Reputation Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reputation Managment - Essay Example Reputation increases the actual worth of the company and increases its market value , but most organization does not understand the real value of reputation. Companies need to measure, monitor and manage their reputation to be successful on a long term basis. Most organization does not take initiative to manage reputation because they consider it as an intangible asset. Like any other asset of the company, reputation has its liability side. So the reputation management implemented by a company has to evaluate both the reputation assets and the liabilities. According to Doorley (2007,pg.11)â€Å"The very act of having to list their reputational assets and liabilities helps the various units focus on reputation management†. It is extremely important for an organization to have a plan regarding the reputation management. A comprehensive reputation management plan is to be applied to all areas of an organization like finance, human resources, manufacturing, marketing, investor relations and public affairs. Definition of Reputation Reputation is the main identity of an organization on international business platform and to maintain it, a company need to have an ideal reputation management system. A reputation can be defined as the opinion or view of other’s about something. According to Changâ€Å"Abdul Rahman and Hailes defined reputation as an expectation about an agent’s behavior based on information about or its past behavior†.... Reputation has a profound value in business world as it enables business partners and consumers to trust the company without concerns. Reputation allows the business partners and customers to carry on business with a company on moral and ethical grounds. Trust and reputation go hand in hand and a company with a good reputation in the business world is deemed to be honest, transparent and reliable in their business dealings. Reputation of a company shows to the outside world the credibility it has in the market and between customers and clients. A company’s reputation depends upon its past performance and the opinion its customer’s and customer’s has based on it. Reputation gives an idea to the outside world about the future behavior of an organization. Reputation is of contagious in nature and word of mouth can enhance or destroy goodwill of the firm. Reputation spread in the market like fire and hence a company should be cautious and calculative in maintaining i ts prestige and reputation. Development Stages of Corporate Reputation The corporate reputation has evolved through different stages which involves corporate image corporate identity and corporate reputation. The corporate image is the stage where consumer perceives the company through its brand, logo and uniform and theme of office building. Corporate image is not only in the hand of the company but is contributed by media and other external agents. Corporate image can be established by creating graphical theme to the products and also by providing apt products according to the customer needs. Corporate image is the initial stage of reputation development as the quality of product enhances the image of an organization. The second stage is

Black man and white women Essay Example for Free

Black man and white women Essay Black man and white women in dark green row boat The story Black Man and White Women in Dark Green Rowboat, written by Russell Banks, is about an interracial relationship on the brink of disaster. The story opens up on an extremely hot day in August at a trailer park that is right next to a lake with a variety of people who live there. I was not immediately aware that the black man and the white woman were the focus of the story, but those characters gradually emerged and thats when things started to get interesting. It becomes very obvious that white women want to control everything in the relationship and doesnt iew the black man as an equal partner. Before they meet at the beach, the white women walks up in her bikini holding her towel, fashion magazine, and tanning lotion with her blonde hair swinging side to side. I automatically start to view her as an egotistical person. When the white women encounters the black man at the beach, she helps him push the boat to the water, but instead of helping him push the boat all the way from shore, she hops in it before her feet had even got wet. He was left to not only push the boat himself, rolling his pant legs up, but also pushing her in it as well. While he is rowing the boat he realizes he didnt bring a hat and he is sweating. He wraps his shirt around his head and she explains to him that he looks like a sheik and a galley slave. To me this shows how she thinks of him as her own romanticized slave that she can control. She even reassures him that she was not kidding by saying no really. Honestly. (68). The man continues to row and she says shes starting to put on weight and then she tells the man that she told her mother about them and their situation, but she never looked at him when she was talking to him. Her eyes were closed and directed oward the sun. She isnt treating him like she cares; she is Just caring on with her sun bathing. Then she tells him that she is going to have an abortion that afternoon. She does this without even asking the man if thats what he wants to do. Even after he expresses hatred towards the situation and basically tells her he wants her to keep the baby she doesnt listen. She Just insists that everything will return to normal when its done. He asks her what happened and she brushes the question off and explains her mother is 0k with him. You can tell he cares about her mothers opinion f him as he wants the reassurance that her mother actually likes him. The woman explains her mother Just thinks she is fragile from depression. Honestly I feel like the women had had other abortions and Just didnt want to be honest with the man. After some time had passed, the woman asks him how long he was going to fish. He tells her about an hour and offers to row her to a swimming spot if she would rather swim. She turns down the offer and makes appoint to mention the fact that she has to be back in time to make it to her abortion later that afternoon; again aking it known she is making this decision on ner own. The women sta rts looking through her magazine while the man continued for a few more casts then he finally gave up and said, No sense fishing when the fish aint feeding. The whole point is catching fish, right? (71). This is the mans turning point. I think he realized that the relationship he was in was kind of like fishing, there was no point in him being with her if she didnt want to move on to the next level. Before rowing back into shore, he said he wished he could Just leave here there. She gets very nervous when he said hat and tells him they have to go back. Thats when the man decided that it was time to move on with his life and he said, You mean, you have to go back. (71). He rows back and all the people are carrying on like they were before except now things are changing for them. The White woman goes with her towel and magazine to have her abortion and back to living with her mother, while the Black man goes on his own separate way while watching the women leave.

Mission Statement Essay Vision Statement Essay

Mission Statement Essay Vision Statement Essay Mission Statements Vision Statements Vision Statements and Mission Statements are the inspiring words chosen by successful leaders to clearly and concisely convey the direction of the organization. By crafting a clear mission statement and vision statement, you can powerfully communicate your intentions and motivate your team or organization to realize an attractive and inspiring common vision of the future. â€Å"Mission Statements† and â€Å"Vision Statements† do two distinctly different jobs. A Mission Statement defines the organizations purpose and primary objectives. Its prime function is internal to define the key measure or measures of the organizations success and its prime audience is the leadership team and stockholders. Vision Statements also define the organizations purpose, but this time they do so in terms of the organizations values rather than bottom line measures (values are guiding beliefs about how things should be done.) The vision statement communicates both the purpose and values of the organization. For employees, it gives direction about how they are expected to behave and inspires them to give their best. Shared with customers, it shapes customers understanding of why they should work with the organization Vision Statements are difficult to write they should short, clear, vivid, inspiring and concise without using jargon, complicated words or concepts. Successful Statements are memorable and engaging. A combination of both a companys mission and a companys vision of the future may be included in a Mission Statement. No wonder there is so much confusion between Vision Statements and Mission Statements! Sample Vision Statements Definition of a Vision A Vision is defined as An Image of the future we seek to create. Definition of a Mission A Mission is defined as Purpose, reason for being. Defined simply Who we are and what we do. What is the difference between Mission Statements and Vision Statements? A good definition for a Mission Statement is a sentence or short paragraph which is written by a company or business which reflects its core purpose, identity, values and principle business aims. The definition for Vision Statements is a sentence or short paragraph providing a broad, aspirational image of the future. Mission Statements therefore contain important information about a company in a nutshell. This should include the the company mission ( what the company does, its products, its services and its customers). These types of Statements focus on today Vision Statements therefore contain details of the companys future its vision ( the future plans with aims and objectives )These types of Statements focus on tomorrow. An organizational mission is an organizations reason for existence. It often reflects the values and beliefs of top managers in an organization. A mission statement is the broad definition of the organizational mission. It is sometimes referred to as a creed, purpose, or statement of corporate philosophy and values. A good mission statement inspires employees and provides a focus and direction for setting lower level objectives. It should guide employees in making decisions and establish what the organization does. Mission statements are crucial for organizations to prosper and grow. While studies suggest that they have a positive impact on profitability and can increase shareholder equity, they also support that almost 40 percent of employees do not know or understand their companys mission. Not only large corporations benefit from creating mission statements but small businesses as well. Entrepreneurial businesses are driven by vision and high aspirations. Developing a mission statement will help the small business realize their vision. Its primary purpose is to guide the entrepreneur and assist in refining the planning process. By developing a strategic plan that incorporates the mission statement, entrepreneurs are more likely to be successful and stay focused on what is important. The mission statement encourages managers and small business owners alike to consider the nature and scope of the business. Business Week attributes 30 percent higher return on several key financial measure for companies with well-crafted mission statements. COMMON ELEMENTS While mission statements vary from organization to organization and represent the distinctness of each one, they all share similar components. Most statements include descriptions of the organizations target market, the geographic domain, their concern for survival, growth and profitability, the company philosophy, and the organizations desired public image. For example: Our mission is to become the favorite family dining restaurant in every neighborhood in which we operate. This will be accomplished by serving a variety of delicious tasting and generously portioned foods at moderate prices. Our restaurants will be clean, fun, and casual. Our guests will be served by friendly, knowledgeable people that are dedicated to providing excellent customer service. This mission statement describes the target market, which are families and the geographic domain of neighborhoods. It clearly states how it expects to be profitable by offering excellent customer service by friendly, knowledgeable people. When defining the mission statement it is important to take into account external influences such as the competition, labor conditions, economic conditions, and possible government regulation. It is important to remember however, that mission statements that try to be everything to everybody end up being nothing to anybody. Companies should have mission statements that clearly define expected shareholder returns and they should regularly measure performance in terms of those expected returns. If the major reason for a businesss existence is to make a profit then it stands to reason that expectations of profit should be included in the organizations mission. This means that management should reach a consensus about which aspects of the companys profit performance should be measured. These might include margin growth, product quality, market share changes, competitive cost position, and capital structure efficiency. A mission statement sets the boundaries for how resources should be allocated and what strategic and operational goals should be set. The mission statement should acknowledge the companys strengths and then inform employees where to direct their efforts in order to take advantage of those strengths. Before writing a mission statement organizations should take a look at how they are different from the competition, whether it is in technology, image and name brand, or employees. It can often be thought of as a recipe for success because it not only defines the organizations accomplishments but it also provides employees with directions to help them develop plans and look for opportunities for improvement. The organization defines what is acceptable behavior through the mission statement. Values and beliefs are the core of a strong mission statement. For example: Quality and values will secure our success. We will live by our values, have fun, and take pride in what we do. Our values are to maintain a work environment where people enjoy coming to work, to serve our guests and exceed their expectations, and to be profitable and result oriented. This mission statement is simple and straightforward. It does not, however, specify the products or target market. The mission statement also provides meaning to the organization by stating not only what goals the company wants to achieve but also why it wants to achieve these goals. It is not effective unless it is challenging and forces workers to establish goals and means to measure the achievement of those goals. A mission statement should inspire employees and get them involved in the organization. It has been called the glue that holds the organization together through shared values and standards of behavior. A mission statement should be relevant to the history, culture, and values of the company. Many statements refer to the social responsibility of the organization. For example, a company can show their concern for the community in the following: To be involved as good corporate citizens wherever we are around the world. We will treat customers and distributors with honesty, courtesy, and respect. We will respect and preserve the environment. Through all of this we will prove to be the worldwide leader in industry trade. One important issue in organizations today is the concern with diversity. While it is not a traditional point included in mission statements, more and more companies are including it because of the globalization of the economy and the increased diversity of the workforce. Before writing a mission statement, leaders in the organization must have an idea of what is in store for the future. This vision is the foundation for the mission statement. The vision provides a strategic direction, which is the springboard for the mission and its related goals. A vision statement differs from a mission statement. Vision statements are a view of what an organization is striving to become. For example: To bring back to neighborhoods all over America the importance of family unity. We will view ourselves as a family so these attributes will be carried over into our service. They guide an organization into the future while mission statements are a reflection of the present. Because vision statements are a glimpse into the future, they are often not realized for several years. Organizations go through many changes and can face times of confusion and uncertainty. Changes are not always expected or easy, so a well thought out vision statement will help everyone stay focused and meet the organizations goals. Some examples of well-known companies mission statements: Wal-Mart: To give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same thing as rich people. 3M: To solve unsolved problems innovatively. Walt Disney: To make people happy. Historically, these may have seemed arrogant. But consider the outcome of the following mission statements from each companys early days: Ford Motor Company: Ford will democratize the automobile. Sony: Become the company most know for changing the world-wide poor-quality image of Japanese products. Wal-Mart: Become a $125 billion company by the year 2000. WRITING A MISSION STATEMENT When creating a mission statement there are a few simple guidelines that can be followed. It is important to remember the basics so the mission statement stays simple and straight to the point. Some researchers agree that it should be kept to between 30 and 60 words, while others believe it does not necessarily have to be that brief. Some organizations have mission statements that are only one sentence, while others are a paragraph. An example of a mission statement that is limited to one sentence is Our business is selling houses and our mission is total customer satisfaction. At a minimum, each mission statement should answer the following three questions: (1) What are the opportunities or needs the organization addresses? (2) What does the organization do to address those needs? and (3) What principles and values guide the organization? In other words, defining the organizations purpose, business and values. Avoiding jargon and buzzwords will keep the mission statement clear and easy to understand. It should be universal and simple to comprehend for all employees in the organization. It should be unique and identify the organization. A mission statement is often what sets one company apart from the competition. It should outline the organizations competitive advantages and differentiate it from everyone else. Specific products/services offered as well as markets or customers should be included. Also a general business definition, behavioral standards, and desired competitive position can be added to a strong mission statement. EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT It is often helpful to allow company-wide input when creating a mission statement. This bottom up approach results in greater commitment to the organization and a better understanding of the organization. Employees from throughout the organization can help identify the core values of the company. In order to encourage employee participation, many companies have created competitions inviting employees to submit suggestions. Cash prizes are sometimes provided as an incentive for creative and inspirational statements. Some companies find it useful to invite customers to assist in writing a mission statement because they can provide an honest perspective. Another option is to review mission statements from other companies. This can help provide ideas as the writing process begins. It is important to keep in mind that there will be a draft process involved in creating the mission statement. Employees can often provide invaluable insight on how to improve on each draft. In the end, the mission statement should reflect the personality of the organization. Thus, each company should be creative and unique in developing its own statement. Creating a mission committee that consists of members of management, frontline employees, and customers is another way to begin writing a mission statement. The major benefit of this strategy is the inclusion of all areas of the organization to ensure that everyone is represented. Another benefit is that employees will be more willing to work toward accomplishing the mission if they know they had a voice in its creation. A top down approach can be effective in smaller organizations or even sole proprietorships. There is less time involved in creating a mission statement when it comes from the top. Also, many times frontline employees and lower level managers lack the insight necessary to see the big picture. They may not be able to conceptualize the entire organization and therefore miss important aspects of the business. Participation may not always be a good option for small businesses. In small businesses that are started by entrepreneurs the mission statement is generally a vision of an individual and therefore may not be negotiable. When the mission statement comes from upper management, employees are more assured of the organizations commitment to the statement. A word of caution should be noted when deciding whether to adopt a top down approach or a bottom up approach. If the mission statement is to be created with a wide variety of input from both employees and customers then it will take longer than a top down approach. There must be a sharing of views and ideas with compromises made. A consensus should be developed without the problems associated with groupthink. There is always the possibility that too much compromise will distort the mission statement and the end result is something different from the original intent. The top down approach is not always effective because it rarely consults employees when making important decisions. Therefore, although it is the fastest route to take it isnt always the most effective. While the mission statement should be able to change with the times it is also understood to have a certain degree of permanence. As new businesses begin to grow and hire more employees the mission statement should provide a strong sense of stability and a clear definition of the culture. A mission statement is worthless unless it has the support of the employees in the organization. It will only be successful if each employee commits to its success and internalizes it. Once the statement is completed it is extremely important that the organization not put it on the shelf to collect dust. It should be shared with the entire company. The introduction of the mission statement should come directly from top management in order to set the example. Organizations should be creative in making employees aware of the mission statement. Placing it strategically in locations where employees gather will increase awareness and remind them of the goals of the organization. Videos outlining the details of the new mission statement are often useful; however, it is critical that employees have the opportunity to discuss the statement with members of management. Setting up meetings with members of management and frontline employees can often help uncover areas where the company does not meet the standards set by the mission statement. Communicating the mission statement to customers will make them feel valued and important. It can be sent to customers in a mass mailing or posted on signs in areas those customers frequent. It sets forth the goals of the organization so customers know what to expect when doing business with the company. SWOT ANALYSIS SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that helps an organization match its internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats. SWOT analysis is important and useful in creating and executing the organizations mission statement. Often the best strategies for accomplishing the organizations mission are revealed through the SWOT analysis. The best strategies are those that take advantage of strengths and opportunities, offset threats, and improve weaknesses. Organizations should first begin by reviewing internal strengths and weaknesses. When analyzing an organizations strengths it is important to identify distinctive competencies or strengths possessed by only a few competing firms. These distinctive competencies often become the competitive advantages that are included in the mission statement. Distinctive competencies can be found in financial resources, quality products and services, proprietary technology, or cost advantages. Organizational weaknesses are skills and capabilities that prevent an organization from implementing strategies that achieve its mission. They can be problems with facilities, lack of a clear strategic direction, internal operating problems, too narrow a product line, weak market image, or the inability to finance changes. The next step is to identify external opportunities and threats. Organizational opportunities are circumstances in an organizations environment that if capitalized on will result in above normal increases in economic performance. Examples of opportunities are related to the possibility of adding a new product line, increasing market growth, or diversifying into related products. Threats are viewed as circumstances that give rise to normal or below normal economic performance. They can be found in the ease of entry of competitors, increased sales of substituted products, demographic changes, slowed market growth, or increased competition. EVALUATION Evaluation of the mission statement is necessary to ensure the organization is meeting its goals. If needed, new goals may have to be created in order to accommodate changes in the organization. It may be time to reevaluate what the organization is doing or where it is headed. This is a good time to think about entering into new areas or to begin doing things differently by rewriting part or all of the mission and vision statements. In evaluating an organizations performance, management must look at several different aspects of the organization. First, managers need to determine if the organizations plans are clearly linked to its mission statement and related goals. Plans should be developed for both the short run and long run. Secondly, assigning jobs that are directly related to the achievement of organizational goals will help ensure they are attained. The goals should be communicated clearly so employees understand what tasks need to be carried out and what the rewards will be. Finally, when evaluating individual performance, the information gathered should be recent and compared to established standards. Mission statements are often difficult to evaluate because they are written in a somewhat abstract form. They are, many times, not directly measurable and vaguely worded. 1 presents an example of how mission statements can be measured from the top of the organization to the bottom. Strategic goals are directly tied to the organizations mission statement and apply to the organization as a whole. Tactical goals are departmental goals that support the strategic goals. Finally, operational goals are written at the individual level. Each one of these makes it possible to measure the organizations mission statements. An organizations likelihood of accomplishing its mission is increased as it creates strong and measurable goals at each level. It is not necessary that the mission statement be measured in quantifiable terms. It may also be measured qualitatively. For example, We will answer all of our customers questions and if we dont know the answer, we will find out. While this is not a quantitative statement it can be measured by monitoring customer service calls and setting operational goals for employees that revolve around follow up and thoroughness. Mission and vision statements give organizations a focus and a strategy for the future. According to Bart and Tabone, they have become the cornerstones of organizations. They contribute to organizations success and can lead to increases in productivity and performance. They do not have to be reserved for the entire organization—each department or division can benefit from developing a mission statement, as long as they are not in contradiction to the companys overall mission. Preferably, an individual departments mission links it to the fulfillment of the overall company mission. Mission statements for functional departments provide the same benefits as they do for the entire organization. In conclusion, mission statements provide a sense of direction and purpose. In times of change and growth they can be an anchor and a guide in decision making. The benefits far outweigh the disadvantages and challenges when looking at the potential for increases in profitability and returns. Defining an organization by what it produces and who it satisfies are major steps towards creating a sound and stable mission statement. Setting a company apart from the competition is probably one of the biggest advantages. Whats the benefit of a mission or vision statement? What is a mission statement? According to Bain Company, mission statements are one of the most frequently used management tools. Organizations spend thousands of hours and dollars developing mission statements and then more resources again on public relations to unfold them to their stakeholders. This is not surprising when you review the often-stated benefits of mission statements: To communicate the direction of the organization. To help make day-to-day operating decisions. To keep the organization focused. To motivate employees. Many authors have a variety of beliefs of what should be included in a mission statement. Ireland and Hill (1992) state that the mission statement should include the organizations goals, purpose, product and market scope and philosophical views. Davies and Glaister (1997) believe that it should include the organizations statement of purpose and inspirational view for the future. While Jamieson and Justice (1999) state that the framework for the development of a mission statement should begin with the organizations primary purpose, target market, core products or services, critical values and measures of success. One of the better practical definitions has been provided by Bartkus, Glassman and McAfee (2000) who basically state a mission statement is a statement to communicate a description of the firm to its current and prospective stakeholders to determine if they want to be involved with it. The reality is, there is no one agreed definition of what should and should not be included in a mission statement. We believe a mission statement is a simple, short statement that clearly communicates the purpose of the organization to its stakeholders. Nothing more, nothing less. For practical purposes, many of the other aspects of mission statements cited above are actually found in other sections of an organizations planning documents. What is a vision statement? The delineation between vision and mission statements is far from clear. This is understandable when many of the benefits attributed to mission statements are also attributed to vision statements. Like mission statements, there are many definitions for vision statements. Warren Bennis describes a vision as something youll never forget. Tom Peters, in his book Thriving on Chaos, describes a vision statement as inspiring, clear and challenging, makes sense to the marketplace, stable but challenged, a beacon and control, empowering, prepares for the future, honors the past and is lived in the details. Both are useful definitions. We like to describe a vision statement as a picture of the future. While a mission statement talks about the organizations purpose, (i.e. direction), a vision statement talks about what the organization would like to be. The easiest and most practical way of simply delineating between a mission and vision is to describe the mission as the journey and the vision as the destination. How useful are these definitions? Although we have found these definitions to be simple and practical, there are two points to remember when discussing mission and vision statements during your strategic planning process: 1. There is no one accepted definition. 2. Agreement on the definition you use is more important than the definition itself. Do you really need a mission and vision statement? It depends. What you do need is to ensure that the organization has a direction and goal(s), that your key stakeholders support that direction and goal(s), and that your structure, resources and skills are aligned to facilitate moving in that direction and maximize your opportunity to achieve those goals. If you believe you need a mission and/or vision statement, then you probably do. However, just having a mission and/or vision statement, even if they are included in a planning document, posted on a plaque on the wall or provided to employees on business cards certainly does not, unto itself, ensure success. Mission and vision statements are management tools that if used appropriately, have the potential to help improve your organizations probability of success. However, its important to keep in mind, that these are only two of the many tools available to your organization in the development of your strategy. Many small business owners never take the time out to explore their reasons for being in business. They are so caught up in day-to-day activities they fail to see the big picture. So what are the benefits of having an articulated Vision, Mission and Objectives for your business? Actually, it all starts one step removed from this. It really starts with establishing your core values. Lots of people in their middle years instinctively know what their core values are but they cannot tell you what they are when questioned about it. Core values are what get you up out of bed in the morning; a strong work ethic; a desire to contribute; the need to support your family; respect for your fellow workers or subordinates. They are the driving force in your life. They are immutable and do not change over time. Once you have gleaned what your core values are, then you can move on to establish what your Vision is. Your Vision is your long term goal. It can embrace your business and your personal life. It may be something like building your business into a $10 million asset that you can sell aged 60 and retire to a beach house in Florida. It could be to create something of value that you can pass on to your children. It might even be to create something that offers benefits to your community that will outlive you. It can be deeply personal. Your Mission flows from your Vision. Your Mission is a written statement that provides a clear sense of direction to all of the stakeholders in your business. It embraces the commitment of the company to staff, customers, and the community at large. It may articulate the company ethos, core beliefs of the owners, service levels, quality, excellence, training and commitment. It should be a shared set of standards and beliefs that all of your staff buy into and live every day. Setting objectives is the next stage of the process. It is all about how you deliver on the promises made by your Mission. If you have clarity in both your Vision and Mission, it is easy to decide on the objectives. Objectives may be set for each key area of your business along with a time-line for completion. They may be corporate, product, market, sales, financial, operations, or staff related or any combination of these. As you can see, this is a trickle down system with higher level aspirations that flow down to every level of the business and become the glue that holds everything together. The benefits are clear and unambiguous. It is a team building exercise that creates focus and commitment that can drive a business forward. Every step you take is in pursuit of your articulated end game. In just over a decade, CN Rail has gone from money-losing crown corporation to one of the top railroads in North America. Employees follow a strong company culture incorporating five values that revolve around customer service, balancing service with cost control, and the safety and development of its employees. Not surprisingly, corporate culture starts with president and CEO Hunter Harrison and works its way down through the companys 22,000 employees. In the 2006 Canadian Corporate Culture Study conducted by executive search firm Waterstone Human Capital, 92% of executives defined corporate culture as the behaviours of people and the values of the organization. The leaders of these major Canadian corporations almost universally agreed that a healthy corporate culture is critical to success and that culture has an impact on organizational health and financial performance. In our last article we wrote about the three-stage process of defining that corporate culture. In this weeks article well look at the importance of aligning your corporate culture with your business strategy and how to communicate that throughout your entire organization. At CN, values are a core part of the companys corporate culture. These values, along with behaviours such as passion and integrity, run throughout the organization and CN regularly communicates them to all its employees. One way Harrison did this was by publishing How We Work and Why, a hardcover distributed to all employees two years ago. The railroad also regularly runs three-day motivational retreats for executives called Hunter Camps. Led by Harrison and Les Dakens, SVP people, the Hunter Camps not only teach leadership skills and reward managers for a job well done, but they also serve to reinforce the companys values and employee behaviour. The goal, says Dakens, is to have 2,000 employees go through these camps by the end of 2008. In addition, CN last year introduced performance scorecards for all its employees. The performance appraisal recognized and evaluated employees against the companys values. A lot of these people have never had this formal kind of written recognition that they do a good job, says Dakens. According to the Corporate Culture study, 51% of organizations surveyed use everything from company events and town hall meetings to intranets and informal gather

The Rwandan Genocide Essay -- inadequate response of the UN

For years, Rwanda has been a hotbed of racial tension. The majority of the Rwandan population is made up of Hutu's, with Tutsi's making up the rest of it. Ever since European colonial powers entered the country and favoured the Tutsi ethnic group over the Hutu by putting Tutsi people in all important positions in society, there has been a decisive political divide between the two groups. This favouring of the Tutsi over the Hutu, and the Hutu subjugation as an ethnic lower class resulted in the civil war and revolution of 1959, where the Hutu overthrew the Tutsi dominated government, and resulted in Rwanda gaining their independence in 1962. However, tension remained between the two ethnic groups, with a civil war raging between the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front and the Hutu Government of Rwanda, right up until August 4th, 1993, with the signing of the Arusha Accords. Previous to this, all UN intervention attempts were futile in trying to bring together a government with both Tutsi and Hutu in power. On April 6th, 1994, the President of Rwanda's plane was shot down, killing him and other chief members of staff when it crashed. This was the catalyst required for the Hutu to carry out their â€Å"final solution†, a plan for genocide against the ethnic Tutsi group they had been planning for years. This resulted in Hutu people taking up arms, mainly machetes, to openly attack and slaughter all Tutsi, the families of Tutsi, and even moderate Hutu people who weren't attacking the Tutsi. Over the period of around 100 days, with the death toll ranging somewhere between 800,000 to 1,100,000 the Rwandan genocide has become infamous for the high numbers of dead in such a short amount of time, and for the inadequate response of the UN an... ... involved led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Rwandan people. The UN's involvement in Rwanda is considered to be a prime example of the ineffectiveness of international law and the UN's inability to deal with conflicts. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www.ppu.org.uk/ Used for finding historical background regarding the Genocide. http://www.rwanda-genocide.org/index.html Good research base to find access to statistics and other sources. http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/1999/rwanda/ Great website with plenty of information regarding all aspects of the issue. http://www.warriordoc.com/rwanda/ For information regarding Australia's involvement in Rwanda http://www.unitedhumanrights.com/ Information regarding United Nations involvement http://www.idrc.ca/cp/ev-106013-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html The media's response to Rwanda.

Mike Nichols Film, Regarding Henry Essay -- Film Movies

Mike Nichols' Film, Regarding Henry Life can change in an instant. One second you are a successful and ruthless lawyer, the next you’re a simple man with absolutely no memory of who or where you are. The film â€Å"Regarding Henry† shows this perfectly as it travels through the life of a man named Henry Turner. The main focus of the film is how important family life is. Before the accident, Henry hardly even knew his daughter and almost never spoke to her. At the start of the film the father-daughter relationship was very weak, he would never speak to her when he came home from work because he didn’t have time, but when he did he lectured to her - like when she spilled grape juice on his â€Å"prize piano† and yelled at her. His life revolved around the courtroom, where he spent most of his time. Sarah, his wife told him to apologize to his daughter, which he finally did after arguing with her. Even when he tried to apologize to her after a party, he found it difficult to express his feelings and just talked about the case he had won that day. Before the accident Henry was always working, even when he came home, he would still continued to work. Henry was a self centered and arrogant man who was only interested in winning a case, working and smoking. Henry loved his eggs and was always at parties, celebrating or mocking his clients, which he was very good at. He was excellent at what he did and would go to any extent of lying to win â€Å"like the Matthew’s case.† He was also ext...

The Relationship Between Business and Government Essay -- Business Man

Relationship between Government and Business in the United States The government’s position is to ensure that citizens do not suffer harm resulting from business operations, such as selling tainted food or preparing foods in unsanitary conditions, causing ecological harm, or dealing unscrupulously in financial matters. As the government grows, government regulation, taxation, and spending has been beneficial for businesses (Carney, 2006). Businesses prefer the government eliminate regulates and government watchdogs so they can continue to operation in a fashion that would increase their profits. Most business leaders believe the government is excessively involvement with how businesses operate. A poll taken in 2005, found 90% of Americans believed that large businesses had great influence over the government. The CEO’s of large corporations are able to have personal meetings with senators and cabinet secretaries to discuss their position and influence their decision-making (Carney, 2006). Since the Obama Administration, the government is interacting directly with businesses to ensure that they are being fiscally responsible so as not to negatively impact the American citizens. President Obama had to intervene on behalf of Wall Street, automotive companies and the banking industry by means of stimulus package to avoid an economic depression for the country. Both businesses and the government need to work together to ensure the citizens receive the greatest protection in all issues, to include health and safety, defense, economics and environmental protection. The relationship between government and business is crucial and critical if American is to remain successful. Government will have to lay aside its bipar... ...cles/cpr28n4-1.html Federal Trade Commission, (n.d.). Protecting America’s consumers. Retrieved from http:// www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/data/idt.shtm Goodell, J. (2010). As the World Burns. Rolling Stone, 1096, 30-45, 62. http://search.proquest. com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/220179270?accountid=34899 Machan,T. (1988). Government regulation of business: The moral arguments. The Freeman,38 (7). Retrieved from http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/government-regulation-of -business-the-moral-arguments/ Milkin Institute Global Conference (2009). The new relationship between government and business. Retrieved from http://www.milkeninstitute.org/events/gcprogram.taf?function= detail&EvID=1957&eventid=gc09 National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education. (2008). Retrieved from http://www. indicatorproject.com/preservation2009/index.html

Acre Wood Retirement Community Case Study Essay

The pool design was not in tune with the original design, so what was promised was not delivered. Funds allotted were not fully used. Sarah’s complaint in the newspaper would create another legal issue and would invite public outcry against the organization. Ethical issues: – The director was not concerned about the welfare of public even though the organization’s mission was to improve the quality of life of its residents both physically and emotionally. Lack of commitment to visit the pool and refusing to look into Sarah’s complaints were other ethical issues. A2.   The behaviour of director only promoted greed (underutilization of money), irresponsibility (refusing to visit the pool and not listening to the complaints), unethical practices (not concerned about public safety; totally against the organization’s vision) and partiality (promoting Gene who wasn’t complaining) A3.   A role model is some one who inspires, motivates and ultimately brings out the best in the follower by making him realize his own potential. Ethics are one of the key determinants of a role model. An ethical role model is one who puts his organization’s goal ahead of his personal goals, who does not promote malpractices, who is always ready to look in to matters which interest public health and welfare and one who is always ready to listen to his employees suggestion. The director had all the qualities missing which surely don’t make him an ethical role model.