Sunday, November 3, 2019
Facilitating Change in Health and Social Care Assignment
Facilitating Change in Health and Social Care - Assignment Example The researcher therefore focuses at the main factors that drive change in the health sector through cross-examining CQCââ¬â¢s report on Royal United Hospital Bath. Discussing a number of key factors driving change in the health as well as social services through examining strengths, weaknesses as well as opportunities and threats, therefore, remains essential. Strengths relate to organizational aspects that include resources, both physical and financial, expertise staff and other internal factors of an organization. Through identification of opportunities from the external environment that rhyme with the internal capabilities, organizations capitalize on the strengths. Weaknesses on the other hand amount to deficiencies arising from incompetent resources of an organization (Whitten, 2009, pg. 117). Poor services or bad reputation of an organization serves as the major weaknesses within an organization setup. Leaders and managers, therefore, need to work on correcting those weaknesses that reduce organizations effectiveness as well as damaging the organization. Opportunities arise from external environment changes. Changes in government policie s or technology fall under that category. Organizations take advantage of presented opportunities in order to grow current services. Threats, on the other hand, relate to external factors presenting risks to the organization. Change of government policies and technological changes forms the major risks that face existing organizations. Examining the weaknesses and threats posed by these factors will enhance responsible institutions to develop achievable strategies to cope with these challenges. The first factor relates to Legislation. Legislation relates to government programs that involve funding and the NHS as the major body entrusted with controlling the health and social services sector. Government control of the health sector remains an
Thursday, October 31, 2019
The world I come from and my personal experience Statement
The world I come from and my experience - Personal Statement Example My father grew up in the tumultuous period of the 1950s and 60s, in that post-war, mid-twentieth century America recognized as the dominant power of the West, while also having to face the challenges from a belligerent Communist East. My mother originated from a peaceful, Buddhist country, Thailand, and hailed from a traditional, conservative family background. Both my parents are peace loving, and have provided me with all the support I need to develop both academically and in extra-curricular activities throughout my school career. My father encouraged me to learn the Thai language and customs and I benefitted from his, and my motherââ¬â¢s encouragement to attend weekend classes at the Thai cultural centre based at the Buddhist temple. At the local Thai temple I also learnt to play the Thai classical musical instrument khin along with several other Thai students. While growing up, I began to feel that sound (the sense of hearing) was an important factor in my personality and dev elopment. I was able to overcome my shyness and initial lack of confidence whenever I began to play the khin to an attentive audience. Playing classical music on the khin was deeply satisfying, with its loud, fast-paced percussion (klong), clear resonance (ranad) and the butterfly-like striking of the khin strings. In the summer before 11th grade, I participated in the Rock Era Festival, organized by the American Buddhist Community SGI-USA. The performance was free and watched by hundreds of youth who had gathered to promote world peace, and in the process developing their own inner strengths and resources. Before playing the musical instrument khin, one had to perform wai kru an act of homage to oneââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëspiritual teacherââ¬â¢. Paying respect to oneââ¬â¢s elders was a Thai cultural practice honoured by all the students. Here, I found myself an object of curiosity to other Thai students, and felt excluded, because of my mixed parentage. However, once they found that we had more in common with every passing year, the mutual reservations disappeared, and I benefitted from the seven-year long period of cultural immersion of immense benefit in my journey of personal discovery and fulfilment. Personal Experience Even though I was happy to have mastered the khin, I yearned for the pure sound that I could make vocally, totally independent of any musical instrument. This I achieved by joining the Buddhist community chorus. At first, it was difficult, a bold move, as I found socializing with other singers way outside my comfort zone. I persevered, making friends initially with Melany, whom I found to be a sympathetic soul. With her by my side, my social skills continued to develop by leaps and bounds. ââ¬ËSomewhere over the Rainbowââ¬â¢, with a Hawaiian slant, was the song we practised for the first two months. For the first time, I felt inspired, and was performing from the depths of my soul. On the day of performance, there were at least 16,000 people in the audience. My nerves dissipated at the first riff of the ukulele. My confidence soared and I knew then that I could achieve anything if my heart desired it. This was a national movement of youth seeking to overcome their insecurities through participation in joint activities and thereby ultimately promoting world peace. I felt exhilarated. Coming from a happy home did not make me immune to
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Pestle analysis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Pestle analysis - Coursework Example Pestle analysis Political factors compose the stability of political environment and policies of political parties and movements in the in the area of business operation. Political factors can interfere with aspects that directly affect business. For example, they can influence tax policies or governmentââ¬â¢s engagement in trading agreements. A firm should examine the political factors in order to identify opportunities and risks in a particular market posed by the political factors. Forecasting and planning can always be modified with comprehensive knowledge of these factors. Economic factors include economic growth rates, employment levels, unemployment, costs of raw materials such as petrol and steel, interest rates and monetary policies, inflation rates and exchange rates. These factors directly affect business. Despite varying from one country to another, these factors are highly susceptible to change. For example, the economy undergoes a series of fluctuations that are linked to booms and slumps in economic activity. During boom, almost all firms gain while most firms lose out during slump. A comprehensive study on economic factors can enable a business to gain insight on the risks involved in particular market and decide whether to take the risks and expand to the region. For example, a proper examination would reveal whether economic conditions are right or not. If they are right, the risk involved will subsequently be low, and the firm may incorporate these favorable in its forecasting and planning.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Psychoanalytic theory and the crisis of masculinity
Psychoanalytic theory and the crisis of masculinity The late 60s saw a rapidly materialising concern about the status of masculinity. Before the 60s it seemed that the idea of masculinity was safe males could be useful within modern capitalist societies, providing for their families and gaining a sense of satisfaction from their place in society. But society began to change, economically, socially and especially in relation to the position of women. The rise of feminism was changing womens attitudes about the way in which they were (and are) treated. In turn this was starting to affect how men viewed themselves. Carroll (2004) explains how in American society the breadwinner ideal was being eroded with support from professional groups including psychologists and cardiologists working all the hours and a constant striving for material wealth might not be good for you. How, asked men, do we define ourselves now? This essay will examine the crisis in masculinity from the point of view of psychoanalysis à ¿Ã ½through the Oedipal compl ex and the cast0tl.QDCOmp,lex and then move onto evidence from social and cultural theories. To examine how masculinity might be in crisis, it is first necessary to examine how psychoanalytical theories posit that boys gain their masculine identity or in other words how they become men. Modern psychoanalytical theory, as did Freud himself, places a great emphasis on the early relationships of the young boy with his parents or caregivers. It is the vicissitudes of these relationships that will have important consequences for development. In Freudian terms, this early relationship is overshadowed by the Oedipal conflict. The mother shows a great interest in the child and the boy realises that his father represents his main rival to this relationship. The boy desires the mother, but the father stands in the way. Attempting to maintain these conflicting influences at some kind of equilibrium is the central drama of development from a psychoanalytical viewpoint. What, then, are the most important processes that occur in early life that influence the construction (or otherwise) of the male identity out of the Oedipal crisis? Greenson (1968) explains that psychoanalytic theory concentrates on the idea of disidentification, this is divided into two processes: firstly a boy must sever the emotional ties he has with the primary caregiver usually the mother and secondly he needs to identify with a male role-model usually the father. The identification with the father should allow the boy to have a way of communicating with the outside world, to tempt the boy away from psychological closeness with the mother and provide the support needed to avoid the boys return to a symbiotic relationship with his mother. The relationship with the mother, then, is seen by Klein (1975) as a delicate balancing act. It proVides a prototype for later relationships with women and so needs to be warm and lOVing, but it is difficult for a man to have relationships with women if he is too close to his mother. Horrocks (1994) argues that, in fact, the male child is surrounded by femininity throughout his early childhood, and it is important for him to break away and discover a world of men for here lie the roots of the male identity. The central paradox, though, is that the man wishes to escape this cocoon of womanhood but there is also the desire to become close to a woman. One danger in this dynamic is that the early influence of the mother is too great and not sufficiently counter-acted by the father this leads to an inability to separate himself from the mother (Horrocks, 1994). The role of the father in the masculine identity is seen as crucial by psychoanalysts. Horrocks (1994) sees the role of fathering as an introduction to manhood, the introduction to a role that has previously been shrouded in mystery. While there are some initiation rights and ceremonies in some cultures, overall, and especially in western societies, it is not particularly strong. There has actually been a disconnect between the son and his father, now the father heads out to work everyday and no longer has a chance to bond with his son. Horrocks (1994) sees one of the most important functions of the father as to show the young boy that it is possible to live with the mother, to have conflict, fear and guilt, but still to live together. It is through the father-son relationship that the boy can learn that it is possible to live a civilised existence without continual recourse to violence and satiation of primitive longings. The damaged modern male, the male in crisis, is seen by Horrocks (1994) as unfathered. Women are viewed as dangerous to have a relationship is to have a bat tle and the man must draw himself away from women from time to time to maintain his safety. By never really making a strong connection, the modern man in crisis feels damaged and abused and uses the methods of abuse and damage to relate to others because he knows no other way. This analysis of the Oedipal complex and its effects, as well as the possibility of transcendence, actually describes a rather prototypical interaction between the young boy and his caregiver. Blazina (2004) describes how some criticisms and refinements of this model have been made by subsequent theorists. Bergman (1995), for example, has argued that it is not necessarily with the mother the boy should be disidentifying. There are many situations where the father is actually the provider of the most emotional nurturance. In this case it is better to see the individuation as occurring with the primary caregiver rather than the mother. Blazina (2004) also maintains that there should not be such emphasis on the cutting off of the other identity. Where the other identity is feminine, there is now greater acceptability of feminine qualities in men so these can be integrated into male identity without compromising maleness. For the crisis in masculinity, Freuds conception of the castration complex is of great interest. Freud (1925) theorised that the castration complex had the follOWing stages. Firstly a boy guesses from the evidence of his own anatomy that everyone has a penis. Secondly he finds out that women do not have penises and assumes that they have been mutilated in some way. Thirdly when he begins to masturbate, he is told that he will be castrated. Fourthly, finding that the breast has already been removed, summarises that the penis will be next. Finally, the Oedipus complex is destroyed by this threat of castration. According to Horrocks (1994), Freud saw this sequence of events as concrete, whereas many psychoanalysts now see this in more allegorical terms, as mediated by culture and society. Through gender, both men as well as women are denied a whole world of being, the world of the other gender. After the process of partitioning men and women both feel a sense of loss at the things that they will not be able to experience. In men this castration complex expresses itself in a variety of different ways. Men have a desire for love, a fear of their own sexuality, and, in particular, a fear of their own anger. Horrocks (1994) describes how, as a psychotherapist, many men talk about their fear that their anger will be exposed to the world. To stop this, they have to bottle it up and repress the emotion. As a result, in heterosexual men, this is recognised by the women with whom they have relationships and they are rendered impotent and asexual. A man who acts in this way behaves passive aggressivelyà ¿Ã ½ he is motivated to manipulate those around him by his anger. This prohibits a direct connection with other people because his relationships are based on manipulation. The result of this is that feelings are kept inside and denied. A similar problem is seen, in Horrocks experience, in macho men. The castration of the macho man leaves him profoundly afraid of expressing his own feelings. This denies him the possibility of acting emotionally in any situation as this will simply reveal his weakness as he sees it. It is the emotional parts of himself that this man hates and wants to hide away the feminine parts of him are an embarrassment. By being cut-off from his own feelings, the psychologically castrated man experiences an emptiness within himself that he attempts to fill with methods that will never work. The emptiness inside is often experienced as a dead feeling, almost of death itself. It is precisely this almost death from which, Horrocks argues, many men in the crisis of masculinity are suffering. Without the connection with his own emotions, or those of anyone else, he is only half a man, not able to experience himself or others properly, safely cocooned within an empty world. Within Freuds writings, woman were theorised to suffer from envy of the male penis, but Freud did not acknowledge the possibility of men being envious of the female breast. The male-centred idea that penis envy is fundamental to psychoanalysis is attacked by the introduction of the idea of breast envy. Klein (1975), for example, has pointed out that both male and female children have very strong feelings towards the breast both are attracted to it and both want to destroy it. Instead of defining both sexes in terms of the penis one having and the other jealous a reciprocal envy provides balance that acknowledges the lacuna in mens lives as well. The breast does, after all provide, not only nourishment, but also love to the child, and so a womans breast is a symbol of these qualities. Horrocks (1994) argues that men have a strong desire to return to the breast, to return to the originator of life and at the same time men attack the breast and want to destroy it. Melanie Klein posited that the idea of womb envy was also an important component in the male psyche. Minsky (1995) describes how the Kleinian viewpoint sees the development of male power as being rooted in the fear of the womb. Like the young boys envy of his mothers breasts, he also becomes envious of her womb and the power it has to create new life. To make up for this envy, men are forced to concentrate their efforts on cultural and creative efforts and to suppress womens forays into the same field. Minsky (1995) explains that it is the phallus that then saves men and provides a distraction from the envy of the womb. Lacan has a different take on the Oedipus complex. He sees the father not as a real father but as a representation or a metaphor for culture (Lacan, 2004). It is through the young boys experience of cultural factors such as language that he is pulled away from the mother. The mother represents desire for Lacan and so culture, through the representation of the father, pulls the boy from what he desires. This cutting off is like a castration and the child then attempts to substitute this with a search for truth (Minsky, 1995). Many of these psychoanalytical ideas about the roots of a crisis in masculinity are analysed in social theories in terms of a conflict in gender roles. ONeil, Helms, Gable, David, Wrightsman (1986) have defined gender role conflict as where socialised gender roles have an adverse psychological effect which causes a restrictive effect on the self through barriers created around personal creativities and freedom. ONeil et al. (1986) identify four different types of role conflict. There is a restriction in the range of internal emotionality; similarly, there is a restriction in the types of emotional behaviour that are possible towards other menà ¿Ã ½ this results in an inability to communicate feelings. Personal achievement and constant comparison to what others have creates a constant sense of fear and worry. There is a conflict between the requirements of work and those of the family which results in stress and health problems, and a simple lack of time to relax. Evidence to support these ideas of role conflicts has come, for example, from Sharpe Heppner (1991) who found a connection between role conflict and problems with intimate relationships. Watts Borders (2005) point out, though, that many of these studies have not been carried out in younger, adolescent boys. In rectifying this hole in the research, Watts Borders (2005) investigated role conflict in adolescent boys. Their findings were in line with the theories put forward by ONeil et at. (1986). The boys in their study said they found there was a societal pressure to restrict their emotionality, both internally and between themselves and other boys. Further they theorised that many of the boys had only been exposed to a very limited range of emotions from male role modelsà ¿Ã ½ indeed many denied experiencing any emotions other than anger. Cultural theories, which intersect with Lacans ideas, are also important in how the crisis in masculinity has been studied. Whitehead (2002) considers arguments that have been played out in the public domain. Firstly he considers the publication of Stiffed: The Betrayal of Modern Man (Faludi, 2000). The thesis of this book is that it is now the male who finds himself objectified and the subject of much sexist consumer culture. In addition the mans secure attachments and relationships with the world of work are no longer as strong and exclusive as they once were. Men seem also, in Faludis view, to be failing to fight back against the new culture, failing to take on this creeping emasculation. Now that feminism has attacked the patriarchal systems of power and control, masculinity has been left undermined and unsure. The rise of feminism has surely encouraged many men to question how they view womenà ¿Ã ½ and then apparently left them confused. Faludi (2000) places the blame for this crisis in masculinity at the door of culture and encourages them to work together to combat it. While the argument has some elements of truth, quite how men and women are supposed to step outside of culture is not clear. Without men and women, there is no culture people are intimately bound up with it and part of it. The second set of arguments centre around research carried out by Professor Richard Scase as part of the European Commissions Futures Programme (Scase, 1999). This research found that many women are choosing to live alone as their opportunities in the workplace increase and especially as the roles they can adopt widen. It is hypothesised that this is having a knock-on effect on men who find it difficult to cope with this new situation. Evidence for this is in the rising rates of suicide à ¿Ã ½between 1991 and 1997 they have increased by 60%. Social research finds that men are choosing to remain living at home rather than move out on their own (Office of National Statistics, 2000). Whitehead (2002) sees this as evidence that men are failing to cope with the new challenges they are facing. Further cultural and social evidence that men are in crisis is prOVided by Beynon (2001). Relying heavily on role theory, Beynon (2001) points to the changes in work patterns particularly the fact that less than half the men over 55 are in work. There is also a sense in which these men are caught between attempting to maintain the old-style macho posturing and the new-man type behaviour requiring a man to be in touch with his feelings. Beynon (2001) claims that generally men are less likely to a breakdown, Be of divorces. S . a ~_ C 0 ogical or physical illness which faces them. In marital a::> es, the man is normally most responsible, with women starting 75% of ten men move out of the marital home after the breakdown of a e er, is probably more of an artefact of the legal system and simple ietment on men. Apart from anything else, men generally die younger and e e y to suffer from heart disease. e g facts and figures continue through both crime and education and other major areas of à ¿Ã ½;e. _.en crimes are mostly committed by men, indeed it is men who are mostly the victims of e crime, and so it is violence that is seen as an important component of masculinity. itehead (2002) sees this violence discourse as having a powerful effect on peoples attitudes to men. Men are seen as being unable to cope with the demands of modern life, especially those men on the social and economic fringes, and so the resort to violence is only natural. Within education, in the schools, male performance is significantly lower then female. Despite much theoretical attentior as well as some evidence from research on role theories and other areas, there has been a far degree of criticism of the idea of a crisis in masculinity. Writers have asked whether the crisis of gender is anything new. Mangan (1997) (as cited in Whitehead, 2002) argues that masculinity, li e femininity is constantly in crisis, constantly changing and adapting to new circumstances. Indeed, some of the fundamental ideas from psychoanalysis support the idea that masculinity is always a matter of crisis men will always have to cope with breast envy, womb en and a castration complex. This question aside though, some commentators have asked if t ere is really anything to explain at all with the rise of feminism, men have suffered a loss of power relative to women and are trying to cope with that loss, some less successf J t an others. Whitehead (200l) suggests that the crisis in masculinity is, in reality, an iHuson co ned to academic journals and has no meaning for people in the real world. Heartfield (2002), in arguing against a crisis of masculinity, talks of the fetishising of sexual difference, an exaggera ion of the differences between men and women. Heartfield (2002) suggests that it is instead the working classes that are in crisis, not men in general. These ideas are far removed from those that come from psychoanalysis where many of the roots of future struggle are born in that difference. In conclusion, psychoanalytical ideas about the crisis in masculinity are grounded in the biological differences between the sexes and how these are dealt with psychologically. Other psychoanalysts and Lacanian ideas have taken these literal conflicts and, to some extent, moved them away from a focus on biological difference and introduced more cultural and social ideas. Social and cultural theories provide a wide variety of, and some reasons for, a possible crisis in masculinity. In particular, the use of role theory has provided an important analysis. Despite using the language of role conflict, the male preoccupations and problems described by role theory have many things in common with those arrived at by psychoanalytical means. Nevertheless, many authors have questioned whether this crisis in masculinity really exists and whether it is anything new
Friday, October 25, 2019
Hemingway :: Hemingway Postmodernism Essays
Hemingway [1] Postmodernist discourses are often exclusionary even when, having been accused of lacking concrete relevance, they call attention to and appropriate the experience of "difference" and "otherness" in order to provide themselves with oppositional political meaning, legitimacy, and immediacy. Very few African-American intellectuals have talked or written about postmodernism. Recently at a dinner party, I talked about trying to grapple with the significance of postmodernism for contemporary black experience. It was one of those social gatherings where only one other black person was present. The setting quickly became a field of contestation. I was told by the other black person that I was wasting my time, that "this stuff does not relate in any way to what's happening with black people." Speaking in the presence of a group of white onlookers, staring at us as though this encounter was staged for their benefit, we engaged in a passionate discussion about black experience. Apparently, no one sympathized with my insistence that racism is perpetuated when blackness is associated solely with concrete gut level experience conceived either as opposing or having no connection to abstract thinking and the production of critical theory. The idea that there is no meaningful connection between black experience and critical thinking about aesthetics or culture must be continually interrogated. [2] My defense of postmodernism and its relevance to black folks sounded good but I worried that I lacked conviction, largely because I approach the subject cautiously and with suspicion. Disturbed not so much by the "sense" of postmodernism but by the conventional language used when it is written or talked about and by those who speak it, I find myself on the outside of the discourse looking in. As a discursive practice it is dominated primarily by the voices of white male intellectuals and/or academic elites who speak to and about one another with coded familiarity. Reading and studying their writing to understand postmodernism in its multiple manifestations, I appreciate it but feel little inclination to ally myself with the academic hierarchy and exclusivity pervasive in the movement today. [3] Critical of most writing on postmodernism, I perhaps am more conscious of the way in which the focus on "otherness and difference" that is often alluded to in these works seems to have little concrete impact as an analysis or standpoint that might change the nature and direction of postmodernist theory. Since much of this theory has
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Health Care Conditions Essay
As we analyze the factors contributing to health care costs we must find a solution that provides high-quality care for an aging population. Improvements to modern medicine are prolonging life causing a schism between a health care system oriented towards acute care and the increasing chronic care needs of older adults. Studies do show that health care costs for older Americans account for one third of all national health care expenditures. This being said the average expenditure for health care services for adults 65 and over is nearly four times the cost of those under 65. More significant changes need to be considered given the financial crisis our health care system faces. Health care costs are not solely due to longevity; consider increased utilization, new medical technologies, general inflation, fraud, and waste and abuse. This paper will discuss one article to be used in my final presentation on health care for anaging population. Data collection procedures The study on chronic health conditions used a questionnaire presented to study participants by in-person and telephone interview using computer-assisted software. They also used the Statistics Canada Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) for age prevalence patterns and to show how chronic condition prevalence varies by age group. The use of the CCHS survey for historical data and comparisons is very appropriate for this study. The use of a questionnaire, while not ideal, is appropriate for the large number of participants. The survey sampled approximately 130,000 people aged 12 years or older. In-person interviews are the most reliable, but the downside to using telephone interviews using computer-assisted software is that participants may go through the questionnaire quickly or skip questions if they are unsure. Identity protection for research subjects Confidentiality is the protection of information that an individual has trusted you with and disclosed to you for a particular reason. Informed consent is a process in which the researcher explains to the participant what steps are taken to keep their information confidential and what would happen if there were a data breach. The participant then has the information needed to determine if this is adequate and whether or not to continue with the project. The article does not discuss the steps taken toà protect the identity of participants. There is no mention of patient record abstraction, personal information collected or informed consent. Reading the article, it is an assumption that the only information collected was the age and number and type of chronic conditions for each participant. Study reliability and validity The reliability of this study, that is, the consistency and repeatability of the measure is high. A question related to the number and type of chronic conditions experienced by each participant is reliable and is measuring one topic. The questionnaire meets face validity ââ¬â it is a common-sense assessment and the question measures exactly what they want to study. Data analysis procedures To answer the research questions, the researchers used data from the CCHS survey to develop a baseline of the number of chronic conditions within certain age groups. That data was then projected for 25 years based on the target population which was derived from a model of the economic demographic system (MEDS) projection. The hypothesis, ââ¬Å"The expectation is that, as the large baby boom cohort moves into older age categories, the overall proportion of the population with chronic conditions will increaseâ⬠(Denton & Spencer, 2010), is best answered by projecting the number of people in each age group based on historical data and factoring in immigration, emigration, mortality, and fertility rates. I believe this study is quantitative. It involves randomly selected participants, uses face-to-face and phone questionnaires, the data analysis is statistical and is presented in tables and graphs, and is used to recommend a final course of action. The study design is descriptive, also called observational. Validity is important in descriptive studies; the lower the validity, the more study participants you will need. ââ¬Å"For an accurate estimate of the relationship between variables, a descriptive study usually needs a sample of hundreds or even thousands of subjects.â⬠(Hopkins, 2000) Conclusion In conclusion, the study shows that more than two-thirds of the population over the age of 12 has a chronic condition and 90% of them are over the age of 65. The researchers believe that as the participants move into higherà age groups the prevalence of chronic conditions will increase, which this study proves. The prevalence rate in 2005 is 68.7% and the prevalence rate in 2030 is 71.9% which is an increase of 3.2%. But how does this affect health care utilization and cost? With a modest reduction in the prevalence of chronic conditions, one-third of the projected increase in health care spending could be cut by 2030. In this study, a modest reduction is described as reducing the number of chronic conditions by one. Those with three chronic conditions would be reduced to two, two would be reduced to one, and one would be reduced to none. The strengths of this study are the high reliability and validity of the data recorded from the questionnaires. The data analysis and projections based on the target population, adjusted for emigration, immigration, mortality, and fertility was the best option for this type of study. The weaknesses of the study were the inability to abstract data on chronic conditions from the medical records of the participants, and the exclusion of participants in institutions which resulted in an under-estimation of chronic conditions in older populations. Another weakness noted by the researchers was that there was no record of the severity of the condition. This does not allow for accurate accounts of those cured of the chronic condition during the study period. References Denton, F.T., & Spencer, B.G. (2010). Chronic health conditions: Changing prevalence in an aging population and some implications for the delivery of health care services. Canadian Journal on Aging, 29(1), 11-21. Doi:http://dx/doi.org/10.1017/SO714980809990390 Hopkins, W.G. (2000). Quantitative Research Design. SportsScience, 4(1), retrieved online May 26, 2014 from http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0001/wghdesign.html
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Redgrove Axial Workshop Case Study
What Fontaine is Trying to Achieve5 Challenges of a New Position6 Corporate Culture6 Axial Workshop7 Beneath the Surface7 Use/Abuse of Discretion8 Scope of the Problem10 Stakeholders10 Identification of Available Options10 Ethical Principles Discussion 14 Consequentialist Theory14 Deontological Theory19 Virtue Ethics21 Recommendation23 References25 Appendix A: Picture of Ornament Found in Workshop Storage 26 Appendix B: Redgrove Monthly Plant Scap-Metal Sales, 27 12-Month Period Appendix C: Excerpt from ITE Code of Conduct28Appendix D: Summary of Redgrove Records of Material29 Misappropriation Incidents and Sanctions, 1998-2007 Appendix E: Consequentialist Analysis ââ¬â Option A 30 (Do Nothing) Appendix F: Consequentialist Analysis ââ¬â Report Incident, 31 Request Guidance Appendix G: Consequentialist Analysis ââ¬â Donââ¬â¢t Report, 32 Handle Incident In-House Appendix H: Consequentialist Analysis ââ¬â Report Incident 33 but Recommend Actions and Gain Upper Managem ent Buy-In Abstract This paper addresses the ethical issues at Redgrove Axial workshop.Marc Fontaine is the manager of the compressor manufacturing division at the Redgrove Plant, and has been on the job approximately one month when he discovers employees have been using company equipment to build personal decorative ornaments utilizing scrap material which is normally sold to recycling companies. This practice is against the company's written code of conduct; however, the workshop foremanââ¬â¢s knowledge of the practice and failure to prevent it has condoned the behavior.The analysis of the ethical problem begins by listing the facts of the case and defining the scope of the problem Fontaine is faced with. After reviewing all the aspects of the case, four courses of action have been identified. A brief discussion of the three ethical principles will lead us to our final recommendation of what Fontaine should do in order to resolve the ethical problems at hand, thereby providing benefits to all stakeholders. Case Study ââ¬â Redgrove Axial WorkshopFacts of the Case: Marc Fontaine has recently become the manager of compressor manufacturing at Redgrove Axial Workshop, part of the International Technology and Electronics (ITE) Corporation. This position is a temporary one as part of a larger ITE accelerated leadership program. After a month on the job, Fontaine discovers a number of ornaments (Appendix A) in the workshopââ¬â¢s storage room which appears to be made from the same material used to make the compressors.Fontaine believes employees of his department may be using company materials, comprised of scraps and metal shavings ââ¬â normally sold to a local recycling company (Appendix B) ââ¬â for personal use and felt he needed to notify the Manufacturing Director (Sam Collins) and Plant Director (Peter Garland) about the incident. Upon further investigation, Fontaine discovers the practice of utilizing production materials for personal use is against ITEââ¬â¢s Code of Conduct and punishable by warnings, termination, withheld pay, criminal charges, and suspension (Appendix C).Fontaine also acquired a list of previous incidents and related punishments (Appendix D). Fontaine approaches Jim Page, a plant foreman who supervises the Axial Workshop, about the ornaments. Page states he has not seen the objects in the supply room, and the personal work was infrequent and of little value because they were made of scrap. As far as he knew, employees made projects on their own time and he had never made an issue out of the practice because the workshop is Redgroveââ¬â¢s most productive unit.In order to gain a better understanding of the practice, Page recommends Fontaine speak with Peter Kadosa, a workshop employee. Kadosa was a good worker, had a good attitude, and was moving to a new position on the West Coast in January. Upon questioning ââ¬Å"off the record,â⬠Kadosa provided the following information: he was unsure of the history regarding the practice; implied the more experienced and better craftsmen were involved; and only occasionally would one of the workers ask him to set aside a bigger piece of scrap.Fontaine also learned of the unwritten code of conduct in the workshop which applied to the gift / ornament making: new material could not be used (scraps only); before anyone started a project they were expected to obtain approval from one of the senior craftsmen; selling projects was frowned upon; and the plant foreman did not care to know about the practice. What Fontaine is Trying to Achieve: Fontaine is aware the use of scrap material for personal projects is against the companyââ¬â¢s Code of Conduct and feels obligated to report the misappropriation.However, he also observes how well the workshopââ¬â¢s employees work together, how productive they are, and the existence of an unofficial code of conduct which is followed in regards to the practice of creating ornaments. He is torn on whether or not to bring attention to this practice because he wants workers to continue to work efficiently and effectively and taking away their projects may disrupt this; however, he also wants to follow the rules and has an obligation to the company as well as to the employees in his division. Challenges of a New Position:What makes this situation more difficult for Fontaine is that he is new to the company and being in the accelerated leadership program, will most likely not be in his position for long. This adds to his dilemma because one of the biggest challenges when taking on a new position in a new organization is getting comfortable with the corporate culture. When first joining an organization, an employee handbook is provided which dictates all of the doââ¬â¢s and donââ¬â¢t's outlined by management ââ¬â but the new employee may not immediately understand how closely the company actually follows these rules.In this case, Fontaine knows the rules prohibit usi ng scrap materials for personal use, but the corporate culture has allowed these projects to continue for a long period of time; this places Fontaine in a precarious position considering his relatively short tenure (between one year and 18 months) ââ¬â does he attempt to change the well established but unwritten corporate culture, or does he condone the behavior and allow his successor to deal with the ethical issues? Corporate Culture: From the initial readings of the Case Study, the corporate culture of the workshop is one of Collaboration, or ââ¬Å"Clanâ⬠culture.The workshop is an open place to work which accepts the employees as peers. Group loyalty is important, and an unofficial chain of command exists within the workshop with the more senior and talented employees being seen as the leaders and mentors to the newer, younger employees. In addition, the better and more skilled craftsmen take the time to train others on the more difficult skills. Assuming the company p roactively addresses the issue, the corporate culture will change to that of control, or hierarchical.Rules and procedures would be put in place based on the recommendation of Fontaine and buy-in from upper management, whereby employees can practice their skills to become masters in their field, while simultaneously maintaining workshop cohesion and morale. Axial Workshop The Axial Workshop team is extremely effective. They are referred to as ââ¬Å"the AXE,â⬠and contribute 20% of the Redgrove Plantââ¬â¢s annual revenues and 23% of its operating margin. The AXE has been described as the most effective in the plant. The AXE team is known to be hard workers, and people rarely transfer out of the workshop.Senior workers work closely with junior workers showing them techniques they have developed and getting the junior workers acquainted to the workshop. Beneath the Surface Workshop employees use scrap metals from production of the compressors to produce personal ornaments made by utilizing company machinery. Employees work on these projects infrequently on their own time (off the clock). Workers have unwritten rules to the practice of personal work including: projects must be approved by a senior craftsman, no new material can be used, projects cannot be made in order to be sold, etc.In addition, the workshop foreman has condoned the behavior ââ¬â though he is aware of the practice, he has allowed it to continue; employees believe the practice is acceptable. Use / Abuse of Discretion: Discretion is the right to choose something, or to choose to do something, according to what seems most suitable in accordance with a situation. However, this discretion can be easily abused especially when management condones or turns a blind eye towards behavior which may border on the unethical.For example, the workshopââ¬â¢s Foreman, Jim Page, has decided to turn a blind eye to the practices going on within the workshop. Fontaine is now faced with the ethical pro blem and has the discretion to do something about it. The use or abuse of discretion can become a problem in many professions. The following are examples of professionââ¬â¢s use or abuse of discretion. 1) Banking (specifically lending) ââ¬â Banks have the discretion on whether or not to authorize a loan to a customer (based primarily on information such as income, use of loan proceeds, credit score, amount of current debt, etc).During the recent banking debacle, banks approved questionable loans (ie no income verification). 2) Police officers ââ¬â Generally have the discretion to write a speeding ticket or not. This power is abused when the police officer frequently allows family and friends off without a ticket, even when they were speeding in excess of twice the speed limit. 3) Judges ââ¬â Have the discretion to approve a certain sentence (whether maximum or minimum). Power can be easily abused, as seen in class by the FBI presentation on white collar crimes and the amount of punishment doled out.Additionally, judges also rule on Social Security Disability cases ââ¬â a Wall Street Journal Article on 26NOV11 discusses the abuse of power by a certain judge who has only disallowed 4 cases out of over 1000 during the past year ââ¬â well beyond what is expected by the Social Security Administration 4) Retail ââ¬â managers have the authority to grant discounts to certain groups of personnel ââ¬â for example, Daveââ¬â¢s Cosmic Subs ordinarily gives discounts to police officers and firefighters in uniform, but certain managers will also provide a discount to members of the military, contrary to guidance provided by the chain's owners. ) Commanders in the military ââ¬â have the discretion to dole out non-judicial punishment for small, minor offenses. Being both judge and jury, Commanders have the discretion to determine the punishment ââ¬â but occasionally, Commanderââ¬â¢s abuse this authority by not fitting the punishment to the crime (a requirement) ââ¬â resulting in the punishment being overturned upon appeal. Scope of the Problem: Fontaine is faced with how to handle the misappropriation of the scrap materials and utilization of company machinery to support the practice. He is new to the company and is not yet familiar with the corporate culture.He wants his division to continue to run effectively and efficiently, but is concerned that bringing attention to the practice of making personal projects could disrupt his division. However, allowing the practice to continue could force Fontaine and his employees to face severe repercussions. Stakeholders in the Case: Plant employees; workshop employees; Marc Fontaine (manager of compressor manufacturing); Jim Page (workshop foreman); Peter Kadosa (workshop employee); investors to the company; and upper management of the plant (Sam Collins ââ¬â manufacturing director, and Peter Garland ââ¬â plant director). Identification of Available Options :Prior to developing various options to deal with the dilemma, Fontaine should do the following: ascertain with H/R to determine if a requirement exists when an employee is hired to review the Companyââ¬â¢s Code of Conduct; if employees are required to sign an acknowledgement after reviewing the Code of Conduct; if employees are periodically required to conduct refresher training on the Code of Conduct; if employees are required to review the Code of Conduct upon transfer from different departments; if the Code of Conduct is posted in public locations within the factory; any agreements between the union and the plant which may authorize employees to use scrap and company machinery for personal use; and if violations of the Code of Conduct and related disciplinary actions are publicized or posted in public locations throughout the factory.Once all of this information is ascertained, we can assess the available options:1) Option A ââ¬â Do nothing.Fontaine could elect to do noth ing, allowing employees to continue the practice of occasionally using scrap metal for personal projects on company machinery and not report it to upper management. Staying silent would keep things as they are now with high employee morale, teamwork, and efficiency. However, if Fontaine decides not to say anything and upper management discover the practice, then Fontaine, Page, and the workers involved are all susceptible to sanctions.2) Option B -Report the incident to upper management and ask for guidance on how to proceed.This may be a viable option since Fontaine is unsure as to whether upper management approves of the practice in order to maintain high morale, combined with his short tenure as the manager of compressor manufacturing. However, management may feel negatively towards Fontaine for not providing recommendations on dealing with the practice ââ¬â specifically, that he is not ready to lead. But, as seen in Annex B, management has been fairly strict with similar vio lations in the past; reporting the practice may lead to unwanted investigations and punishment for workshop employees.3) Option C ââ¬â Fontaine does not report the incident but handles the situation in-house within the ââ¬Å"Axe. â⬠He can have a meeting with all employees in the workshop, and explain the following: a.The ITE Code of Conduct authorizes the use of production materials only for the exclusive use of advancing the mission of the ITE Corporation; b. The list of infractions from 1998-2007 along with the associated sanctions; c. The items discovered in the storage room, and the fact that though the activity was condoned before, it does not make the practice justifiable. However, because the activity was previously condoned, the new policy of not conducting personal work and utilizing material scraps and company machinery takes effect immediately; d. The liability of the company should an employee become injured while working on an ornamental piece while not in a ââ¬Å"paidâ⬠status; and e.Material is purchased by ITE for a specific purpose, which ITE receives compensation from a recycling company for production scraps ââ¬â and the unlawful use of such material is in fact theft from the company; Fontaine should then share the recycling amounts by poundage and dollar amounts. He should also explain that this material, even if small when compared to the total amount recycled, affects ITE's balance sheet and therefore affects all employees in regards to pay and bonuses, as well ITE's owners (whether public or private). 4) Option D ââ¬â Report the incident to the Director of Manufacturing and the Plant Director, recommending a course of action on how to proceed within the ââ¬Å"Axeâ⬠in order to gain upper management buy-in.This option allows for Fontaine to groom himself as a better leader, while showing management he is prepared to deal with issues within his area of responsibility. These recommended actions would include: a. Amnesty for employees due to the practice being condoned by the workshop foreman; b. H/R training for Page, the workshop foreman, specifically focused on supervisor duties and responsibilities, as well as a review of all company policies to include the Code of Conduct; c. Implement an H/R policy where employees sign an acknowledgement of the Company's Code of Conduct upon hiring; d. Annual review of the Code of Conduct for all employees; e. Review of the Code of Conduct upon transfer from one part of the factory to another part; . Request an exception to policy whereby employees can purchase scrap from the factory at the same rate the factory sells it to the recycling company, or offer a small percentage of scrap to employees for free as an added benefit. In order to have better skilled workers, allow these employees a certain amount of time each pay period (possibly an hour per week) to hone their skills whereby they are covered by worker's compensation should they become injure d during this additional training time; and g. Permission to post the Code of Conduct and the Material Misappropriation and Sanctions List throughout the ââ¬Å"Axe. â⬠Ethical Principles Discussion:Three ethical principles will be used to offer an analysis to the ethical issues Fontaine is currently facing; we will use Consequentialist Theory, Deontological Theory, and Virtue Ethics. Consequentialist Theory: An ethical decision should maximize benefits to society and minimize harms. What matters is the net balance of good consequences over bad for society overall. Identify the stakeholders in the situation as well as the alternative actions and their consequences (harms/and or benefits) for each. Looking at this case using a consequentialist view we examine how each of the four alternatives we have devised affects each of the stakeholders identified. Option A: Do Nothing (see Annex E for the Consequentialist Analysis to this option). This alternative involves Fontaine leaving the workshop as it is and turning ââ¬Å"a blind eyeâ⬠to what is going on in the shop. Stakeholder benefits to this option include: Continued high morale of employees by not having to purchase materials and continued use of company equipment; maintains Fontaineââ¬â¢s reputation by being ââ¬Å"one of the guysâ⬠by not taking action; prevents Page from possibly getting into trouble for condoning the practice; and protects Kadosa from providing information to Fontaine on the practice.Stakeholder harms to this option include: Plant employees not aving the ability to possibly receive bigger pay or bonuses due to the lack of the company receiving all proceeds it is entitled to from the sale of scrap material; workshop employees possibly being injured on the job while conducting unauthorized work; company investors/owners not receiving the full value of the sale of scrap and possibly being liable for any injury a workshop employee experiences while participating in unsanctio ned/unauthorized work; Fontaine violating his personal integrity and values by condoning the activity which violates the companyââ¬â¢s Code of Conduct; and upper management not receiving bigger pay or bonuses due to the company not receiving all proceeds from the sale of all scrap. ââ¬â Option B: Report the incident, but request guidance from upper management (see Annex F for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option).Stakeholder benefits to this option includes: if upper management stops the practice, plant employees may see higher salaries or bonuses due to the company being able to garner all proceeds from the sale of all scrap material; company owners/investors receiving all value from the sale of all scrap material; upper management believing Fontaineââ¬â¢s integrity is beyond reproach; upper management being able to implement the changes it sees fit in order to recover company resources; and the company and management not being liable to any employees who may be injured during unsanctioned work. Stakeholder harms to this option include: possible suspension or termination of those workshop employees who have been identified as condoning and participating in unsanctioned work; upper management thinking Fontaine is not ready to be a manager by asking for guidance; Page possibly being implicated for condoning the practice of unsanctioned work, possibly resulting in suspension or termination; and Kadosa being implicated by his co-workers for confirming the practice to Fontaine, resulting in the loss of respect from his peers.Option C: Do not report, but handle the situation in-house within the ââ¬Å"Axeâ⬠(see Annex G for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option). Stakeholder benefits to this option include: plant employees receive their fair share of salaries or bonuses tied to the profits resulting from the recycling of all scrap material; workshop employees and Fontaine both build rapport with each other by handling the issue in-ho use without any further repercussions; company owners/investors have more in the balance sheet through the sale of all scrap material if the practice is stopped; and Page does not face the possibility of termination or suspension for condoning the practice.Stakeholder harms to this option include: Workshop employees may view this as an intrusion into their autonomy; no recoupment to company owners/investors for the practice of taking scrap material; Fontaine being potentially liable for not reporting the incident up the chain of command as you would expect a manager to do; Kadosa losing credibility with his coworkers for confirming the practice to Fontaine; and upper management having lower level management condoning the prior bad practices and starting anew without repercussions, thereby usurping their authority. ââ¬â Option D: Report the incident, but recommend actions to upper management and obtain their buy-in (see Annex H for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option).S takeholder benefits to this option include: Unsanctioned work is stopped and plant employees may see an increase in salary/bonuses; workshop employees may be able to continue creating ornaments if upper level management authorizes/sanctions extra work as a benefit to an employee who is honing his/her skills; company owners/investors see an increase to the balance sheet from the proceeds of all scrap material, while at the same time being protected by workers compensation should an employee get injured while honing his/her skills under authorized work; Fontaine gains the respect of his superiors for thinking outside the box and coming up with his own solutions while protecting the employees and the company; Page receiving requisite training to become a better supervisor who supports the company's values and ideals; and upper management having an empowered subordinate while increasing the balance sheet from the recycling of all scrap. Based on the tenets of consequentialist theory, op tion D promotes the greatest benefit with the least amount of harm to each of the stakeholders.Deontological Theory: Bases the decision on what is right on a broad, abstract universal ethical principle or value such as honesty, fairness, loyalty, rights, and respect for human beings and property. Certain moral principles are binding, regardless of the consequences. Therefore, some actions would be considered wrong even if the consequences of the actions were good. Looking at this case using a deontological perspective, we xamine what the duties of Mr. Fontaine are. As a manager at the company Fontaine has a duty to both the company and the stockholders of the company. However, he also has a duty to the employees he manages and to look out for their best interests. Based on these duties, the first alternative does not serve the best interests as it does not fulfill his duties to the company and the investors. By taking no action the company will continue to lose the revenue which cou ld be generated from the stolen scrap material. The second alternative serves Fontaineââ¬â¢s duty to the company by ensuring that the business will not lose any further revenue to misappropriation of assets.However, this alternative could harm his employees as they will likely lose their jobs if there is an investigation into the scrap material. The third alternative allows Fontaine to handle the incident in-house without having to inform upper management. This alternative allows Fontaine to build rapport with his employees; however, he fails to do his duty by not reporting what he has found to his superiors. In addition, this alternative allows Fontaine to lay out his expectations of what is right and wrong with his employees, while at the same time protecting the reputation of Page, who previously condoned the activity by not stopping it. Fontaine exhibits loyalty to his subordinates, but he is not exhibiting loyalty to upper management by not reporting the incident.The final a lternative, to report the incident while obtaining upper managementââ¬â¢s buy-in to recommendations, maintains the loyalty of Fontaine to the company, as well as to the employees. Because the practice has been condoned in the past, it is unfair to punish the employees; what is fair, however, is to seek some type of median, such as employees purchasing the scrap and utilizing company machinery to hone their skills, which maintains morale and allows the company to have better trained and skilled workers. Based on deontological theory, the final alternative embraces honesty, fairness, loyalty, and respect for company property. Using scrap material to make personal objects has an overall positive impact on employee morale.Obtaining buy-in from upper management to sanction this activity, whereby employees pay for scrap but in turn the company has a better trained worker, illustrates loyalty from the company to the employee. Virtue Ethics: This approach focuses more on the integrity of the moral actor than on the moral act itself. This perspective considers the actorââ¬â¢s character, motivations, and intentions. According to virtue ethics, it is important that the individual intends to be a good person and exerts effort to develop him or herself as a moral agent, to associate with others who do the same, and to contribute to creating an organizational context which supports ethical behavior.The ââ¬Å"Axeâ⬠has been operating under the auspices of virtue ethics when dealing with manufacturing ornamental decorations. This is evidenced by: a. Page did not feel that the projects were of material value, because the employees used scrap; b. Page thought the employees made the objects on their own time; c. Kadosaââ¬â¢s impression was that the practice was limited to some of the better craftsmen in the group ââ¬â the ones who typically did the best work, volunteered for overtime, and often helped out other employees who were having trouble; d. Kadosa beli eved that the workers involved in the practice clearly did not see themselves as ââ¬Å"thieves,â⬠but rather as skilled builders who took scarps and made something beautiful from them; e.Kadosa recalled an incident when he saw some of the craftsmen scold an employee for using new material to make a small ashtray ââ¬â the point was the employee attempted to use new material to make it. f.Before anyone began an unofficial project, they were expected to touch base with a few of the more senior craftsmen to see if it was OK; g. Kadosa felt that making something to sell, compared to something what was mainly for personal use, was collectively frowned upon. The motivations for the group which manufactured the ââ¬Å"giftsâ⬠were deemed as a noble cause and were meant for personal use, normally as gifts. Additionally, an unwritten set of rules, or unofficial ââ¬Å"Code of Conduct,â⬠ppears to have manifested itself within the workshop, such as seeking permission, only using scraps and not new material, and using the objects for personal use rather than for personal gain. Option A, to do nothing, does not contribute to ethical behavior by allowing employees to continue to the practice of using company materials and equipment for personal use. Option B, reporting the incident to upper management and seeking guidance on how to proceed, facilitates ethical behavior; however, employees may be punished when the activity was blatantly condoned by a member of management. Option C, not reporting the incident and handling the situation in-house, facilitates ethical behavior in the workshop employees; however, Fontaine does not exhibit ethical behavior since he is not reporting the incident to management.In accordance with deontological theory, Option D, reporting the incident but obtaining management buy-in on the recommendations, truly creates an organizational context which supports ethical behavior; employees are able to hone their skills, sanctioned by upper management, resulting in a highly motivated and more efficient employee, both which contribute to the Company's success. Recommendation: The practice of using scraps of material and company machinery in order to build decorative ornaments has been condoned by management for years. In addition, these ornaments have already been made (being stored in the storage room), so it will be difficult to ascertain those personnel responsible for the practice. Each of the three ethical principle analyses resulted in Option D being the favored course of action. Fontaine should inform upper management of the incident upon discovering the ornaments and obtain their buy in with his recommended course of action.Upon approval: remind employees of the Code of Conduct and post it prominently throughout the workshop; post throughout the workshop the infractions and punishment for recent misappropriations of material, next to the Code of Conduct; request H/R to implement new policies to annually h ave employees review the Code of Conduct, as well as upon transfer to different departments within the plant; have required training for Page on company policies to make him a better leader; allow employees to purchase scrap at cost; and possibly request permission for employees to use scraps and machinery for special purposes/events (ie Christmas, going away gifts), as a means to improve the skill and capability of all employees as a version of on-the-job-training. Ultimately, the company will have highly motivated employees with better skills and high morale, resulting in improved production in the ââ¬Å"Axe. â⬠REFERENCES Anteby, Michel, & Hyman, Mikell (2011). The Redgrove Axial Workshop (Rev. Jan. 5, 2011). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School. Trevino, L. K. , & Nelson, K. A. (2011). Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To Do It Right (5th Ed. . Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. www. haworth. com/en-us/Knowledge/Workplace-Library/Documents/Four-Organizatio nal-Culture-Types_6. pdf Last Call: an Interactive Multimedia Simulation. Facilitatorââ¬â¢s Guide Page 12. Protection of Company Assets ITE employees must protect company assets.Company assets include a) intellectual property and trade secrets, b) business strategy, c) financial data, d) production materials, e) equipment, f) fleet, furniture, and g) computer supplies and software. Company assets are intended for the exclusive use of advancing the mission of the ITE Corporation. 3b. Sanctions Failure to protect company assets will result in sanction commensurate to the company loss. Sanctions can range form warnings to termination, and might include withheld pay. Criminal charges in courts might also be filed if deemed necessary by the ITE Corporation. Source: ITE documents. APPENDIX D Summary of Redgrove Records of Material Misappropriation Incidents and Sanctions, 1998-2007 ) February 1998: A workshop worker was reported by an anonymous source to be ââ¬Å"stealing company mate rials. â⬠(The HR department received a letter). Upon closer inspection, it turned out the worker was making a window frame for his house, and doing this at the end of his day shift. He received a ââ¬Å"stern warning,â⬠ââ¬Å"two days without pay,â⬠and was told that the next infraction would lead to termination. 2) December 1998: A storage room employee was discovered with raw, expensive materials (titanium) in his car as he was driving out of the plant. The employee was fired. 3) November 1999: During a random search of employees exiting the plant, a guard found a miniature turbine. The worker who was found with it claimed it was a gift for his brother.The worker received a three-day suspension and was warned that any additional discoveries would result in the termination of his employment. 4) June 2002: The purchasing director found a number of workers distributing pins they had manufactured to ââ¬Å"commemorateâ⬠the launch of a new aircraft. The pins were made from workshop scraps. Three of the workers were suspended without pay for two days. 5) March 2003: A visiting ITE director asked about a set of metal candlesticks at a local ââ¬Å"antique shop. â⬠The vendor explained that they had been made at the nearby Redgrove plant. The director asked for the makerââ¬â¢s name, but the shopkeeper claimed ignorance. An internal audit was conducted to no avail.The candlesticks disappeared a few weeks later from the shop: ââ¬Å"bought by a city person,â⬠according to the shopkeeper. 6) January 2005: In a regular random search of a car exiting the plant one evening, the on-duty guard discovered metal forging tools and workshop scraps in the trunk of an employeeââ¬â¢s car. The incident resulted in a ââ¬Å"warning,â⬠and the employee retired several months early, shortly thereafter. Source: Casewriter ANNEX E Consequentialist Analysis ââ¬â Option A (Do Nothing) [pic] ANNEX F Consequentialist Analysis ââ¬â Report I ncident, Request Guidance [pic] ANNEX G Consequentialist Analysis ââ¬â Donââ¬â¢t Report, Handle Incident In-House [pic] ANNEX H Consequentialist Analysis ââ¬â Report Incident but Recommend Actions, Gain Upper Management Buy-In [pic]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)