An Investigation of Vietnam’s Barriers of Economic Growth and Development Essay

Over the past few decades, Vietnam has made remarkable recovery from the damage of war and political reforms. Under Vietnam’s communist party, the country’s economy has transitioned from a centrally planned economy to a socialist-oriented market economy. Making it a multi-sectored commodity economy regulated by the people, whilst under state management and ownership. Numerous reforms, along with the modernization of the financial system, have led to rapid growth for Vietnam economically. In 2010, the Gross Domestic Product (PPP) of Vietnam was $275,639 million and ranked 40 out of 182 listed countries according to the International Monetary Fund. This is most likely due to rapid industrialization that has and is taking place. Industry and construction contributed approximately 40.9% of GDP in 2010 whereas the share of the agriculture sector has fallen to 21%. Although the rise in GDP has brought about a decline in poverty, larger school enrolment rates, bettered infrastructure, etc, this rapid growth rate has also brought with it negative factors that may hinder subsequent economic growth and development. For instance, Vietnam is facing large budget and trade deficits. In 2010, the current account balance (CAB) of Vietnam was -8.51 billion US dollars based on the International Monetary Fund, with the country’s trade deficits amounting to US$12.4 billion. CAB value, being a negative, shows that the amount spent on imports coming into Vietnam is higher than that earned from the country’s exports. The problem is that the imports are of a higher value than the exports and this is the consequence of relying on a narrow range of primary products (This point on low value exports will be elaborated on, under cultural factors). Similarly, the government is blowing its budget, causing the fiscal deficit to rise to 7.4% of GDP in 2010, which shows the extent at which the government’s total expenditure has exceeded the revenue that it generates. This overshot the government’s target of 6.2%. On one hand, the government expenditure on basic social and physical infrastructure is a necessity for any developing country. However, this continual over-spending can place the government in a state of debt, which may interfere with economic growth and development. Also, the corrupted state misspends and embezzles a good share of export earnings, foreign investment and revenue (To be covered later under political instability). In order to taper down trade deficits, the government has been forced to devalue the Vietnamese currency (dong) to the exchange rate of 17,961 dong : US$1. However, the dong is continually being devalued. According to Le Dang Doanh of the Economic College of Hanoi, â€Å"devaluation might temporarily help to reduce Vietnam’s imports, but it will also boost inflation because the imported fuel will rise.† Doanh’s views are very apt as devaluation of the exchange rate will make exports more competitive and appear cheaper to foreigners. This will increase demand for exports whilst making imports more expensive. Hence, reducing the demand for imports. However, this devaluation has caused a rise in the inflation rate in Vietnam. In January 2011, the consumer-price index rose to 12.17%. This is higher than the 11.8% increase in December 2010. Bring about higher prices for education services, food, housing and building materials within the country. These high prices are not easily met by the poorer of the country. It is no surprise, therefore, that Vietnam’s per capita GDP (PPP) of $3,123 (ranked 128) by the International Monetary Fund, meaning that the average income of a person living in Vietnam is approximately $8.70 per day. This is equivalent to earning US$3.20 a day according to nominal per capita GDP. One reason for this is that Vietnam’s rate of growth of population is higher than that of its GDP. Vietnam, with a growing population of over 89 million, is the 13th most densely populated country in the world. The Human Development Index (HDI) re-illustrates Vietnam’s lower development and welfare. It weighs real national income per year, the adult literacy rate, average years of schooling, and life expectancy in ranking a country in terms of development. The closer the HDI value is to 1, the more developed the country is said to be. The 2010 HDI value of Vietnam is 0.572, ranking the country 113 out of 169 countries with comparable data. Having a HDI value between 0.5 and 0.8, Vietnam is said to have â€Å"medium human development†. However, this value still remains below the average HDI value of East Asia and the Pacific (0.650) and that of the world (0.624). On a scale from 0 – 1, the index for health is 0.869, education is 0.480 and income is 0.448. Additionally from the 2010 report, 21.45% of the population is living below US$1.25 per day and 25,632 per million of the population is affected by natural disasters. It appears that the prime reason for the relatively low HDI value of Vietnam seems to be due to the decline in infrastructure and income amongst its citizens. This brings us to the next section of my investigation. Along with the problems arising in Vietnam, its current economic situation could have been and still remains a result of the various factors below: Income Poverty The Vietnam government has made effective attacks on poverty, reducing the countries share of income poverty from 58% to 21.45% in 1993-2010. Due to industrialization and reforms, more jobs and opportunities were created. The rise in income for people working in industrial zones resulted in more than a third of the population being pulled out of poverty. However, the increasing number of people moving into the city areas has caused property demands, and hence prices, to rise. Additionally, inflation is increasing the prices of staples remarkably, making it difficult for low-income urban and rural residents. In fact, a study in 2006 by the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences concluded that even higher growth rates will be required than in the past as poverty is still deep and widespread, and the remaining millions of people vulnerable to poverty fall far below the poverty line. This prevalent income gap in Vietnam, particularly the income disparity between the rural and urban areas not only lowers the basic standard of living in the country due to inequitable development, but also reduces consumption. This drop in consumption, coupled with the investment fever of the higher income-earners, might cause deflation. Although deflation may seem to help lower-income citizens to purchase more goods, price drops will hamper profits of firms and, hence, the overall economic growth of Vietnam. This will lead to even lower income distributed to workers, and even retrenchment, as companies would need to cut down costs. As a result, economic development is hindered, as the government will not have sufficient funds to spend on improving infrastructure in the country. Therefore, the basic standard of living subsequently drops. Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, is already feeling the negative effects of this lack of infrastructure due to the poverty cycle as it is constantly plagued by power blackouts (See lack of infrastructure below). Political Structure/Corruption To date, the government continues to maintain control of the largest and most important firms in the country. The government recently issued new limitations for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) on the extent at which they can diversify away from their core business. Conversely, policy changes tend to take a long time to be put into effect and SOEs will take an equally long period of time to respond to such directives. One way to overcome this conservatism, the minimal or gradual change in society, is if the government gives up political control of the economy and diminishing the bureaucratic nature of commerce in Vietnam. However it is unlikely that the Communist leaders will allow this to happen. Additionally, Vietnam relies heavily on SOEs to generate wealth for the nation. Under each company, workers enjoy the same share of benefits from growth despite any disparity in productivity. Therefore, there is no incentive for workers to perform better at their job and the economy will not be able to reach high growth rates or attract foreign investors. Public officials and state employees, thus, resort to getting extra money any way they can. The current state structure creates loopholes for corrupt people to plunder state budget. Already, there have been cases where government officials have been arrested for squandering a significant share of investments that come into the country. The 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index placed Vietnam 116th out of 178 countries, with a transparency score of 2.7. Corruption and lack of political transparency causes citizens to lose confidence in their leaders and weakens national unity. Possible uprisings may occur and instability hinders national construction and defense (Continued in lack of infrastructure below). Lack of infrastructure Vietnam’s energy-generating capacity is not at a high enough level yet to support its production in industrial zones. However, at the moment the government budget is not enough to solve the electricity supply problem. First of all, if fewer goods are produced due to lack of electricity to operate machinery efficiently, economic growth will decrease. Furthermore, power surges disrupt the everyday lives of citizens, transportation, etc. Lowering the standard of living in Vietnam. As mentioned above, the bureaucracy of official procedures stops the country from building the roads, power stations and other public works due to the slow speed at which such changes take effect. These factors are needed to maintain efficient production of goods and services and, hence, growth rate. Particularly, the lack of road systems hinders economic development, as it is difficult for citizens to gain access to different areas of the country. Cultural Factors Initially an agriculture-based economy, Vietnam depends on seafood and rice as main exports for the country. Many of these low-value products are the livelihood of people living in rural areas. The school attendance is much lower in rural areas as compared to urban areas and this lack of education leads to the lack of skills necessary to carry out jobs in industrial zones. Therefore, their focus on agriculture has translated to the country over-depending on primary products as its main exports. This narrows the range of products, which can be purchased through international trade. This negatively impacts potential economic growth. On the other hand, an increasing number of people living in urban areas own cars and factories are producing goods constantly in order keep up with the ambitious growth targets of Vietnam’s Communist leaders. The emissions from choking traffic and constant construction are starting to take a toll on the environment. The pollution, therefore, impedes the economic development of the developing country. In conclusion, we can see that despite Vietnam’s improving economic growth, numerous debts accumulating in the country and the devaluation of currency can hinder further potential growth rates. These factors overlap with the Communist Party’s political control of the economy and the slow change of economic policies, lack of infrastructure to support capital production and exporting low-value products, which in turn hinder economic growth. Additionally, over-population, growing income gaps between rural and urban areas, inefficient building of infrastructure and environmental damage created by excessive and rapid industrialization, have impeded on economic development by lowering the basic standard of living of the country. In order for Vietnam to grow and develop economically in the future, the political structure needs to allow a more efficient change in both social and economical policies. More importantly, the country needs to stop prevalent corruption and give firms incentives to generate more economic growth and, thus, attract more foreign investments for the country. Sources -http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPOVERTY/Resources/WDR/English-Full-Text-Report/ch2.pdf -http://www.arcadia-asia.com/commentaries/201003-Arcadia%20Market%20Commentary.pdf -http://www.viet-studies.info/kinhte/vietnam_OxfordAnalytica.pdf -http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPRS1/Resources/383606-1106667815039/gov_spending_vietnam.pdf -http://www.economist.com/node/11041638?story_id=11041638 -http://www.icsead.or.jp/7publication/workingpp/wp2006/2006-18.pdf -http://www.economywatch.com/economic-statistics/country/Vietnam/

Organizational Structure of Walgreens Essay

This week’s learning team assignment focused on the organizational structure and design. Team C will examine the organizational chart of Walgreens and restructure it to make it more efficient and beneficial for the company. The students have decided the CEO of the organization is overwhelmed with departments reporting to him. Therefore, some departments will be consolidated and moved to more specialized officers under the CEO for a more productive company. The officers to receiver these additional departments will be Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and Chief Informational Officer (CIO). This paper will discuss structural changes, the work to be completed and how this work can be done effectively. Financial Reorganization Currently, the Administration and the Human Resources departments report directly to the Chief Executive Officer. We have proposed a change to the chain of command with Human Resources being combined with the Administration department and have that new, combined department report directly the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Human Capital Management (Human Resources) directly affects the bottom line of an organization through the workforce, benefits costs, training and development and finally employee engagement. The Administration department manages the overall direction of Walgreens. Since the management of the workforce is one of the main driving factors that directly relate to the financial success of an organization, it will be efficient and cost effective to reorganize and combine these departments under the CFO. To accomplish this reorganization, we will use cross-functional teams to address each department’s work specializations, strengths and weaknesses. And then outlay an effective plan of action. The CFO’s financial expertise will be used to analyze the underlying financial  implications of the reorganization as well as the daily cost of business operations. Strategy and Community Management Reorganization The Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) will continue to report to the CEO. To be more efficient in work specialization, we have decided to move the following departments and make them branches under Strategy: Customer Experience, Customer Experience and Daily Living and Community Management. As Walgreens embraces today’s consumer, creating a unique customer experience is apart of the strategy to build their trusted brand and set them apart from the competition. Moving these departments will be beneficial because the leaders in each department can collaborate on strategies and plans that are customer focused. In addition to reporting to the CSO now, the Community Management department will also receive new responsibilities. Currently Facilities Development and Store Operations report to them. In order to create a more efficient department they will now oversee two additional departments; Well Experience and Operations Community. The Community Manager will have Store Operations and Operation Community work as a specialized team focused on lowering operational cost for the company. One of Walgreens key strategies is to create a â€Å"Well Experience† (Walgreens 2014). The Well Experience â€Å"starts with leading-edge store design, new layouts, enhanced product assortments and state-of –the-art pharmacies, including bringing the pharmacist from behind the counter for a greater interaction with patients (Walgreens 2014). They will work with the Community Management department in collaborating together to create a partnership for success in â€Å"Well Experience† initiative. Once the pharmacist is engaged with the customers in their community it creates transparency and trust not only in them but also in the Walgreens’ brand. Information Technology Reorganization The eCommerce and Design departments will be moved under the direct supervision of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) to reduce the direct reports of the CEO. Consolidating these two departments under the CIO will help turn Walgreens into a technology-driven company that has consistent creative across all platforms. These two departments will also benefit from the CIO’s more specialized technical skills. The Chief Information Officer  already oversees the enterprise technology that supports Walgreens operations, including security software. For eCommerce, security is a major concern for Walgreens’ customers. The CIO’s specialization in the information technology will help him better implement the eCommerce tools and keep those tools secure. The Design department produces the creative that is used to promote the Walgreens’ brand. As Walgreens expands its digital presence with an enhanced web experience and new mobile app (Walgreens, 2014), it is important that creative remain consistent and functional across all platforms. Having the Design department working hand-in-hand with Information Technology and eCommerce will produce consistent creative that is technology-focused across all marketing channels. The CIO’s technical skills will allow him to lead the Design department in an every-growing online world. Conclusion The team decided to restructure the organizational chart of Walgreens. Ultimately, taking responsibilities off the CEO and moving those departments to more specialized officers. In doing so, this will allow the CEO to be more productive because his or her workload is more manageable. The reorganization of these departments under the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, will make these departments more efficient because they will benefit from their specialized skills. References Robbins, Stephen, & Coulter, Mary (2012). Management, 11th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Press. 978-013253894-7 The Official Board (2014). 2014 organizational chart of Walgreens Co. Retrieved from http://www.theofficialboard.com/org-chart/walgreen Walgreens Co. (2014). 2013 annual report of Walgreens. Retrieved from http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/WAG/3514601079x0x709191/5F506D54-9148-47D1-9494-D4E4A4CB95B1/WAG_2013_AR_lo.pdf

Abnormal Psychology Film Project-Girl Interrupted

Film Project-Girl Interrupted (Borderline Personality disorder) Borderline Personality disorder-a Personality disorder, which is under the large umbrella of Metal disorders. According to medicine. net, BPD is a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This instability often disrupts family and work life, long-term planning, and the individual's sense of self-identity. However, according to Susanna Kaysen, doesn’t everyone go have some of these symptoms every once in a while? Everyone experiences mood swings, family, and work life issues.Everyone experiences job changes, or even change in their self. Why then would these symptoms mean that someone has a mental illness? This was Susanna Kaysen’s argument throughout her memoir â€Å"Girl interrupted†. In this paper, I will provide a summary of the movie â€Å"Girl interrupted†, Identify BPD and its causes and symptoms, as we ll as provide the lasts findings about the disorder. Girl interrupted was primarily based on the two years that Susanna Kaysen spent at McLean Psychiatric hospital. After being referred to a family friend who was a doctor, Susanna was told that she needed to seek help.She was strongly urged to â€Å"Take a rest† at McLean Hospital after attempting to commit suicide. Along with many promiscuous relations with men, and self harm, her family grew concerned. However, Susanna did not think that she had an issue. Reluctant to believe that she has an illness, she still checked herself into the hospital where most of the movie takes place. Upon being admitted into the hospital, Susanna was given drugs throughout the day consisting of laxatives, sleeping pills, etc. At first, she denied them, and was still forced to take them. She eventually went to not taking them at all. Read also Memory – ForgettingAfter being introduced to Lisa Rowe, one of the main characters, she learned how to â€Å"tongue† her medication. This meant that the nurses would stand around the client to ensure that they swallowed their medication, when in fact they were just hiding it beneath their tongue, and making gestures as though they were taking them. Practicing â€Å"Tonguing† as a method to not take their medication prolonged Susanna’s stay at McLean. In the movie â€Å"Girl interrupted†, Susanna grew very fond of Lisa Rowe, who was client at the hospital, placed their due to her being diagnosed as a Sociopath. Rowe had a way of controlling the other women in the facility to point where they were scared, intimidated, and easily persuaded by her. Susanna was no different upon entering the facility. Susanna eventually found herself under Rowe’s spell. Rowe’s character, was very heartless, and seemed to take pleasure in her abili ties to control the women, as well as breaking the rules at McLean hospital. Due to her behavior, the women were often intrigued by her. This type of behavior from Rowe as well as witnessing how cold hearted she was once Daisy committed suicide caused Susanna to realized that she could not stand up to Rowe, and she did not like that.I believe that at this point is when Susanna started to build on her esteem as who she was. She realized that she did not like what Lisa did, and that she did not want to continue to play accomplice to her any longer. I believe that Susanna started to form an opinion as far as what she likes and what she did not like and she did something about it. Previously, she was not able to do that. Upon returning back to McLean, is when Susanna’s behavior started to change. She no longer â€Å"tongued† her medication. She started to take them, she started to see Doctor Vick more often, and she began to heal from her disorder.Throughout her healing, R owe was admitted back into the facility, and underwent extreme care for her conditions. This was habitual for Rowe at this point. She thrived off of constantly turning things upside down where ever she went. It almost seemed that as Rowe was digressing more and more into her illness, Susanna was healing more and more. Most of the women there seemed to be getting better, but was constantly taken a step back by the behavior and influence of Rowe. However, I’d like to believe that it was Susanna who truly helped to heal many of the women that were in that facility, including Rowe.Upon her last night at McLean facility, after taking a sleeping pill to drown out the noise and sleep peacefully, Susanna noticed her cat Ruby was not in her room. She followed the noises leading to the downstairs tunnel that the girls would go to at night, to find Rowe, Georgina, and Polly, reading aloud Susanna’s Journal. The journal included Susanna’s truthful thoughts of the women at t he facility. Rowe read these thoughts aloud to try to stir malice in the hearts of those that she was reading aloud about. After reading it, Susanna began to run, and the ladies chased her.After no other place to run to, Susanna finally broke down and told Rowe how she really felt about her. This manifestation, I believe, led to the healing of not only Rowe, but of Georgina, Polly, and Susanna. Borderline personality Disorder contains a large array of symptoms. However, the most common symptoms according to WEBMD. com are having patterns of difficult relationships caused by alternating between extremes of intense admiration and hatred of others. Having an unstable self-image or be unsure of his or her own identity.Act impulsively in ways that are self-damaging, such as extravagant spending, frequent and unprotected sex with many partners, substance abuse, binge eating, or reckless driving. Having recurring suicidal thoughts, make repeated suicide attempts, or cause self-injury throu gh mutilation, such as cutting or burning himself or herself. The last most common symptom is to have frequent emotional overreactions or intense mood swings, including feeling depressed, irritable, or anxious. These mood swings usually only last a few hours at a time. In rare cases, they may last a day or two.Susanna demonstrated at least two of these symptoms in the movie being that she attempted suicide at least once, as well having a lot of casual or promiscuous sexual relations. These both contribute to struggling with self identity, or having a low self esteem. Susanna felt that she was not socially accepted in her society, or that she was considered out of the norm, and because of this she lashed out in these types of behaviors. It is said that Borderline personality disorder may begin to onset in the teenage years; however, they tend to not diagnose someone accordingly until they are 18 years old and older.Due to the ever changing personalities in adolescents, they feel that it is more valid to wait for a child to stop going through these biological changes before they diagnose them symptoms that cannot be triggered biologically but more so neurologically. Studies show that although low self esteem, and not feeling accepted are symptoms of BPD, the cause for it are complex. Causes of BPD can be genetic, biological, or environmental. BPD can also be caused by traumatic events, child abuse, or simply by changing events happening in young adulthood.Although, the movie â€Å"Girl interrupted† was based on Susanna’s time spent in McLean in the late 60’s, there are late findings concerning the disorder Borderline personality disorder that suggest that this can be more of biological and neurological disorder than anything else. It is appearing that brain functions, or the lack thereof, are the main reasons for this disorder. â€Å"NIMH-funded neuroscience research is revealing brain mechanisms underlying the impulsivity, mood instability , aggression, anger, and negative emotion seen in BPD.Studies suggest that people predisposed to impulsive aggression have impaired regulation of the neural circuits that modulate emotion. The amygdale, a small almond-shaped structure deep inside the brain, is an important component of the circuit that regulates negative emotion. In response to signals from other brain centers indicating a perceived threat, it marshals fear and arousal. This might be more pronounced under the influence of drugs like alcohol, or stress. Areas in the front of the brain (pre-frontal area) act to dampen the activity of this circuit.Recent brain imaging studies show that individual differences in the ability to activate regions of the prefrontal cerebral cortex thought to be involved in inhibitory activity predict the ability to suppress negative emotion. † Researchers suggest that there are drugs that can counteract the buildup of these fluids in the brain in the following: â€Å"Serotonin, nor e pinephrine and acetylcholine are among the chemical messengers in these circuits that play a role in the regulation of emotions, including sadness, anger, anxiety, and irritability. Drugs that enhance brain serotonin function may improve emotional symptoms in BPD.Likewise, mood-stabilizing drugs that are known to enhance the activity of GABA, the brain's major inhibitory neurotransmitter, may help people who experience BPD-like mood swings. † What I find interesting about this disorder as well as many mental disorders is that a lot of them are controlled or not, by neurotransmitters, fluids, and just everyday functions of the brain. The brain is such a powerful body organ that it can control you mentally, which can very well lead to controlling you physically as well. In conclusion, this project, through film, shined a light on many mental disorders in one.Many of these disorders are illnesses that I cannot help but agree with Susanna when she asks if they really are illnesses . I can’t help but question if one illness is truly more extreme then the next, when many of them contain a lot of the same symptoms. Finally, looking at the character of Rowe form the beginning, she initially came off as one on the sanest people there. Although, she always went against the rules, that mainly came off as jolly good fun to the other women in the facility, making her the most likeable. However, Rowe didn’t not truly realize her illness until she was called out by one of her peers.It truly makes me wonder if the magnification of our symptoms in society as not being the norm is what truly makes us then go crazy. Otherwise, we would all be secure in the lunatics that we are. There are many sociopaths, walking this earth today that are highly regarded. According to Wikipedia, Princess Diana was considered to have BPD, but was one of the most beloved people in the world. This project gave a full descriptive of how someone who has Borderline personality disord er behaves through observing the movie â€Å"Girl interrupted†. I also paired examples from the movie as well as research to identify the symptoms, and cause of BPD.Finally, I provided some latest findings on the disorder. Although there is still no set cause of the disorder, psychological and psychiatric help, alongside medications is still strongly encouraged the disease. However, with this specific disorder, could it just be someone liking them self for who they are regardless of what they could have gone through in life? References: citations from 11Davidson RJ, Putnam KM, Larson CL. Dysfunction in the neural circuitry of emotion regulation – a possible prelude to violence. Science, 2000; 289(5479): 591-4. Wikipedia. com Webmd. com NIMH. com

Your choice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Your choice - Research Paper Example There have also been guidelines that have been given by other government agencies and recommendations on management and prevention of further infection of the disease. Staying health is a factor that is considered in management of the patients. In this aspect, management of the patients should include taking medication as directed. When medicine is not taken as directed, there is lowering the level of immunity that defends the body causing the level of virus in the body to go up (Wnuk, 2008).This reduces the effectiveness of medicine when they are taken. In staying healthy, one should tell the doctor if there are side effects as a result of using to help the doctor help with dealing with the side effects. Telling about the status is a management practice that should also be considered. One infected with HIV should make sure that the other partners are aware of the status. This will make them be able to take care and reduce the risk of contracting the infection. Management of this situation should involve contacting health departments who offer partner services to help the partners about the exposure. Through the services, the staff is able to find drug and sex partners to tell them the risk of being exposed to HIV and STDs. Not taking risk is a management practice that should be considered in management. HIV is spread through body fluids. The most common spread of the disease is through unprotected sex and through sharing sharp objects and other drug equipment. Viral load is important in a person living with the infection since the higher the viral infection, the higher the risk of spreading the virus. Protection aspect is important. When there are other infections that occur in a person living with the infection, there should be no taking chances. The person should get tested and treated for the infections. A person with HIV and other infections

Sun Yat Sen and Democracy in China - Indispensable to each other Dissertation

Sun Yat Sen and Democracy in China - Indispensable to each other - Dissertation Example With these ideas in mind Sun set out with the task of materializing his ideas of establishing democracy in China. Commonly recognised as the â€Å"Father of Modern China† Sun was successful in neutralizing the power of the Qing dynasty and was elected as the President of the Republic of China and later became the forerunner of the Nationalist Party in China. The paper focuses on the elaboration of contributions that Sun Yat-Sen made in China for establishing democracy. The prime agenda is to seek an answer to what extent was Sun successful in establishing democracy in China. The paper is disintegrated into several segments in order to critically analyze and reach optimal inferences 1. Introduction Sun Yat-Sen (1866–1925 AD), also known as the ‘Father of Modern China’, was an ardent advocate of constitutional democracy. A Chinese thinker, political leader, and a medical practitioner, Sun-Yat-Sen is renowned for his contribution in the collapse of Chinaâ€⠄¢s two thousand years old autocratic imperial system. Sun Yat Sen’s philosophy was motivated by the modern western culture and he tried to incorporate in China the very characteristics of the same along with the traditional Chinese tradition at its base in order to make China competitive on the global platform. Majority of Sun Yat-Sen’s constitutional thought was built on blocks of ancient Chinese political philosophy with regionalized Oriental political tradition, which might not be easy for outsiders to understand. Considerable volumes of works by Sun Yat-Sen influenced heavily the governmental structure of Republican China between 1928 and 1949. Sun’s prescribed models of democracy were a true... Majority of Sun Yat-Sen’s constitutional thought was built on blocks of ancient Chinese political philosophy with regionalized Oriental political tradition, which might not be easy for outsiders to understand. Considerable volumes of works by Sun Yat-Sen influenced heavily the governmental structure of Republican China between 1928 and 1949. Sun’s prescribed models of democracy were a true mixture of distinctive cultural norms of the East and the West (Chiyeung Ip, 2008: 1-2). With a combination of the Western elements and Oriental theory of constitutionalism, Sun Yat-Sen’s philosophy provides valuable information and solution for problems of the liberal democratic policy faced by the other countries .The policies address the domination of the ‘best marketed’ politicians of â€Å"low-caliber† over the best statesmen; the powerless state of the electorate and also the difficulties faced in the promotion of democratic and socio-economic reforms together. But at the same time he is criticised for the blending of Confucian political ideas (Chinese ethical and philosophical systems developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius) with liberal democratic elements. Considering the criticisms, SunYat-Sen sometimes have been regarded as illogical and disorganised (Chiyeung Ip, 2008: 8).

National Museum of the American Indian (The Smithsonian Institution, Term Paper

National Museum of the American Indian (The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.) - Term Paper Example as the past were key aspects of the design concept: â€Å"it needed to be a living museum, neither formal nor quiet, located in close proximity to nature.† The location which was chosen for the museum contained a stream, and this natural feature, along with the directions of the street outside and the natural north, south, east and west directions were taken into account. This is because native Indian culture places high value on harmony between all aspects of human life and the natural world and even more radically: â€Å"the grounds surrounding the building are considered an extension of the building and a vital part of the museum as a whole.†2 The Seattle born architect, Johnpaul Jones, who is of Choctaw, Cherokee and Welsh heritage, consulted with a widely drawn group of native elders and they decided very early that the building and surrounding area would be different from the neoclassical or modernist museum styles: â€Å"The museum doesn’t have a straight line in it, and is meant to look as though wind and water carved its curves†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 3 These curved external walls are the first feature to strike the visitor who arrives on foot: â€Å"Theres a monumental new presence rising above the elm trees on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., - and its not like anything else youll see there. Its as if a vision from an ancient cliff city of the desert Southwest - five stories worth of honey-colored limestone, rough hewn as if by the wind yet flowing like a river of curving cantilevered walls - had been plopped down at the back door of the U.S. Capitol.†4 The site was examined by the native elders, who identified a central point and buried a secret object there. This spot now lies at the centre of the domed Potomac atrium which lies to the east of the entrance area. The entrance was not located to face the Mall, but instead it looks east towards the rising sun and, incidentally, towards the U.S. Capitol. The stream was honoured with the creation of a fountain and a

Population Crisis in India Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Population Crisis in India - Research Paper Example A vast majority of the Indians are deprived of clean water for drinking, education, health care, sanitation, and employment opportunities. If the population of India continues to grow at the present rate, it is anticipated that it would have crossed the limit of 1700 million, which would be even more than the population of China. At the present rate of growth of population, India gets 16 million more people to take care of on a yearly basis. This paper discusses the effects of overpopulation in India. Population crisis in India is causing a lot of social, health, and technical problems, which endanger the solidarity and stability of India. Overpopulation in India is also a cause of myriad of social problems. People have an urge to have boys. People live in extreme poverty, to alleviate which, they encourage their children to enter the workforce in their childhood rather than getting them educated in schools. In fact, one of the main reasons of overpopulation is poverty. Poverty is bo th a cause and effect of overpopulation in India. Since India is conventionally a male-dominated society, having girls is not appreciated in India. People find it hard to marry their daughters since they have to give dowry, which they cannot afford owing to their poverty. Many Indians either abort their baby girls during pregnancy, or kill them immediately after they are born in an attempt to shed off the weight on their shoulders. Continuation of this practice over the decades has led to an imbalance between the population of men and women in India. The population of men outweighs that of the women which has led to spread in the culture of brothel houses, rape, and incest in India. Overpopulation of men in India plays a role in making it an even more conservative society, wherein women are denied their rights of working shoulder to shoulder with men. Another social problem caused by overpopulation in India is increase in crime rate. There are a lot of candidates for a single job. A ccordingly, many are left unemployed. In order to make both ends meet, people tend to acquire money through illegitimate means, thus indulging into such acts of crime as theft and robbery. It is not hard to hire a man to get someone killed in India as the frustrated poor people would agree to do anything for money. This has helped the terrorists to gain more control in India as they pay such poor people to practice their evil machinations. In addition to that, overpopulation in India has led to civil unrest and a lot of communal tensions. Overpopulation in India has exposed the people of India to a lot of health risks. Diseases like hepatitis, cancer, and AIDS are spreading rapidly. The fundamental cause of the spread of hepatitis is lack of supply of clean water for drinking. Malnutrition also increases the chances of an individual to acquire hepatitis. Millions of Indians acquire some sort of cancer every year as a result of living in a polluted environment. Among all sorts of pol lutions, air pollution and water pollution are amongst the most frequent causes of cancer in India. More and more Indians are acquiring AIDS because of lack of sex education, lack of use of contraception, and the availability of brothel houses. These and many more similar health risks have led to an increase in the spread of diseases in India. People are too poor to afford good health care. The mortality rate has surged up as a result of poor health care facilities. Overpopulation

Broken window concept and it connection to social disorder, as Essay

Broken window concept and it connection to social disorder, as described by George L. Kelling - Essay Example This situation results in social withdrawal or flight from the area, thus reducing the power of informal social control, which increases crime. Signs of this conduct are unrepaired broken windows and graffiti, teen age drunks and young bands. Kelling underlines that securing and propping up informal control mechanisms, through the aggressive policing of disorder and incivilities, constitutes the central means of reversing the spirals of neighborhood breakdown and misbehavior. Society, from this viewpoint, behave to counter the degeneration associated with crime, on the presupposition that it is an inherent capacity of communities to improve their resources of social control. Through informal community controls, it is anticipated that the primary of the normative consensus of the society will be asserted. These ideas connect with, and reflect the influence of, broken windows thesis (kelling 1995). According to this, societies and citizens are seen as occupying an essential role in hal ting moral decline, the regeneration of neighborhood life, and the prevention of crime, by exerting their moral authority. Societies and individual citizens are identified as a powerful site of social order and control. â€Å"For many people, thanks in part to how it has been presented by many police leaders, community policing is viewed as â€Å"soft† policing comparable to community relations or, worse yet, social work† (Kelling 1999). Community in this sense is defined negatively, through reference to others. Community members recognize themselves as a collective, as us in contradistinction to them. Consequently, insiders only exist because there are outsiders and so community may be based less on what people share in common than upon their difference in relation to others. Community, thus understood, is more than geographic location, it exists where members of a social group feel bound together by shared values or traditions

Sustainability Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sustainability - Assignment Example If the environment is maintained then the well being of each human being shall be observed. However there have been some practices or measures which have been taken and have depleted the environment. The aim of these activities is to gain sustainable development. Sustainable development is a pattern of practices which aim to meet the needs o all human beings while at the same time preserving the environment or the importance of future generations. In attaining sustainable development the environment should be kept safe. Some practices like constructions at sometimes do not promote this sustainable development. There are many arguments supporting sustainable development while at the same time there are others which argue against this method o resource use. Many examples have been illustrated for the arguments and therefore it becomes hard to decide whether it is right or wrong. Arguments against Sustainable Development It has been argued that this is a bad concept to put in practice s ince its effects are unknown. The effects that may result to the ecology or the economy are unpredictable making this concept a dangerous one. Some practices like deforestation are likely to cause many environmental hazards. It may lead to global warming and rise of deserts. With global warming all living things shall be affected by the high or low temperatures. Therefore the consequences of sustainable development are likely to be risky to human lie (Morse 2010, p.80). It has been argued that it is not easy to make use of the environment while avoiding the negative outcomes. Since they will always come then this concept should be avoided (Yang & Sidwell 2005, p.90). It has been argued that the term sustainable development is very vague. This is because when man is to benefit from the environment then there is no point in saying that he will still be conserving the environment for future use. For instance in constructions, the environment is interfered with negatively thus it would be impossible for sustainable development to occur. Some have even argued that this is a spam since it talks of what can be done and not what is really been done. The government policies are supporting this to see to it that the environment is not interfered with to save future generations. It has been further argued that this concept is oxymoron. It will not be possible to make maximum use of the environment now and then you expect in future to make the same use. This is termed as de-growth. Sustainable development will only apply now but in future it will not sine the resources will have been fully exploited thus they will not be in a position to human life anymore. This is wrong concept to be used (Chartered Institute of Building 2009, p.46). This concept has also been argued against since it is not measurable. It is not easy to measure sustainable development. Therefore it will be obvious that the consequences of the same will not be known and this may be a big risk for future g enerations (Yang & Sidwell 2005, p.99). Arguments for Sustainable Development It has been argued that human beings must survive in their own ecology using all the possible means. Sustainable development is therefore a good practice which will make the survival

Physical Activity for Older Adults Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Physical Activity for Older Adults - Essay Example Apart from the drawing conclusions, the authors of the article have found little nuggets of information that have been overlooked by other researchers, for one reason or another. They are such nuggets that give distinction to the work and make it not only credible but also innovative. The article bases on the specific ways of improving quality of life for older adults including recommendations on intensity, type, frequency, progression and time of exercise followed by disease-specific guidelines. In addition to all the recommendations and exercise instructions, the article deals with the questions of problem-solving and self-monitoring issues. Moreover, the authors give a multilateral analysis of the question considering social and cultural standards, logistics etc. The business of setting up additional material (diagrams, graphs, statistical tables) is taken really very seriously. Illustrative material is carefully chosen and prepared so as to give information. It enlightens and adequately complements the text. Illustrations, text aside, are self-explanatory on their own visual terms. The basic virtues of the illustrations are clarity and relevance. The writers are making an effort to think graphically, to present information conceived visually, not tied to verbal forms. It is not solely a mathematical concept; it is an excellent visual device that helps not only to decide problems of increasing of exercise continuation rates but it also contributes to general desirable health outcomes. All these intensify the projection of the theme. Besides the material used throw direct light upon the point considered in the text. Thus, it is great for the reader to view with ease text and illustrations together. Older Adults and the Arts. The Importance of Aesthetic Forms of Expression in Later Life by Britt-Maj Wilkstrom is a greatly organized article developing an argument about aesthetic forms of expression that contribute to physical and intellectual activities of older adults. The value of the article consists very largely in semi-structured interviews with 166 Swedish participants age 65 to 89. Moreover, it represents bibliographical acknowledgements on the topic in question that specifically and individually document facts and opinions referred to. Without such kind of thematic acknowledgements, the reader would have to read additional sources to get the point. There would only be not proved and doubtful information. And, thus, the source couldn't be considered as a credible one. But besides using a good quantity of well-grounded bibliographical acknowledgements the author leads the reader into the works of others while reasonably comparing the thoughts and ideas. Older Adults and the Arts. The Importance of Aesthetic Forms of Expression in Later Life is a wonderful synthesis of theoretical background and practical qualitative examination, analysis and discussion. The results of this practical study demonstrate that older aesthetic experiences of older adults could actually represent a potential means contributing to successful aging. The figures, data and evidence of this study represent useful practical information both for nurses and physicians to plan and create aesthetic programs in gerontological practice. The

Iron production in sudan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Iron production in sudan - Essay Example Providing a great opportunity for investors. According to a recent KPMG report, the continuing global urbanization is set to drive the demand of steel, effectively doubling it by 2050 and at the current level of demand the iron ore reserves in Brazil’s Minas Gerias and Australia’s Pilbara will generally be exhausted by then. It is predicted that as the world gradually runs out of hematite deposits, there will spring the need for new sources of iron. One of countries that is seen to offer an amazing opportunity for the iron ore industry. Sudan’s full iron ore production potential has never been fully exploited nor has it been completely analyzed but its location next to Congo and the iron ore reserves that are already being mined have shown promising results. By investing in Sudan’s iron ore industry, investors from the GCC stand to reap immense benefits from the virgin iron ore industry in the country Resources In a study conducted by Waldelnour, et al. (2 010), both the Western and Eastern parts of Khartoum have relatively rich iron ore deposits. The type of iron ore deposits that is seen to be available in these areas is generally found in the Mesozoic and especially so in the Upper Cretaceous. This iron ore is generally characterized by having a relatively high tonnage, in addition to its low-grade quality. However it is quite possible that if the country’s investment policy were to be reviewed so as to essentially favor investment in the iron and steel industry, this could have the potential resultant effect of entirely revolutionizing the steel industry in the country especially so in light of the fact that these deposits tend to cover vast expanses of land (Waldelnour, et al., 2010, pg. 2). Sudan’s rich mineral resources: Sudan’s rich mineral that could possibly be exploited by investors includes: According to Mann & Mendenhall, (1964), the Geological Department in Sudan published the Fodikwan Iron Deposits. Sudan’s Fodikwan group of deposits are found to be mainly located at approximately 21?-45’ N. latitude and between 36 ? -45’ E. Longitude this region is found to be in the areas around the north Red Sea Hills areas of the country, at an approximate distance of about nine miles inland from its Port Sudan-Halaiba Road. This is an estimated distance of about 167 miles from the country’s Port Sudan. The nearest harbor that can service any transportation of these iron ore resources is found to be at Marob, which is at a distance of approximately 12 miles from these deposits. It would be necessary for the country to develop a Jetty to support the loading of ships with the processed iron, steel or iron ore that has been mined from this region. The report also indicated that the iron deposits in the country can essentially be divided into the two categories of solid ore which is seen to constitute about 147,000 metric tons of relatively accessible ore containing about 60%Fe, while the mixed ore deposits were estimated to stand at 95,000 tons with an

Self analysis of RKA Essay Example for Free

Self analysis of RKA Essay In this module I examined mixed media research designs. Exploratory research design involves collection of quantitative data followed by qualitative data. Qualitative data helps to analyze the quantitative. With exploratory research design qualitative data is collected followed by quantitative data. Triangulation / corroboration collect both qualitative and quantitative data together. The data is analyzed together and the results compared. The concept that stood out most was that of action research. Researcher is actively involved in the research process with the objective or view of possible change. I believe that research should be geared towards possible change. I received for the quiz a score of twenty-three. Seven answers were incorrect. These were items two, twelve, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-five and twenty-six. The items I missed related to types of research, dependability, transferability and selection types. With the concept of grounded theory a theory is developed from the data collected (Lodico, Spaulding, Voegtle 2010). In question twenty-five on the quiz Andrew collected qualitative data and develop a theory from the findings. Phenomenological studies explore lived experiences of human subjects (Lodico, Spaulding, Voegtle 2010). Suzie in question two of the quiz; examined experiences of African American students in a high school as they relate to racism. Ethnography research methodology is based on the study of behaviors, opinions and interactions of individuals within a specific setting location or boundary (Lodico, Spaulding, Voegtle 2010). On careful examination these concept are not really too close for me to differentiate. I should be able to apply them now. Conceptual framework involves organizing a body of concepts or ideas that relates to each other (Lodico, Spaulding, Voegtle 2010). Theoretical framework also involves a collection of concepts that are interrelated (Lodico, Spaulding, Voegtle 2010). What  I understand from this is that this framework is based on possible causes and outline variables that be contributes to them. The theoretical framework outlines hypothesis and possible proof. I will continue to review these concepts because they are still not quite clear. Dependability in qualitative study relates to consistency in collection and analysis of data. It relies on the validity credibility and reliability of the data collected and analysis of the data (Lodico, Spaulding, Voegtle 2010). Transferability refers to the ability for the results to be applied in other situations or to a general population (Lodico, Spaulding, Voegtle 2010). In questions twelve and twenty-two of the quiz the focus was on participants background, how and when data was collected and the quality of data collected these address the concept of dependability. This information seems to be clearer now. From examining knowledge gained in this module mixed methods approach seems to be a good choice for in-depth research. Three important concepts were grasped. Qualitative data can be used to analyze quantitative data. Quantitative data can be used to analyze qualitative data. Both qualitative and quantitative data can be collected together and analyzed together based on the nature of the research and research questions. I also noted that research can be based on seeking answers to specific questions or to examine data from which a theory is then developed. I do not have questions for the instructor at this point. I will continue to pay closer attention to the course readings. Reference Lodico, M. G., Spaulding, D. T, Voegtle, K, H. (2010). Methods in Educational Research: from Theory to Practice. San Francisco CA: Jossey-Bass

Comparison of Buying Behaviour: Own Brand and Label Food

Comparison of Buying Behaviour: Own Brand and Label Food CHAPTER ONE 1. INTRODUCTION In the UK, for nearly two thirds of consumers, own-label is an important reason to shop in a particular store. Value for money, availability and the breadth of products on offer are the key factors attracting customers to own label products. (Mintel Report, 2007). Own-label brands give consumers the opportunity to find something new at a supermarket, while branded is the same whichever store a consumer buys from. Consumers are increasingly careful about their grocery shop, using forward planning and budgeting to control the amount they spend. Shopping habits have become more price-focused with rising numbers of consumers looking for the lowest prices and special offers. Retail brands do not yet command the same degree of brand loyalty that the big brand names do, even though many consumers do agree that taste and quality are often on a par. (Mintel Report, 2008). According to Mintel report (2006) when it comes to choosing brands over own-label products, familiarity and trust are important criteria. Europe is the most developed region of the world for own label groceries and in Europe, own label is growing faster than manufacturers brands. Own-label brands and ranges can span all categories, something manufacturers brands cannot do. This presence builds trust and strengthens own-label branding. Retailers are able to suppress prices below competitors. The scale and flexibility of own-label production can also lead to a quick response to changing consumer needs and occasions. Consumer buying behaviour has remarkably influenced by the current credit crunch/recession. (Mintel Report, 2006) The UK is also experiencing a large increase in immigration. In October 2005, National Statistics reported that a record 582,000 people came to live in the UK from elsewhere in the world. It also predicted that the population might increase by up to 7.2 million over the next 25 years, with more than half the rise being attributed to immigration. This will boost overall demand for all retail goods. Own label or private brand can be hard to establish and costly to stock and promote. However, they also yield higher profit margins for the reseller. And they give resellers exclusive products that cannot be bought from competitors, resulting in greater store traffic and loyalty. (Mintel Report, 2006) The study is an investigation in to the current issues concerned with consumer buying behaviour for branded and own-label food. Consumer buying attitude has been greatly influenced by the current credit crunch and nine out of ten consumers thinking their financial situation has got worse over the last 12 months. (Mintel Report, 2008) This study will investigate the factors that influence buying behaviour of consumers shopping at an ALDI store. Factors such as price, quality of products, family size, culture, particular food product, financial background, gender and different age groups of consumers will be considered. Two thirds of consumers are looking out for deals/promotions, over half only buy what they need and just under a third go to discounters or cook from scratch more often. (Mintel Report, 2008). According to Foley (2008) ALDI is a rapidly grown discount supermarket and growing rapidly, pulling in thousands of new customers trying to save a few pounds on their weekly shop. ALDIs big boast is that it carries a limited range i.e. just over 1000 products (and only 15 brand names) compared with the 25,000 product lines in a supermarket such as Tesco, but buys in huge numbers and gets top quality. ALDI rigorously controls costs and their stores are all basic. There is no fancy flooring or fixtures. The lighting is definitely not designed to enhance the products. You dont take the shop home, only the food†. It is the same product but it doesnt cost more because of its decoration. In order to save money; over four in ten consumers buy more own-label value lines, buy own-label products more often or have switched to cheaper brands. (Foley, 2008). Individuals aged between 15-34 shows the greatest growth in the tendency to look for the lowest prices. Between 2006 and 2011, the number of people over 65 is projected to increase by 10.1%, increasing their proportion of the population as a whole from 21.6% to 23.4%. This obviously means that the proportion of the population who are retired, on fixed incomes, and, therefore, managing on tighter budgets will increase, this should maintain interest in lower-cost, own-brand goods. Furthermore this research will also focus on quality of branded and own-label food products from a consumer perspective. Assumptions that an own label is a cheap version of the manufacturer brand; is not evident. The gap in quality that was evident over a decade ago has been reduced in recent years. This is supported by Chaney, 2004 who concluded that every sale places the retailers highly valued name at risk and this has meant that there is increasingly little difference in the quality level of own brands compared to manufacturers brands. (Chaney, 2004). 1.1 Aims and Objectives 1.1.1 Aims The study aims to investigate consumer buying behaviour with regards to branded and own-label food products using ALDI as a case study. 1.1.2 Objectives 1. To carry out a literature review on consumer behaviour with regards to purchasing food and the current issues concerned with branded and own-label products. 2. By use of a case-study and questionnaire determine consumer behaviour with regards to branded and own label food products. 3. To compare and contrast the quality of own label and branded foods from a consumer perspective. 4. To analyze the primary data collected in the light of the secondary data in order to identify the key issues that influence consumer behaviour and the purchasing of own-label and branded food products. CHAPTER TWO 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction The aim of the literature review is to evaluate critically current data from research relevant to the aims and objectives of the project and evaluate the findings. 2.2 Evaluate critically the UK food retail market Seth and Randall (1999) stated that supermarkets across the developed world have been a key feature of the second half of the twentieth century, and the UK supermarket in its own right has, and in a world context, has been both important and distinctive. The UK is today often seen as the worlds most innovative retail market. Presentation and range, 06 goods including adventurous new chilled food and meal solutions are product fields that the rest of the world is still discovering; this has lead to researches such as, suggesting that it is difficult to fault UK sourcing energies or innovative drive. Next there is own-label. This plays an increasingly important and developmental role in this respect. They also mentioned that supermarkets activities have affected our lives and changed them as substantially as probably any other single influence. Supermarkets are universal, their customers drawn from all elements in society, from richest to poorest. It has been calculated that today the average British citizen will spend two years of their life or 3 percent of a normal waking life inside the doors of a supermarket. According to Embargo (1996), the average UK household spends over  £50 per week on food. Between us this amounts to 43 billion spent throughout the year. This is about 12 percent of total consumer expenditure, and a massive 85 per cent of this is spent in supermarkets. Embargo (1996) also stated that the British supermarkets are a 20th-century invention, offering the shopper unprecedented variety and convenience. From humble beginnings as a stall in Leeds or as West End Dairy, they have grown to dominate food retailing. Over 80 per cent of consumers regularly shop in supermarkets for food and basic household goods. According to Embargo (1996), one of the most significant trends in supermarket retailing is the growth in own-label sales relative to branded products. Own-label lines, sold under the supermarkets name, have become an effective way for the big stores to increase profits and build customer loyalty. Own-brand options are available for the majority of foods, offering consumers a wider choice of goods than ever before. (Embargo, 1996) According to Verdict Research (UK Food Grocery Retailers 2009 (April, 2009), in 2008 food and grocery specialists defied wider retail market gloom, increasing their combined sales by 5.0% to  £124.1bn. Grocers performed especially well with sales ahead by 5.6% their strongest growth since 2001. Food price inflation has driven market growth. Higher energy costs, a series of crop failures and growing food demand from China pushed UK food grocery inflation up to 6.4%. Even price-keen grocers experienced their highest rate of inflation in 17 years at 4.7%. (Verdict Research, April 2009) According to verdict Research, April 2009) the credit crunch and subsequent recession, plus inflation have had a profound impact on consumer behaviour and the wider dynamics of grocery retailing. Price, or more specifically value, now sits firmly at the top of the consumer agenda. Customers are searching for the best prices and increasingly switching to own label or alternative brands. (Verdict Research, April 2009) According to Verdict research i.e. UK Retail Futures 2013 (April 2009), though food grocery will significantly outperform the wider retail market, the recession is resulting in an unprecedented change in consumer behaviour. The discounters are enjoying impressive growth, while the major grocers focus on enhancing value credentials, leading to what we believe will be long-lasting changes to the grocery market. Verdict believes two key drivers will inhibit growth in food grocery over the next five years. Firstly, with consumers more cautious and trading down, value growth will slow. Secondly, grocers will find it tougher to open new stores especially superstores, with space and volume growth easing as a consequence. (Verdict Research Retail futures, April 2009) Grocers are focusing more effort on developing their own-brand offers, either through lower prices or through the introduction of new ranges to build scale, increase choice, promote value credentials and boost margins. (Verdict Research Retail futures, April 2009) 2.3 Evaluate critically Factors that affect UK food retail market According to Kathawala (1989), quality may mean different things to different people, for instance, Juran defines quality as â€Å"fitness for use† while Crosby defines it as â€Å"conformance to requirements†. Their definitions imply a quality standard equated to that of satisfying the customers demand. Deming defines quality as â€Å"surpassing customers needs and expectations throughout the life of the product†. Feigenbaum indicated the ever-changing and elusive nature of quality when he defined it as â€Å"a moving target†. Kathawala (1989) mentioned, a comprehensive definition of quality would include all four aspects, â€Å"Conformance to requirements, surpassing customers needs and expectations throughout the life of the product, quality is a moving target, quality is fitness for use†. (Kathawala, 1989). Armstrong and Kotler (2007) stated that, quality has a direct impact on product or service performance; it is closely linked to customer value and satisfaction. He claimed, in the narrowest sense, quality can be defined as â€Å"freedom from defects†. But most customer-centered companies go beyond this narrow definition. Instead, they define quality in terms of creating customer value and satisfaction. According to Armstrong and kotler, (2007) The American Society for Quality defines quality as the characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied customer needs. Similarly, Siemens defines quality this way: â€Å"Quality is when our customer comes back and our products dont†. (Armstrong and Kotler, 2007). According to Solomon (1996), consumer satisfaction or dissatisfaction is determined by the overall feelings, or attitude, a person has about a product after it has been purchased. Solomon (1996) also mentioned that, product quality affects customer satisfaction, which in turn, results in increased profitability among firms who provide quality products. Consequently Quality is more than a marketing buzzword. Customers want quality and value. Especially because of foreign competition, claims of product quality have become strategically crucial to maintaining a competitive advantage. Consumers use a number of cues to infer quality, including brand name, price and even their own estimates of how much money has been put into a new products advertising campaign. Solomon (1996) mentioned that, one way to define quality is to establish uniform standards to which products from around the world must conform. This is the intent of the International Standards Organization. Seth and Randall (2000) stated that, the supermarkets know that they rely absolutely on their customers confidence in the safety of the food they buy. They work hard to deserve that confidence, and their record shows that they do. According to Smith (1997) â€Å"Quality is about listening to our customers and delivering more than they expect. Its about paying attention to the smallest details and getting it right first time, every time. Most important, quality is a continuous process that involves every employee. By making small improvements every day, we can make real progress and deliver increasingly higher levels of customer satisfaction. Quality allows us to measure and compare our performance against the best in class. It sets the standards for our support services and enables us to focus training and development on the most important areas†. According to Solomon (1996), â€Å"Perception is the process by which physical sensations, such as sights, sound, and smells, are selected, organized, and interpreted. The eventual interpretation of a stimulus allows it to be assigned meaning. A perceptual map is a widely used marketing tool that evaluates the relative standing of competing brands along relevant dimensions†. (Solomon, 1996) As a result consumers have a particular perception of a particular product, they expect and know what to expect from branded. Therefore the non-branded product must as far as possible meet these perceptions if it is to compete with the branded product. A cheaper product may compensate for some variation but the own brand product must be recognisable by the consumer. Almost every business has a trading name, from the smallest market trader to the largest multi-national corporation. Only a minority of those businesses however, have what could be classed as a ‘brand or a ‘brand name. Branding is a word commonly referred to by advertisers and marketing people. Armstrong and Kotler (2007) stated that, â€Å"a brand is a name or symbol that is commonly known to identify a company or its products and separate them from the competition†. They go on to say a well-known brand is generally regarded as one that people will recognise, often even if they do not know about the company or its products/services. These are usually the businesses name or the name of a product, although it can also include the name of a feature or style of a product. The overall ‘branding of a company or product can also stretch to a logo, symbol, or even design features (E.g.: Regularly used colours or layouts, such as red and white for Coca Cola.) that identify the company or its products/services. (Armstrong and Kotler, 2007). For example: The Nike brand name is known throughout the world, people can identify the name and logo even if they have never bought any of their products. However, not only is the company name a brand, but the logo (The ‘tick symbol) is also a strong piece of branding in its own right. The majority of people that are aware of the company can also identify it (or its products) from this symbol alone. The clothing and running shoe company Adidas is well known for using three stripes on its range of products. This design feature branding allows people to identify their products, even if the Adidas brand name and logo is not present. (Armstrong and Kotler, 2007). 2.4 Strengths and weaknesses of own-label food and drink. Table 1: Strengths and weaknesses of own-label food and drink, as stated by Mintel, (2006). According to Business Services (2009), the main benefit of branding is that customers are much more likely to remember a business. A strong brand name and logo/image helps to keep a company image in the mind of potential customers. If a business sells products that are often bought on impulse, a customer recognising a brand could mean the difference between no-sale and a sale. Even if the customer is not aware of selling of particular product, if they trust that brand, they are likely to trust unfamiliar products. If a customer is happy with your products or services, a brand helps to build customer loyalty across the business. For example Marks and Spencer is recognised by consumers as offering a specified standard of quality they therefore assume if they buy any food product from Marks and Spencer the product will be of the same quality standard. (Business Services, 2009). A strong brand will project an image of a large and established business to potential customers. People usually associate branding with larger businesses that have the money to spend on advertising and promotion. The creation of effective branding can make business appear to be much bigger than it really is. An image of size and establishment can be especially important when a customer wants reassurance that particular brand will still be around in a few years time. (Business Services, 2009). A strong brand projects an image of quality in the business; many people see the brand as a part of a product or service that helps to show its quality and value. According to Business Services (2009), if you show a person two identical products, only one of which is branded, they will almost always believe the branded item is higher quality. Over time the image of quality of an effective branding business will usually go up. Of course, branding cannot replace good quality, and bad publicity will damage a brand (and businesses image), especially if it continues over a long period of time. For example: The Sunny Delight drinks brand was one of the biggest in the UK just a year after its launch. However, constant bad publicity about the quality of the product has severely damaged the image of the brand, and sales have dropped for each of the past several years. (Business Services, 2009). A strong brand creates an image of an established business that has been around for long enough to become well known. A branded business is more likely to be seen as experienced in their products or services, and will generally be seen as more reliable and trustworthy than an unbranded business. Most people will believe that a business would be hesitant to put their brand name on something that was of poor quality. (Business Services, 2009). If a business has a strong brand, it allows you to link together several different products or ranges. A brand name can be used on every product or service a company sell, meaning that customers for one product will be more likely to buy another product of same brand. For Example: Sony sells televisions, music equipment, consoles, camcorders, DVD players, video players, and etc all under the Sony brand name. Creation of separate brand names for product ranges allowing people to see brand name, and then use the range brand name to work out what they wish to buy. For Example: Cadburys makes a range of confectionary under many different sub-brand names such as Dairy Milk, Boost, Flake, and Time Out. All of these are sold under the product brand, but all feature the Cadburys brand name on the packaging. (Business Services, 2009). A strong brand is memorable, but people still need to be exposed to it, this often requires a lot of advertising and PR over a long period of time, which can be very costly. There are also costs involved with the creating of a brand image or logo (Paying for a designer, printing new letterheads/business cards etc.), and although most of these are only one off costs, they are still relatively large for most small businesses. The exposure of a brand can be left to word of mouth, this will save money, but will also greatly slow down the exposure that the brand receives. (Armstrong and Kotler, 2007). One of the main problems with many branded businesses is that they lose their personal image. The ability to deal on a personal basis with customers is one of the biggest advantages small business have, and poorly designed branding could give customers the impression that a business is losing its personal touch. (Business Services, 2009). Every brand has a certain image to potential customers, and part of that image is about what products or services a company sell. If a company is known for selling just one product and want to sell another product, will that company be able to do so effectively? If a company sell computers, would that brand name be suitable for selling vacuum cleaners? If a brand is focused too strongly on one product, it can limit the ability to sell other products. (Armstrong and Kotler, 2007). The process of creating a brand will usually take a long period of time. As well as creating a brand and updating your signs and equipment (e.g. stationary, vehicles etc), it need to expose to potential customers. It is commonly shown that people need to see an advert at least three times before they absorb it, which means that a company will need to advertise and promote the brand for a considerable amount of time before it will become well known. (Business Services, 2009). The continuing development of own-label brands can be largely attributed to ownership concentration in the retailing industry by multiples such as Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda. The two leading supermarkets, Tesco and Sainsburys have exploited this branding strategy to the extent that 50 percent of their sales are their own-label products. The supermarkets are committing considerable finances to their own-labels to increase their penetration. (Chaney, 2004). In marketing own-label brands the retailers have several advantages over manufacturer brands. Own-label brands can access the prime shelves as this space is controlled by the retailer. Manufacturer brands generally have to pay for the privilege of displaying and merchandising their goods. Furthermore, retailers, unlike the manufacturers, have knowledge of competitors sales figures and promotions. (Chaney, 2004). 2.5 Evaluate literature that relating to consumer behaviour According to Colla (2003), discount food retailing has experienced considerable expansion over the last ten years and currently occupies an important position in the European retail industry. According to Shine et al (1997), Consumers have become increasingly interested in nutritional issues over recent years. This interest in nutrition is fuelled by a number of factors including lifestyle, ageing population, dietary and safety concerns. The consumer is influenced by various sources of information such as the family/household, social network, â€Å"popular media†, and government dietary guidelines Shine et al (1997) also stated that majority of consumers consider diet to be a very important component of their lifestyles and regard nutrition as a positive attribute of food products. Increasing consumer interest in nutrition has led to an increased interest in nutrition labelling. Nutrition labelling was found to have an impact on consumer purchase decisions. Of those consumers who read nutritional labels, 81 per cent use them in their evaluation of food products. According to Baltas (2001), Nutrition labelling of food products has received considerable attention in the marketing literature due to increasing consumer interest in health and diet issues. He also stated, nutrition labelling of food products is intended to enable informed consumer choices and stimulate the consumption and production of healthful products. The effectiveness of nutrition labelling depends also on the organisation and presentation of the information, implying the importance of regulatory issues. Baltas (2001) stated that in the UK, more than 80 percent of surveyed individuals claim that they look at labels and that label information affects their purchase decision. Most consumers also use information on nutrition labels the first time they purchase a product and this then becomes a source of new knowledge they can draw on in subsequent purchases. Baltas (2001) also stated nutritional attributes are, of course, only a subset of objective and perceived characteristics such as price, taste and brand name determining consumer preferences. Their relative importance for the determination of consumption patterns may vary not only over people, but also across product categories and purchase occasions. According to Mintel, (Food Packaging UK, 2008) the most important consideration for consumers is that the packaging to compost is not always realistic. Mintel also stated, Four in five shoppers agreed that the food inside was not accurately depicted on the packaging. Nearly as many confirmed that it was sometimes hard to tell how much food was inside the packaging. (Mintel, Food Packaging UK, 2008). Shoppers at discounters; Morrisons and the Co-op found it harder to tell the quantity of food from the packaging it looks as though these supermarkets could be more accurate in their own-label packaging. Consumers should be able to take a good look at the food item they are buying to get an idea what it looks like and how much it contains. (Mintel, Food Packaging UK, 2008). According to Mintel (2006), significant differences are evident between the attitudes of men and women towards food packaging. Almost two thirds of women, compared to just over half of men, say that labelling is important when deciding what to buy. Womens role as the key grocery purchaser in many households has removed the need for men to study labels more carefully when choosing what to buy. However, growth of one-person households is expected to bring mens attitudes towards packaging more in line with those of women, as an increasing number of men take responsibility for doing their grocery shopping. According to Mintel Report (Food Packaging, 2006), â€Å"Consumer attention on the environmental impact of packaging is set to continue, with further debate anticipated on the sustainability of different packaging systems and the environmental impact of reuse, recycling and incineration. Biodegradable plastics are already emerging and a gradual wider acceptance of the concept is expected, while the pressure to engineer improved performance whilst utilising less material resources will continue to exercise packaging manufacturers†. According to Montgomery (2008), a study by the Co-operative Bank revealed that more than a third of people surveyed are making cuts in their weekly shopping spend. â€Å"Were typically spending  £68.33 per adult on the weekly supermarket shop, compared with an average of  £89.88 in 2007†. Montgomery stated that, its no surprise that the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose and Asda are feeling the pinch. (Montgomery, 2008). She also explain that the two key items to have dropped off our shopping lists are flowers and magazines, while next on the hit list is bottled water, expensive handwash and CDs, followed by wine, teeth whitening products, fabric conditioner, unsliced bread and nail polish. (Montgomery, 2008). Emma Thomas, from the Co-operative Bank, commented: People are being more conservative in their spending and are finding that cutting back on luxury items can help make a difference. Developing a household budget is essential to keep spending in check and to identify ways costs can be trimmed. (Montgomery, 2008). â€Å"Thanks to the credit crunch, the budget supermarket chains, such as Cost-cutter, Aldi and Lidl, have been transformed from the haunt of cash-strapped students to the savvy housewifes favourite†. (Montgomery, 2008). Montgomery (2008) stated that, sales at Cost-cutter (budget supermarket) have grown by 6.2% so far this year. Lidl came out as the cheapest supermarket after a recent survey carried out by â€Å"Which?† magazine. Montgomery (2008) explains that in a price comparison of a typical shopping basket, the publication found that Aldi was 3% more expensive, while Tesco was 21% more expens

Literature Review On Flexible Work Practices

Literature Review On Flexible Work Practices This literature review will attempt to appraise and analyse previous works conducted in the field of flexible work practices and work-life balance and its impact on employees. Theories such as Atkinsons flexible firm model (1984), Handys Shamrock organisation concept (1985), psychological contract and Border theory will be used to support this writing. Flexible Work Practices The origin of flexible work practices can be traced back to the 1970s when organizations in Europe experienced challenges as a result of globalization, growth of the product market, advanced technology, and a demand for reduction in the cost of labor (Sarantinos 2007). In response to this, the policy makers recommended two different ways (the low road and the high road) of managing the situation (EPOC, 1999). The`low-road` involves price competition, reduction in earnings and other benefits that were designed for the employees. In contrast, the `high road` includes technical innovation, quality endorsement and the development of the work force. Due to the social orientation of the regulatory authorities and the large number of organizations, the high road was considered to be more appropriate. Employees were however expected to cope with these developments, and this can be regarded as the starting point or the foundation of flexibility for both the employer and the employees (EPOC, 1 999). According to Rose (2008) flexibility is mostly analyzed from the perspective of revolution within the structure of employment relationship and it aids in conforming rapidly to changes in the world of technology and market opportunity. Piore (1998 cited in Rose 2008) argues that flexibility enables the workforce to be multi-skilled and it also promotes a cordial relationship between workers and management towards achieving the organizational goals and objectives. In addition, Dyer (1998) states that the ability to increase workers competencies and involvement will lead to a reduction in the level of absenteeism and increase employee satisfaction as well as the organizational productivity. Furthermore, Armstrong (2006) maintains that flexibility helps in preserving a sense of balance between work and other activities outside work. In a research conducted on Human Resource specialists from 585 organisations in United Kingdom, CIPD (2005) found a rise in the number of employees making us e of flexible contract of employment. However, Pollert (1991 cited in Creagh and Brewster 1998) suggest that drawbacks such as reduced training and development, high job insecurity and low wage should be considered while adopting these practices. It can be argued that there is no widely acceptable definition of the term flexibility in spite of its possible benefits. According to Blyton and Morris (1992: 2), flexibility is defined as the adaptability or responsiveness to pressure and it is generally represented as the opposite of rigidity. Similarly, Bucki and Pesqueux (2000) describe flexibility as the ability to vary according to needs thereby reflecting the ability to stay operational in changing conditions. Furthermore, Benner (2002: 14) states that flexibility refers to the ability to change or react to changes with little penalty in time effort, cost or performance. In addition, (Smith 1989: 203 cited in Legge 2005: 178) defined flexibility as labour market and labour process restructuring to increased versatility in design and greater adaptability of new technology in production. Again, Pilbeam and Corbridge (2006: 104) posit that flexibility is the ability of an organisation to adapt the size, composition, responsivene ss and cost of the people inputs required to achieve organizational objectives. From the above definitions, it is important to note that flexibility is influenced by changes in the economic situation, increased competition, labour market volatility and changes in the world of technology. Wilson et al (2008) explains that different meaning could be ascribed to the term flexibility. According to the author, flexibility can be identified with high commitment work practices and it includes career development, team work, and multi skilling. Presumably, these practices should increase employee satisfaction and motivation and ultimately an increase in the firms competitive advantage. On the contrary, some organizations adopt flexible practices which involve the use of low-priced casual workers for the purpose of meeting changes in customers demand and generating performance benefit. EEF (2009) also maintains that the word flexibility can be analysed from two perspectives. For the employees, flexibility is often used to depict the right to demand for work practices such as home-working, term-time working, part-time working, flexitime and job sharing, annual or compressed hours. Thus, flexibility helps in creating a wide range of motivating jobs and a better working condition for the employees (Dyer 1998). From the employers point of view, flexibility is often used as an abbreviation of the flexible labour markets. It enables the employer to regulate the way work is done in order to meet up with changes in demand (EEF 2009). Thus, flexibility ensures that the organisation remains globally competitive. According to (Bouchikhi and Kimberly cited in Mullins 2007), one of the major challenges that organisations encounter within the flexible labour market is an understanding of individuals wants; and the need to support employee-driven flexibility. Furthermore, Pilbeam and Corbridge (2006) analyzed the term flexibility from two contexts. The first is from the employers viewpoint and it is concerned with the managements pursuit of workers flexibility in order to increase profitability and maximize efficiency. The second aspect is seen from an employees perspective and it is generally addressed by means of rearranging or restructuring of the patterns of work. The study of flexibility from the employees perspective remains the focus of this write-up as it involves the endorsement of flexible working practices to improve work-life balance. Several writers such as (Blyton and Morris 1992; Atkinson 1984; Bramham 1994; Sparrow and Marchington 1998 cited Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006, Lewis et al 2003; Torrington et al 2008; Armstrong 2006; Legge 2005; Dyer 1998) have attempted to identify the different types of flexibility which exists in the workplace. They include functional, numerical, financial geographical, temporal, skills and structural flexibility. Functional flexibility affords management the ability to quickly re-assign workers between different tasks based on jobs requirements (Sisson and Storey 2003). Furthermore, Dyer (1998) maintains that such movement enhances on-the-job training and it also increases employees satisfaction and productivity. Functional flexibility is associated with the core workforce within the Atkinson model (Lewis et al 2003). Atkinson argues that the core workforce is expected to apply their skills across a wide range of tasks in order to contribute significantly to the achievement of organisational success (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). According to Torrington et al (2008), the rationale behind functional flexibility is to enable employees acquire the skills needed to embark on different assignments, thus ensuring versatility within the work place. However, Legge (2005) argues that functional flexibility is about work amplification and managements ability to exert control over the work force. Nev ertheless, functional flexibility increases employees competencies and ensures a quick response to demand (Mabey et al 1998). Numerical flexibility is the firms ability to increase and reduce the number of work force in response to fluctuations in the demand for product or services (Armstrong 2006). Price (2006) maintains that there is difficulty in achieving this form of flexibility with the core workforce; and Blyton and Morris (1991) conclude that numerical flexibility can be achieved through the use of the peripheral employees within the Atkinsons model. Working practices which incorporates elements of numerical flexibility includes part-time employment, self employment, short-term contracts, job sharing, homework, and agency temps. (Dyer 1998). According to Sparrow and Marchington (1998), numerical flexibility increases employees empowerment because if gives an opportunity for individuals to define their own job. Legge (2005: 178) however argues that one of the reasons why organizations adopt numerical flexibility is to suppress the permanency of employment relationship; thereby making employee redunda ncy an acceptable practice within the employment relationship. (Conclude with statistics) Financial flexibility is the ability of an organization to regulate employment overheads by allocating labour costs to substantiate the supply of and demand for labour so as to increase profitability. It includes payment in relation to performance and the use of local market rates in establishing the cost of labour. To be applied, it requires the utilisation of temporal flexibility as well as the application of non- consolidated bonus pay and non- pensionable payment to steer clear of any expense that encourages a rise in cost (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). In addition, financial flexibility supports the implementation of functional and numerical flexibility (Dyer 1998). Temporal flexibility has to do with the arrangement of working hours so as to meet up with production demands. Its aim is to maximise productive time and minimise unproductive time. However, Muller-Camen (2008) argues that the aim of temporal flexibility is to reduce the payment of overtime premium, even though it helps in coping with high customer demand. Geographical flexibility involves the ability of organisation to engage the employee in distant working and it is achieved through better use of technology. To be applied, the employee requires access to organisations facilities from home usually for specific occasion or as situation demands. Arguably, geographical flexibility ensures job security and it enhances efficiency in the execution of work (Stredwick 2000). Forms of flexibility are flexible time, part-time working, overtime, job rotation, shifting, compressed hour, annualised hour, term time Two influential frameworks that address flexibility at the organisational level include Atkinsons (1984) flexible firm model and Handy (1985) shamrock organisation. The flexible firm model was developed by Atkinson in 1984 and it is useful in evaluating the general concept of flexibility (Stredwick 2000). The model contains all the various forms of flexibility discussed above and it also recognises some of the consequences of the flexible work force. Atkinsons (1984) flexible firm Atkinson reinforces an optimist view to flexibility, he argues that economic recession and technological changes have encouraged employers to make their firm more flexible thereby increasing productivity (Rose 2008). Atkinson believes that flexibility addresses the rigidities associated with the rules of employment established under scientific organisation designs where management control over workers was used to increase productivity (Dyer 1998). Atkinsons flexible firm model provides a framework based on breaking internal hierarchical labour markets by creating a core and a periphery workforce; and the author further argues that the flexible firm has a variety of ways of meeting the need of human resources (Torrington et al 2008). The core work force is made up of highly skilled workers (such as management, technical staff and other professionals) who are considered critical to organisational success by their ability to sustain the organisations competitive advantage (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They are highly regarded by the employer, well paid and they are involved in the firms decision making (Torrington et al 2008). In addition, they tend to have development and career opportunities in order to secure their long-term commitment to the organisations. In return, these employees are expected to be functionally flexible by applying their skills across a wide range of tasks in order to contribute significantly to the achievement of organisational success (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). Whittington (1991 cited in Dyer 1998) however challenge the benefits associated with the core workforce and argues that improved working conditions and better pay is achieved through work intensification. In addition, Ursell (1991 cited in Dyer 1998) maintain that the scope of decision making associated with the core workforce is likely to be very limited and found that budgets, performance appraisals and selection techniques are being used to both monitor and control the extent of autonomy given to the core work force. The peripheral workforce is characterised by low wages, low job security with little or no autonomy in their work Dyer (1998) and are subdivided into several segments. The first group is known as the first peripheral. Employees in this group are drawn from the secondary labour market and they have skills and knowledge profile which is general rather than specific to the core business of the organisation (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They are employed on contracts with some degree of permanence. They are important but not critical to organisation success as their skills and knowledge will normally be readily available in external labour market. Consequently, they cannot expect similar degrees of security as their colleagues from the core even if they display some functional flexibility (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). Instead of having a career, these group of employees only have job (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They can be regarded as labour on call providing a buffer stock of reso urces enabling the organisation to expand and contract organically Rose (2008); hence they are seen as numerically flexible. Marchington and Wilkinson (2008) however argue against categorising all workers in this group as peripherals because some part time workers are critical to the success of the business given their close contact with customers and their contribution to business goals. Examples include administrative, secretarial, sales, production and supervisory staff. The second peripheral group comprises individuals who find it hard to break into internal labour market and whose employment experiences tend to be precarious, with little realistic prospect of employment security (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). They consist of beck and call workers (such as caterers, cleaners or assembly workers) characterized by casual, zero hours or core hours contract of employment (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They have a limited contract of employment (either short term or part time) and they enjoy even less security (Torrington et al 2008). In addition, they have relatively restricted reward package and they can easily be replaced. They provide dynamic forms of numerical and financial flexibility and they can be said to have work rather than jobs or career. Examples include cleaners, drivers, caterers etc. Beyond the peripheral group are those individuals who are clearly external to the host organisation but employed by another employer or in self employment (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). This group also includes labour provided through contracts for services and the sub-contracting of work to other organisations. Workers supplied through agencies also fit into this category (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). In contrast to the first and second peripheral, this group also include elite portfolio workers who possess skills for which there is high demand. They provide work on a paid for result or consultancy basis, and where the correspondingly high rewards compensate for any lack of employment security or regularity (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). Examples include information technology providers, teachers and lecturers, interim managers or even chief executives. Critiques of the flexible firm model The flexible firm model has been criticised as not been backed up by facts Muller-Camen (2008); and (Legge 2005; Torrington 2008) highlights the vagueness in the model as to whether the model is a description of trends or a prescription of the future. Sarantinos (2007) however claims that the model maintains clarity in classifying the different kind of flexibility and it highlights the methods which organisation are adopting in order to achieve a flexible model. Nonetheless, Dyer (1998) maintains that the notion that organizations have pursued flexibility by introducing core and periphery labor management strategies has been disputed. According to the author, rather than flexibility representing a fundamental shift in the way work is organized, it is more about intensifying the control of capital over labor by using new management techniques. In a research conducted on a group of scientists, Whittington (1991) found that market pressure had forced the research staff (who theoreticall y fall into the core category) to work harder and to respond rapidly to shifting client needs. Subsequently, (Ursell 1991; Smith 1991) argues that although the flexible firm model may use different tactics, the goal of flexible firms is the same as that of management under the Fordist model that of achieving management control over committed workers and utilizing the knowledge of the employee in the pursuit of profit. In addition, the status of the periphery workforce as opposed to the core is also challenged. According to Lewis et al (2003), the flexible firm analyses have a tendency to trigger different feelings among the employees especially the classification of employees into core and peripherals. Furthermore, (Geary 1992 cited in Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006) argues that the division of employee into peripherals perpetuates inequality and contradicts the main maxim of human resource management which is to value and develop employees as the organisations major asset. Similarly, Torrington et al (2008) maintains that this division is incompatible with the best practice approaches to HRM which seek to increase peoples management and development in order to achieve the goals of the organisation. Besides, Torrington et al (2008) also argues that this could lead to a negative effect on employees psychological contract, which according to Lewis et al (2003) is a tool used in analysing the employment relationship that exists between the employer and the employee. HANDY SHAMROCK PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT There have been major changes in the economy (as discussed above) over the last few decades leaving employees with different requirements from work. In addition, employees level of education has greatly improved with an increased knowledge of their preferences, and the ideas they develop exceeds that of the former generation (Stredwick and Ellis 2002). This changes have resulted into a transition from traditional contracts (where the employee perceives that the employer guarantees a job for life in response to their allegiance), to contracts where employees loyalty is dependent on a rise in earnings and increased training (Smithson and Lewis 2003). Such changes have been summarised as a move from relational contracts, depending upon reciprocal trust and commitment, to the one that is transactional, based upon negotiation and short term economic exchange (Herriot and Pemberton 1995 cited in Lewis et al 2003). Arguably, these changes affect employees attitudes and behaviour; and the psychological contract is considered to be a relevant tool in understanding and managing these changes (Conway and Briner 2005). This is because the psychological contract evaluates the individual aspect of employment relationship and this appears to be associated with flexibility advancement (Guest 2004). In addition, psychological contract presents a peculiar insight into the effect of flexible work practices (Guest 2004). It is a concept which has the capacity to explain the transformation that people goes through in the employment relationship (Arnold 1996). The term psychological contract was first used by Argyris in 1960 to explain the relationship which exists between a group of employees and their foreman (Coyle-Sharpiro 2000); though Conway and Briner (2005) argue that Argyris work was not subjected to theoretical analysis. According to Guest (2006), the psychological contract is the perception of both parties to the employment relationship, organization and individual of the reciprocal promises and obligations implied in that relationship. Another definition that focuses more on the employee is by Rousseau (1995). The author defined psychological contract as an individuals beliefs shaped by the organisation, regarding the terms of an exchange agreement between individuals and their organisation. Guest (1998) however argues that Rousseaus definition of the psychological contract is defective because it focuses on employee alone and he stresses the fact that the contract is the perception of both parties to employment relationship. C IPD (2003) further explains that the psychological contract is unlike the formal contract of employment and it is largely unwritten. It focuses on each partys perception of the employment relationship, it involves sincerity, reciprocated trust, and a duty of care; and it is more effective compared to the written contract in affecting employees behaviour (Stredwick and Ellis 2003). Coyle-Shapiro (2000) argues that the content of the psychological contract is influenced by employees view of the employment relationship. A positive psychological contract is directly related to job fulfilment and commitment which ultimately will result in an increase on performance. Similarly, a reduction on performance is likely to occur when the psychological contract is negative. With the introduction of flexible work practices, some employees (especially the peripherals) might assume that the organization has failed in developing their potentials thus reneging on its obligations. In an investigation conducted on some workers in a Swedish hospital, and result shows that individuals on flexible employment demonstrated higher levels of jobs insecurity and reduced organisational commitment (Sverke et al 2000). Arguably workers on flexible contracts are mostly associated with low benefits and they enjoy less opportunity towards training and development (Atkinson 1984). Consequently, they experience job dissatisfaction, mental discomfort and a negative life outside of work Guest (2004); leading to a reduction in loyalty and poor performance regarding organizations objectives. This is known as the violation or breach of the psychological contract (Rousseau 1995). (Morrinson and Robinson 1997 cited in Conway and Briner 2005) however argue that there is a distinction between breach and violation of the psychological contract. Subsequently, Kramer (2006) refers to a breach of the psychological contract as the perception held by someone in a relationship that another person in the relationship has failed to perform the promised obligations; and violation is referred to as the intense emotional reactions that comes with breaches (Morrinson and Robinson 1997 cited in Conway and Briner 2005). According to Conway and Briner (2005), the main way of understanding how the psychological contract affects employees reaction is when breach occurs. Employees who perceive breaches in the psychological contract think about their relationship with the organisation from a negative point of view, and demonstrate increase intention to quit the organisation (Robinson and Rousseau 1994). Similarly, Cortvriend (2004) found that violation is positively related to employee de-motivation, negative attitudes towards the job and withdrawal from the organisation. Furthermore, (Robinson and Morrison 1995 cited in Arnold 1996) found that employees who perceive a violation in their psychological contract usually report negative organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB). OCB is defined as a readiness to contribute beyond literal contractual obligations (Organ 1988: 22 cited in Coyle-Shapiro). Based on the above discussion, flexibility is directly related to perception of job insecurity and a breach of employees psychological contract; as a result, flexibility is portrayed as an unconstructive theory. Guest (2004) however stresses that this should not be used as a global conclusion. Consequently, Marler et al (2002) emphasis the fact that different employees consent to flexible employment for different reasons; hence they should not be treated the same way. Furthermore, Guest (2004) attempted to differentiate between workers on the margin of employment and knowledge worker whose contract of employment is by choice. Workers on the margin of employment are those whose competencies are low and those with poor bargaining power thus they experience unfavourable treatment from employers. As a result, they suffer increase job insecurity and reduced opportunity for training and development. On the other hand, knowledge workers are those who incline towards flexibility and whose em ployment contract is by choice (Capelli 1991). They consist of temporary workers, part-time or even self employed. These workers embrace flexible work practices and they have the capacity to move between employments as they desire. In contrast to general assumptions, workers who choose flexible contract enjoy higher job satisfaction and they suffer no insecurity in their employment. In a general research conducted by the IPD into the present disposition of the psychological contract, findings revealed that the psychological contract was in an improved condition than expected (Stredwick and Ellis 2003). 81% of participants affirmed that their employers were fair in dealing with them, and 72% believed that their organisation will honour its undertakings and obligations (Stredwick and Ellis 2003). Guest and Conway (1999) however attempted to assess the state of psychological contracts of core employees with the peripherals and found that a better state of psychological contract was reported by the peripherals. However, Dyer (1998) argues that the reason for this is because the peripheral workers exhibit more of transactional relationship and they tend to respond more quickly to changes in the composition of the psychological contract with changes in their pay. This argument can be supported by a survey conducted in the American aerospace industry with a sample of 1 99 employees on permanent contract and 24 employees on flexible contract (Pearce and Randel 1998). Pay differentials exists within the work place with employees on flexible contract earning more than those on permanent contract. Results show little or no difference in perceived job security, performance and job satisfaction between temporary and permanent workers. In a survey carried out for the UK Department of Education and Employment on 607 workers who enjoy flexible work practices (Tremlett and Collins 1999), 68% mentioned choice of work, reduction in workload and an improved work-life balance as some advantages of flexibility. Conversely, 79% mentioned the negative aspects of flexibility as job insecurity, difficulty in working as a team, reduced benefits and treatment lower than that of permanent workers. However, (Pearce and Randell 1998) argues that the perceived effect of flexible work practice can best be determined by employees career preference; that is, whether the choice of flexible contract was intentional or not. In the UK survey reported by Tremlett and Collins (1999), 147 out of 607 did not want a permanent job. As the main reason for this, they cited not wanting the commitment that goes with permanent employment (21%), the loss of freedom to choose the work they wanted to do (19%), being too old (18%) and general lack of int erest in permanent employment (18%). WORK-LIFE BALANCE Work-life balance initiative was developed as a result of changes within the work force involving an increase in the number of women, ageing population (author); and increased understanding of the importance of employees management to organisational success (Maxwell 2005). The rapid growth of this practice was supported by government legislation which introduced the right to request flexible working also known as family friendly policy (CIPD 2010). This right was initially available for parents with children below six years of age or with disabled children below the age of eighteen years. However, there is an ongoing consideration to extend the right to parents with children under the age of sixteen years (Pitt 2009). The aim of this policy is to ensure that skills and experience needed to sustain the economy is readily available by allowing parents (especially mothers) balance work with other family responsibilities. However (Lea 2001 cited in Torrington et al 2008) argues that this policy could prevent women with family responsibilities from being hired thereby hindering womens employment prospect. Nevertheless, Manfredi and Holliday (2004) maintain that the practice impacts positively on womens career path. Another reason for the growth of family friendly policy is an increase in the number of aged people. According to Manfredi and Holliday (2004), the population is ageing thereby leading to a rise in caring responsibilities for elderly parents in addition to child care responsibilities. This however, led to carers of some specified group of adults becoming eligible for this right from April 2007. As a result of growing recognition of employees in sustaining competitive advantage, this right was further developed into work-life balance policies to include employees without family responsibilities and who desire to benefit from flexible work practices for personal reasons (Fleetwood 2007). This arguably will reduce the risk of alienation and ensure that all employees are seen as business investments and valuable assets (Maxwell 2005). According to Work foundation (2003b) work-life balance is defined as the ability of employees to achieve a satisfactory equilibrium between work and non work activities such as caring responsibilities and some other interests. Similarly, employers for work-life balance also defined WLB as about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work leading them to enjoy an optimal quality of life. Furthermore, DTI (2005) defined work-life balance as being about adjusting working patterns regardless of age, race or gender, so everyone can find a rhythm to help them combine work with other responsibilities or aspiration. In addition, Heckerson and Laser (2006: 27) define work-life balance as a state whereby the needs and requirements of work are weighed together to create an equitable share of time that allows for work to be completed and a professionals private life to get attention. The concept of work-life balance is based on employees capability to synchronize respon sibilities at work and other interests outside work without causing conflict. According to IDS (2008a), work-life balance involves the availability of flexible work practices developed to enable employees participate in activities outside work in addition to fulfilling their job responsibilities; thus it is designed to promote flexibility (Maxwell 2005). Fleetwood (2007) argue that there is an inextricable link between the practices associated with work-life balance and that of flexible working. The author however stresses the differences between employee flexibility (employer unfriendly) and employer flexibility (employee unfriendly); and further states that employer and employees flexibility should not be used interchangeably because the former constrains work-life balance, while the latter enhances work-life balance. Work-life balance practices that make up employee flexibility are working time arrangements (such as home working, part tim