Marketing Assignment Essay

My chosen retailer is Pick n’ Pay which is a company owned by South African entrepreneur Raymond Ackerman in 1967. Pick n’ Pay was able to gain a large share of the market because Raymond Ackerman’s policy of putting offering customers the best value for their money before profit maximisation and various social responsibility programmes have made them a household in South Africa. Question 1 Pick n Pay bridges the following gaps: * Space. * Time. * Information. The space and time, value gaps are bridged by pick n’ pay, by establishing what the market really wants and providing consumer what they want at the right price in the right environment. -Information on products is readily available in stores during promotions and generally accessible in store. -Pick n’ Pay offers financial services like credit on large purchases like appliances. -Through bridging these gaps Pick n’ Pay has been able to establish long term relationship with consumers. Question 2 An organisation has to perform its primary & auxiliary marketing activities efficiently and in a timely manner to ensure that the needs/ of the customer are met. Pick n’ Pay also owns its own transportation fleet so they have more control over meeting demand on time. * Pick n Pay conducted detailed market research in order to properly serve its market as all store formats are as diverse as the geographic area they operate in, from the large hypermarkets to the express stores in petrol stations, they cater to all different market segments. Pick n’ Pay also own Boxer supermarkets which cater to low income groups such as rural areas. * They form of standardisation and grading is their policy of giving consumers double their money back on Pick n’ Pay products if they not satisfied with the quality, This policy enabled Pick n’Pay to gain the trust of consumer which translates into Customer loyalty. All other products offered by Pick n’ Pay have to follow certain regulations before being offered to the public. Pay has to take the necessary steps to ensure that products like fruits are available all year round which means such products need to be stored in fridges and other products have to be stored properly so they don’t get damage before getting to the actual store so they don’t incur any losses. * The risk of loss or damage is to be mitigated by the form of having insurance policy to cover the business. * Pick n’ Pay borrows money from banks to cover the day-to-day operations; Raymond Ackerman says many businesses that were destined for greatness failed because they didn’t have enough cash to run their daily operations. I would say Pick n’ Pay uses the societal marketing-oriented concept because of their environmental initiatives which have even gained the organisation a Sunday Times Top Brand Grand Prix award for the company that did the most to promote â€Å"green† issues and social upliftment of communities. Raymond Ackerman stresses the importance of doing â€Å"good† business which means implementing sustainable practices in the work environment and doing what the business is obligated to do in terms of social responsibility. Here are some environmental initiatives have introduced: * Green Products- Products that are 100% recyclable with active ingredients that are made from sustainable,natural ingredients. * Introduced limited edition eco-friendly bags to limit the use of plastic bags * Pick n’ Pay vehicles use a low sulphur content diesel and ozone-friendly lubrication oils. * Setting up recycling points at Pick n’ Pay stores * In 2009 they opened up 3 Pick n’ Pay express stores, starting a new era of green retailing. These type strategies will gain the business long term customers because of its awareness of contributing positively to the environment. Question 4 I would say my chosen retailer has evolved to this level because they the good relationship it has with its stakeholder that’s why they have been able to offer the market such good prices and within any business you need to maintain good relationship with your suppliers for example, this would ensure that everything is delivered in a timely time and with your employees to ensure that their product are product and know what’s expected of them. Pick n Pay has a number of policies and guidelines to govern relationships with its stakeholders so every interaction with its stakeholders is morally sound and is in line with the correct practices so that customers are satisfied and customers are retained. Question 5 5. 1 The micro environment of Pick n’ Pay is its internal stakeholders which would be: * Employees * Investors * Management The business has full control over this environment. The market environment is the outside of the business and the business can only control this environment to a certain degree. The market environment comprises of: * Suppliers * Competitors- Checkers,Spar,Woolworths. * Customers * General Public – Brand Perception and Brand awareness. 5. 2 Pick n Pay is a company that focuses a lot on physical environment and socio economic issues as it recognises the importance of sustainability practices in its business due to the fact that natural resources are not available in infinite quantities and the damage us humans are doing to the environment. Pick n’ Pay has also implemented programmes that challenge socio economic issues such as unemployment. Here some the changes and programmes implemented to adapt to changes/trends in the macro environment: * Setting up recycling points at Pick n’ pay which in turn provides employment. * â€Å"Green† products – 100% recyclable products with natural active ingredients that don’t harm the environment. * BEE programmes which allows people from disadvantaged backgrounds to own a Pick n’ Pay franchise store. * Pick n’ Pay company also recently extended its ‘Green Range’ of household products to include garbage bags made from 100% recycled material, 70% of which is post-consumer recycled materials.

Analysing Financial Statement of Gul Ahmed Textile Mill LTD Essay

OBJECTIVE: Objective of our analysis is that we are a bank and we will provide loan to Gul Ahmed because Gul Ahmed has applied for a loan, so we are going to check the credit worthiness of Gul Ahmed by analyzing their financial statements in detail to see whether providing loan to Gul Ahmed will be appropriate or not. COMPANY PROFILE: Gul Ahmed is one of the largest home textile manufacturing companies in Pakistan. Since its inception in 1953, the company has been a trend-setter in the Pakistani textile industry and has serviced a diverse range of customers across the globe. Gul-Ahmed is a completely vertical textile mill comprising of  state-of-the-art spinning, weaving, yarn-dyeing, piece-dyeing, printing (pigment and reactive on rotary as well as flat bed), stitching, embroidery and quilting facilities. The vertical structure gives Gul Ahmed much better control over the quality of its products as compared to other mills. Apart from the state of the art production facilities, Gul Ahmed is also equipped with the latest effluent treatment plant, caustic recovery, steam recovery and waste heat recovery plants. This makes Gul Ahmed one of the greenest and most socially responsible textile mills in the region. Gul-Ahmed’s product range is quite diverse, and includes sheets, comforters, multi needle quilts/duvets, decorative pillows, window hangings, table & Kitchen Linen etc. Gul Ahmed also has the capability to do foam-back/black-out curtains and lining, as well as acrylic coating and flocking. TEXTILE INDUSTRIES OF PAKISTAN: The Pakistan textile industry total export is around 9.6 billion US dollars. The textile industry contributes approximately 46 percent to the total output or 8.5 percent of the country GDP. In Asia, Pakistan is the 8th largest exporter of textile products providing employment to 38 percent of the work force in the country. However, the textile industry currently faces massive challenges. The textile sector enjoys a pivotal position in the exports of Pakistan. In Asia, Pakistan is the 8th largest exporter of textile products. The contribution of this industry to the total GDP is 8.5%. It provides employment to about 15 million people, 30% of the country work force of about 49million. The annual volume of total world textile trade is US$18 trillion which is growing at 2.5 percent. Out of it, Pakistan’s share is less than one per cent. The development of the Manufacturing Sector has been given the highest priority since Pakistan’s founding with major stress on Agro-Based I ndustries. For Pakistan which was one of the leading producers of cotton in the world, the development of a Textile Industry making full use of its abundant resources of cotton has been a priority area towards industrialization. At present, there are 1,221  ginning units, 442 spinning units, 124 large spinning units and 425 small units which produce textile products. Pakistan’s textile sector earned US$5.77 billion during the 2003 year, compared with US$5.577 BILLION OF 2000-2001 indicating a growth of 0.69%. The total exports of textile sector in 2004 were US 5.7 billion which shows 2.5% growth it increase to 4% growth in 2005 as compared to 2004.The textile sector shows 8% negative growth in 2006.The negative growth continue in 2007 aslo with the value of 5%.The textile sector shows 15% growth in 2008. Now we will discuss the main reasons of crisis in textile industry step by step in detail. a. Lack of Modernize Equipment Moreover, critics argue that the textile industry has obsolete equipment and machinery. The inability to timely modernize the equipment and machinery has led to the decline of Pakistani textile competitiveness. Due to obsolete technology the cost of production is higher in pakistan as compared to other countries like India, Bangladesh & china. b. Raw material Prices Prices of cotton & other raw material used in textile industry fluctuate rapidly in Pakistan. The rapid increase in the price raw material effect the cost of production badly. The increase in raw material prices fluctuate rapidly due to double digit inflation. Sealand Logistics Solutions is helping textile oriented comanies with the help of logistics solutions in importing modern equipment and make valuable connections with reliable leading raw material provider at very competitive prices. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW Textile industry has the biggest share of Pakistan exports from raw material to finished goods in different global markets. During FY 2011-12 the country’s textile exports have drastically reduced by 10% to $12.529 billion against $13.975 billion of FY 2010-11. One of the major causes of underperformance is the persistent electricity and gas load shedding plaguing the industry which has hindered the performance and competitiveness of the textile industry. The consumer sentiments in US and EU remained bearish, causing a decline in textile related purchases. Up till March 2012,  global textile exports declined by 9.4 %. A major reason for this was excess stocks built up by the retailers and stuck up within the supply chain. It took almost a year for the supply chain to free itself from legacy stocks. Finally activity has started to pick up across large retailers in the west and we expect to see significant improvements this year. AUDITORS: The present auditor is Hyder Bhimji & Co. Chartered Accountant for Gul ahmed Textile retire and wait for other appointment, they have been winning the trust of Gul ahmed from 2009 to till today before that till 2007 were Gardezi & Co. Chartered Accountant. The Auditor statement for 2012 was as Balance sheet, P & L, Cash flow and other comprehensive income statement were in accordance with the Company Ordinance 1984, in our opinion proper books of account have been kept by the company’s ordinance, 1984. IMPORTANT KEY POINTS: Mr.Zain Basheer, Director of GAMT and son of Muhommad Ali Basheer Chairman of GAMT when found out that price of yarn was about to increase at the start of the 2012 year, realized that purchase of yarn in bulk quantity can result in big profits. So, he decided to purchase yarn in big quantity and as he planned GAMT invest a huge amount in buying yarn. But luck was not really in their favor and the price of yarn falls down with a big margin and they face a real difficult time and as a result their Cost of Sales increases which results in big losses in 2012 as compared to 2011 in which they hit the gigantic mark of 26 billion Rupee which made them the best textile in this era. Their Expenses also increase because they paid the big amount in Murabaha also in 2012. Interest Expenses and Taxation also shows the clear difference in 2012 from 2011 that also was one of the reason of losses. If you see on the vertical analysis Equity section their Capital and Reserves increase that is why the loss which fall to -1.25 from positive figure 5.23 hard to figure in overall equity section but the reserves was at the beginning of 2012, which means it was covered in 2011 and by the end of 2012 their reserves are less because of huge loss. PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS: Performance expectation after analyzing the financial statement of Gul ahmed is very good compared to any other textile mill. The Company’s sales amounting to Rs. 25,064 million is declined by 1.46% a compared to the corresponding year. Drop in exports have been compensated by increase in local sales. Decline in gross profit is due to the inflation without any corresponding increase in selling prices. During the fiscal year (FY) 2012 tight financial conditions, weak confidence and fiscal consolidation in various advanced economies hampered the economic progress. Many emerging economies were also hit by decreased investment and anticipated growth uncertainty, which led to equity price declines, capital outflows and currency depreciation. As perth World Economic Forum, the world GDP growth on YoY basis will drop from 4% in 2011 to about 3.5% in 2012. Domestically, GDP for FY 2012 was 3.7% (FY 2011: 3%) as per Economic Survey of Pakistan 2012. The increase was mainly due to the growth in commodity producing sectors, specially the agriculture sector in the country.Total investment and exports showed a significant contraction. The total investment, as a percentage of GDP, has fallen to 12.5% in FY 2012 (FY 2011:13.1%), which does not bode well for the future productive capacity of the economy. Inflation in June 2012 was 11.3% (June 2011: 13.1%) on YoY basis which was due to increase in energy and oil prices, supply disruptions due to heavy rains earlier at the start of the fiscal year and increased borrowings by the government. During the first half of the year 2012, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reduced the policy rate by 200 basis point lowering it to 12% and kept the rate unchanged during the second half. The reduction of 200 basis point was made to improve the falling private investment which is compromising the medium term productive capacity of the economy, and to control future inflation. After assessing the impact of reduction in the  first half, SBP realized that continued energy shortage is a major factor behind low demand for private credit for fixed investment. Return on Equity shows also a clear increasing trend for GATM, Equity is growing as it is a growing industry and in 2011 it shows a great impact in equity as it was the year which change the history for GATM they cossed the gigantic mark of 25 billion rupee then in 2012 it is slightly decreasing. Sales in Millions Lawsuits and contingencies: The Group owns and possesses a plot of land measuring 44 acres in Deh Khanto, which is appearing in the books at a cost of Rs. 64 million. The Group holds title deeds of the land which are duly registered in its name. Ownership of the land has been challenged in the Sindh High Court by some claimants who claim to be the owners, as this land was previously sold to them and subsequently resold to the Group. The claim of the alleged owners is fictitious. The Group is confident that its title to the land is secure and accordingly no provision has been made in these financial statements. The Group has filed a suit in the Sindh High Court for recovery of Rs.33.409 million (2011: Rs. 33.43 million) included in other receivables. The Group’s management and its legal counsel are of the opinion that the case will be decided in the Group’s favour and as such no provision has been made there against. The Group has filed a Petition in the Sindh High Court against order passed by the Board of Trustees, Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) for upholding the unjustified additional demand of payment raised by EOBI for accounting years 2000-01 and 2001-02 amounting to Rs. 50.827 million (2011: Rs. 50.827 million). This demand has been raised after lapse of more than two years although the records and books of the Group were verified by the EOBI to their entire satisfaction and finalization of all matters by EOBI. The Honorable Sindh High Court has already restrained EOBI from taking any action or proceedings against the Group. No provision has been made there against in these financial statements as the Group is confident of the  favorable outcome of the Petition. The Group has filed a Constitution Petition in the Sindh High Court against the City District Government of Karachi for striking down the unjustified demand of payment of Ground Rent of Rs. 10 million. The Honorable Sindh High Court has already restrained the City District Government of Karachi from taking any coercive action against the Group. No provision has been made there against in these financial statements as the Group is confident of the favourable outcome of the Petition. INVESTMENTS: By looking at the financial statements of GATM, we don’t find any unwise investment made by the company. The following information from cash flow gives a clear idea about all current cash generating from cash flows for the following year. Addition to property,plant & equipment. Would you recommend a buy/sell/hold on stock given on the current price stock prices? Why? Price targeted have been updates at GATM, if you see the present condition as investor’s overview Earning per share at year ended 2012 was (1.89) and P/E ratio was (11.17), a negative EPS numbers are usually reported as â€Å"not applicable† for quarter on which company reported  a loss. Investor buying a company with negative P/E should be aware that they are buying a share of a company that has been losing money per share of it’s stock. For now it is hard to recommend buy of stock unless it is better to hold it’s stock for some time because gulahmed past performance had been better on scale. What is Company’s secret? Gul-ahmed has always work on bringing innovation to the product development because they know the importace of being tech-savy and innovative from decades they have been working with the latest technology of that era. The installation of first full automatic wider width Air jet looms, 21 color rotatory printing machines and a modern laboratory in entering into 21st century, Another world-class idea came to our mind and retail outlet Ideas open in every part of the country. They have always been working on their U.S.P to make it better than others and it had paid off. At present they are working on high tech saving machines which is fully computerized and functions task of more than 20 men and this machine is only owned by GATM in Pakistan, this played major part in crossing gigantic mark of 25 billion rupee in 2011 which is by far the best output by any textile industry in Pakistan. Being tech-savy is the spirit implies two opposing forces of providing fast and flexible response to c ustomers, yet building efficient mechanisms and systems that are efficient and waste-free. The concept is to provide the right product and information, at the right time, in the right amount, in the right manner, while maintaining high standards of efficiency and cost control. IMC practices this contradictory idea in our daily activities to control their capital locked in inventory and to maintain a healthy customer relationship. Q7: Is it a growing/declining industry? It is a growing industy because if you see their progress from when they start they have reached the top of textile industry and serving it’s customer from more than last 50 years, they have always come up with new technology and innovative ideas. One of the current creative idea is, a 136.17 MW private power plant at Korangi Industrial Area of Karachi. The  project is a joint venture of Gul Ahmed Group, Toyoda Tsusho Corporation of Japan, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Wartsila Diesel Oy of Finland. Gul Ahmed Energy Limited is backed by â€Å"GUL AHMED GROUP† which is one of Pakistan’s leading industrialist / business group since 1948 with a much diversified portfolio of trade, manufacturing, banking, industries, businesses and investments. Business ventures range from Finance, Energy, Beverages, Real Estate, Information Technology and Textile (the Group’s main forte) The Group is involved in the manufacturing of cotton yarns, grey and fini shed cloth and textile made ups and is one of the leading exporters of textile products from Pakistan Some of the companies forming part of the Group are provided below: Interpretation: Earnings per share is that amount you earn on every single ratio gulahmed is order to grab them and organization like gulahmed tries to maintain their goodwill with investor rather than giving them extra incentives and in 2012 they are negative, which is imposible for EPS because no one can pay negative value. CONCLUSION & FINDINGS: We as a Bank have walked upon a decision that we should gave the loan to Gul-ahmed after studying their financial statements they are a very growing organization. If we see their present condition in 2012, they are in loss but this was due to one bad decision by Director of GAMT which was made to amazed the world once again after 2011 gigantic mark sales in 2012 but it did not paid off. Financial ratios shows a slight change except R.O.E, E.P.S and P/E Ratios which are negative in 2012 as GAMT was in loss in present year. Before that E.P.S was growing and in 2011 it was 9.42 which is a very healthy earning per share.

MKTG Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

MKTG - Essay Example Using posters, banners, carry bags and even consumer goods to promote one’s product and services has become common. Sponsorship of events like sports events, cultural festivals and carnivals have become highly attractive propositions for big and small business. But in the recent times, the companies have started using mobiles phones as their media of advertisement. The huge database of mobile phone users offers the companies with wide options to send messages regarding products to the prospective customers. While mobile advertisement might be a big nuisance value for the mobile users, it nevertheless provides the firms with huge opportunities to exploit new market. The companies like Suzuki, Vodafone, AIG etc are using this media to promote their products and services. Indeed, the new approach and innovative ideas of promoting products have increasingly transformed alternative media into highly accessible and effective tools of advertising. (words: 242)

Strategic Analysis on Toyota Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Strategic Analysis on Toyota - Assignment Example The paper tells that the history of Toyota can be traced back to humble beginnings in 1930 as a research initiative into gasoline-powered engines at Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, before the registration of Toyota Motor Corporation Ltd. in 1937. The company’s timeline is characterised by major breakthroughs involving careful business partnerships with other players in the car industry and launch of activities into foreign markets. The first formal exports were to the USA in 1957. The company then entered with Hino Motors Ltd. in 1966 and Daihatsu Motor Co. in 1967, before launching the very successful Lexus brand in the USA. Production in the UK began in 1992, and the company saw the launch of the world’s first mass produced hybrid car, the Prius. Production in France began in 2001, with Toyota entering Formula 1 in 2002. Recent highlights include the introduction of the Lexus in Japan in 2005 and establishment of a strategic direction for the firm towards industry leader ship into the future. Toyota has grown into a giant global car maker, surviving a decade of poor performance by the industry to continually post profits and growth nearly all the time. In 2010, the company was ranked first in terms of units moved (8,557,351) and thus market share (11%). The latest figures however indicate that the company has fallen into third place behind GM and Volkswagen especially following the recent devastating earthquake in Japan. (Business Week 2011). Company Purpose Through analysis of Toyota’s vision, mission, objectives and company principles it is possible to gain important insight on Toyota’s current position in the global market and the strategic direction the company is taking. The company’s global vision is to â€Å"lead the way to the future of mobility, enriching lives around the world with the safest and most responsible way of moving people† (Toyota-global.com 2011). The company bases this vision on commitment to quali ty, high innovativeness and respect for the earth. From the company’s vision, it is clear that Toyota seeks to be the industry leader way into the future. The company’s mission statement is â€Å"To sustain profitable growth by providing the best possible customer experience and dealer support† (Toyota-global.com 2011). The mission and vision statements reveal that the company’s current and future are pegged on sustainability, quality and customer satisfaction. The management at Toyota has generated a set of principles that have brought the company the success it now enjoys, and still look to work with these principles into the future. These guiding principles involve honouring every nations law in order to be a good global corporate citizen, respecting customs and cultures of the different peoples around the globe, production of cleans and safe products, production of outstanding products through innovative technology, fostering individual creativity and teamwork through an appropriately enabling corporate culture, harmonious growth

MBA Accounting and Managerial Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

MBA Accounting and Managerial Finance - Essay Example 2. The investment related to machinery can be depreciated for tax purposes on the 5-year MACRS schedule while that of related to refurbishing of plant can be depreciated on 10-year MACRS schedule. The residual value of machine at the end of 5 years is expected to be zero. 3. The following income statement has been fore casted by the sales staff of the Sheetbend & Halyard Inc. which appeared to be correct to Mr. Tar except that the book depreciation was used, not the tax depreciation. In the meantime, Sheetbend & Halyard Inc. received a firm offer from Maine real estate developer to purchase Pleasantboro land and plant for $1.5 million in cash. The plant is fully depreciated while land’s cost is $10,000. On the basis of the information available, the CFO Mr. Tar was asked to advise whether the company should bid for the proposal of U.S. Navy. If the proposal is bid and accepted, the company shall receive cash flows for continuous succeeding 5 years. The cash flows are confirmed under the circumstances. However, if such bid is not made, the company may sell the Pleasantboro land and plant immediately. The company will also not need to make additional investment of $1.5 million for the purchase of machinery and refurbishing of plant. The projected Income statement prepared by the sales department is correct in the opinion of Mr. Tar. However, the tax depreciated should be accounted for in the Income statement in place of book depreciation. Using the MACRS depreciation schedule on the 10-years and 5-years for plant and machinery respectively, the following depreciation schedule for future years was made: On the basis of the depreciation calculated as per MACRS schedule and the data prepared by the sales department staff, the following forecasted Income statement for the navy duffel canvas project was prepared by Mr. Tar: In the forecasted income

Business letter assigment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Paper on social works theoretical approaches Assignment

Paper on social works theoretical approaches - Assignment Example f the main characters and presenting core of conflicts in the case study, systems section begins by explaining the systems perspective and then describing what happens systematically in the institution, the structural section starts by explaining the structural perspective and then discusses how institutionally embedded injustices are influencing specific members of the family and the family as a whole and discussing how race, class, gender and/or other oppressions impact the family’s experiences and their understandings of themselves and others, the community section begins by explaining the community perspective and then name one social problem that exists in this community and identify the root causes of this problem or issue. There are different types of organizational changes like anticipatory, reactive, incremental, strategic and changes through tuning, adaptation, reorientation and recreation and these changes are inevitable in the organization towards which people react in various ways. Anticipatory changes are the expected changes in the organization through planned and prepared activities. Reactive changes mean a change made after meeting an unexpected situation in the organization while incremental changes happen by way of introducing new subsystems in the organization. Strategic change is meant an alteration in the organization in result of the application of the new strategy in order to shape and lead the organization in the proper direction. Individuals react to these changes in different ways like in unrealistic optimism, feeling shocked on the reality and direction in the constructive way and the various patterns of responding to the change are coming to the right track, laughing it off, havi ng suspicion about the change and buying in. organizational change or any alteration is perceived in many ways by the different individuals. Amy is an eight year experienced professor in the department of social work. She liked to work in a health agency

United Nations Human Rights Council Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

United Nations Human Rights Council - Essay Example It has been looked upon by most poor nation for protection against the oppression. The UN has been intervening in various instances in the world especially where the life of humans is directly touched. It has been intervening in wars to being peace, in hunger to bring food, in disease to bring medicine, and in other instances. In order to function properly, the UN has formed several bodies which have been assisting it to carry out its functions properly. There have been many areas that the body needs to address and therefore it has found it necessary to form other bodies which acts like its agencies. For example, it has formed the Security Council which is the main body that makes the decision for all major intervention that the body has to take. It has formed the UNDP which is concerned with development of the world. The world health organization is the agency of the UN which is mandated with carrying out various activities that promote the health and wellbeing of the people. The Un ited Nation Food Programs is an agency that has been mandated with carrying out various activities that are aimed at ensuring that there is no hunger in the world. UNICIEF is the agency of the UN that has been given the mandate of looking after the affairs of the children. These are some of the bodies that help the UN to carry out its function properly in order to eliminate all forms of suffering in the world. United Nations Human Rights System 2The United Nations has created a global structure which is aimed at protecting human rights. This is based on the UN charter, non abiding declaration, legally biding treating and other activities which are all aimed at ensuring that there is democracy and human rights in the whole world. Human right in the world have been protected through the United National Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human right which have been the two pillars which has continued to guide the world body and upon which other regal bodies base their human right laws. The UN adopted these two guides in 1948 and all members who had ratified to the body were henceforth supposed to abide by the provision of the charter. The provision of the charter is legally beign argent which is protected under the international law. Since then the UN has gradually developed human right laws and has also been creating specific standard which are supposed to ensure that there is equal enjoyment of human right by all the v ulnerable groups including women, children and all minorities. 3In order to ensure that there is maximum protection of human rights, the UN came up with several other treaties which form the centerpiece of the human right systems. In 1976 the International Covenant on economic, social and cultural rights came into force and was supposed to be enforced by all UN members. In the same year, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was also entered in to force which two optical protocols. In 1969 the UN human rights system had been given a boost by the enhancement of the International Convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. In 1987, the Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment was enacted. In 1982, there was the enactment of the Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women which had optical protocols. In 1990, the Convention on

Case Studies of Organizational Learning in Terrorist Groups Essay

Case Studies of Organizational Learning in Terrorist Groups - Essay Example For example, the terrorist group Al-Qaeda based in the Middle East uses Islam to support their jihad or Holy War, which targets non-Muslims. These terrorist factions use brainwashing tactics to recruit members. Religious extremists are easier to recruit because they already possess fanatic ideas pertaining to religion. Presently, sub-groups emerge in different areas of the world with affiliations to a bigger group. The Al-Shabaab based in Somalia is affiliated to the terror group Al-Qaeda. The function of the herald group is to supply money and ammunitions to the smaller groups, which are crucial for engaging in terrorist activities. This emerging trend makes combating terrorism a harder task for intelligence agencies. Plenty of monetary and human resources are deployed to monitor the different groups. In conclusion, intelligence agencies across the globe face difficulties in trying to mitigate terrorism molded from stringent religious ideologies. This is because it is impossible to reason with religious extremists who believe their actions are sanctified by a

Nurse Leader Interviews Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nurse Leader Interviews - Essay Example Again the Director of Surgical Services reflected a participative leadership approach while dealing with the subordinates in the organization. Finally as for the Director of Employee Assistance the leadership style reflected a transformational approach. Thus it is found that the different nursing leaders reflect different types of leadership styles in their conducts within the organization. It is found that the Chief Nursing Officer acting on the Servant Leadership approach aims to build trust and confidence in the minds of the subordinates so that they easily communicate with the upper hierarchy and share their feelings and problems. Again acting on such leadership approach helps the Chief Nursing Officer in understanding the areas where the people fall short in their professional pursuits. Thereby such leaders help enabling both resources and opportunities to help them develop their professional traits and conducts in serving the concern (Ebener, 2010, p.11-12). This leader was chosen on account that the leader takes care in hearing to the problems and queries of the nurses working in the organization and renders commitment to help the nurses develop their potential to render quality healthcare through rendering institutional help. The Director of Surgical Services reflects a participative leadership style while going about in the organizational conducts. Such participative style reflected by the director is done by involving and empowering the employees and sub-ordinate groups working in the concern in decision making activities. This leadership style helped the leader to gain the views of the subordinates in the decision making ventures and thus helped to avoid conflicts. Hence such leadership trait reflected by the director is held to bring success in managing the employees by the leader (Walsh, 2009, p.75). Finally the Director of Employee Assistance is found

Struggles of Slavery and the Economy Essay Example for Free

Struggles of Slavery and the Economy Essay The economy was the underlying factor affecting multiple aspects of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The novel takes place in the 1850’s antebellum era, when slavery was a large portion of the economy – especially in the South. The moral division between the North and South illustrates how the economy differed between those two separate geographical areas. The economy drove the South’s â€Å"need† for slavery which, in turn, also affected family, education, law and government as depicted throughout the novel. The author portrayed this through his characters and specific events. At the beginning of the novel, there was a discussion between Mr. Shelby and Mr. Haley about selling slaves. Mr. Shelby was in debt and needed to sell two of his slaves to get money to support his family and land. To do this, he enlisted the assistance of Mr. Haley, a slave trader. Small farm owners could not afford many slaves, even though they were the most important component to crop production in the south. Mr. Shelby’s small portion of land was genuinely special to him. Without slavery, crop growth would be slowed because the slaves did all the work in the fields and factories. It would adversely affect income for most southern farm and factory owners. Mr. Shelby was so desperate for extra money that he was forced to consider selling his most valuable slave, Tom, to Mr. Haley. He trusted Tom to the point of allowing him to go out alone, knowing he would always return. Unfortunately, the difficult economy forced Mr. Shelby to give up both Tom and a young boy named Harry in order to keep his plantation. During this specific time period, it was not uncommon for slave owners to sell their slaves because of the economic turmoil they endured. As expected, the slave families involved were adversely affected. Eliza, the mother of Harry, overheard Mr. Shelby explaining his decision to sell her son, so she took him and escaped. She could not allow her little boy to be sold off to another family and lose him for good. Eliza did what any mother would do to protect their child. Being on the run during this era was a huge risk, but Eliza had no choice. She and Harry fled to Canada, with Mr. Haley after them. Luckily, she found different families and places to rest and get food for her journey. Thanks to the help of this â€Å"Underground Railroad† and her fellow slaves, Mr. Haley was unable to find Eliza and her son. He finally gave up and sold Tom, who was then taken away in shackles. Fortunately for Eliza, the Quaker families who helped her and Harry were not scared off by the risks involved in helping slaves. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 stated that any person who knew where an escaped slave was must return them to their master in the South. The slaves that were able to escape and make it to the North were continuously hunted by the law. Later, the law was revised to punish anyone aiding and sheltering a slave with prison and fines of one thousand dollars. After this act went into effect, officials were rewarded when they returned runaway slaves and punished if they helped them escape to freedom. Eliza and her son were fortunate to stumble upon Senator Bird’s home to ask for food and shelter. Senator Bird had just signed in favor of the Fugitive Slave Act yet he did not truly believe in it. He gave Eliza ten dollars and brought her to another home, even though he knew he was violating the law. Eliza, after reuniting with her husband George, found another family of Quakers who were more than willing to help her and her family. These families, aware of the law and the financial consequences did what was right to help these people escape to freedom. Tom, however, was initially not as fortunate as Eliza and her family. He was sold off into the slave market with Mr. Haley as his current owner. On a boat headed towards the deep South, Tom met a young white girl named Eva. Tom saved her when she fell overboard. After Tom rescued Eva, her father, Augustine St.  Clare, offered to buy Tom in order to â€Å"make him happy† as requested by his daughter. St. Clare was not a typical Southern slave owner. He was kind and gentle with each of them. He had a different agenda for owning slaves rather than the economic advantage it would give him and his plantation. St. Clare knew that not one single person could end slavery, but he felt he could do everything he could to help protect some slaves like Tom and a girl named Topsy. Topsy was purchased by St. Clare from a slave master who brutally abused her. St.  Clare wanted to give her a better life, including an education like his current slaves had. His alternative views from most of his southern neighbors regarding slavery are obviously displayed when he says, â€Å"I heartily wish that there were not a slave in the land; but, then, I don’t know what is to be done about it! † His wife Marie, a very selfish, unloving person, was an advocate of slavery and that caused altercations within the St. Clare family. This difference within St. Clare’s family member created conflict on how to treat the slaves and resulted in hatred towards one another. Eva and Tom’s friendship grew so strongly that before she died due to illness, she asked her father to promise to set Tom free. Unfortunately, St. Clare, being the caring man he was, died trying to break up a fight before he was able to sign for the slave’s freedom. They were left to Marie. She used this opportunity to obtain money and sold Tom to another slave owner. Marie had different beliefs and morals than the rest of her family. She used the slaves for financial gratification when she was finished ordering them around. Marie’s view on slavery is best represented when she says, â€Å"I’m thankful I’m born where slavery exists; and I believe it’s right, I’m sure I couldn’t get along without it. † Educated slaves had a large impact on the economy of the South. For example, George, who was a mulatoo, invented a machine while working as a slave at a factory. This machine sped up the process of cleaning hemp, which impressed the factory’s owner. This invention greatly increased productivity in the south, because they were able to sell hemp much quicker increasing profit. Having educated slaves was extremely rare during this era, but when they were, it was usually because their owners taught them. â€Å"Mulatoo† is a term used to describe a slave whose one parent was white (most likely the father) and the other was African American (most likely the mother). This is just another example of how slavery impacted African American families. Slave Masters did not like to educate their slaves because they believed the slaves would then become more likely to want to improve their lowly status. African Americans in the 1850’s were bought for cheap labor on the farms, factory work, and typical house duties. The slave masters feared that if they were successful, like when George invented his machine, they would feel superior towards the other slaves and even their white masters. They would probably no longer be satisfied being a slave; this would lead to unrest. Owners did not want the slaves to be educated because they could then learn about freedom, which may entice them to escape. Yet, if slaves were given a basic education, they could have used that knowledge to increase the productivity of the Slave Master’s farms and businesses and improved the economy. On the contrary, the North had a different form of income. Instead of armland, they were industrialized with factories that any race could work in. The abolitionists in the north were against slavery and did not believe in having servants like the south did. Some Northerners, however, were not as opposed to slavery. Many northern people turned their heads and allowed slavery to continue because without it, crop production would be slowed and be more expensive. The north relied on purchasing crops from the south so their economy would also have been negatively impacted. Throughout this novel, it is obvious that the economy was the underlying factor affecting multiple aspects of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. These aspects varied from the pressures of selling slaves in order to get out of debt to whether or not African Americans were educated. Also, the economy affected families, especially the slaves but also the Quakers who helped the runaways. Harriet Beecher Stowe did a fine job illustrating these points throughout Uncle Tom’s Cabin. She was able to humanize the slaves which helps create sympathy for them. While her main objective was to convince others of the horrors of slavery, she was smart enough to use the economy as a motivating factor to achieve her goal.

The Core ideas of change management

The Core ideas of change management It is in the nature of people to be afraid of change. In our everyday life we normally establish routines and become comfortable with the way things just happen. The idea of potential change of the patterns of behavior makes us feel uncomfortable, brings uncertainty and risk in the everyday life. As social entities, corporations are no different. Daily work schedules and process organisation become part of the corporate identity and gradually slow down the speed needed to remain competitive and be a winner. According to Tabrizi (2007), To stay competitive, a player must be dynamic in the marketplace, constantly revising its own strategy in response to the strategies of its opponents, as well as aligning itself with the changing demands of its customers. The organizations that can most quickly respond to the marketplace, particularly those that adapt faster than their competitors, are the ones that make it to the top. Key concepts In general, reviewing the initial reasons for change, it can be reactive, when organizations respond to external factors, and proactive, when companies initiate the process of change themselves. However, no matter what the initial reasons were, once the process has started, we can be sure that change in one part of the company invariably will affect people and processes in all other parts. Moreover, a thorough change can influence, or be influenced by the organizational mission and strategy, structure, products and processes, its employees and culture, technology and know-how employed. Change can be provoked by external or internal factors, or a combination of both. External factors may be changes in demand of consumers, threatening actions of competitors and suppliers, newcomers in the business, MAs, changes in the legal and political environment, new technologies, changes on the labor market, etc. The internal factors can be found within the company itself and may result from redefined mission and strategy, need for major changes in the culture and management style, need for improvement of quality and efficiency, etc. There are lots of algorithms and prescriptions about how exactly shall changes be implemented. In order to get deeper understanding of the contemporary methods, first we will examine the basic change management theories and approaches. Theoretical foundations The three main theoretical schools are differentiated by the addressed levels of change individual, group or organizational level. These are The Individual Perspective School, The Group Dynamics School and The Open Systems School (Burnes, 2009). Individual Perspective school According to Burnes (2009), the Individual Perspective School is divided into two main movements Behaviorists and Gestalt-Field theorists. Both of them address organizational changes on individual level. The main idea of the Behaviorists is that peoples reactions are closely interrelated with their interaction with the environment. One of the first Behaviorists, Pavlov, stated that all behavior is learned and all individuals actions are led by the expected results. Through his well known experiment with the dog that associated the sound of the bell with food, Pavlov proved that one can easily manage peoples behaviour through external stimuli and reward. The other movement, the Gestalt-Field theorists, argues that human actions could not be product only of the surrounding environment, but from the interpretation of this environment through changing the understanding of the situation and modifying the external stimuli. Group Dynamics School According to Cummings and Worley (2009), The Group Dynamics School emphasizes on the implementation of organizational change on a group level. Its founder Kurt Lewin argued that the individual will respond to the groups interactions and pressure and will adapt to its culture and behaviour, accepting its values, norms and roles. Open Systems school The main focus of the Open Systems School is the organisation as a whole, composed of a number of interconnected sub-systems (Burnes, 2009). The different parts and subsystems are interacting with each other and with the environment. Mullins (2008) writes that most important is to achieve an overall synergy within the organization, rather than optimizing the performance of any one individual part. Approaches to change The three basic approaches to change management are the Planned approach, the Emergent approach and the Contingency approach (Burnes, 2009). Contingency approach The basic principle of the Contingency approach is that there is no one best way to change. Change has to be applied in line with the environment and the organisation has to adapt to it. The contingency approach examines the effectiveness of different models, techniques and methods of change management and advises to choose according to the situation. Planned approach The basic idea of the planned approach is that organizations shall first identify areas where changes are required and initiate a process of its implementation (Burnes, 2009). It was launched in the 40s in the work of Kurt Lewin, who developed the most popular models of planned change: Action Research and Three-Phase Model. The approach has been widely used since the 80s. The Action research model is based on the statement that change requires action, and action is based on analysing the situation correctly. The Three step model is based on three phases of implementation: unfreezing moving refreezing. The Planned approach represents a more general prescription about how change should happen in a world much more ideal than the world we know today. As the contemporary situation is changing rapidly, the chance that the environment has changed again during the implementation of your change plan and has made it useless, is extremely high. That is why, I consider the Emergent Approach much more effective and useful. Emergent approach The Emergent approach is focused on the assumption that change is a continuous. According to Dawson (2002), organizational change is a persistent, open-ended process of adaptation to changing environment. It emerges in an unpredictable and unplanned fashion. Maybe the most distinctive feature of the approach is the bottom-up approach of control, i.e. that the employees are most closely involved with the process with the change process (Dawson, 2002). The approach requires a major change in the traditional role of the managers. Unlike the planned approach, here, the role of the manager is not to initiate and control the process, but rather to assist and facilitate it. In order to summarize the main models of implementation, Burnes (2009) has chosen the three most practical models of emergent change: Kanters Ten Commandments for Executing Change, Kotters Eight-Stage Process for Successful Organisational Transformation and the Seven Steps model of Luecke. In order to illustrate the overall impact that emergent change has on organizations, I have chosen the case of Ken Freeman, who made Corning Clinical Labs from a business in shambles to the industry leader in the size (Appendix I). CASE STUDY Ken Freeman, Corning clinical labs, Appendix I Change and the Manager External and Internal Approaches to Change As we have already outlined in the previous part of the work, change can be planned or unplanned (emergent). Planned change is sought when the organisation deliberately attempts to make internal changes to meet specified goals or to pursue a set of strategies (French et al, 2008). However, not all change in organisations happens as a result of intended direction. Unplanned change is provoked by some external triggers such as market forces, economic crises, economic opportunities or social changes. Unplanned change occurs spontaneously and without the organisations provocation. The appropriate goal in managing unplanned change is to act immediately once the change is recognized, to minimize any negative consequences and maximize any possible benefits. (French et al, 2008) However, no matter whether the changes were planned or unplanned, in order to implement a successful and thorough change management plan, there shall be sufficient dissatisfaction with the existing situation, strong attraction to moving towards a more desirable position, desire to formulate a strategy that will realize the vision (French et al, 2008). Change may be triggered by internal or external forces: External forces may be changes in the demand for the organizations products as a result of changing consumer preferences, action by competitors, government etc., threatening tactics of competitors by aggressively cutting prices, newcomer in the market, political or legal changes, changes in the terms of trade (tariffs, exchange rates), lack of skilled employees, etc. (Martin, 2005) Internal forces should theoretically, be more clear and predictable. For example changes in strategy as a result of revised mission or goals, need for cultural changes, changes in the management style, need for improvement in quality, efficiency, standards, need to cut costs (Martin, 2005). However, according to Mabey and Salaman (1995), irrespective of the initial reasons for the change, change is characterized by two important dimensions: firstly, the scale of change (from fine tuning through to corporate transformation) and secondly the style of change (collaborative through to coercive). Selected models of Change Organizations typically respond to the challenges of the above described external and internal triggers with the help of various programs, each designed to overcome obstacles and enhance business performance. According to Luecke (2003), these programs fall into one of the following four categories: Cultural change Cultural changes focus on the human side of the organization. It handles with the general approach of doing business and the relationship between the management and the employees. A typical example for cultural change is changes in the mission and vision of the company and the organizational development. In order to illustrate the overall impact on the company that cultural changes may produce, I have chosen the example with ATT and NCR. Case study ATT and NCR (Apendix II) Structural change Structural changes address the structure of the organisation and the design of jobs and working arrangements as the key levers of change. According to Mabey and Salamn (1995), structural changes are triggered by an organisations inability to fully realize the strategy it is following due to administrative deficiencies caused by a mismatch between the new strategy and the existing structure (Mabey Salaman, 1995). Luecke argues that these programs treat the organization as a set of functional parts-the machine model. Through mergers and acquisitions, between companies, reengineering of units, reconfiguring of divisions, managers try to improve the overall performance and results. A classic example of redesigning the whole management structure in order to complement the strengths of the top people, is provided by Google (Appendix III). CASE STUDY GOOGLE, Appendix III Cost cutting The third program for change is cost cutting. Its core idea is to eliminate non-essential and non-profitable activities. This can be done through reengineering of the structure, decrease of the personnel, focusing on the production of profitable items, etc. Process change Process change aims at making processes faster, more effective, more reliable, less costly. These programs focus on altering how things get done (Luecke, 2003). Examples include reengineering a loan approval process, approaches to handling customer warranty claims, production processes, etc. Attitudes to Change 3.1. Reactions to change In general, there are different reactions to the proposed change process and according to them people are split into three main different groups supporters, apathetic and resistors. According to French et al (2008), change initiatives are typically met by some resistance. Resistance to change is any attitude or behaviour that reflects a persons unwillingness to make or support a desired change. The reasons for this reaction are manifold people are afraid of the unknown, many of them dont understand the need for change, or some may even think that the proposed change goes against the values held by members in the organisation. These reactions outline the need to consider also changes in the culture of the organisation, including changes in members values and beliefs. French et al (2008) outline also another perspective of resistance to change in their work, namely to see resistance as feedback that can be used by the change agent to help accomplish his objectives. The essence of this notion is to recognise that when people resist change they are defending something important that appears to be threatened by the change attempt (French et al, 2008). There is no universal recipe on how could resistance to change be overcome, however, considering the limitations of this paper, one example method illustrated also by a brief case study will be presented in the third part of this paper, The People Problem, which shall give the essence that could be followed. Gender and Change Management Preece, Steven Steven (1999) describe several studies that have concluded that women are more likely than men to display characteristics which would make them good team players. The authors cite a survey conducted in the company Bass, designed specifically to examine gender-related issues in public house management. According to the survey, women appeared to focus on teamworking 82 % of them answered that they find it beneficial due to issues such as the mutual development of ideas, helping each other and problem solving. In the same time, only 65% of the men stated to have positive attitude against team work. These results evidence that women are in general better teamplayers than men and consequently may experience a greater impact in the changeover of the company they are employed with. Case study ATT and NCR (Apendix III) What aspects of the external change environment did Jerre Stead and his advisers choose to focus on? Could they have defined the external environment in a different way, perhaps using scenario planning techniques discussed above, which would have allowed them to construct other, more realistic scenarios? By way of illustration, had they been less US- and head office-centric, could they have created a more accurate picture of the organization and its problems, one that would haveallowed them to see the potential for the problems they would create in Scotland, their key subsidiary location? The central point of this message is that managers are active agents, not merely passive recipients of abstract and external market forces. Good managers understand how to enact their environment in order to control it through more intuitive and creative interpretations, re-definitions and action (Weick, 2001). Weick argues that managers are often better advised to act their way into thinking, by taking smaller, incremental steps and learning from them, rather than think their way into acting through top-down, transformational planning strategies such as those depicted in the ATT case. The dangers of a top-down, planning-then-action approach are twofold. The first danger is that by making big changes there is little chance for learning to occur because you dont really know which of the many components of the change had the most effect. The second danger, and more likely consequence, is that by constructing a plan that is complex you are likely to fall into the trap of paralysis by analysis. The key point is that culture, once understood, is treated as a highly manageable feature of organizations. This seemed to be the perspective of Jerre Stead, the CEO of ATT (GIS) in the case study. Such unitary assumptions and analysis may have a degree of validity in certain contexts, but in others they are likely to be misplaced and misleading. Ask yourself the questions in the ATT case: (1) How realistic were the assumptions made by Stead regarding the potential to create a unified culture in the company? (2) Were leadership and communications all that was necessary to overcome barriers to change? Perhaps he could have taken a different view, distinguishing between: à ¢-   the corporate culture, which is essentially what managers want the organization to be like, similar to the concept of corporate identity in Chapter 6 and more amenable to control; and Chapter 9 Managing organizational change 385 à ¢-   the organizational culture and subcultures, which are more akin to the notions of organizational identity in Chapter 6, and which are less amenable to control, for a variety of reasons. Bearing in mind the preceding health warnings, and the concerns expressed about the concept of unitary cultures, managers need to have a set of sophisticated techniques to identify and manage their organizational cultures. For example, in the ATT case, Jerre Stead and his colleagues might have benefited from constructing alternative scenarios of what the organization might have looked like. More importantly, they would clearly have benefited from an understanding of the nature of the different subcultures in the various subsidiaries of ATT (GIS). The People Problem The real change comes from the people. Individuals are those who create, implement and support change processes. Unless people are involved, committed and prepared to adapt and learn, objectives, plans and future desired states will be likely to founder on the rocks of resistance (Rosenfeld Wilson, 1999). Any transformation of significance will create people issues. And the more significant the transformation and the impact on the people, the greater is the need for full involvement (Burnes, 2009). A successful implementation of turn-around organisational transformation requires not only good planning, but also understanding of the human part. Discipline is a key factor for success; however, it demands strict data collection and analysis, planning, and implementa ­tion discipline as a redesign of strategy, systems, or processes. The main goal of this work is concerned with the role people play in managing strategic change how they do it. Role of the management Typically, the people at the top of any organisation are seen by others employess, stakeholders and outside observers as intimately associated with strategic change, whenever such occurs. Therefore, the overall role of management in the process of change is highly significant (Johnson, Scholes Whittington, 2008). 1.1. Change Management at the Top According to Mullins (2008), the successful management of change is a key factor of organisational performance and effectiveness and should emanate from the top of the organisation. The people at the top of the company are responsible for the strategy and philosophy, the culture, for creating and sustaining a healthy climate and establishing and directing appropriate organisational processes. The successful implementation of change demands positive action from top management and a style of transformational leadership in order to gain a commitment to change (Mullins, 2008). Extremely important management features and capabilities are effective communication skills, ability for recognizing and releasing the potential of everyone involved with the change, setting a good personal example, self-pacing to avoid unnecessary stress. 1.2. Managers and leaders However, top managers may be the initiators but are not always the real leaders of the change process. Luecke (2003) argues that leaders create an appealing vision of the future and then develop a logical strategy for making it a reality. They also motivate people to pursue the vision, even in the face of obstacles. Managers, on the other hand, have the job of making complex tasks run smoothly. Managers are those who elaborate and implement process details, assure resources and direct the process. John Kotter has described the relationship of leadership andmanagement in a simple two-by-two matrix, shown below (Luecke, 2003): The main idea of the matrix is that long-term transformation process requires involvement both from leaders and managers and that transformation goes nowhere when both leadership and management are found wanting (Luecke, 2003). 1.3. Middle managers Middle managers are the implementers of strategy. Their role is to put into realization the direction established by top management by making sure that resources are allocated and controlled appropriately, monitoring performance and behaviour of staff and, where necessary, explaining the strategy to those reporting to them (Johnson, Scholes Whittington, 2008) Role of Employees According to Brill and Worth (1997), in order to make the change effort work, we must learn how to capitalize on positive human qualities, such as trust, idealism, and dedication, and mitigate the impact of those other natural human traits (suspicion, stubbornness, anxiety) that often undermine the change process. The role of employees is most obvious in cases where the chosen approach to change is bottom-up, not top-down. Strictly speaking, bottom-up change can not only be implemented from the lower levels of the hierarchy, but also initiated from the employees. However, Burnes (2009) argues that there is little point in encouraging staff to identify change opportunities unless they are also encouraged to implement them. The need for using the bottom-up approach is evident when taking the emergent approach to change. Having in mind the rapid pace of environmental changes, they need to be dealt with speedily and be treated locally, in order to achieve optimal and timely success. Role of Stakeholders In the process of change stakeholders are not actively participating, however, gaining their support is extremely important. In a turnaround situation it is crucial that key stakeholders, like the major financing bank, trade unions and some key clients are kept clearly informed of the situation and the following improvements as they are being made. Moreover, a clear assessment of the power of different stakeholder groups may become vitally important, especially when implementing major transformations (Johnson, Scholes Whittington, 2008). The support of powerful stakeholder groups can help to build a strong fundament, especially in cases where the change agent does not have a strong personal power base from which to work. Dealing with Difficult People Understanding the roles of the participants in the process and showing them the right direction to the desired change is the a major part of the transformation. However, as already outlined in the previous part of this work, change imposed by others feels threatening rather than exciting and the lack of choice makes people feel powerless and leads to stress and defensive behaviour (Mabey Salamen, 1995). That is why, the earlier in the process the resistance agents are found, the better the whole process can be managed. French et al (2008) have outlined the following general approaches for dealing with difficult people: Education and communication discussions, presentations, demonstrations; Participation and involvement allow others to help design and implement changes, contribute ideas; Facilitation and support providing emotional support, actively listening to problems, training; Negotiation and agreement offering incentives, working out trade-offs, special benefits; Manipulation and cooptation influence others, selective information, buying off leaders; Explicit or implicit coercion using force, threatening (French et al, 2008). Resistance to change as resource of new ideas Resisters to change are problematic and typically, when something goes wrong, they are the first that are blamed for the disaster. However, this is not only pointless, but leads also to destructive management behaviours mangers may become defensive, uncommunicative, competitive (Ford Ford, 2009). Strong leaders can hear and learn from their critics and understand that even difficult people can provide valuable input when treated with respect and let to communicate their point of view. An example of such situation is presented in Appendix IV a brief case study about Alison, IT executive, aiming to implement a major change in the computer system of the hospital she was employed with. CASE STUDY Alison, Appendix IV Linking Strategic and Operational Change In the previous chapters of this work, I have examined the theoretical grounds, the major approaches to change, the roles of the different participants in the change process. However, no matter how good the plan for change may be, the most critical part, i.e. the bottleneck remains the implementation of the transformation. According to Luecke (2003), 70 percent of change initiatives fail to meet their objectives. Kotter has also written that If you were to grade them using the old fashioned A,B,C,D, and F, Id be surprised if an impartial jury would give 10% of these efforts an A. But Im not saying that 90% deserve a D either.What is tragic is that there are so many C-pluses. Its one thing to get a C-plus on a paper; its another when millions of dollars or thousands of jobs are at stake (Luecke, 2003). Implementing Strategic change Burnes (2009) argues that the implementation of change is a two-way process of ensuring that strategic decisions lead to operational changes and on the other hand, operational changes influence strategic decisions. The process of implementation may follow the models either of Planned or Emergent approaches. Although that by many, including Burnes (2009), there are no universal rules for leading change, supporters of panned and emergent approach propose sequence of actions to be adopted, which could facilitate and give a structure to the implementation of the strategic changes. Pettigrew Whipp (Burnes, 2009) propose a simplified model of actions to be taken in order to structure the change process: Kanter and Kotter (Burnes, 2009) also propose some ideas for implementation of change. However, I consider that Luecke has given the most practical recipe for action. His model consists of seven steps: Step 1. Mobilize Energy and Commitment through Joint Identification of Business Problems and Their Solutions Step 2. Develop a Shared Vision of How to Organize and Manage for Competitiveness Step 3. Identify the Leadership Step 4. Focus on Results, Not on Activities Step 5. Start Change at the Periphery, Then Let It Spread to Other Units without Pushing It from the Top Step 6. Institutionalize Success through Formal Policies, Systems, and Structures Step 7. Monitor and Adjust Strategies in Response to Problems in the Change Process (Luecke, 2003). For me, this approach is very close to the practice, as it is very much result-oriented and in reality results are the real measures of success, not plans and theories. In order to illustrate this consideration, please refer to Appendix V, a case study about Xerox. CASE STUDY XEROX, APPENDIX V The role of the Change agent In the process of change there are always factors limiting the implementation of the changes in the operational level. According to Mabey and Salaman, (1995) an important factor for successful implementation of strategy into operational level is the formal and informal presence of a change agent. According to Rosenfeld and Wilson (1999), change agents are the individuals or groups of individuals whose task is to effect the desired change. They can be both internal and external to the organisation. The agent acts as intermediary and his responsibilities may range from complete collaboration with staff to acting as absolute authority and expert. Internal change agents are mostly experts in the field, to who people trust. External agents may have political credibility and support, however, often lack the detailed knowledge of the company (Rosenfeld Wilson, 1999). Considering the complexities involved with change, the range of abilities and expertise of the change agent could be significant. Vital to the success of the change agent is also the support from the senior management of the company. Change agents see the need for change and articulate it effectively to others. They are critical catalysts for a change initiative and should be placed in key positions (Luecke, 2003). Here are some of the most important implications of change agents: articulate the need for change; are accepted by others as trustworthy and competent; see and diagnose problems from the perspective of their audience; motivate people to change; work through others in translating intent into action; stabilize the adoption of innovation; and foster self-renewing behavior in others so that they can go out of business as change agents (Luecke, 2003). People suitable for this job can be professional change agents like those working in the HR consultancy companies, or people from the business. They can also be produced like GM did in the past. Luecke (2003) describes the case: General Motors attempted something very similar in its joint venture with Toyota: the NUMMI small car assembly plant in California. That plant was run according to Toyotas world-beating production methods, and GM rotated manufacturing managers through the plant to learn Toyotas methods and, hopefully, bring a working knowledge of those methods back to Detroit. Reflecting on Change in Different Contexts

Indias Culture, History and Economy

Indias Culture, History and Economy Executive Summary Historical/Geographical background With traces of Human life dating back over 9000 years, India can be described as one of the oldest nations in the world. This brief analysis looks at the construction of a major European trading post and the downfall of the colonies as well as looking at how the current trends in populace are helping India develop into one of the worlds newest major powers. Type of government and State system employed Indian politics are described as a very grey area. What is construed as a democracy by the constitution is in reality a democracy where the people repeatedly vote in the same corrupt leaders. It is a country run by money and its idea of democracy needs to change drastically if India has any chance of catching up with the powerful G8 nations. Relationship with neighbouring countries Indias relationship with neighbouring countries varies completely from Pakistan their arch rival due to different aspects from religion to ownership of land. To their relationship with China which has dramatically changed from warring neighbouring countries to making friends with each other and co-operating with one and other. Judicial system Indias court system appears to be at fault. Terrorism is becoming increasingly frequent but punishment for such crimes is minimal. Although the court system is attempting to pass laws to eliminate crime, the government is failing to implement them efficiently and the corrupt police forces overlook these laws. Religion Religion within India is widely spread and very important to the people of India. Instead of having the usual class system, India has a caste system and as soon as somebody is born they are put into rankings according to the caste system. Culture Indias culture is one of the oldest and most unique. It is unlike any other culture in the world and each region of the country possesses its own distinctive cultural niche. Cultural diversity is reflected through Indias exciting traditional clothing and highly respectful family values. Health, welfare and education The healthcare in India has developed dramatically over the years from hardly any at all to a national health service; even though this is available many of the higher class population choose to seek private centres. Welfare in India differs from the cities where tourism is popular to the villages were at particular months, times can be a struggle. Education is very popular in the cities where the government can provide help, on the other hand, in the outer villages education is scarce. Government and Media Indian Press, TV, Radio and Internet media are all explored in this section. It explains quick growth of Indian media sector and how it came across Governments will to control it. Economic climate Currently India is doing very well itself and is in a boom state rather than a bust in comparison with many other countries. India has many imports and exports e.g. diamonds and fuel. India has some main trading partners that are America and China. Political Diplomacy India is a powerhouse in terms of their involvement in European relations. Relationships with neighbouring countries such as Pakistan are hostile but Bhutan and China are both working closely with India to improve trade routes. Introduction In our group assignment, the question we were given to answer was How can we accurately define the 21st century nation state with regards to the country India. This report consists of research into many different aspects of India including, Historical/geographical background and demographics, The type of government and state system employed, The nation state, relationship with neighbours, Judicial system, Importance of religion/class/caste, Culture and Ideology, Provision of welfare/education, Relationship of media and the Indian government, The modern economy. During this project, we will explore deep in to India as a country, to gain extensive knowledge, to help us to understand more about their life and culture enabling us to complete our report. Each section of the report will be researched in depth and the most important and relevant parts picked out and used to show our understanding and knowledge of India. This will then enable us to piece together everyones individual work and produce an overall project. The report will be created to the best of all our abilities, as it is a group project we will obviously be working together to complete the work. However, not only will we have to work together but we will also each have to do our own individual piece regarding our country, India. The information and the images e.g. diagrams that we will use in the report will be appropriately referenced in the bibliography along with any other relevant information we find. Historical background of India The Earliest know traces of life in India can be found as Stone Age rock shelters with paintings. These can be found in Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh. The first known settlement was traced back to over 9000 years ago. This settlement developed into the Indus Valley Civilization, which dates back to 3300 BCE in the western province of India. (http://www.harappa.com/indus/indus1.html) During the 16th Century India was used a major trading post to the far east by the Major European powers such as; the UK, Portugal, the Netherlands and France. During the later half of the 16th century colonies were set up in India aided by the countries internal conflicts. By 1856, India was mostly under the control of the British East India Company. (http://india.gov.in/knowindia/history_freedom_struggle.php) Within a year India would be brought under direct rule of the British Crown. These events are some of the major factors, which have helped India to develop into a developing nation faster than a lot of its surrounding 3rd world neighbors. In my opinion India would not have been considered a developing nation for some time without the early introduction to European trading and industry, which are now the foundation to a thriving economy along with other factors such as the huge population and modern investment. By the 20th Century India was ready for freedom and a struggle for nationwide independence ensued. The Indian National Congress as well as some other political organizations led the struggle. Infamous Indian Leader Mahatma Gandhi led millions of Indian people through non-violent campaigns for freedom. (http://www.kamat.com/mmgandhi/mkgtimeline.htm) On 15 August 1947, the nation of India was declared as free from British rule. At the same time as the gained there independence, some mostly Muslim areas where partitioned to Pakistan. (http://english.emory.edu/Bahri/Part.html) India became a republic on the 26th of January 1950 and the new constitution came into power. (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html) Geographical background of India The seventh largest country in the world India is guarded from the rest of Asia by ranges of mountains and vast seas. This gives India a palatable geographical actuality. Spanning an area of 32,87,2631 Km square, India shares its borders with Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma, Bhutan, China and Kashmir. India has Borders with the Indian Ocean to the South West and Bay of Bengal to the South East with a coastline including non-mainland islands of 7,516.5 km. http://www.indiabook.com/india-information/indian-geography.html A lot of Indias strengths today can be attributed to its size. With size come resources and the power to export. Demographical background of India India has an estimated population of 1.2million people. (http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf) This Makes India the 2nd most populated country in the world. I believe that we can attribute some of Indias success and a growing nation to this. For example, their massive GDP that has been climbing steadily could be accredited to the cheap work force that they are able to get their hands on. With the labor cost in India being cheaper India has found that Developed nations have taken an interest in using that cheap labor. This Investment from other countries has also helped India leave its neighbors behind. In recent years the population has risen sharply. It has been claimed that this is due to the recent advancements in medicine. I agree that this is an attributing factor and Indias aging population could be a problem for the in the very foreseeable future. But as it stands with its huge population India can only become more powerful as they adva nce technologically and strive to catch up with Western nation. Indian Politics There isnt a more populated democracy in the entire world than India. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/country_profiles/1154019.stm) India also boasts the longest constitution by any independent nation. This exhaustive constitution was initiated on the 26th of January in 1950. The constitution outlines India as a Secular, Socialist, Sovereign and Democratic republic. (Identities and the Indian state: An overview) India adopted, beneficially, a parliamentary government but has shifted to a much more federal style in the 1990s due to internal social and economical change. The constitutional head of the Indian government is the president. He is elected by an electoral college and should serve a maximum of five years with out being re-elected. All real power in the country is shared between the President of India and the Council of Ministers. (http://www.tradechakra.com/india-political-system.html) On paper India is considered a very typical democracy. In reality voters keep voting for corrupt leaders. Democracy in India faces threats from leaders such as Abu Salem, who has recently requested to contest in elections. Abu Salem, and extradite of Portugal would almost certainly use his position of power to initiate hate campaigns against Hindus backed by his pseudo-secular followers. This puts forward the question, does democracy ever work? Thomas Jefferson once said, A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine. Is the majority decision the correct one? Some people would say that Indian politics doesnt work as a democracy, but if you were to compare them with Pakistan who have a very similar democracy to India, On Paper. In reality you would find that Pakistan has a much more corrupt government than India. This would suggest that the Indian system is a working democracy to some extent; to the extent perhaps that any democracy works. Relationship with Neighbouring countries Pakistan India Ever since 1947 when the British government went in and dismantled India as a country they have been arch rivals and even over the many years it has shown that they still do not get along. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/default.stm These arguments go deep into religion and history the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and whom they actually belong to. Pakistan and India have not yet managed to agree on power over the equal equation in south Asia. An undeclared war broke out in 1947 between the two countries over the state of Kashmir; this was the first of three extreme conflicts that the countries have had with each other. On July 18th, both of the countries signed the Karachi Agreement establishing a ceasefire line that was supervised by the United Nations. This left Pakistan, India and China part of the land. Most of the tension between the two nations comes from a long history of conflict, through religion and ownership of land, ending up as a nuclear competition. http://www.ignca.nic.in/ks_41061.htm Each trying to push the other country to back down, one of the countries needs to take the first step to a harmonious relationship or things seem set to only get worse for themselves. China India China and India have had a completely different relationship with one and other, they are very similar in many different ways, both of the countries had to fight for their countries freedom and have been allies in war. However, the change in new world has managed to alter Indias perspective of China and their true intentions. Chinas military has had a rapid growth and this begins to worry India in several ways. China has always used their military forces to gain control of different aspects of their culture, for example for the fight for their freedom they used their armed forces to complete a gruelling task to fight until the end to obtain their goal. India went down the opposite route of using non-violent demonstrations to gain their achievements. So naturally, the development of the Chinese army has begun to worry India. Although these http://iaps.cass.cn/xueshuwz/showcontent.asp?id=262two approaches are completely different, both have seen success in their relationship, with one and other and other countries. By keeping there tactics the same, they now in the 21st century are aiming for the same goals of maintaining Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence around the world. I believe that India and china will continue to keep a harmonious relationship with one and other even with their different views on appropriate action so far they have managed to keep a friendship going and will continue this, using each others strengths to help themselves. Indian Judicial System How does it work? The Supreme Court of India is the uppermost part in the Indian legal system, consisting of a Chief Justice and 25 associate justices, who are appointed by the President. Under The Supreme Court of India, each state or group of states possesses High Courts and there are several subordinate courts under these High Courts. As of the 1960s, Indian eliminated the use of juries for most trials as they were deemed ineffective and corrupt and opted for the majority of trials to be conducted by judges (www.indiafacts.headlinesinindia.com www.wikepedia.com). Does India have a fair and working police and court system? From research, I have found much primary data that shows me Indias police and court system appears to be working ineffectively. Terrorism is rife in India and the most recent attack was the Mumbai bombings in November 2008. These were a series of attacks, lasting three days, on some of Indias most famous landmarks, notably the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower. The attacks resulted in the death of more than 170 people. According to the Amnesty International Report the government tightened security legislation and set up a federal agency to investigate terrorist attacks. However, the laws put in place failed to materialize and despite 70 death sentences, no executions took place. This suggests to me that the court system is failing in their attempts to improve the country and perhaps not enough effort is being put on important laws, such as punishing terrorists. (http://thereport.amnesty.org/en/regions/asia-pacific/india) Furthermore, a report released by Human Rights Watch on August 4th 2009 gives an in-depth 118-page account of a range of human violations committed by the police in India. The report is based on interviews with police officers and over 60 members on the public who have first-hand experience of the police forces unprovoked and unnecessary violence. One individual describes how he was tortured in an attempt to force a confession out of him. He describes how he was repeatedly beaten with a wooden stick until he nearly fainted. India is modernizing rapidly, but the police continue to use their old methods: abuse and threats. It is time for the government to stop talking about reform and fix the system. (http://thereport.amnesty.org/en/regions/asia-pacific/india) This quote from Brad Adams, the Asia Director at Human Rights Watch shows how feels that the police system is not working and that the government need to do something about it. Is the court system to blame for the corrupt police system? According to the report, in 2006, The Supreme Court of India judgment attempted to improve police laws. However, the implications of these laws were poorly put into practice. The article implies that officials do not view the need for police and human rights reforms at an urgent matter and are satisfied for it to continue as it is. Indias status as the worlds largest democracy is undermined by a police force that thinks it is above the law. This is another quote from Brad Adams, revealing that the Supreme Court of Indias efforts have been overlooked by a policing system that chooses to ignore the law. (http://www.hrw.org/node/84730) From research, I have learnt that Indias police and court system appears to be failing. Although there seems be attempts to make new laws the process of putting them into practice is poor and ineffective. Religion India is a very religious country and the main religion that is followed in this country is Hinduism, 83% of the population of India is Hindu (http://www.incredibleindia.org/newsite/cms_Page.asp) and therefore obviously it is a very important subject. Religion in India plays a huge part and is often a way of life for the people who live in India and is something they relate to every day. Although Hinduism is the main religion there are many others with Islam been the second biggest religious group in India, Muslims number over a billion globally, spread among many different countries, ranging from the Middle East and Africa to areas now part of Russia and extending as far as China and Malaysia in East Asia. They make up the majority of the population in 30 countries and large minorities in other (Book-The international Business Environment, 2nd Ed. Janet Morrison 2006, Palgrave, Macmillan Page 182) and others including Christianity, Sikhism and Buddhism. As religion is a way of life for the average person living in India they eat, sleep and breathe their religion because it is very important to them and this is what they live for. There are aspects of all religions within India that have become very common, the most recent of these aspects is the food and dance festivals that the people have to celebrate certain timesof the year within each religion. However because a large population of India go to these festivals regardless of their religion each actual religion has its own beliefs, heroes and culinary specialties (http://www.squidoo.com/indian-religions). This shows that no religion is the same despite the fact that they celebrate the same religious and cultural events. India has a caste system that is a hierarchical system within their society http://www.indianchild.com/caste_system_in_india.htm, the system is used for almost everything and puts people in a ranking order depending on certain qualities which each individual has e.g. wealth, relatives. This system seems very important because it is used to help identify who is of more worth and who should be looked at differently with regards to the caste system. It becomes easy to see who is where in the ranking and if you are at the lower end of the hierarchical caste system it is likely that people will act differently towards that person compared to if they were of a higher ranking. The extent of the impact will depend upon how severe the caste system is and how much people judge each other in relation to the system. I dont believe it is fair to judge and make opinions on people just based on the caste system that they use in India, however it happens and so the people of India have to cope with it. As there is a caste system the Indian people obviously class people according to things like wealth and power. This in my opinion shows that they have a class system and there will be a lower class who have the basic job and basic wages, the middle class who have the better paid jobs and the better power and then there is the ultimate higher class who most people will aspire to be because they are the wealthiest people among the classes and they have the power and the most powerful contacts and relationships. However most countries do class people according to how much money and power they have and this is unlikely to change any time soon. Culture India is renowned for possessing one of the richest and most unique cultures in the world. Each regions culture enjoys its own individual features, demonstrating great cultural diversity throughout the country. It would be difficult to identify any culture in the world that possesses the variation and individuality that Indian culture does. In this section of the assignment, I intend to explore some of the distinctive features of Indian culture, namely family values, clothing and dance. So what is culture? The term culture refers to a state of intellectual development or manners. The social and political forces that influence the growth of a human being are defined as culture. (www.indianchild.com) Distinctive features of Indian culture Family Values Traditional family values remain similar in all regions of India, despite the rich cultural diversity. A common belief among Indians is that children are a gift from God, boys being the more favourable sex as they can earn money to support the family. (www.essortment.com/all/familyindianli_rvuy.htm) Traditional family values are highly respected and a vast majority of Indians have their marriages arranged for them by their parents or other highly regarded family members. In India, marriage is thought to be for life and therefore the divorce rate is extremely low. According to statistics, (www.divorcemag.com) the divorce rate in the United Kingdom was 42.6% as a percentage of marriages, whereas India was only 1.1%; this huge difference reiterates that Indian family values believe marriage is for life. Clothing Traditional Indian attire exudes ethnic charm through the bright, rich colours and style and material can vary depending on the geographical location. For women, a draped garment called a sari is popular and an embroidered dress called a salwar kameez. Similarly, men wear a draped garment called a dhoti or a lungi. Also popular for men are European-style trousers and shirts. From research, when I think of Indian clothing I instantly visualise radiant and exciting colours. I think this is reflective of Indias rich and unique culture as there are not many other countries in which traditional clothing is so exciting. The picture shows a woman in traditional Indian salwar kameez, the embroidery detail on the dress along with the vibrant colours suggests to me a lot of effort goes into their clothing and shows that clothing is a significant part of their culture. Dance Dance forms are divided into two categories; classical and folk. Classical usually aim to convey a spiritual message, whereas, folk dances are mainly used as part of celebrations. Like other aspects of Indian culture, dance forms are equally unique and vary across the regions. Bharatnatyam is the most renowned dance from the South, as significant as a dance form it is viewed almost as a religion to many who revere it. I get the sense that dance is a highly significant part of Indian culture if it can be regarded to some people as important as religion. From family values, clothing and dance to their unique monuments and religions, I have found the culture of India to be diverse among regions and extremely interesting to learn about. It is notably dissimilar to any other country I am familiar with. Healthcare Health care was changed substantially between the 1950s and the 1980s; however, this managed to cause a large boost in population growth causing the number of practises per person to be at an extreme low. In 1991, India had about 22,400 primary health centres, 11,200 hospitals and 27,400 dispensaries. (http://www.indianchild.com/health_care_in_india.htm) They managed to produce a tiered health care system that placed more difficult cases into the urban hospitals while attempting to provide medical care for most of the cases in the countryside; this seems quite significant because most of the Indian population live in villages in the outer areas. Many of the hospitals were owned and managed by charitable trusts, and received some payment from the government, while the rest of the hospitals were managed by private trusts. Many of the medical equipment needed for the hospitals was limited as the money needed to by the products was scarce in the early 1990s. By 1992, however, most of the privately owned hospitals were part of the government scheme for colleges and contained enough medical equipment to treat all major types of diseases including cancer. (http://www.indianchild.com/health_care_in_india.htm) India has a free treatment at public health centres on the other hand however most of the public prefer to pay money for treatment by private physicians. This seems interesting as India is not known as a rich country so paying for treatment rather than take the free care seems to be a bit of a luxury, on the other hand, it shows that the standard of national free health care must be at a poor standard. Welfare In the case of welfare India is the same as everywhere else depending on its income to help it succeed. However, in India there are two scenarios with the richer parts of Indias population have no problem at all maintaining healthy living constantly all year round, however in the small villages of the less developed parts of India this can be an increasing problem with hot summers and no constant flow of tourists, times can seem very hard. (http://giik.net/blog/india-welfare/)With an enormous population in the billions many people live out of the main cities and even further into the country this can make it hard for them to access medical centres and other vital aid that they may need. This contributes to the high death rate, lowering the average life expectancy. Education Indias recent economic growth rates have helped them progress in the educational department. The story of Indias educational achievements is one of mixed success. On the negative side, India has 22 per cent of the worlds population and is home to a high proportion of the worlds out of school children and youths. On the positive side, it has made encouraging recent progress in raising schooling participation. While the base of Indias education may be weak, it has emerged as an important player in the worldwide information technology revolution due to the substantial numbers of well educated computing and other graduates. However it was not always this way in 1854, Sir Charles Woods introduced a new policy into Indias government, this was made to help those who have not got enough money to send their children to school, for help to be provided for them, so that all children would be treated equally. (Crisis and Change in Contemporary India)On the other hand, due to the enormous population of the country they could not make the school scheme compulsory, as the government did not have enough money for all of the children that needed their help and support. Media and government of India Relationships between the media and the government in India is not very different to the West European democratic model, however some historical and demographical aspects drove this relation in its own specification and pace. Recent changes in regulations of freedom and speech seems to follow global concept of independent media production and broadcasting news. The history of media in India began in the eighteenth century when the first prints were published. Indian media has been relatively independent throughout most of their history, however, over the period of 1975-1977 Prime Minister Gandhi declared the period of emergency with potential government retribution. This incident has not changed freedom of Indian media in the long term. (http://india.mapsofindia.com/india-forum/media-in-india.html) Nowadays Indian media markets with over 99 million newspaper copies in 2007, 60 million internet users in 2008 and large amounts of TV channels is one of the leading media markets in the world. With a population of over one billion the Indian market is a lot to fight for. Major newspapers like The India Gazette, The Calcutta Gazette, The Madras Courier were initially carried under the British rule, however same as The Bombay Times most Indian publishers are now independent. The Press Council is a statutory body of journalists, publishers, academics and politicians, with a chairman appointed by the Government. Designed to be a self-regulating mechanism for the press, it investigates complaints of irresponsible journalism and sets a code of conduct for publishers. This code includes a commitment not to publish articles or details that might incite caste or communal violence. Radio broadcasting became state responsibility in 1930. AM broadcasting remained a government monopoly. Private FM radio station ownership was legalized during 2000, but licenses only authorized entertainment and educational content. Although there were privately owned radio stations, they were not permitted to broadcast news. Major radio stations nowadays in India like All India Radio, Radio City, Big FM, Radio Mirchi are important informational channels all over the country. Some channels are more recognized as of the language dialect, but Hindi spoken media with over 422 million speakers are the most popular. Complete television broadcasting was initiated in 1965. The Government of India owned and maintained audio-visual apparatus and played a significant role in increasing mass education and publishing information. Some TV projects were specifically designed to educate village population. Following the economic reforms of the 90s, satellite TV channels from around the world including BBC, CNN, CNBC and other foreign television channels gained a foothold in the country. In 1993 there were over 47 million registered TV users. Private satellite television was distributed widely by cable or satellite dish. These channels provided substantial competition for Doordarshan, the government-owned television network, in both presentation and credibility. Doordarshan frequently was accused of manipulating the news in the Governments favour; however, in some parts of the country satellite channel owners used their medium to promote the platforms of the political parties that they supported. In addit ion, citizens had access to uncensored Cable News Network, the British Broadcasting Company and a variety of other foreign programs. Recently, with 562 television stations, the country ranked eighth in the list of countries by number of television broadcast stations as of 1997. Star Plus, Colors, Zee TV, DD1 are the top TV channels in 2009. Internet as the newest and the quickest growing media nowadays is the one that seems to be less influenced by Government regulations, however, some radical acts have also taken place in the past. The Government imposed limited access to the Internet. The Informational Technology Act provides for censoring information on the Internet on public morality grounds, and it considers unauthorized access to electronic information a crime. According to Reporters Without Borders, this law allowed police officers to search the homes or offices of Internet users, at any time and without a warrant. But it was another way to fight against crime and allowing legal acts against those who are breaking the law. In practice, the internet is the most popular media worldwide and is the most powerful source of information in India, same as the rest of the world. The Constituti