How Does The World Leading Companies Interact with Society: An investigation into the performance of Louis Vuitton Essay

Founded in 1854, Louis Vuitton Moà «t Hennessy (LVMH) had become the world’s largest luxury fashion house brand group and manage to gain sales revenue of 20,320 million euros in 2010 to 23, 659 million Euro in 2011 and 28, 103 million Euro in 2012 (Jin, 2012). Nowadays in business world, the survivability of business depends on how it interact with the society. The way of a company behave toward the society and environment is the key for a company to achieve profitability and maintain good reputation as small action give a big impact (Hartman, 2005). In this case, a company good intention will frequently shadowed by it bad steps in damaging society even it is unintentionally done. In contrast for that, Louis Vuitton had practiced their good intention by launching environmental department in 1992 in order to preserve the nature thus helping Louis Vuitton to produce high quality product (LVMH launches its own Green Week, 2012). Behind the scene, Louis Vuitton also increases their carbon emission by 25% in 2012 while manage to increases their revenue by 19% in 2012 (LVMH, 2012). In the same time, Louis Vuitton keep telling the society about their policy of not allowing child labor (LVMH: Supplier’s Code Of conduct, 2014) but unfortunately, it just another spin doctoring to hide another mistake they had done. This would remark that Louis Vuitton secretly brings the negative impact to environment and to the community around them. This paper will assessed the truth about the real contribution of LVMH towards society. In spite of that, there are still other stakeholders that are not being discussed thorough this investigation. The case against Louis Vuitton For a luxury brand to be judge as very successful company, the indicator is not about how popular the company but it is decided on how timeless, modern, fast-growing and highly profitable they are (LVMH brand for success, 2002). Indeed, the way of the company interact with the society still will be take into the consideration as it such inappropriate for a company to have high profit by ‘taking down’ people who are also the customers (Hartman, 2005, 53). To conclude the performance of LVMH, it is really important to jot down their contribution in making the world a better place. In this context, it  is a need to study how well is a company in reducing carbon dioxide emission in reducing dire climate change level today (Antonio, 2009, 15). Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of greenhouse gas released by human activities including the production processes of goods in LVMH. Industrial activities contribute 11% of carbon emission in the atmosphere that is a main factor of global warming (EPA 2013). Global warming should not be underestimated as it would lead to varies bad effects to world such as increase the sea level that cause by melting of the Arctic sea ice and glaciers. It was reported by The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that there was a 22cm rise in sea level in the 20th century and 22cm rise in sea level in the 20th century due to carbon emission. Year by year, Louis Vuitton is increasing its carbon emission. The paradox here is Louis Vuitton should give effort to improve the lifestyle of its stakeholders which is the society but in the same time Louis Vuitton is slowly ‘killing’ the world. What a meaning of wearing very stylish outfit but at the end people got no place as their home. The record explicitly show that LVMH was releasing 193,371 tons of (CO2) of carbon emission in 2012 which is really bad for environment (LVMH 2012). In 2011, Louis Vuitton recorded 155,362 tons of (CO2) carbon emission which is lesser than in 2012. It was believed that the carbon emission rose due to alliance of LVMH with Murakami in producing new design and pattern (Riot, 2013). Despite of that, Louis Vuitton should care about alliance of several products if they do really want to minimize the carbon emission. Louis Vuitton had declared that it is one of their policy to compensate the carbon emission but unfortunately in the production of fashion and leather goods, carbon emissions had rose by 71% in 2012 (55,978 metric tonnes) compared to 2011 (32,714 metric tonnes) which is due to this alliance (LVMH, 2012). Louis Vuitton seems to only expects their supplier to be committed in mitigate with carbon emission generated from the supply chain which is beyond their control (LVMH 2011). This would remark that it is impossible for LVMH to promote a better environment without any clear measures taken in overcome this problem. Is Louis Vuitton really aware that due to their incentives of inventing new products cause increase in carbon emission spasmodically. What can be concluded from this situation, LVMH is trying to spin doctoring by only telling their incentives in improving their stakeholders lifestyles but at the same time they are not really determined  and care about their stakeholders’ future. The case for Louis Vuitton Instead of those issues that already discussed above, it is undeniable that Louis Vuitton is aware of those problem happened and do really give effort to overcome the carbon emission issue. It is true that LVMH really practicing a policy in order to support the environmental protection that illustrate them as a party that willing to reduce the negative impact of their activities to environment by limiting the carbon emission (Louis Vuitton 2012). In 2006, Louis Vuitton had carried out a few training programmes in encouraging their workers to protect the environment by carefully using natural resources, minimize the energy and water consumption and reducing waste (UNGC 2006). Louis Vuitton also had established Environment department since 1992 to preserve the nature. One of the functions of the environment department is to promotes each employees to practice the right attitudes thus ensuring their commitment in preserving the environment. In instance, Louis Vuitton was organized two seminars on â€Å"ISO 14001† and â€Å"Carbon footprint† to increase the understanding of how important of a company in ensuring the environment is safety for mankind (LVMH 2012). Consequently, in this effort, Louis Vuitton was conducting more 700 training hours in promoting awareness to their regular employee at Sainte-Florence workshop and 111 training hours at the Barbera workshop (LVMH 2012). Louis Vuitton tried to spread the importance of preserving the nature to their employee’s stakeholders and not only to their employees. Unfortunately, this storyline happened before the incidents of carbon emission happened. From what can be inferred is, Louis Vuitton probably reducing their efforts in mitigating carbon emission after their stakeholders already view Louis Vuitton as a really determined party in promoting better environment. Get down to the concept of a successful company, the effort of Louis Vuitton in perform ing the alliance with Murakami is also fair as making the company highly profitable. In simple word, it is also unfair to judge Louis Vuitton as the bad one in increasing the carbon emission as every single action have their own trade-offs. From past events, it was really shown how determine Louis Vuitton in promoting better lifestyles to their stakeholders. For example, in celebrating Lantern Festival in China, they had invented a lantern collection and a mahjong set  for Chinese people (Chan, 2011, 101). In this case, it is not really a need for Louis Vuitton to do that as they already manage to make high profit from other product but due to their spirit to improve people lifestyles, they really give an effort for a part of world population in China. Furthermore, Louis Vuitton is also really aware of workers’ right. As the world was shocked by usage of child labor by Nike in 2001, Louis Vuitton never involved in such issues. It can be seen that Louis Vuitton is really determined with their policy of not using child labor in their production. In addition of that, Louis Vuitton also stated in their policy that they will give appropriate wages to their workers and will really take care of them as the company ass ets (LVMH: Supplier’s Code Of conduct, 2014). Thus, Louis Vuitton contributions in promoting better society also should not be avoided due to their few mistakes in conducting their business as they may have no intention to make things become severely worsen. Conclusion Louis Vuitton is interacting with the society in both positive and negative ways. Louis Vuitton had gave their best to give a better products that would satisfied their stakeholders. They had inventing a lot of new design to suit with the stakeholders’ wants. This would illustrated how well Louis Vuitton response to society is. In spite of that, Louis Vuitton biggest harm to society which is carbon emission is also the main issue that should not be avoided as Louis Vuitton is manufacturing, transporting and packaging their products. It is aware that carbon emission released by Louis Vuitton would bring bad impact for global community especially the next generation of human in future. Instead of making policies, Louis Vuitton is really giving effort in practicing those policies even though sometimes they failed to do so. In conclusion, Louis Vuitton needs to have a good relationship with the society by fulfilling not only the needs of their shareholders and community but also t heir needs. References Antonio, Robert J. 2009. Climate Change, the Resource Crunch, and The Global Growth Imperative. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Chan, Priscilla Y.L. 2011. Fashion retailing in China: An examination of its development and issues. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). â€Å"Carbon Dioxide Emissions | Climate Change US EPA.† Accessed March 26, 2014. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/co2.html. Hartman, Laura P. 2005. Perspectives In Business Ethics. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Education (Asia). â€Å"LVMH launches its own Green Week†. 2012. LUXURY, May 2012. http://www.2luxury2.com/lvmh-launches-its-own-green-week/ LVMH Supplier’s Code Of conduct. 2014. Louis Vuitton Moà «t Hennessy. http://www.lvmh.com/uploads/assets/Com-fi/Documents/en/Governance/LVMH-Suppliers-code-of-conduct.pdf â€Å"LVMH brand for success, thanks to know-how from the top†. 2002. Strategic Direction 18(5): 7-9. doi: 10.1108/02580540210793482 LVMH: luxury world leader, prestigious brands – Louis Vuitton Moà «t Hennessy. Accessed September 7, 2013. http://www.lvmh.com/uploads/assets/Com-fi/Documents/en/Press_release_PDF/LVMHAnnualResults2012_VA.pdf. Riot, Elen. 2013. â€Å"Murakami on the bag: Louis Vuitton’s decommoditization strategy†. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management 41(11/12). doi: 10.1108/IJRDM-01-2013-0010 UNGC (United Nations Global Compact). Accessed March 27, 2014. http://www.unglobalcompact.org/system/attachments/2897/original/COP.pdf?1262614359.

Christians Should Not Take Part In Sport Or Shopping Essay

The important thing about this statement is that it can be argued two ways. Many people would see sport or shopping as a chore therefore related to work. Others would argue that it is a leisure activity and it is not work. With this in mind the church instated a law saying that all Catholics must attend mass on a Sunday. The Catholic Church itself has no laws or restrictions about shopping or playing sport on a Sunday. By tradition Sunday was the holy day separated and set aside by the fact the mass going was essential to the day’s activities. In The Old testament there is a saying in the book of Ecclesiastes saying there is a set and provide time for everything which basically means people should balance out there time between things. In today’s society were everything is on the move and rushed priorities should be examined and people should use the gift of time wisely. God himself as many believed set down the day of worship. Sunday has three main important events, wh ich coincide with this day. One: Jesus rose from the dead on this day.  Two: Sunday was the first Day of the week and the first day of creation.  Three: Jesus sent down the Holy Spirit On The Pentecost.  Sunday is also a day of celebration when Catholics come together to give praise to God and to thank God for what he has given all of them.  Sport nowadays has become big business for all involved. Among all the big names in sport no one objects to playing on Sundays because of all of the money involved. This is just a small list of all the sports that are being played on Sundays Although sport is played on money for reasons other the money many include because of TV rights and because of sponsors. Christians should not take part on sport on Sunday because sport is seen as work in the church’s eyes. Many values are expressed in sport such as sportsmanship, fairplay etc.  Shopping is the second of the changing faces of Sunday is becoming the most popular one. Many family lifestyles revolve around the parents work and therefore many parents only get to see their children at the weekends. The weekend is often regarded as the days to get the shopping done and many rely on Sunday heavily. Since seven day shopping was legalised in 1977, many have taken advantage over the law. Teresa Murray head of the N. Ireland Region Of Shopping Centres said â€Å"Sunday Shopping has become like a leisure pursuit for families and has become an important trading day for people in business.† Business provides a service and depending on the demand it either succeeds or fails and on Sunday nowadays shopping has become a demand so in order to make money business open for the maximum hours allowed which is six. Many working families don’t have much time to spend so end up using Sunday to spend time with there children or getting tings that they could get during the week such as grocery shopping. All the added time spend on Sundays has increased the employment needed for Sundays. Bob Gourley head of N. Ireland Shop Worker’s Union said â€Å"they had been opposed to the Sunday trading laws and had in fact boycotted them for many years but however hard they try Sunday trading has become a reality. Our workers only work on Sunday where it is done by agreement†

American Ethnic Literature Essay

American Literature has been an important part of American people for centuries. What makes this type of literature great is that the authors vision is objective and not one sided. Several of the American authors are still considered to be great writers. The books that were written by these authors are still read by people of all ages around the United States. These books are now considered classic literature. American literature is considered American because it was written by American people. Overall, â€Å"editors appear to use an inconsistent combination of citizenship, geographical location, language, and subject matter (that is, the subject of America and the United States) (Hames- Garcia, p. 1, 2003). Most of the American literature was written by white men. In order to be considered American literature it has to be about the United States. There have been many great authors that write about science fiction, but because it is unreal their literature is not considered American literature. Politics also played an important role in literature. It was of great importance to portray the American character as an â€Å"exceptional entity† (Hames-Garcia, p. 1, 2003). In the early twentieth century, writers who were not American white men were not allowed to publish their works. Women writers as well as Black, Latino, American Indian, and immigrant writers were left out altogether. This happened because other ethnic groups were considered to be inferior. It was until the 1970s that feminist began to speak out and rebel against the oppression they were faced with. It is thanks to this reform that the American literature holds diversity. It allows for men and women to have the same opportunity to express their feelings without having to worry about their race or sex. Another type of literature is ethnic literature. This type of literature is often read as an autobiography, even when making no such claims. This is written on a first person point of view. The author’s point of view is specific to their personal beliefs and life stories. It is difficult for this type of author to provide an objectionable story. They are blinded by anger because of what they had to live. The topics these authors write about covers racism and suppression. The definitions and topics will vary depending on the life experiences that each author or their families experienced. The storyline will also vary because each author lived different time periods, and of course things change over time. Ethnic Literature is great because it now holds different point of views. Every person has a different perspective on what happens around them. What allows for this to be great is that each person is entitled not only to have their own belief, but they are able to express their feelings with freedom. No person is afraid of what repercussion might come because they decided to write from their heart. The truth allows readers to realize that life has been harder for some people more than others. It is easy to forget what our ancestors had to experience in order for each individual to encounter freedom. It is now easy for men and women of all races to walk freely around their city. This however came at a price, and this type of literature allows human beings to read and experience in some small way what it was like to live in a world were the color of your skin as well as your sex had a lot to do with the quality of life you lived. American Literature will continue to play an important role in American people. The only way to enjoy this type of literature is to introduce our younger generations to it. This is theperfect   material needed to give to young readers so that they can value the lifestyle they are allowed to live today. It is up to us to keep this tradition alive so that our future generation can enjoy it as well. Reference Michael Hames-Garcia. (2003). Which America is ours? Marti’s â€Å"Truth† and the foundations of â€Å"American literature†. Modern Fiction Studies, 49(1), 19-53. Retrieved October 25, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 328665241). Yonjae Jung. (2004). The New Americanist Intervention into the Canon. American Studies International, 42(2/3), 213-225. Retrieved October 26, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 676208971).

Memo for accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Memo for accounting - Assignment Example The internal control process assists the Aero management to ensure the reliability of financial reporting and preparation. It also makes sure that the prepared financial statements exhibit a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. With regard to the efficiency of internal control system, based on the Committee of Sponsoring Organization of the Treadway Commission (COSO)’s criteria, the company claims that its internal control over financial reporting as of 29th January 2011 was effective (annual report). An effective internal control system is considered as the potential strength of any organization as this feature adds value to stakeholder interests. The proxy statement 2011 clearly shows that the Aero has effectively defined the roles of its CEO and chairman. As per the disclosures contained in the proxy statement, the CEO is responsible for dealing with â€Å"general management, oversight, supervision, and control of the business and affairs† of the company (proxy statement). He has also the responsibility to find that the Board’s all orders and resolutions are put into effect. In contrast, the Chairman is assigned for the supervision of the Board meetings and shareholders. In addition, it is the duty of the Chairman to provide appropriate advices to the CEO and other executive officers on various business matters (proxy statement). The separate CEO and chairman structure of the company is very effective, and hence it contributes to the operational efficiency of the Aeropostale, Inc. The interdependent functions of the CEO and the Chairman would aid shareholders to ensure better use of their money. From a detailed study of the report, it is evident that the Aeropostale, Inc has a prosperous future. Aero’s international expansion strategy is the most positive aspect. The company has entered numerous overseas markets over the last decade and it

Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Writing - Essay Example The system accepts one’s driving license as a proof of citizenship. This move may result into many states adopting the feature into their systems; though debate keeps ranging on whether the judges shall rule against or for the case. The authorities in the state say that they shall be alert to prove on what the law stands for in Alabama. In the meantime, the A-L program will continue being effective. In the news, Elliott (2009) continues to argue that the Representative of the Revenue Department, Julie Magee is said to be very optimistic on this move to stop the earlier non-compliance concerns in the Immigration Department. Magee is quoted saying that she might not really know much on the expenditure of the A-L verify system but is very aware that the functioning of the system will benefit Alabama in a great way, from her explanation on how the system works. It may be too late for the law to restrain the move as it has already been implemented in a way, and is functioning really well. With the Hispanic population standing at about a hundred and forty five, just a minute section of the population, judge Blackburn is said to rule on the Alabama case. It is evident that the financial burden on the shoulders of the populace has been too heavy. Though the law might affect so many farmers negatively, through discouragement of the Hispanic population working on the farms, the Alabama citizens are extremely eager to get away with the

Women, Work and Class Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Women, Work and Class - Assignment Example However, masculinity represents power not only of any men but white men that too those who leadership positions in the society. Hegemonic masculinity represents power that is attributed to men in high positions and such power is taken for granted whenever any man holds a certain position in the society. Hegemonic masculinity â€Å"legitimates the power of those who embody it† (Acker, 2006, p.82). In essential, hegemonic masculinity can be associated with violent acts like using violence for colonial conquests. In modern capitalism, violence is often masked by objective conditions like top managers in any organization can fire employees to increase profits thus creating unemployment (Acker, 2006, p.83). Hegemonic masculinity represents a country’s culture and heritage and this can be different in each country. Acker (2006) has given the example of Swedish banks trained and ambitious men in high positions give more priority to making profits than satisfying the needs of t he customers (Acker, 2006, p.84). Hegemonic masculinity is the power bestowed on men in position, and in the real sense it gives men in authority to use their power to bring positive changes in the society. Political leaders of a country can use the power bestowed on them to promote goodwill and harmony with other countries. 2. Means of provisioning In economic perspective, class differentiation is based on access of means of provisioning and survival. In a capitalistic society, production process and finances are executed with the objective of maximizing profit. Therefore, although some classes are provided with maximum resources, there are other classes whose production and resource accumulation capacities are undermined. Education and community play an important role in access to provisions, because these factors contribute towards â€Å"finding paid job at living wages† (Acker, 2006, p.55). Those who have control over production jobs receive highest returns in the field o f distribution. An economic structure of a nation is formed on the basis of distribution of provisions i.e. necessary supplies like food and clothing needed for survival. Provisioning occurs through paid or unpaid method of production, and distribution of results of production like wages and profits. Provisioning also affects gender and race. Many employees hire male workers in skilled trades or specific racial people for menial jobs for lower wages (Acker, 2006, p.170). However, with increase of service sector jobs, women labour is increasing thus making women breadwinners for families (Acker, 2006, p.172). Acker (2006) has given the example of housewife who does unpaid work of maintaining family. She has little control over means of provisions since she is dependent for provisions on others who are engaged in production and distribution processes (Acker, 2006, p.63). Today, education has become universal and also with increased job opportunities for all gender and races, power ove r means of provisioning is no more restricted to specific gender or race. Therefore, by contribution towards provisioning it is possible for any individual to become a significant shaper of a nation’s economy. 3. Corporate nonresponsibility Corporate nonresponsibility emphasizes the role of household women in the field of care and survival. This concept actually moves the responsibility of those with power and wealth and shifts it to women from poor and minority communities. It devalues their position but they are bound by responsibilities to take care of their lives and lives of others (Acker, 2006, p.9) Nonresponsibility can be turned to globalization processes. The scopes for profit and production without challenges to nonresponsibility act as encouraging factors for shifting production from

Response to Valedictorian Speech- Discussion on high school education Essay

Response to Valedictorian Speech- Discussion on high school education - Essay Example In this discussion about the American education system, the controversial issue is whether the academia has adequately prepared its students for the challenges of higher education. On one hand, Goldson argues that she is graduating at the top of her class only because she did her best to follow what she was told to do within the system that is already set up before her. On the other hand, the academia contends that they stress not only memorization, but also understanding, challenging, and innovating when engaging new ideas. My own view is that the potential to learn and probe cannot be suppressed if we do not allow it. I believe, too, that the academia does not wish to see its students fail to thrive in school. It is about time that people begin to see that grades do not make the person. Such thinking could lead the way towards, hopefully, important and effective

Launch of Zico in the 2012 London Olympics Essay

Launch of Zico in the 2012 London Olympics - Essay Example This is because of the fact that considering the advantages coconut water has to offer to the consumer, it can prove to be an essential drink for the elderly too. Keeping in mind the target audience, Coca Cola is launching Coca Cola Zico in the UK market by using the London 2012 Olympics as the major platform for it since the Olympics is considered to be the most prestigious sporting event to take place once in four years. The Zico campaign can certainly attract a lot of audience who are sport loving. For this to happen, Coca Cola can employ both advertising and public relations program to achieve their aim to successfully launch their new product. Let’s first define the two marketing strategies. Advertising is an act of selling a product by conveying a message to the audience about the existence of a product. It can be done using both the print and electronic media to reach the masses. On the other hand, Public Relations (PR) refers to the establishment of strong relations wi th the company’s publics which helps in building a strong brand image. Public relations can include activities like sponsorships, covering sport events, etc. (CIPR, 2012) Carrying out advertising may not sound as simple because it entails a lot of aspects that need to be taken account of. Marketers all over the world come across many hurdles before coming up with an advertising strategy. These environmental challenges include the following: 1. Demographics: income distribution, changing lifestyle, standard of living and the likes; 2. Economic environment: per capita income, state of the economy, etc. ; 3. Cultural environment: for instance, the ad on the right of Vita Coco, the market leader in terms of coconut water in the US, maybe unacceptable in the South Asian culture but accepted in the UK culture; (Buss, 2012) 4. Political and social environment: legislation, ethics, laws, society itself, etc. Since the case is such that a new product is being launched in to the UK mar ket, the role of advertising shall be to both inform and remind the consumers about Zico. The reason for this is that the public relations program will be taking place during the Olympics and it will be followed up by the advertising campaign. The initial step to outline an advertising campaign for Zico would be to decide upon the advertising budget that Coca Cola will spend after the end of London Olympics. Since it’s a new product, it will require a large budget. Considering the ?500,000 media budget, a 60:40 split should be done with advertising getting more as opposed to public relations. The primary reason is that advertising helps in conveying the message to a larger audience with a lower cost per audience. Considering the budget constraints, it is imperative to make the best use of the finance available. Market share also plays an impact on the advertising budget. Since we don’t have sufficient information as to how many players are already in the market, itâ₠¬â„¢s hard to comment about it. For instance, the US market comprises of Pepsi’s ONE and Vita Coco that are doing very well. In case, they exist in the UK market, the role of advertising will also be persuasive in addition to informing. (Esterl, 2012) The second step in designing the advertising strategy would be to create an advertising message. In order to overcome the issue of message retention and attention, the campaign has to be clutter breaking. The concept

Any topic that relates to confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, or Research Paper

Any topic that relates to confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, or regression - Research Paper Example For this purpose, researchers chose optometric practice and business involved in it. In relation to the main objective of the research, it also determines the level of significance for each of the independent variable identified on customer loyalty. Finally, it put forth certain recommendations for improving the influence of independent variables on customer loyalty in optometry practice. Hypotheses Tested The research paper set out three research hypotheses to be tested out by quantitative testing of survey data collected in the study. â€Å"HA1:   There is a relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty within an optometric practice. HA2:   There is a relationship between trust and customer loyalty within an optometric practice. HA3:   There is a relationship between commitment and customer loyalty within an optometric practice† (van Vuuren, Roberts-Lombard and van Tonder 87). Population The targeted population for the study comprised of patients of a n optometry practice. Only those patients are included in the population who have visited the undisclosed optometry practice two or more times in the last six years. Variable Measured There are three independent variables including customer satisfaction, trust, and commitment. ... One of the types of exploratory study is Experience Survey (Churchill and Iacobucci), which has been used in the selected research study. A detailed survey has been conducted to collected responses from patients of optometry practices. Sampling and Sample Size The study makes use of non-probability sampling method along with convenience sampling technique. Non-probability sampling method involves selection of respondents from a relatively larger population. (Babbie 199). The study also makes use of convenience sampling technique, which requires the surveyor to simply request respondents to participate in the survey and it is their own will to either accept or reject the request. The survey in the study is conducted at the premises of optometry practice chosen for this purpose. Patients visiting optometry practice were requested to participate in the survey if they met the initial criteria of selecting the population. The survey was concluded with 357 questionnaires completed by patie nts during 8 weeks. (2) Statistical Methods The study is quantitative in nature, which uses statistical methods for analyzing data collected from the structured survey questionnaire implemented in the study. The methods used in the study include descriptive statistics, which determined the frequency of allowed responses for each Likert Scale based statement. Likert Scale allows respondents to choose their responses from a selection of designated responses allowed to them by the researcher. In the chosen study, five point Likert Scale has been used (Monette, Sullivan and DeJong). The study performs calculation of Cronbach Alpha for assessing the reliability of responses. Furthermore, the study also

Important Management Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Important Management Questions - Essay Example DMAIC method can be utilized when a product or a process is in existence at the company and does not meet the customer specification. In case of clinical practices setting, DMAIC tool can be effectively utilized when any kind of change in triggered. For instance, the health care organisation plans to introduce a new department such as neurology department for the patients. Such introduction necessitates the demand for change management in the healthcare setting. Therefore, all the aspects of DMAIC model need to be taken into consideration when bringing in such a change. At the outset, it is significant to create awareness regarding the change in the heath care organization. After having created awareness, the desire to change amongst those affected needs to be measured. Furthermore, it becomes essential to train the people and thus ensure that the organization has the ability to change. After having gained the necessary training, the people in the organization are capable of embracin g the desired change effectively. When a clinical administrator in an organization recognizes that the organization will be capable of adjusting with the change, only then change can be enforced. The Six Sigma DMAIC process can be implemented to identify the lacuna in the existing systems and to recognize how to correct them and thus implement required changes for the near future. DMAIC can be utilized in the clinical setting when the existing processes are not meeting the needs of the patients. FMEA Utilization in Performance Management FMEA stands for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis. It is a methodical and proactive technique for assessing a method to recognize the probable ways in which it may fail. It further evaluates the influence of the failures, in order to determine the parts of the processes that require change. FMEA has been utilized in the health care industry for organizing the information that has been gathered on causes and their effects. FMEA can be utilized in the process conceptualization and design along with assessment stages. The concept can be consistently applied for constant quality improvement in care providing processes from planning through performance evaluation. In case of clinical practices, the various factors under which performance management can be evaluated have been mentioned in the table below: Factors For Consideration For Performance Management Through FMEA Gathering a team of clinical experts who are involved in a high-risk care process Identifying a trained facilitator Undertaking meetings to converse about a care process in detail Conducting analysis as well as scoring hazardous items upon the care process related maps Applying the indicated results High-risk care processes are generally those where the processes that are employed are generally fragmented and comprise people from numerous departments as well as disciplines for performing similar tasks. Results obtained from FMEA tend to explain and to prioritize fail ures in care providing process and thus facilitate to determine the root causes of such failures. The table below helps to explain the use of FMEA in performance management of the employees in the hospital. The Table Below Describes the FMEA Scoring Example: Function Potential Failure mode Potential effect(s) of failure S Potential causes(s) of failure O

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 62

Discussion - Assignment Example Organizations are more willing to listen to the grievances raised by unions and protect their members against intimidation by their employers. Since companies rarely win against claims raised by union, they pay their employees according to the market rate or standards determined by the workers unions to avoid conflicts such as strikes that may sterilize operations of the organizations. Unionization contributes to about 13% increase in nurse wages. Also, according to Edwin & Trevor (2011, p. 16) there is a â€Å"strong correlation between the presence of unions and overall wages for nurses.† Unions benefits to the patients in terms of quality of services they get from the nurses. According to Edwin & Trevor (2011, p. 16), unions enhances self-esteem of the nurses, promotes interaction of nurses in the organization and improves the employees confidence resulting to better quality of services the patients receives from the nurses. The study indicates lower mortality rate for patients with â€Å"acute myocardial infarction† in unionized hospitals than less unionized areas (Edwin & Trevor, 2011). Since unions attract more nurses unionized, hospitals have a higher number of nurses per patient than those less-unionized hospitals. Higher nurse-patient ratio result to increase in quality of care the patients receives in the hospital (Lovell,

The Cuban Missile Crisis Essay Example for Free

The Cuban Missile Crisis Essay Remembered as perhaps the most intense episode of the Cold War due to its nuclear threat, the Cuban Missile Crisis has been analyzed extensively by historians hoping to construct an accurate picture of its cause and development. The tight control exercised by both Soviet and American government agencies, however, has limited access to relevant documents, and thus inhibited any objective study of the crisis. Until only a few years ago, most of the world would have agreed with Arthur Schlesinger Jr. s description of the event as a brilliantly controlled1 American victory- a paragon of US dedication, morale, and diplomatic skill. But as the National Security Archive has gradually opened access to key accounts, it has become apparent that what seemed so finely orchestrated was in fact wrought with misinformation, miscalculation, and misjudgment. 2 At the time, tensions were already running high due to the fierce military and psychological rivalry between superpowers, and problems within the Eastern and Western blocs themselves made it even easier to misinterpret political signals. Failures in intelligence and a general lack of central control further complicated the situation, fuelling the fires of mistrust that were already burning with the increased urgency that accompanies the prospect of nuclear war. From these revelations, we can conclude that initial assessments of the episode as a thirteen day affair are incorrect, that it was rather the result of long-term misunderstanding. And while deliberate deception did play a significant role in the development of the crisis, we must acknowledge that it was, for the most part, perpetuated by a combination of basic mistrust and political and military mishaps. It is with this knowledge in mind, then, that we proceed to examine the complex set of factors that brought the world to the brink of a cataclysmic war. The years leading up to the Cuban Missile Crisis had seen a number of significant changes in the Cold War conflict. Things were very unstable, as new faces became prominent, new nations were born, and the rivalry between superpowers reached previously unvisited levels, both high and low, as Soviet and American governments experimented with foreign policy. While these factors had a significant influence on the status quo in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres, their effect was particularly marked within Khrushchevs domain, as he sought to assert his individuality by introducing anti-Stalinist mechanisms. His advocation of peaceful co-existence,3 and military disarmament, as well as his insistence on publicly denouncing Stalin, met with fiery opposition from within the Kremlin, and, by 1957, it had become apparent that he was losing control of the formerly centralized Communist world. With rebellions springing up across Eastern Europe, then, and China beginning to pursue a course independent of Khrushchevs support, it had become clear that a firm reinstatement of Soviet authority was needed, and soon. The pressure that this goal put on Khrushchev, and the conflicts between him and his advisers caused Soviet foreign policy to fluctuate drastically. After pursuing what seemed what seemed like rapprochement at Camp David, and making an amiable visit to the United States, the Soviet leader suddenly reverted to hostile tactics, refusing to negotiate over Berlin, and assuming a suspicious attitude about US actions in Europe. This dramatic change of approach was best displayed in the fact that, after years of silence on offensive American overflights, he unexpectedly ordered a U2 plane that was photographing Soviet territory shot down. Khrushchev went on to cite this incident as the cause for his failure to attend the Paris Summit Conference in May, 1960. Obviously, such inconsistency sent mixed messages to the American administration, increasing their distrust. Suspicion of the Soviets escalated to a new high, as many key officials sided with former Secretary of State John Dulles in describing the period of peace as a tactical ploy to lure the West into a false sense of security, while (they) pursuedaggressive goals in disguise.4 The Soviet desire to reassert its strength and control caused even further problems when it extended past attempts to preserve Russias hegemony in Eastern Europe to actions intended to undermine the American public image. Ultimately, it became apparent over the next year or so that Soviet movements were double-edged, designed to consolidate, certainly, but also to probe US defenses, to determine the actual extent of its interest and loyalty to its allies in Europe. Their efforts in Berlin constituted one such probe, as the construction of the Berlin Wall was intended both to plug a hole in the iron curtain,5 and, at the same time, to break down the relationship between the United States and West Germany. The Soviets felt that if the Americans failed to intervene despite the West Berliners cries for help, this would weaken Germanys confidence in their US allies, and make a statement to the rest of NATO confirming their fear that the US was unable or unwilling to offer substantial resistance to Eastern strategies. This sentiment had arisen with the Soviet launching of Sputnik in 1957, a statement of its progress in the nuclear arms race. The Americans, meanwhile, were aware that their failure to follow through on some of their ideas for NATO, including the goal to increasetroop strength to fifty divisions,6 was giving the impression that US support was all talk. Further problems with the French over the establishment of the European Defense Committee threatened the cohesion of the Western bloc and engendered a need to reinforce US interest in Europe, a need which so paralleled the Soviet goals that it set the two superpowers up for an almost inevitable collision. In addition, the new president John F. Kennedy was experiencing similar problems to those faced by Khrushchev. Confronted with a hawkist faction within his body of advisers, Kennedy was constantly under pressure to be more aggressive, to abandon containment and start to roll back Communism. Just as disagreements within the Kremlin had caused confusion and misinterpretations of political moves, conflict inside the White House allowed American foreign policy t o appear fragmented and thus unpredictable. These things ensured that an already precarious situation was complicated by factors that masked the true intentions of each side. Cuba may seem an unlikely place for this clash between superpowers to occur, but since 1959 it has been a key symbol of resistance to US imperialism both in Latin America, and, on a grander scale, in the entire western hemisphere. In 1947, a Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance had been signed by the US and a number of South and Central American countries, apparently an alliance of similar design to NATO. It had been the source of much trouble, however, as the Latin Americans had envisioned the pact as a mechanism for their own economic development and security, not as a means by which the US could prevent Soviet expansion in this part of the globe. When ten years passed with little tangible aid, but plenty of American interference in the political system, the civilians grew dissatisfied, a sentiment which intensified as the US threatened leftist Colonel Arbenz of Guatemala with military opposition if he did not step down as premier. The Cubans especially resented this, and, when similar threats were raised against their Communist leader Fidel Castro, they turned to the Soviet Union for assistance. By the end of 1959, Cuba had become a Russian client state, and a useful foothold for the Soviets in the western hemisphere. Despite the intense antagonism that existed between the Russians and the Americans, the US administration did not view the close relationship between Castro and Khrushchev with any real alarm. This was because they felt that while the Soviets wanted to undermine the American public image, they were not willing to take action that could precipitate nuclear war. Thus, Kennedy was reasonably sure that his warning to the Soviets not to deploy missiles in Cuba would be obeyed in the interests of the common goal of nuclear non-proliferation. It came as a shock, then, when U2 planes flying over Cuban territory showed that several missile sites were under construction. This greatly increased the American mistrust of the Soviets, and, as correspondence began to flow between Moscow and Washington, it became apparent that there was an inherent difference in the way that the two superpowers defined the Cuban problem. For instance, the Americans felt that they had a right to know what was happening in their part of the world, complaining that the Kremlin had given repeated assurances of what (you were) not doing7- in effect, that it had lied to them. The Soviets, on the other hand, asserted that they were under no obligation to inform the U.S of any activities (they were) carrying on in a third country.8 This statement was probably only made to promote a sense of strength and independence, but it was, to the Americans, a sign that even the prospect of nuclear war could not deter the Soviets from their campaign of domination and expansion. It is clear from similar incidents that a need to appear strong led each superpower to use a certain degree of deception in its dealings with the other. This did not essentially cause the conflict, however; as already stated, the missile crisis had been set up by intensifications in the East-West rivalry long before Soviet ships carrying nuclear arms set sail. It would be more accurate to say, then, that the bluffing that went on only served to delay the resolution of the problem. In addition, it was effective in that it gave the world a false understanding that, particularly on the American front, could be manipulated by government officials in order to create a more favorable public impression. The United States especially made a significant effort to present the Soviet action as a dangerous attempt to change the world-wide status-quo,9 ridiculing their qualms about a possible invasion of Cuba. Recent studies have shown, however, that these concerns were not so unfounded as has been previously supposed. According to the US Archives, a plan for an operation against the Castro regime had been in existence since April 1960, entailing sabotage, infiltration, and psychological warfare, activities with military exercisesfor a possible invasion.10 It is also clear that President Kennedy was well aware of this throughout the crisis negotiations, having endorsed the scheme with the comment that its final success would require decisive military intervention11. We can only conclude that the Americans assumed the stance they did to protect their public image- seeking to mask the traces of imperialism in their attitude towards Cuba, and, at the same time, to undermine the Soviet positio n by presenting them as bad liars to the rest of the world. The Soviets were less successful, but just as determined, in their attempts to use deception to work the situation to their advantage. They, in turn, lied to the Americans in stating that no missiles will be placed in Cubawhich would (be)capable of reaching the United States,12 and again, later, in their claim that the deployment of missiles to Cuba was a purely deterrent move carried out to save Castro. While it is clear that there may have been something in the concerns about invasion, the writings of Khrushchev himself show that the strategy was also invented as a means of equalizing what the West likes to call balance of power. 13 The double-edged nature of this Soviet probe became even more obvious in the correspondence that took place between the Kremlin and the White House, as Khrushchev requested two separate concessions in return for removing the missiles- a no invasion pledge, and a promise that threatening nuclear bases in Turkey be dismantled. These missile bases may have actually triggered the Soviet action in Cuba, as they provided the US with an unanswered first-strike capability, and, incidentally, had become operational just a few weeks before ships began to cross from Russia to the Cuban coast. Known as the Jupiter missiles, these nuclear bases were an important part of a US statement intended to counter general lack of confidence in American support. They were also, however, essentially provocative,14 capable, as the Cuban crisis had shown, of precipitating a nuclear war. As the Americans weighed up these two factors, their concerns about their public image again caused them to revert to deceptive measures. Their inconsistency did not exactly impress the Russians, who were one day confronted with the announcement that the missiles in Turkey were NATOs decision,15 and the next, told that they would be removed if the Soviets kept the news of this concession from the American allies. In the end, however, the US administration judged correctly when it assumed that Khrushchev would happily forget about publicizing the agreement if he were given what he had asked for. The missiles in Turkey continued to be a central issue, though, as ongoing denial of any explicit Turkey-Cuba deal created the impression that the Cuban Missile Crisis was a great American victory. To further confound a situation that was already complicated by long term misunderstanding and deliberate deception, a number of military and political mishaps occurred. For instance, the fact that an American plane was shot down over Cuba almost triggered a U.S. air strike because it was interpreted as a Kremlin initiated action. Evidence has shown, however, that this was a purely local effort on the part of the Cubans to assert their independence. Similar problems occurred in the US administration, as CIA officials undertook unauthorized operations that gave the Cubans even more reason to anticipate an American invasion. This lack of central control made communication vitalfor the whole world,16 as the White House at least, recognized. In a conflict involving nuclear weapons, Kennedy said, even if these are only valuable for their psychological effect, every precaution must be taken to prevent an accidental outbreak of war. It is clear, then, that the Cuban Missile Crisis was born out of mutual but conflicting desires to appear strong in the context of an intense ideological war. During the years leading up to the event, a number of factors, the most important of these being the threat of nuclear war, combined to escalate existing tensions to dangerously high levels. In addition, the fact that neither side was willing to acknowledge that relations were deteriorating meant that the situation was further complicated by diplomatic exchange. When the conflict broke out in 1962, both Khrushchev and Kennedy stumbled through negotiations as they weighed up various concerns: how to protect their public image at home, and yet, at the same time, undermine the enemys position; how to keep up in the arms race while avoiding nuclear war. These things, and may others ensured that any resolution of the crisis would have to offer a military quid pro quo which would diffuse the nuclear conflict without causing either superpower to lose face. The fact that Soviet and American officials still disagree about the details of the eventual agreement, however, shows that it was more the (nuclear) restraint that was practiced and expected17 that prevented the outbreak of war than any diplomatic feat. 1 Jonathan K. Reece Revising the History of the Missile Crisis, pg. 34. 2 Robert McNamara as quoted in Jonathan K. Reeces Revising the History of the Missile Crisis, pg. 34. 3 William R. Keych The 20th Century World pg. 304 4 William R. Keych The 20th Century World pg. 304 5 William R. Keych, op cit., pg. 316 6 William R. Keych, op cit. pg. 297 7 Letter from John F. Kennedy to N.S. Khrushchev of Nov. 6, 1962. 8 Soviet Ambassador Kusnetsov as quoted in letter from John F. Kennedy to N.S. Khrushchev of Nov. 6, 1962. 9 The Presidents Address, October 22,nd, 1962. 10 Top Secret document released to the US National Security Archives in January 1989. 11 Ibid. 12 Letter from John F. Kennedy to N.S. Khrushchev of Nov. 6, 1962 13 http://www.wilsoncenter.org/subsites/ccpdc/pubs/zart/Ch11.html 14 Eisenhower as quoted by Jonathan K. Reece, op cit. page 46. 15 http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/moment.html 16 Letter from John F. Kennedy, op cit. 17 http://wwww.wilsoncenter.org/subsites/ccpdc/pubs/zart/Ch.11.html

Summary and Analysis of the Compton Effect

Summary and Analysis of the Compton Effect En = nhf (1) where En is the energy, n is a non-negative integer, h is Plancks constant, and f is the frequency of the photon.2 In 1905, Albert Einstein extended Plancks inference to include not only black body radiation but all electromagnetic waves! Therefore, Einstein hypothesized that light is quantized with energy proportional to its frequency.3 The obvious principle to be deduced from these discoveries is that light possessed attributes of waves and particles! In 1922, Arthur Holly Compton solidified Plancks assumption and therefore firmly established a new era of physics. Compton theorized and then experimentally demonstrated that electromagnetic waves had the properties of particles. Classically, x-rays would shake the electrons of a target material at the same frequency of the x-ray. Hence, the wavelength of radiation from the oscillating electrons would be identical to the wavelength of the incoming xrays. 1 However, it was observed that x-rays were more easily absorbed by materials than waves of longer wavelength. In other words, the scattered  x-rays were of longer wavelength.4 This was contrary to the predictions of classical physics. Compton realized though, that if the interaction was modeled as a collision between two particles (electron and photon), the scattered x-rays would-be of longer wave length (compared to the incident-rays) because the recoiling electron would acquire some of the energy and momentum of the  incoming x-ray.4 Since wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency, the frequency of the scattered x-rays was less. From eq. (1), it is seen  that the energy would also be decreased. When Compton carried out this experiment in 1922 using molybdenum as his target, he verified his theory and provided even more evidence that light also possessed a mass less particle nature Detailed Description of Compton Effect   the elastic scattering of electromagnetic radiation by free electrons, accompanied by an increase in wavelength; it is observed during scattering of radiation of short wavelength-X rays and gamma rays. The corpuscular properties of radiation were fully revealed for the first time in the Compton Effect. The Compton effect was discovered in 1922 by the American physicist A. Compton, who observed that X rays scattered in paraffin have a longer wavelength than the incident rays. Such a shift in wavelength could not be explained by classical theory. In fact, according to classical electrodynamics, under the influence of the periodic electric field of an electromagnetic (light) wave, an electron should oscillate with a frequency equal to that of the wave and consequently should radiate secondary (scattered) waves of the same frequency. Thus, in classical scattering (the theory of which was provided by the British physicist J. J. Thomson and is therefore called Thomson scattering) the wavelength of the light does not change. An elementary theory of the Compton effect based on quantum concepts was given by Compton and independently by P. Debye. According to quantum theory a light wave is a stream of light quanta, or photons. Each photon has a definite energy Ø ¹ =hv=hc/ÃŽÂ »and a definite momentum pÃŽÂ ³= (h/ÃŽÂ »)n, where ÃŽÂ » is the wavelength of the incident light (vis its frequency),cis the speed of light,his Plancks constant, and n is the unit vector in the direction of propagation of the wave (the subscript ÃŽÂ ³ denotes a photon). In quantum theory the Compton Effect appears as an elastic collision between two particles, the incident photon and the stationary electron. In every such collision event the laws of conservation of energy and momentum are obeyed. A photon that has collided with an electron transfers part of its energy and momentum to the electron and changes its direction of motion (it is scattered); the decrease in the photons energy signifies an increase in the wav elength of the scattered light. The electron, which previously had been stationary, receives energy and momentum from the photon and is set in motion (it experiences recoil). The direction of motion of the particles after the collision, as well as their energy, is determined by the laws of conservation of energy and momentum (Figure 1). Elastic collision of a photon and an electron in the Compton effect. Before the collision the electron was stationary:pÃŽÂ ³and pÃŽÂ ³are the momentum of the incident and scattered photons, pe=mvis the momentum of the recoil electron (vis its velocity),(is the photons scattering angle, and à ¸ is the angle of escape of the recoil electron relative to the direction of the incident photon. Simultaneous solution of the equations expressing the equality of the summed energies and momentums of the particles before and after the collision (assuming that the electron is stationary before the collision) gives Comptons formula for the shift in the wavelength of the light: =ÃŽÂ » à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »=ÃŽÂ »0(1 Ë- cos ÃŽÂ ¸) Here ÃŽÂ » is the wavelength of the scattered light, ÃŽÂ ¸ is the photons scattering angle, and ÃŽÂ »0=h/mc= 2.426 ÃÆ'- 10Ë-10cm = 0.024 angstrom (Ã…) is the Compton wavelength of the electron (mis the mass of the electron). It follows from Comptons formula that the shift in the wavelength does not depend on the wavelength ÃŽÂ » of the incident light itself. It is solely determined by the scattering angle ÃŽÂ ¸ of the photon and is maximal when ÃŽÂ ¸ = 180 °, that is, when scattering is straight back: max= 2ÃŽÂ »o. Expressions for the energy Ø ¹eof the recoil, or Compton, electron as a function of the angle à ¸ of its escape may be obtained from the same equations. The dependence of the energy Ø ¹ ÃŽÂ ³ of the scattered photon on the scattering angle ÃŽÂ ¸, as well as the dependence of Ø ¹eon à ¸, which is related to it, is shown in Figure 2. From the figure it is apparent that the recoil electrons always have a velocity component in the direction of motion of the incident photon (that is, à ¸ does not exceed 90 °). Experiment has confirmed all the above theoretical predictions. The correctness of the corpuscular concepts of the mechanism of the Compton effect-and thus the correctness of the basic assumptions of quantum theory-has been experimentally proved. In actual experiments on the scattering of photons by matter, the electrons are not free but are bound to atoms. If the energy of the photons is high in comparison with the binding energy of the electrons in the atom (X-ray and gamma-ray photons), then the electrons experience a recoil strong enough to expel them from the atom. In this case the photon scattering proceeds as if with free electrons. However, if the energy of the photon is not sufficient to tear the electron from the atom, then the photon exchanges energy and momentum with the entire atom. Since the mass of the atom is very great compared to the photons equivalent mass (which, according to the theory of relativity, equals  £y/c2), the recoil is virtually nonexistent; therefore, the photon Dependence of the energyØ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »of the scattered photon on the scattering angleÃŽÂ ¸(for convenience, only the upper half of the symmetrical curve is depicted) and the dependence of the energy Ø ¹eof the recoil electron on the angle of escape 0 (lower half of the curve). Quantities related to the same collision event are labeled with identical numbers. The vectors drawn from point 0, at which the collision between the proton with energy Ø ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ and the stationary electron occurred, to corresponding points on the curves depict the state of the particle after scattering: the magnitudes of the vectors give the energy of the particles, and the angles formed by the vectors with the direction of the incident photon define the scattering angle à ¸ and the angle 0 of the recoil electrons path. (The graph was plotted for the case of scattering of hard X rays with wavelengthhc/Ø ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³= ÃŽÂ ³o= 0.024 Ã….)  is scattered without a change in its energy (t hat is, without a change in its wavelength, or coherently). In heavy atoms only the peripheral electrons are weakly bound (in contrast to the electrons filling the inner shells of the atom), and therefore the spectrum of the scattered radiation has both a shifted (Compton) line, from scattering by the peripheral electrons, and an un-shifted (coherent) line, from scattering by the entire atom. With increasing atomic number (nuclear charge) the electron binding energy increases, the relative intensity of the Compton line decreases, and that of the coherent line increases. The motion of the electrons in atoms leads to a broadening of the Compton lines in the scattered radiation. This occurs because the wavelength of the incident light appears to be slightly changed for moving electrons; in addition, the amount of change depends on the magnitude and direction of the electrons velocity (the Doppler effect). Careful measurements of the intensity distribution in a Compton line, which reflects the velocity distribution of the electrons in the material, has confirmed the correctness of quantum theory, according to which electrons obey Fermi-Dirac statistics. The simplified theory of the Compton Effect examined here does not permit the calculation of all characteristics of Compton scattering, particularly the intensity of photon scattering at various angles. A complete theory of the Compton Effect is provided by quantum electrodynamics. The intensity of Compton scattering depends on both the scattering angle and the wavelength of the incident radiation. Asymmetry is observed in the angular distribution of the scattered photons: more photons are scattered forward, and the asymmetry increases with increasing energy of the incident photons. The total intensity of Compton scattering decreases with an increase in the energy of the primary photons (Figure 3); this indicates that the probability of the Compton scattering of a photon passing through matter diminishes with decreasing energy. Such a dependence of intensity on  £y determines the place of Compton scattering among the other effects of interaction between matter and radiation that ar e responsible for loss of energy by photons in their passage through matter. For example, in lead the Compton effect makes the main contribution to the energy loss of photons at energies of the order of 1-10 mega electron volts, or MeV (in a lighter element, aluminum, this range is 0.1-30.0 MeV); below this region it is surpassed by the photoelectric effect, and above it by pair production. Compton scattering is used extensively in studying the gamma radiation of nuclei; it is also the basis of the principle of operation of some gamma spectrometers. The Compton effect is possible not only for electrons but also for other charged particles, such as protons; however, because of the protons large mass its recoil is noticeable only during the scattering of photons with very high energy. The double Compton effect consists of the formation of two scattered photons in place of a single incident photon during scattering by a free electron. The existence of this process follows from quantum electrodynamics; it was first observed in 1952. Its probability is approximately a hundred times less than that of the ordinary Compton effect. Graph showing the dependence of the total Compton scattering intensity Inverse Compton effect. If the electrons on which electromagnetic radiation is scattered are relativistic (that is, if they are moving with speeds close to the speed of light), then in an elastic collision the wavelength of the radiation will decrease: the energy and momentum of the photons will increase at the expense of the energy and momentum of the electrons. This phenomenon is called the inverse Compton effect and is often used to explain the radiation mechanism of cosmic X-ray sources, the production of the X-ray component of the background galactic radiation, and the transformation of plasma waves into high-frequency electromagnetic waves. Description of the phenomenon By the early 20th century, research into the interaction ofX-rayswith matter was well underway. It was known that when a beam of X-rays is directed at an atom, an electron is ejected and is scattered through an angleÃŽÂ ¸.Classical electromagnetismpredicts that the wavelength of scattered rays should be equal to the initial wavelength;-9-2[3]however, multiple experiments found that the wavelength of the scattered rays was greater than the initial wavelength. In 1923, Compton published a paper in thePhysical Reviewexplaining the phenomenon. Using the notion ofquantized radiationand the dynamics ofspecial relativity, Compton derived the relationship between the shift in wavelength and the scattering angle: Where ÃŽÂ »is the initial wavelength, ÃŽÂ »Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²is the wavelength after scattering, his thePlanck constant, meis the mass of the electron, cis thespeed of light, and ÃŽÂ ¸is the scattering angle. The quantityhà ¢Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾mecis known as theCompton wavelengthof the electron; it is equal to2.43ÃÆ'-10à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢12m. The wavelength shiftÃŽÂ »Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²Ãƒ ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »is at least zero (forÃŽÂ ¸= 0 °) and at most twice the Compton wavelength of the electron (forÃŽÂ ¸= 180 °). Compton found that some X-rays experienced no wavelength shift despite being scattered through large angles; in each of these cases the photon failed to eject an electron.Thus the magnitude of the shift is related not to the Compton wavelength of the electron, but to the Compton wavelength of the entire atom, which can be upwards of 10à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °000 times smaller. Compton Scattering the scattering of3.html#c4x-raysfrom electrons in a carbon target and found scattered x-rays with a longer wavelength than those incident upon the target. The shift of the wavelength increased with scattering angle according to the Compton formula: Compton explained and modeled the data by assuming a particle (photon) nature for light and applying conservation of energy and conservation of momentum to the collision between the photon and the electron. The scattered photon has lower energy and therefore a longer wavelength according to the2.html#c3Planck relationship. At a time (early 1920s) when the particle (photon) nature of light suggested by the1.html#c2photoelectric effectwas still being debated, the Compton experiment gave clear and independent evidence of particle-like behavior. Compton was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1927 for the discovery of the effect named after him. Compton Scattering Data Comptons original experiment made use of molybdenum K-alpha x-rays, which have a wavelength of 0.0709 nm. These were scattered from a block of carbon and observed at different angles with a2Bragg spectrometer. The spectrometer consists of a rotating framework with a calcite crystal to diffract the x-rays and an ionization chamber for detection of the x-rays. Since the spacing of the crystal planes in calcite is known, the angle of diffraction gives an accurate measure of the wavelength. Examination of the Compton scattering formula shows that the scattered wavelength depends upon the angle of scattering and also the mass of the scattered. For scattering from stationary electrons, the formula gives a wavelength of 0.0733 nm for scattering at 90 degrees. That is consistent with the right-hand peak in the illustration above. The peak which is near the original x-ray wavelength is considered to be scattering off inner electrons in the carbon atoms which are more tightly bound to the carbon nucleus. This causes the entire atom to recoil from the x-ray photon, and the larger effective scattering mass proportionally reduces the wavelength shift of the scattered photons. Putting the entire carbon nuclear mass into the scattering equation yields a wavelength shift almost 22,000 times smaller than that for an unbound electron, so those scattered photons are not seen to be shifted. The scattering of photons from charged particles is called Compton scattering after Arthur Compton who was the first to measure photon-electron scattering in 1922. When the incoming photon gives part of its energy to the electron, then the scattered photon has lower energy and according to the2.html#c3Planck relationshiphas lower frequency and longer wavelength. The wavelength change in such scattering depends only upon the angle of scattering for a given target particle. The constant in the Compton formula above can be written and is called the Compton wavelength for the electron. The formula presumes that the scattering occurs in the rest frame of the electron Compton scattering occurs when the incident x-ray photon is deflected from its original path by an interaction with an electron. The electron is ejected from its orbital position and the x-ray photon loses energy because of the interaction but continues to travel through the material along an altered path. Energy and momentum are conserved in this process. The energy shift depends on the angle of scattering and not on the nature of the scattering medium. Since the scattered x-ray photon has less energy, it has a longer wavelength and less penetrating than the incident photon. Compton Effect was first observed by Arthur Compton in 1923 and this discovery led to his award of the 1927 Nobel Prize in Physics. The discovery is important because it demonstrates that light cannot be explained purely as a wave phenomenon. Comptons work convinced the scientific community that light can behave as a stream of particles (photons) whose energy is proportional to the frequency. The change in wavelength of the scattered photon is given by: Where: L = wavelength of incident x-ray photon l = wavelength of scattered x-ray photon H = Plancks Constant: The fundamental constant equal to the ratio of the energy E of a quantum of energy to its frequency v: E=hv. me = the mass of an electron at rest C = the speed of light Q = The scattering angle of the scattered photon The applet below demonstrates Compton scattering as calculated with the Klein-Nishina formula, which provides an accurate prediction of the angular distribution of x-rays and gamma-rays that are incident upon a single electron. Before this formula was derived, the electron cross section had been classically derived by the British physicist and discoverer of the electron, J.J. Thomson. However, scattering experiments showed significant deviations from the results predicted by Thomsons model. The Klein-Nishina formula incorporates the Breit-Dirac recoil factor, R, also known as radiation pressure. The formula also corrects for relativistic quantum mechanics and takes into account the interaction of the spin and magnetic moment of the electron with electromagnetic radiation.Quantum mechanics isa system of mechanics based on quantum theory to provide a consistent explanation of both electromagnetic wave and atomic structure. The applet shows that when a photon of a given energy hits an atom, it is sometimes reflected in a different direction. At the same time, it loses energy to an electron that is ejected from the atom. Theta is the angle between the scattered photon direction and the path of the incident photon. Phi is the angle between the scattered electron direction and the path of the incident photon. Derivation of the scattering formula A photonÃŽÂ ³with wavelengthÃŽÂ »is directed at an electronein an atom, which is at rest. The collision causes the electron to recoil, and a new photonÃŽÂ ³Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²with wavelengthÃŽÂ »Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²emerges at angleÃŽÂ ¸. Leteà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²denote the electron after the collision. From theconservation of energy, Compton postulated that photons carry momentum;-9-2[3]thus from theconservation of momentum, the momenta of the particles should be related by Assuming the initial momentum of the electron is zero. The photon energies are related to the frequencies by Wherehis thePlanck constant. From therelativistic energy-momentum relation, the electron energies are Along with the conservation of energy, these relations imply that Then From the conservation of momentum, Then by making use of thescalar product, Thus The relation between the frequency and the momentum of a photon ispc=hf, so Now equating 1 and 2, Then dividing both sides by 2hffà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²mec, SincefÃŽÂ »=fà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²=c, Detector characteristics Even large Compton-scatter telescopes have relatively small effective areas. This is because only a small number of the incident gamma-rays actually Compton scatter in the top level. So even if an instrument like COMPTEL has a geometric area of several thousand cm2, the effective area (weighted for the probability of an interaction) is a few tens of cm2. Energy resolution is fairly good for these detectors, typically 5-10% This is limited by uncertainties in the measurements of the energy deposited in each layer. Compton scatter telescopes have wide fields-of-view and can form imageseven though the so-called point spread function (the probability that an event came from a certain area on the sky) is a ring. Applications Compton scattering is of prime importance toradiobiology, as it is the most probable interaction of gamma rays and high energy X rays with atoms in living beings and is applied inradiation therapy.3[4] In material physics, Compton scattering can be used to probe thewave functionof the electrons in matter in the momentum representation. Compton scattering is an important effect ingamma spectroscopywhich gives rise to theCompton edge, as it is possible for the gamma rays to scatter out of the detectors used.Compton suppression is used to detect stray scatter gamma rays to counteract this effect. Inverse Compton scattering Inverse Compton scattering is important inastrophysics. InX-ray astronomy, theaccretion disksurrounding ablack holeis believed to produce a thermal spectrum. The lower energy photons produced from this spectrum are scattered to higher energies by relativistic electrons in the surroundingcorona. This is believed to cause the power law component in the X-ray spectra (0.2-10 keV) of accreting black holes. The effect is also observed when photons from thecosmic microwave backgroundmove through the hot gas surrounding agalaxy cluster. The CMB photons are scattered to higher energies by the electrons in this gas, resulting in theSunyaev-ZelHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunyaev-Zeldovich_effectHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunyaev-Zeldovich_effectdovich effect. Observations of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect provide a nearly redshift-independent means of detecting galaxy clusters. Some synchrotron radiation facilities scatter laser light off the stored electron beam. This Compton backscattering produces high energy photons in the MeV to GeV rangesubsequently used for nuclear physics experiments. Future developments Current research on Compton telescopes is emphasizing ways of tracking the scattered electron. By measuring the direction of the scattered electron in the top level, a complete solution for the incoming trajectory of the cosmic gamma-ray can be found. This would allow Compton telescopes to have more conventional data analysis approaches since the event circle would no longer exist.

Compare And Contrast Different Organisational Structures And Cultures

Compare And Contrast Different Organisational Structures And Cultures Introduction Organisations are complex, social systems which seek to make the best use of people as a vital and essential resource, especially in today’s increasingly dynamic, globalised and competitive environment (Mullins, 2010: 3–9). They posses distinct identities, which are developed and shaped from a mix of how they choose to create, present and market their business to the world, the type of services and/or products provided and the culture that emerges as a consequence (Clegg et al, 2011, 14-16). Organisational structure should be driven by corporate strategy and the resulting objectives and tasks in order to facilitate the delivery of: Economic and efficient business performance; Performance management and the monitoring of activities; Accountability; Co-ordination across the business; Flexibility and adaptability providing a framework for change and innovation (Hayes, 2010: 270-282); Social satisfaction for those working within the organisation. (Fineman et al, 2010: 1-12). Therefore, organisations are systematically arranged frameworks seeking to create a unified, organic body which relates people, key business assets, knowledge and intellectual property in a design that aims to achieve specific goals (Clegg et al, 2011: 666). Basic models of organisational structure which have evolved in an effort to balance these factors are illustrated in Appendix 1. However, to be successful organisations must not operate in isolation from the environment that surrounds them (Morgan, 2006: 38–42), and some of the key aspects to consider are highlighted in Appendix 2. One of the most complex factors is that of culture – comprised of the habits, values, mores and ways of acting – by which people identify themselves and others (Clegg et al, 2011: 216). Organisational culture therefore relates to those patterns of beliefs, values and learned ways of coping with experience that have developed during the course of an organisation’s history, and which tend to be manifested in its material arrangements and the behaviours of its members (Brown, 1998: 9; Schein, 2010: 7-21). The important, though often intangible, cultural aspects of an organisation ultimately shape which levers of power and influence are the most effective in driving individual and group behaviours, ultimately affecting business performance and success (Linstead et al, :149–194). These factors are summarised in Appendix 3. In essence, culture can be regarded as being the personality of an organisation and as it shapes how people feel it is not something that can be easily managed (Stacey, 2011: 78-89). Organisational structures (particularly those imposed or developed during a period of change) that do not consider these cultural aspects can generate discontent, inefficiency, resistance and resentment from employees (Cunliffe, 2008: 45–68). Consequently, it is vital to reflect upon culture when considering organisational design as the informal structures that result are as important as the formal mechanisms and management arrangements created (Schein, 2010: 177-196). Ultimately, the decisions, actions and major developments of organisations are influenced and determined by shifting coalitions of individuals attempting to protect or enhance their own interests (Burnes, 2009: 197). Comparing organisational structures In developing the organisational designs outlined in Appendix 1, key factors must be considered which will shape the structural decisions taken. These are: Scale. Whilst larger organisations can benefit from efficiencies built around economies of scale, the greater complexity involved in managing large numbers of people with less likelihood of direct interpersonal contact often calls for more sophisticated organisational designs. Technology. This is the combination of resources, knowledge and techniques that creates an organisation’s products or services. The match between structure and technology – the technological imperative – is vital to maintain competitive advantage in modern business. For example, successful mass production operations have rigid structures built around large working groups. Environment. A successful business understands that they need to receive various inputs from the environment within which they operate and also sell their outputs into this environment. Structures therefore need to recognise factors such as global economics/markets, suppliers and competitors. Strategy. Organisational strategy – the process of positioning the organisation in its competitive environment and implementing actions to compete successfully – shapes design. Developing the organisation’s unique selling point or market differentiation by building a structure that protects and develops key competences is a critical issue if business growth is to be maintained. (French et al, 2008: 330–334) Consequently, in considering the relative merits of the structures shown in Appendix 1, the following observations can be made: Functional structure Organisations built around functional structures deliver clear task assignments which can be easily aligned to the skills and training of individuals and teams ((Stewart et al, 1999: 82-88). The structure is easy to explain to employees, suppliers and customers whilst also facilitating internal communications and problem solving as knowledge pools are recognised and shared. Importantly, such structures also assist in the development of leaders and managers as functional peers and superiors are clearly identified and should be accessible (French et al, 2008: 348). Unfortunately, such functional approaches can lead to the growth of sectional interests which may conflict with the needs of the organisation as a whole (Cole Kelly, 2011: 251). In focussing on the organisation’s functional hierarchy for direction and reinforcement, individuals and teams can lose sight of the importance of products, services or clients – the leadership is drawn into cross-functional problems (Adair, 2002: 17-25). As a consequence, conflict between functional units can increase with internal communications becoming ever more complex as they attempt to minimise such issues (French et al, 2008: 348). Product structure Large organisations with a wide product or service range are often attracted to a product-based structure as it can be more responsive to technological change as people are grouped on the basis of their expertise (and supporting infrastructure) within a particular unit (Hayes, 2010: 87-104). Such an approach also enables/supports rapid diversification and skills expansion in that additional product or service areas can be incorporated relatively easily (Cole Kelly, 2011: 251). This organisational methodology can introduce unnecessary internal competition between business units as certain product groups are promoted to the detriment of other elements of the organisation (Nadler Tushman, 1997: 71-88). Senior managers are faced with the challenge of controlling such behaviour whilst also recognising that the associated incentive and reward structures are inevitably built around the success of individual product lines (Burnes, 2009: 104–106). Geographic structure Large national or multi-national entities face significant logistical and communication challenges and this usually makes some kind of regional or area structure essential for effective decision making and control (Nadler Tushman, 1997: 59-70). Whilst this produces the benefits associated with a more decentralised approach (such as a focus on local customers and being responsive to regional market pressures), it does cause concern for senior managers seeking to set a unified corporate direction (Linstead et al, 2011: 225–226). Significant leadership and senior management effort must be spent on visiting geographically dispersed business elements in order to maintain personal relationships through face-to-face contact, thus avoiding corrosive and self-defeating internal competition (French et al, 2008: 350). Vertical specialisation The structures outlined above provide a clear separation of authority and activities on the basis of hierarchical ranking within the organisation. The chain of command created – on the basis of vertical specialisation – ensures that senior leaders plan and set the overall strategy with specific lower-level guidelines, and metrics issued for the implementation of that strategy (Morgan, 2006: 24–25, 104). Those organisations with many levels of hierarchy and control are considered as being â€Å"tall†, whilst those with only a few levels are described as being â€Å"flat† (French et al, 2008: 343). It is usually the case that the flatter structures allow greater decentralisation of decision-making and autonomy through the organisation whilst the taller structures focus on tighter, closer control mechanisms. The most effective balance for the organisation concerned must recognise the critical success factors set, the operating environment of the business and the existing corporate culture in relation to the perceived culture required (Mullins, 2010: 508–512; Stacey, 2011: 94-105). Unity of command, span of control and sensemaking As well as addressing the requirements of vertical specialisation, functional, product and geographic structures also seek to apply two key tenets of classical management theory: Unity of Command – an employee should receive orders and direction from only one superior. Span of Control – the number of people reporting to one superior must not be so large that it creates problems of communication and coordination. (Morgan, 2006: 19) These aspects are shaped by the organisations sensemaking abilities i.e. the skills and competences of managers to make sense of what they do (Clegg et al, 2011: 668). Sensemaking is a complex issue involving: Social context – considering the actual, implied or imagined views or presence of others; Personal Identity – a personal or group view of who they are (and their organisational identity); Retrospection – this is important within organisations, as sometimes the most important decisions are the least visible initially. Salient cues managers using past experiences and relating them to current scenarios in order to shape their actions and attitudes. Ongoing projects – what structure or patterns exist within the organisation to allow managers the time and space to review and reflect upon an issue and change direction or tempo if necessary. Plausibility – developing enough meaning to drive forward with a project. Enactment – The ability to react and shape or amend an evolving situation. Drafting and Doing – the ability to understand an emerging business scenario and then isolate key themes in order to understand what is going on. (Clegg et al, 2011: 22) Given these complexities, many organisations are seeking to develop mixed structures which seek to obtain the benefits potentially provided by the functional, product and geographical forms of organisation whilst also recognising the importance of these inter-personal aspects (Morgan, 2006: 50–52). Appendix 1 illustrates two models that aim to do so – Divisional and Matrix structures. Divisional structure A divisional structure seeks to overcome the problems associated with product or geographic diversity as each division can respond to the specific requirements of its product or market strategy (Johnson et al, 2011: 434). Divisional managers have greater personal ownership of their strategies and their teams, allowing for the development of competences focussed on a particular product range, technology area or customer grouping (Henry, 2011: 318–319). A divisional structure also provides significant flexibility as organisations can add, close or merge divisions as circumstances change (Johnson et al, 2011: 435). Whilst delivering a flexible and responsive organisation, a divisional structure does present a business with three key disadvantages: Divisions can become too autonomous, operating as independent businesses but introducing inefficiency by duplicating the functions and costs of the corporate centre. Personal and team identity is rooted in the division rather than the wider business, inhibiting cooperation, knowledge sharing and fragmenting expertise. Divisions can end up pursing their own strategies regardless of the needs of the corporate centre which loses control and is only able to add minimal value to the operation (Cole Kelly 2011:251–252). Matrix structure A matrix organisation seeks to overlay a horizontal structure based on products, projects, business activities or geographic area upon the more traditional vertical specialisation structure (Clegg et al 2011: 544). This introduces dual or even multiple lines of authority and responsibility in an effort to deliver flexibility in relation to the forming of project teams, improve the utilisation of resources and to encourage cross-functional cooperation (Linstead et al, 2011: 216–218). The vertical specialisation is seen as enduring, with the horizontal interaction often regarded as being temporary with the relationships dissolved as activities or projects are completed (Pettigrew Fenton, 2000: 117–143; Wall Minocha, 2010: 319–321). However, unless carefully controlled, matrix management complicates the unity of command and span of control aspects previously discussed (Morgan, 2006: 19). Without clear boundaries, organisational conflict between functional and project managers can emerge, the autonomy of line managers can be eroded and decision making becomes more inefficient leading to increased overheads (Clegg et al, 2011: 545). Organisational culture Having recognised that organisations do not operate in a vacuum and that it is important to create a structure that maximises the business return from the environment within which it operates, it is important to consider how culture (the shared ways of thinking and behaving) shapes success (Cole Kelly, 2011: 590). Eight cultural characteristics have been identified as being critical for organisational success: A bias for action – doing rather than discussing; Staying close to the customer – learning about their requirements and meeting them in full; Autonomy and entrepreneurship – being encouraged to think; Productivity through people – recognising and rewarding best efforts; Hands on – executives keeping in touch and displaying corporate values; Core competences – focussed on what you do best; Simplicity where possible – lean organisations with the fewest possible layers; Loose-tight properties – focussed on core values whilst allowing tolerance to explore and challenge. (Peters Waterman, 1982: 89-318) In shaping an organisation in an attempt to maximise the potential return from these cultural characteristics, it is sensible to recognise the origins of corporate culture which are essentially: The societal or national culture within which an organisation is physically situated. For large, multi-national organisations this introduces the challenge of understanding and incorporating different and cultural frameworks; The vision, management style and personality of an organisation’s founder or dominant leader; The type of business an organisation conducts and the nature of its business environment. (Brown, 1998: 42) Culture is therefore about an organisations history, stories, language and values rather than the application of theoretical models (Cunliffe, 2008: 55). Culture in the organisational context becomes a critical success factor because: It shapes the image that key stakeholders (including customers) have of the company and can become a crucial element of product or business differentiation within a market segment; It influences performance as a positive culture (supporting the image and success of the business) that is essential to meeting corporate goals and the requirements of the wider business environment. A negative or counter-culture – such as that which could emerge during a period of restructuring – can work against organisational effectiveness; It provides direction, as mission, vision and values statements identify where the business is going and how it plans to get there. A culture that creates a shared ownership of goals and which guides decision making can reduce the need for direct control because people know what is expected of them, how to behave and what they will be rewarded for. It can attract and retain skilled and motivated staff. Strong cultures can have a powerful effect on the behaviour and commitment of employees. (Cunliffe, 2008: 58–59) In terms of cultural analysis, three levels of review can be considered: Observable culture, often described as â€Å"the way things are done†, which are often the methods, rituals, ceremonies and symbols used to impart an organisations shared values and approaches to new members (such as within induction programmes); Shared values, often manifested through statements aimed at delivering direction and cohesion and underpinned by identifiers such as the wearing of a uniform; Common assumptions i.e. the accepted truths (often implicit and unspoken) that members of an organisation share as a result of their joint experiences. (French et al, 2008: 380–382) Attempts have been made to codify the core organisational cultures that are presented and the commonly found models are: Role Culture – focussed on rules, tasks, procedures and job descriptions; Power Culture – power exercised by a central figure with few formal rules; Person Culture – the organisation exists for the benefit of its members; Process Culture – the following of highly regulated processes; Tough-guy Culture – driven by the need to take quick decisions, underpinned by risk-taking and a competitive ethos; Work Hard/Play Hard Culture – aiming to balance performance with work-place enjoyment; Bet-Your-Company Culture – a long-term outlook built upon significant (early) investment; Bureaucratic Culture – a focus on consistency, control, efficiency and conformity; Clan Culture – focussed on commitment, involvement, teamwork and participation; Task/Mission Culture – goal oriented with rewards based on achieving mission and goals; Adaptability Culture – focussed on flexibility, innovation, risk-taking, empowerment and learning. (French et al, 2008: 394–395; Cunliffe, 2008: 65, Cole Kelly, 2011: 146-149) If strategies are to be developed that may change the structure of an organisation then it will also be necessary to potentially challenge and change the underpinning culture (Hayes, 2010: 438-447) – considering purely rational processes such as planning and resource allocation will not be enough (Johnson et al, 2011: 181). However, dangers do exist when conducting any analysis of organisational culture as it is too easy to over-simplify or even trivialise the issues involved – it is not something that can be reduced to a few traits, easily linked to performance issues or readily managed (Johnson et al, 2011: 182). Managers can shape culture through vision and value statements, supported by their own actions and expectations and this includes the organisational structure applied (Cunliffe, 2008: 67). The power levers to be applied within the organisation and the cultural interaction that results should also be considered (see Appendix 3). However, perspectives on culture will influence the corporate view as to its relevance and importance to the sustainable success of the business and these views are essentially: Integration – the culture of the organisation is relatively clear, unambiguous and straightforward; Differentiation – recognising the existence of sub-cultures within groups that are not easily identified or understood and which can inhibit change or development initiatives if not addressed; Fragmentation – no real cultural consensus can be identified around which any business strategy or organisation can be built (Brown 1998: 296-297) Summary and conclusions Ultimately, organisational design is taken forward by corporate leaders and key decision makers whose choices are based upon their own predispositions (experiences, values and beliefs) (Cole and Kelly, 2011: 256, Nadler Tushman, 1997: 21). Therefore, although decisions are overtly based upon what is seen to be the best and most efficient construct for the business, in reality cultural factors prove to be just as important. Organisational culture is the basic assumption and beliefs shared by the members of an organisation, operating unconsciously and which help to define a company’s view of itself and its operating environment (Schein, 2010:219-234). Culture may contribute to the capabilities and strategic direction/effectiveness of an organisation, but it can also stifle necessary development and evolution if internal values and mores do not reflect external changes. Organisational structures and cultural influences can therefore both inform and constrain the strategic development and ultimately the competitiveness of a business In order to maintain competitive advantage and to avoid any strategic drift (where culture and organisational factors drive the business rather than the needs of customers and key stakeholders), both should be critically reviewed and their impact considered regularly by leaders and senior managers. References Adair, J. (2002). Effective Strategic Leadership, Basingstoke: Pan Macmillan Ltd. Brown, A. (1998). Organizational Culture, 2nd Edition, Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd. Burnes, B. (2009). Managing Change, 5th Edition, Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd. Cole, G.A., Kelly, P. (2011). Management Theory and Practice, 7th Edition, Andover: Cengage Learning EMEA. Clegg, S., Kornberger, M., Pitsis, T. (2011). Managing Organizations: An Introduction to the Theory Practice, 3rd Edition, London: Sage Publications Ltd. Cunliffe, A.L. (2008). Organization Theory, London: Sage Publications Ltd. Fineman, S., Gabriel, Y., Sims, D. (2010). Organizing Organizations, 4th Edition, London: Sage Publications Ltd. French, R., Rayner, C., Rees, G., Rumbles, S. (2008). Organizational Behaviour, Chichester: John Wiley Sons Ltd. Hayes, J. (2010). The Theory and Practice of Change Management, 3rd Edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Henry, A.E. (2011). Understanding Strategic Management, 2nd Edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Johnson, G., Whittington, R., Scholes, K. (2011). Exploring Strategy, 9th Edition, Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd. Kakabadse, A., Ludlow R., Vinnicombe, S. (1988). Working in Organisations, Aldershot: Penguin. Linstead, S., Fulop, L., Lilley, S. (2009). Management Organization: A Critical Text, 2nd Edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Morgan, G. (2006). Images of Organization, London: Sage Publications Ltd, Mullins, L.J. (2010). Management Organisational Behaviour, 9th Edition, Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd. Nadler, D.A., Tushman, M.L. (1997). Competing by Design: The Power of Organizational Architecture, New York: Oxford University Press Inc. Peters, T.J., Waterman, R.H. (1982). In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best Run Companies, New York: Harper Row Inc. Pettigrew, A.M., Fenton, E.M. (2000). The Innovating Organization, London: Sage Publications Ltd. Schein, E.H. (2010). Organisational Culture and Leadership, 4th Edition, San Francisco: John Wiley Sons Inc. Stacey, R.D. (2011). Strategic Management and Organisational Dynamics: The challenge of complexity to ways of thinking about organisations, 6 th Edition, Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd Stewart, G.L., Manz, C.C., Sims, H.P. (1999). Team Work and Group Dynamics, New York: John Wiley Sons Inc. Wall, S., Minocha, S., Rees, B. (2010). International Business, 3rd Edition, Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd. APPENDIX 1 MODELS AND ASPECTS OF ORGANISATIONAL