankruptcy, the Chevy Volt project that failed to impact the company strategic goals and its achievements posed the total effect of bankruptcy of GM and huge economic consequences as an aftermath, because the company is already on the process of huge public debt facilitated by the government to save itself from bankruptcy. Thus, it is suggested that either the plan have to be charted out to bring into effect the following:- Capitalize on the capability and expertise the company posits. Effective strategic management of operational process and procedures. Top Management involvement. Responsibility. Collaborative approaches to leadership. Cultural and structural upgrade of the corporate echelon and strategic management panel and groups. Standardization of managerial role, decisions and business plan layout. Capitalizing on the opportunities and threat. Facilitate a dynamic leadership culture. What are the costs for GM of not pursuing the project? There are tremendous and direct effects as far as Chevy Volt project concerns, since it is not pursued at all. Take for example the following cost factors:- The huge opportunistic cost lost in between. Operational and business capability that went for a toss. Marketing research that has not been capitalized effectively and efficiently for result outcome. Change factor and organizational learning. Cost factor in term of direct financial investments to investors, and stakeholders. Resource accumulation. Brand image and identity. Corporation competencies that have not been capitalized Sustainable development plans Corporate Social Responsibility Economic consequences. Bankruptcy. Business process and procedures.

The History Of Bowling Essay -- essays research papers fc

The sport of bowling has a lengthy history packed with an evolution that has comprehensive rules; and is an indoor activity that has become one of the most popular sports in the world. It can easily be said that over 50% of Americans have bowled once in their lifetime, whether it was for a birthday party or on a date. However, many people bowl routinely without knowing anything about the interesting history of the game. Oddly, one of the newest of professional sports, bowling is one of the most ancient. In one form or another bowling has been around for more than 7,000 and years. First traces of the sport were discovered in Egyptian tombs, but historians feel that cavemen may well have had been the originator. Having the first form of bowling using rocks or pebbles to toss at other rocks or pebbles. (Pezzano 13) The Romans, Phoenicians, and Carthaginians were also believed to have played the game in some fashion, but there is no proof available. However, historians know that in Julius Caesar’s time period, around 50 B.C., people in the Alpine regions of Italy played a game called â€Å"bocce,† which is considered the Italian form of bowling and is still played today. (Pezzano 13) The word bowl could be derived from the Saxon bolla and the Danish bolle, which translated to a spherical object. Another theory is that the word originated from the Latin bulla , or the French boule, both meaning â€Å"ball.† Bowling has been known by many different names: bowls, skittles, kegling, ninepins, Dutch pins and quilles. (Pezzano 13) According to ancient records, Germany’s first bowling took on a religious significance. In the early Christian era citizens carried stakes or clubs called kegles. They were used for many purposes, from beating through bushes to defense weapons against attackers. However in the Cathedral cloisters the kegle was set up to represent the devil. A person was then given a rock or some sort of ball with the task of knocking the kegle down. If the player hit the kegle, his life was considered â€Å"clean,† and had proved it by knocking off the devil (kegle). However if he missed, it indicated his aim not only in the game but in life needed improvement. (Pezzano 14) The game was supposedly so popular in fourteen-century England that the young men were skipping military duties in order to bowl; therefore, King Edward III passed a law to ban the sport. Also, other k... ...oyed by 95 million people in more than ninety countries worldwide. As one can see, the sport also has a lengthy history that is both interesting and filled with some speculation. The quick pace high-energy game is one of the most played sport in the U.S. today and will only continue to grow. Not only can one play the sport for fun, but join the professional tour and make upwards of a half a million dollars. Whether the sport originated with the caveman or with the Egyptians, one can say that the sport of bowling has touched the hearts of many. Works Cited Bellisimo, Lou. The Bowler's Manual. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1969. Bowling – The Original X Game. 1999. 28 April 2004. . "Bowling." The New Encyclopaedia Britannica. 15th ed. 2 vols. Chicago: Chicago Co., 1989. Brunswick. 1996. 20 April 2004 Burton Jr., Nelson. Bowling. New York: American Co., 1973. International Bowling Museum & Hall Of Fame. 2000. 1 May 2004 . PBA Tour. 2000. 23 April 2004 http://www.pba.com> Pezzano, Chuck.Guide To Better Bowling. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1974. Seifert, Chuck. â€Å"Youth Bowling Action.† Bowling World. 1 March 2004: n. pag.

Analysis of the Work Environment at W.L. Gore & Associates Essay

One of the pioneering firms in the use of team-based approaches to job design is W. L. Gore & Associates. Gore & Associates has made Fortune magazine’s â€Å"100 Best Companies to Work For† list for eleven consecutive years. Gore & Associates is one of only three firms that have made every list published by Fortune. The purpose of this critical thinking exercise is to garner valuable insight specific to the unique organizational work environment at Gore & Associates. Likewise, this document will address and respond to a series of questions in reference to the corporate culture at W.L Gore. Upon completion of said assessment of Gore & Associates, personal reflection will be given as to whether this is an organization someone would find a compelling targeted career opportunity. W. L. Gore & Associates - Corporate Summary W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. is a privately-held company headquartered in Newark, Delaware. Founded in 1958, W. L. Gore & Associates has built a worldwide reputation for ethics and integrity in its dealings with customers, suppliers, and internal associates, and for taking a strategic view when it comes to assessing business opportunities. Gore & Associates employs approximately 9,000 individuals, referred to as associates, in 30 different countries. Gore maintains manufacturing facilities in the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom and China (www.gore.com/aboutus, 2011). Gore’s fluoropolymer products provide innovative solutions throughout industry, in next-generation electronics, for medical products, and with high-performance fabrics. While they are probably best known for their line of protective outerwear, known as GORE-TEX ®, the entire suite of products under the Gore brand are distinguished in th... ... with a non specific answer. The truth of the matter is that Gore, as a whole, is certainly an organization that represents morality, fairness, good business and competition. How could someone not want to be part of that? Works Cited Gore & Associates. (2011). Gore: About us. Retrieved from: www.gore.com/aboutus/ Gore & Associates. (2011). Gore: Environmental responsibility statement. Retrieved from: http://www.gore.com/en_xx/aboutus/environmental/env-responsibility.html Gore & Associates. (2011). Gore: Our culture. Retrieved from: http://www.gore.com/en_xx/aboutus/culture/index.html Kinicki, A., & Kreitner, R. (2009). Organizational Behavior: Key Concepts, Skills & Best Practices (fourth addition). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin Publishing Xerox. (2011). Creating a great workplace. Retrieved from: www.xeroxcareers.com/working-xerox/diversity/

Buy a Bride :: Marriage History Papers

Buy a Bride In the mid-eighteen hundreds the first waves of Americans began heading west. They were in search of the American dream; their chance to live happily ever after. This first wave of settlers was for the most part, composed of miners looking to strike it rich. They exploited the mineral resources all over the west, wherever gold was found; the most famous places were in California, Colorado, and the Dakotas. The brave and adventurous men streamed over the continent in wagon trains or around it in ships in order to reach the west coast. Towns sprang up around the different places where gold had been found as well as around places for ships to dock. The next wave of people to head west was the ranchers. They needed land and western land was far cheaper than land in the east. The ever growing cities in the east needed an ever increasing supply of food and the cattle found on the western plains proved a good and profitable solution. Shortly after the ranchers the farmers came looking for land. The land in the east was worn out from over cultivation, in stark contrast the western land was rich and virtually untouched, not to mention cheaper. The west was a new and promising land with endless possibilities. (Summitt) Despite the promise and possibilities there were a few minor problems. One such problem was that the vast majority of the settlers were men. "Men from the eastern states, Canada, and Europe often preceded the women, and then found themselves longing for feminine companionship." (Yalom 226) Population imbalances, combined with geographical isolation and physical distance, often made men frantic to find wives from among the few single Anglo women living in their region of the west. Unfortunately, interracial marriages were not looked upon favorably by the population at large, so even men who had taken Indian brides were looking for women of European decent (15) In some places the problem was worse than in others. In the Washington Territory it has been estimated that the ratio of men to women, regardless of marital status, as high as 9:1 and that there were at least two thousand men in the Territory that wished to get married (Holbrook 47). This problem was not a simple one to remedy. Men who had enough money traveled east and brought back a wife, but the vast majority of the populous did not have the capital needed to make such a journey possible.

The Strategic Management Process

In the current business environment, knowledge evolves rapidly and the useful life span of organizational skills is decreasing, which means survival and competitiveness of an organization is linked to its ability to learn and include its findings in their strategic management process. Having cited the criticality of strategic management on the survival of today's business, it is of paramount importance that in this weeks issue I deal on the subject of Strategic Management Process.Key Definitions I would like to start by defining some key words and phrases that are associated with the strategic management process. A Strategy is a company's long-term plan for how it will balance its internal strengths and weaknesses with its external opportunities and threats to maintain a competitive advantage. Strategic management is the process of identifying and executing the organization's mission by matching its capabilities with the demands of its environment.Strategic planning is the process by which the guiding members of an organization envision its future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future (Goodliest, teal, 1992). This definition takes us away from the notion that strategic landing is a staff Job and focuses us more on process that requires senior leaders of an organization to set its strategic direction. Strategic plans are important because strategic planning to a few elite in an organization, it should be noted that there different levels of strategic planning.These are corporate level strategies, business level strategies and functional level strategies. The concept of strategic management builds on the definition of strategic planning, recognizing that although planning is the prelude of strategic management, it is not sufficient if it is not followed by the plowmen and implementation of the plan and the evaluation of the plan in action. Strategic management is therefore a systems approach to identifying and making the neces sary changes and measuring the organization's performance as it moves toward its vision.It is the process where managers establish an organization's long term direction, set specific performance objectives; develop strategies to achieve these objectives in light of all the relevant internal and external circumstances, and undertake to execute the chosen direction. The strategic management process is Hereford a series of steps that formulates the strategic planning, implementation and evaluation. This process is depicted by many model/drawings which basically depict the strategic management steps. Most of these models only differ in to the extent to which they simplify the process but they generally agree on major elements.Strategic Management Process Model Fig. 1 It can be seen from fig 1 above that strategic management process is an iterative process as depicted by the arrows. Strategic planning comprises (see Figure 3-1) the first 5 of 7 strategic management tasks: (1) Defining th e business and developing a session, (2) Evaluating the firm's internal and external strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and Threats, (3) formulating a new business statement, (4) translating the mission into strategic goals, and (5) formulating strategies or courses of action.The entire 7- Step 1: Define the Current Business Every company must choose the terrain on which it will compete?in particular, what products it will sell, where it will sell them, and how its products or services will differ from its competitors'. Therefore, the most basic strategic decisions managers make involve deciding â€Å"what business† their firms should be in: For instance, in terms of the products or services they'll sell the geographic locales in which they'll sell them, and how they'll distinguish their products or services from competitors'.They ask, â€Å"Where are we now in terms of the business we're in, and what business do we want to be in, given our company's opportunities and thr eats, and its strengths and weaknesses? † Managers then choose strategy to drive the company to achieve the vision. This may be better enshrined in a vision statement as a sort of shorthand to married how they see the business down the road. The company's vision is a general statement of its intended direction that shows, in broad terms, â€Å"what they want to become. Two management gurus, Warren Bennie and Bert Mans say, To choose a direction, a leader must first have developed a mental image of a possible and desirable future state for the organization. This image, which we call a vision, may be as vague as a dream or as precise as a goal or mission statement. The critical point is that a vision articulates a view of a realistic, credible, attractive future or the organization, a condition that is better in some important ways than what now exists.Visions are usually in longer terms, broader images; managers also formulate mission statements to communicate the purpose of t heir (company) present existence. Whereas visions usually lay out in very broad terms what the business should be, the mission lays out in broad terms what their main tasks are now. The mission statement of the company that I work for is; ‘To be the preferred supplier of electricity regionally and abroad. ‘ The mission statement is, to bring convenience to our valued customers through provision of electricity and related services. ‘ Step 2: Perform External and Internal Audits (Environmental scanning).Strategic planning starts by methodically analyzing external and internal situations. The strategic plan should provide a direction for the firm that makes sense, in terms of the external opportunities and threats the firm faces and the internal strengths and weaknesses it possesses. To facilitate this strategic external/internal audit or environmental scanning, we use SOOT analysis. This involves using a SOOT chart to impel and organize the process of identifying com pany Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. When doing internal audits or scan companies should check for their strength and weakness.They should capitalist on their strength to create a competitive advantage in their industry, strengths can be in the form of a hardworking organizational culture which they can ride upon in order to have an edge over other like firms. However companies should also not turn a blind eye on their weaknesses. Weakness doesn't mean that one is incapable but being aware of them calls for a decision to avert them. Weakness can be in the form of lake of strategic objectives that are meant to reduce the effects of the weaknesses. External audits scan for Opportunities and Threats.These can be at micro and macro levels. At macro level businesses should look into the Political, Economic, Social, Technical, Environmental and Legal (PESTLE) environment for threats and opportunities. Step 3: Formulate New Business and Mission Statements In light of the situation analysis (environmental scanning), leaders/managers should determine what their new business should be, in terms of what products it will sell, here it will sell them, and how its products or services will differ from its competitors? This may call for establishing or crafting new Mission and Vision statements to stir the company.Step 4: Translate the Mission into Strategic Goals Saying the mission is â€Å"to provide electricity' is one thing; implementing that mission for your managers is another. The firm's managers need strategic goals. What exactly does that mission mean, for each department, in terms of how we'll boost electricity supply? The Government of Zanzibar has recently adopted a new appraisal system or all parallels, government ministries and institution under its new economic blueprint called JIM-ASSET. The system is called Integrated Results Based Management System.Under this system organizational missions are translated into tangible short-term, mid-ter m and long-term goals which are measurable and specific. Strategic goals are the steps to the envisioned future. Not having them is like sitting for a meeting and coming up with no resolutions or action items. Step 5: Formulate Strategies to Achieve the Strategic Goals Again, a strategy is a course of action. It shows how the enterprise will move from the business it is in now to the business it wants to be in (as laid out by its vision, mission, and strategic goals), given the firm's opportunities, threats, strengths, and weaknesses.The strategies bridge where the company is now, with where it wants to be tomorrow. The best strategies are concise enough for the manager to express in an easily communicated phrase that resonates with employees. These are best described as strategic objectives. Keeping the strategy clear and concise helps ensure that employees all hare that strategy and so make decisions that are consistent with it. Specific performance targets are needed in all areas affecting the survival and success of a company, and they are needed at all levels of management.The act of establishing formal objectives not only converts the direction the company is headed into specific performance targets to be achieved but also guards against drift, aimless activity, confusion over what to accomplish and loss of purpose. Step 6: Implement the Strategies â€Å"What we think, know or believe in is, in the end of little consequence. The only consequence is†¦. What we do. (Hands, 1995). Strategy implementation means translating the strategies into actions and results?by actually hiring (or firing) lines.Strategy implementation involves drawing on and applying all the management functions: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (POOL). According to Tom Peters and Robert Waterman, a model termed the Seven â€Å"S† Model provides a framework of implementation of a strategic change. Structure changes may have to be made to cope with strategic cha nges, while systems may need also with the new strategic direction. Skills may need to be upgraded or reshuffled properly. Style or culture of management may need also to be readjusted accordingly.All these have their energy directed to achieve the strategic goals (Vision) as depicted on fig 2 above. Step 7: Evaluate Performance Strategies don't always succeed. For example, TN-Holdings failed when it massively rolled out its Subs across the nation in order to be closer to where its customers are. The strategy failed dismally in the following year because of a huge liquidity crunch that is currently bedeviling our economy?because of evaluation management quickly re-strategists and came up with a new business model. Managing strategy is an ongoing process.