Healthy People 2020 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Healthy People 2020 - Research Paper Example Finally, in 2010, Healthy People 2020 was launched to guide health work for the next 10 years or up to 2020. Sometime during the mid-period or thereabouts of each of the ten-year programs, a mid-course review is conducted. For instance, the mid-course review for Healthy People 2010 was started to be published in December 2006. Presumably, therefore, a mid-course review for Healthy People 2020 will be done sometime 2015 or thereabouts. The launching of Healthy People 2020 was announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through an official press release on 2 December 2010. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2011), there are four overarching goals in Healthy People 2020. First, the attainment of â€Å"high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury and premature death.† The second overarching goal is the achievement of health equity, elimination of health disparities, and improvement of health of all groups. The third overarching goal is the creation of social and physical environments that promote good health. Finally, the fourth overarching goal is the promotion of a quality of life, health development, and healthy behaviors across all life stages. The four overarching goals are declared in the official website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for its healthy people programs in www.healthypeople.gov as well as in a brochure produced in November 2010. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2010, p. 4), the population of Montgomery was estimated at 366,900 as of 1 July 2010. Approximately, 60 percent of the population resides in Montgomery County. Further, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2010, pp. 4-5), Montgomery’s population was growing at an average of 1.3 percent annually during the 1990s but the population growth rate dropped to 0.1 percent annually since 1 July 2008. Unemployment rate in

Scenario input table economics evaluation Assignment

Scenario input table economics evaluation - Assignment Example The best values of Pr SIDE are those of people who are least affected by PEP. The side effects are disastrous and therefore the least values of the side effects are the best values for this case scenario. (Aaker, 2001) Base and worst case scenario analysis involves the analysis of either the most positive or most negative outcome of a decision or action. Both positive and negative outcomes are evaluated in this analysis. These scenarios are considered in relation to the Base value. The base value is therefore the initial value or the average value of the case scenario or case. The best and worst case scenario analysis allow the parties involved to make better decisions about the case under study. (Aaker, 2001) The table of results shows that the best case has a higher cost than that of the worst case. Under the best curve, the cost of No-PEP was higher than that of when PEP was administered. The cost of No-PEP in the worst scenario was lower than the cost of PEP administration. These values indicate that for the best scenario to occur, the policy maker must spend a comparatively higher amount of funds than that of worst case scenario. (Aaker,

Hy-fy Hitch- Zygomatico-hyoid Suspension for Dysphagia

Hy-fy Hitch- Zygomatico-hyoid Suspension for Dysphagia Hy-fy Hitch- Zygomatico-hyoid Suspension for the Managment of Post Surgical Dysphagia abstract: Dysphagia is not only a main symptom of the head and neck cancer but also the dangerous complication of the various surgical and other treatment modalities for the same. Though various studies have been done to diagnose this condition but very little is done towards the surgical management of this life threatening condition. through this article the new surgical technique of managing oroesophgeal dysphagia by hyoid suspension. Our technique zygomatico-hyoid suspension is simple and logically effective way of managing dysphagia secondary to the surgical resection of lesion in the patient with head and neck cancer. Though this technique is not tried in large number of patients hence the long term benefits and overall improvement in patients quality of life is yet to be ascertained but still it can be a new direction in the surgical mangament of dysphagia. Introduction Dysphagia is a term derived from the Greek words dys (difficulty) and phagein (to eat)1. It is a symptom that expresses a disorder in the transport of food and endogenous secretions (saliva) through the upper digestive tract. Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) is a more anatomically restricted term referred to alterations in the transfer of the bolus from the mouth to the esophagus (that means, in bolus propelling from the mouth to the pharynx, in the pharyngeal reconfiguration during the swallow, or in the opening of the upper esophageal sphincter.2 OD is an inescapable concern in the management of patients with oral cancer. Being as a symptom at presentation, as an adverse effect during whatever the treatment, or as sequelae compromising the quality of life of the patients, swallowing disorders have to be adequately anticipated and dealt with. For an outcome to be considered functional, the patient has to be able to swallow in an effective and safe manner. Actually, preserving a functional deglutition is usually the most important goal of the different function-preserving surgical techniques in head and neck cancer surgery. Normal oropharyngeal swallowing: swallowing is mainly divided into three phases: 1) preparatory oral phase ,2) oral phase and the last 3) pharyngeal and oesophageal phase. mechanically ,several closely coordinated actions are involved:(1) elevation and retraction of the soft palate with closure of oropharynx,(2) UES opening, (3) laryngeal closure at the level of the laryngeal vestibule,(4) tongue loading (ramping), (5) tongue pulsion ,and (6) pharyngeal clearance. a fundamental aspect of deglutitive pharyngeal reconfiguration is in transforming the oropharynx from a respiratory to a swallowing pathway by opening the inlet to the esophagus and sealing the inlet to the larynx. Laryngeal vestibule closure and hence airway protection during swallowing is achieved by laryngeal elevation and anterior tilting of the arytenoid cartilages against the base of the epiglottis. UES opening results from anterior traction caused by contraction of the suprahyoid and infrahyoid musculature evident fluoroscopically by anterior hyoid movement. Pathophysiology of dysphagia: Can be divided into two categories: 1) directly due to the resection of the tissues involved in the swallowing i.e.tongue . 2) due to the damage caused by the radiation therapy by following ways: a: decreased pharyngeal peristalsis. b: decresed or defective posterior inversion of the base of the tongue towards the posterior pharyngeal wall. c: decreased elevation of hyoid bone and larynx and decreased inversion of epiglottis. The use of laryngeal suspension as a technique to improve function following surgcial resection of the anterior floor of the mouth was 1st decribed by edgerton and duncan and DesPrez and Kiehn.3,4 later Jabaley and Hoopes simplified the concept of laryngeal suspension after partial or complete resection of hyomandibular complex by means of a heavy chromic catgut suture between the thyroid cartilage and mandibular symphysis on the premise that the main vector of force required to support the larynx is anterior and superior in the midline.5 Goode R.L. also described the similar technique of laryngeal suspension after total laryngectomy by thyroid mandibular suspension and he found that swallowing function was improved significantly with his method of laryngeal suspension.6 Hillel A.D. and Goode R.L. gave lateral laryngeal suspension technique in which the throid cartlage was suspended to the condyle of resected mandible a modification of Goode R.L`s original technique, the advantage of this technique is it causes superior as well as lateral movement movement of larynx which widens the opening of opposite hypopharynx.7 al these techniques have proven that the hyoid suspension does improve swallowing function to some extent but all these techniques are hyomandibular suspension and our techniques is the only technique in which we have used zygomatic bone a support bone through which hyoid is suspended and in our view this technique provieds the most stable and most effective way of displacing hyoid anterio-superiorly resulting in the better swallowing control.in this article we describe our method of hyoid-zygomtic suspension. Material and methods: We perform zygomatico-hyoid suspension in all the patients undergoing total or partial glossectomy with or without mandible resection .the procedure was performed at the mahatma gandhi cnacer institute miraj . Notes on Hyoid-zygomatic Suspension Technique The hyoid suspension in which 24 gauge stainless steel wire was prestreched and using a awl 26cm in length a circumzygomatic to the hyoid bone suspension was carried out by the Key steps were the following. the procedure was performed under genearal anesthesia while doing primary resection of the tumor .patient was placd in anti-trendelenburg position with neck hyperextension. Incision was given in natural skin crease between the hyoid inferior body and the thyroid notch. Median strap muscle dissection between two imaginary parasagittal planes crossing the lesser cornu of the hyoid bone was carried out. Hyoid bone mobilizing test in anterosuperior direction carried out permanent hyoid fixation after having tested the correct position of the thyroid cartilage below the hyoid bone, following fixed steps which are as follows:The zygomatic arch is palpated and puncture wound is performed at the origin of the temporal process of the zygomatic bone.Two pre-streched 24 gauge wires are passe d circumferentially around the hyoid bone in the region where the insertion of the fibrous loop for the intermediate diagastric tendon is present.Later awl is inserted from the arch puncture wound and passed anterior to the masseteric muscle and brought to the hyoid bone body region where the already wire loops are present.The wire is fed into the eye of the awl and later pulled out.This wire is removed from the awls eye and stablised.The awl now is reinserted superficial to the arch brought out from the previous anterior massetric site to the hyoid bone, the other end of wire is fed in the eye and the wire along with the awl is brought out.Traction is given bilaterally and the mobility of the hyoid along with its infrahyoid component is examined.Mandibular movements have to be checked before the wires are twisted and stabilised.Untoward traction is to be avoided in order to avoid hyoid bone fractures.Incision lines are closed in layers. Postoperative Followup Postoperatively all patients tolerated the procedure well, with no intra- or postoperative complications. patients .all patients were kept on nasogatric tube ( NGT ) feeding for minimum 3 weeks postoperative period after which the decision to remove the tube and oral feeding was taken on the basis of patient to patient ability to swallow . No special or additional post-operative care or assessment is required . Discussion The hyoid is a u-shaped bone located in the anterior neck midline, at the centre of three force vectors directed, respectively, towards the mandible, sternum, and mastoid process. It gives insertion to the middle constrictor muscles, which form the lateral wall of the hypopharynx. The suspension of this bone to the Zygomatic bone restores the inferior collapse of the reconstructed floor and lateral mandibular region and improve the tone of the middle constrictor muscles. this technique unlike all the previous technique doesnt take support of the mandible at all hence in cases where in mandible resection is performed along with the tongue or the larynx this technique is probably the only option available to the surgeon to suspend the hyoid bone. Without resuspension, it is speculated that resection of submental lateral mandibular region may lead to inferior and posterior displacement of the hyoid bone. A posterior displacementof the hyoid bone may be implicated in obstruction of the p haryngeal airway which in turn may lead to Dysphagia, or swallowing impairment . The postsurgical alteration in size and position of the hard and soft tissues surrounding the pharyngeal space is also responsible for the airway obstruction. CONCLUSION: Cicumzygomatic hyoid suspension technique is a innovative technique and it is the only technique of hyoid suspension in which instead of mandible the support is taken from zygomatic bone . as in this technique the vector is in same direction but its supporting bone absolutely nonmobile there by giving greater elevation and stable anterior displacement in comparison to the other tehcniques of hyoid suspension. we found that swallowing and infra hyoid functions improvedin our patient thereby QOL improved. This Hyoid suspension technique is effective when short-term results are considered. The necessity of a more valuable anatomic-based diagnostic approach is crucial to guide the patient selection. Long-term follow-ups and randomized prospective trials with case-control series are needed to increase the level of evidence of this surgery.

Private Schools vs. Public Schools Essays -- Compare Contrast Comparin

Sending your child/children to school is a decision every parent/family has to make. Choosing where to send your child is a different story though. No matter where you live, there is always a public school in the area that your child can attend and you have no annual fee. Public schools are paid for with taxes that every citizen has to pay. Private schools on the other hand have an annual fee that can range up to around $20,000 per year. Paying for private schooling is almost like paying for college tuition. Some parents prefer public schools because of the children’s freedom while on the other hand some prefer private schooling because of the curriculum and religion learned. Sometimes parents change their mind about where they want their child to attend based on many different reasons. Switching from either Private to Public or vise versa is very common, especially when a parent feels there child can do better or needs to be challenged more. The switch can either be to benefit the child to learn at there best ability or to punish a child. The following is about how private school and how public schools have their pros and cons and also how the switches from either private to public or vise versa can either benefit a child or how it can destroy them. Public schooling is offered around the country and does not cost anything to go to school and just simply learn. The majority of schools are public schoolings because the majority of children in the United States attend public schooling for many different reasons. A public school will obtain a more diverse environment than let’s say a private school or even the thought of being home schooled. In private schools, most of the inferior groups such as African Americans are... ...I feel that the best thing for a child is to be at a school that they enjoy. I think that a child is better off staying in the schooling environment they started off at. In conclusion, I am neither for nor against either private schooling or public schooling. I think that both have their benefits and both have their downfalls. I do not think that private schools should cost so much because it takes away from the diversity in the school system. Without diversity in private schools, children will never learn about it or be aware of it until they are out of school. From what I have read, a lot of people have bias opinions on both topics and they are all wonderful points. Now you can read the facts and observe what is better, private or public schooling and the effect is has on children when you start them off with one system and switch them to another.

Commerce Case Study Report

The following report looks at the increase of Sexual Harassment claims within Corporate Australia that have been lodged with the Australian Human Rights Commission over the last decade. David Jones Pty Ltd and Pricewaterhouse Cooper are two prevalent cases which have attracted negative media with regard to Sexual Harassment, and this report utilises both Risk Management and Egoism Theories to scrutinise various impacts, responsibilities and recommendations for Individuals, Organisations and Society. Organisational and Societal culture is identified as the primary contributing factor of workplace Sexual Harassment, and it is identified within the report that further Legislation and workplace risk management approaches need to be enacted if the increase is to be addressed. Methods of workplace mechanisms to curtail the increase have been listed as induction, training, and facilitation of workplace change. Prompt and decisive action is also necessary to address issues when raised. Societal culture also is identified as requiring change through Legislation, and the requirement for male persons of political, social and organisational power to lead the cultural change management process. It is this reports’ recommendation that further review of Legislation and workplace practices be urgently undertaken with a view to reduce the steadily rising number of reported workplace Sexual Harassment claims within Corporate Australia. Figure [ 1 ]: Australian Human Rights Commission Statistics Over the past decade there has been a continual increase in the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace. The Australian Human Rights Commission (2010) statistics (Figure 1) demonstrate a steady increase in reported cases of sexual harassment from 2000 to 2009. In 2007 a former executive of Pricewaterhouse Coopers filed legal suit against her previous employer alleging she was sexually harassed by an executive, Mr Edwards. She sought $11 million compensation for damages, loss of earnings and other compensation (Australian Associated Press, 2008). When Ms Rich raised the issue of her sexual harassment with senior management, senior executives responded by placing her on access restrictions, banning her from the office, allocating clients to other partners, and reducing her salary (Clifton, 2007). A settlement between $5 and $6 million was reached on 20 March 2008. Pricewaterhouse Coopers continue to deny the claims, however, each party has accepted that the opposing party had their own perspectives, but would not accept the other as completely accurate (Moran, 2008). More recent evidence of Sexual Harassment in Corporate Australia attracting negative media attention is the case of Kristy Fraser-Kirk vs. David Jones Pty Ltd initiated earlier this year claiming compensation of $37 million for alleged incidences of sexual harassment by former CEO Mark McInnes. The key difference between the two cases highlighted within this report is, in response to Fraser-Kirks’ allegations and intense media scrutiny, McInnes resigned. He claims his resignation was for the benefit of the company and his family. Harrison (2005) argues that many will view this approach to ethical decision making as the antithesis of â€Å"ethical†. This legal case is still before the courts. Notably, in both highlighted cases above, organisational culture is demonstrated to largely consist of sexual harassment and discrimination. Alarmingly, statistics and media attention have highlighted these allegations are not isolated. Corporate Australia requires immediate attention to stem the steady increase of sexual harassment. Alexander and Lewer (1998) state there is â€Å"significant interaction between industrial relations practices and the economy† demonstrating linkages between individuals, organisations and society that must be addressed. Impact on Individuals, Organisations and Society Individuals – the key impact is often emotional. A victim or sexual harassment may lose the ability to attain premium quality of life, when compared to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as described by Turner (1995): * Physiological – increased stress levels, mental health, decreased sense of self worth, as well as creating many other health issues. Safety – Career focus can be destroyed, income reduced through absenteeism or loss of employment, affecting the level of security one may have. * Belonging – feelings of violation and isolation and decreased sense of value. This view is noted by Weisberg (1996, pg 725) quoting Lin Farley â€Å"the abuse also impacts destructively [by] disrupting female job attachment, promoting female unemployment and inhibiting female solidarity. † * Esteem – as a result of a lack of belonging and lack of reliable income, the self worth and the value placed by colleagues and employer is decreased. Lengthy legal battles impact on an individual’s financial stability whilst media scrutiny impacts on individual esteem and adds pressure on family and other relationships. * Self Actualization – states that to achieve self-actualization, all other needs must be met first. Therefore, by limiting the ability to meet all other needs of the Hierarchy, sexual harassment limits one’s ability to become self actualized. Sexual harassment impacts both the victim and the perpetrator. The credibility and seniority of many of the perpetrators can be decreased. The accusations can lead to loss of integrity in the workplace and subsequent decreases to job opportunities and future earning capability. Organisations – costs to organisations can be both internal and external. Some primary issues are listed below. * Loss of revenue. Due to media and public scrutiny and disapproval of conduct, sales may decrease. * Increases in operating expenditures. There is a range of causal factors for increases in operating expenses. Staff absenteeism and lack of productivity of staff due to ongoing internal and media investigations into the allegations. Increased expenses for insurances. Public relations campaigns to negate media damage to company branding and sales. Increases in recruitment costs due to staff movements to more favourable work cultures and other organisations. * Impacts to other organisations such as Insurance Industry, Government and their resultant use of resources such as Hospitals, Police Services, Court systems, and Mediation services. * Corporate Australia as a whole is impacted with each allegation, as financial measures are taken to minimise the risks of occurrence within their own businesses. Financial costs such as Insurance levies rise, as do taxes to support the Government in its efforts to minimise occurrences, assist the victims, and finalise the claims through Court systems. Status or power differentials occur due to employee composition and sex ratios. * Expense is incurred as internal review committees are formed to critically analyse company Harassment, Anti-Discrimination, Risk Management and Critical Incident Policies and review and implement all recommended measures. Society – Impacts upon society are the changes to societal culture, awareness and drainage of public resources. Medical resources are accessed due to the impact on individuals, as are legal systems due to litigation instigated by the victims. Media outlets and organisational public relations campaigns attempt to influence societal responses and opinions. At the present stage of sexual harassment in Australia, there is a Spotlight focused on Australian Corporate culture making society consider their own workplace experiences and explore their rights. This exploration inevitably leads to questioning of our legal system and its support for worker’s rights and anti-discrimination legislation which currently underpins society. The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 states, in Section 8, that â€Å"an employer must ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all the employees of the employer†. Society then becomes disconnected and disbelieving of the Government’s ability to uphold societal law and value systems. Where many Corporate Australian businesses have global operations, society suffers further through both reduced global economic trade and a stigma of cultural discrimination. Whilst our pursuit of equality in all forms is held tenaciously in the balance buy which side the Media will back, in many cases – forcing public viewpoints from the rational to the superficial. Societal views of the inherent subordinate role of women within the workforce, and the disproportionate power and dominance of a male role is perpetuated and enforced. Risk Management Theoretical Perspective Risk is an unavoidable element of life. It is a perceived or real possibility that an unfavourable outcome (such as loss or harm) could result from taking a particular action (Rescher, 1983). There are three stages in determining a risk, and it’s worth (Rescher, 1983): * Choice of action – what action is to be undertaken. * Negativity of outcome – what risk is inherent to the action. What other options are available to pursue. * Chance of realisation – the probability of risk actually occurring. Risk can be managed in a variety of ways, depending on the risk at hand, and the expense which is willing to be incurred. When a company implements a risk management process, they follow three basic rules – â€Å"The Cardinal Rules of Risk Taking†: (Rescher, 1983) * Maximise expected values (see graphs) Avoid catastrophes * Dismiss extremely unrealistic possibilities When applied within the context of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace the two organisational viewpoints for the management of risk will be: * Take out Insurance * Create a Sexual Harassment Policy Insurance will not prevent the possibility of the occurance of sexual harassment, it will only cushion economic implications (Rescher, 1983). This is designed to enable the organisation to continue operating in the event of an allegation occuring. The creation of an Organisational Sexual Harassment Policy however, will have a far greater impact on prevention of such behaviour if enforced and promulgated throughout the company. It should also provide guidance is resolution of issues and denote penalties or risks to perpetrators as well as support mechanisms for victims. Absence of a policy could be used as evidence that an employee has authority to engage in misconduct, and make the employer liable (Pearson, 1997). When defining a sexual harassment policy, Warfel and Query (2004) state that the organisation must: * Define their meaning of sexual harassment Provide examples of what they consider sexual harassment * An explicit statement that sexual harassment will not be tolerated. * Explanation on how claims will be dealt with * A statement that retaliatory action will not be tolerated * A statement that corrective action will be taken After creating a Sexual Harassment policy it is vital that the policy be communicated, understood and upheld at all levels of the organisation on a regular basis through training, induction and displayed within organisational culture (Pearson, 1997). If claims are made, it is crucial they are investigated and appropriate action taken under the policy. All members of an organisation should be compliant under the policy. Egoism Theoretical Perspective Gibson (2007) comments that â€Å"an egoist would say that one should put one’s own interests and concerns above those of others, regardless of external ethical standards†. This statement is critical if we are to understand Egoism. The concept that we all operate within a sense of self interested morality explains at some levels the complex nature of perpetrators of sexual harassment. It provides a level of understanding along the lines of â€Å"only the strong survive† which is highlighted by Catherine Mackinnon in Weisburg (2010, p726) where â€Å"every incidence of sexual harassment reproduces the inequitable social structure of male supremacy and female subordination which [anti-discrimination legislation] seeks to eliminate. † This level of thinking is the crux of the societal damage caused by the increasing trend towards incidences of sexual harassment within Corporate Australia, where it is perceived only the strong and ruthless survives. The David Jones Pty Ltd’s recent case can be compared with Machiavelli’s (1515) observation that â€Å"a bold leader should acquire and use power to his personal advantage by whatever means possible†. Applying Egoism Theory to the perpetrators of sexual harassment, it can be found that the basic human temptation to take what is wanted or is a perceived â€Å"right†, overrides any awareness or application of Risk Management Theory. It appears that their status or power will effectively protect them, or that the victim inherently will wish to increase their status by accepting these advances. This is ratified by Shaw et al (2009, pg 59) regarding Firestone Tyres where it is stated by a company spokesperson â€Å"†¦. policy was to ask for corrections only when it was beneficial to the company to do so†. The action of Pricewaterhouse Cooper, and David Jones, is reflective of Egoism theory as stated by the Firestone Tyres spokesperson. When incidences of harassment occurred, they appear to have negated their own internal policies and risk management mechanisms, and responded in an Egoist manner. Responsibilities of Individuals, Organisations and Society Victims have a responsibility to report and demand action against illegal activity. This in turn empowers others to feel supported and understood which is demonstrated by the other women who most likely wouldn’t have spoken out about their experience had Fraser-Kirk not done so herself. It also enables change within the workplace, legal systems and ultimately society at large. It is understood that most sexual harassment cases go unreported with the victim instead simply leaving the workplace. This creates an opportunity for perpetrators, as silence is regarded as complicity and acceptance of the behavior. Victims also have a responsibility to act appropriately within their employment contracts and honestly report all incidences of workplace sexual harassment. Individuals must adhere to company policy as well as acknowledge and respect colleague’s rights with regard to relevant workplace policies and legislation. This action will contribute to a positive work culture. Perpetrators are often in a position of power and have an inherent responsibility to lead by example. In the case of Mr McInnes and Mr Edwards, neither man behaved in this manner, thus perpetuating a workplace culture of acceptance, and a perception of â€Å"do as I say, not as I do†. Organisations have a legal responsibility to act in the best interest of all staff and executives, however organizations have a duty of care to ensure that relevant workplace legislation pertaining to the welfare of employees is effectively communicated and enshrined within workplace practices. The best way to do this is to lead by example and ensure that breaches are swiftly and efficiently dealt with. Society itself has many responsibilities to uphold regarding sexual harassment. Society has the power to support ethical and responsible acts to uphold integrity within Corporate Australia. They have the power to influence organizations, legislation and Government to adopt risk management practices rather than egoism in order to maintain a positive brand image. Society can influence good corporate citizenship by enforcing individual, and organisational, accountabilities and responsibilities. Recommendation to Individuals, Organisations and Society It is strongly recommended that individuals continue to pursue their individual and workplace rights in order to work towards actual realisation as according to Maslow. Reporting, and supporting those who do, is an integral component of a workplace free from harassment. They additionally have a responsibility contribute to a workplace free from discrimination by participating in, and adhering to, workplace training programs and policies. Within organisations, it is recommended that the sexual harassment policy be maintained as separate to any anti-discrimination policies with a built in grievance procedure and validation process. Any complaints should be dealt with swiftly and supportively with real consequences for perpetrators, such as probation, demotion or termination. These processes should be communicated to staff on induction to the organisation and throughout their careers by mandatory training and awareness programs, with employees and executives having to sign on receipt of training and policy documents. It is imperative that risk management practices be applied in favour of egoistic approaches if the organisational culture is to support a change within the organisational culture. Organisational change can only be accomplished if it is championed from those with the ultimate power. It is the responsibility of the executive board to drive this change for the benefit of all, the reduction or elimination of sexual harassment practices will ultimately decrease absenteeism and staff turnover due to harassment, and increase morale and productivity. Society too, has a responsibility to ensure equality in every aspect of their lives by teaching our children that gender does not determine worth. We further have a responsibility to petition for change in legislation, and hold Corporate Australia responsible for its actions. As consumers we hold great power and this can be used to influence and support company responsibilities. Conclusion It is this reports finding that an egoist societal and organisational culture is directly linked with the increase in sexual harassment cases lodged with the Australian Human Rights Commission. It further finds that adoption of a risk management perspective for the protection of individual, organisational and societal well being is necessary to ensure fundamental rights, responsibilities and legislation is upheld. Whilst it is understood that organisational culture needs to be specifically targeted to reduce incidences of sexual harassment in the workplace, the significance of a male driven response to the prevalence of sexual harassment within Corporate Australia cannot be overlooked. This is highlighted by Elizabeth Broderick, Sex Discrimination Commissioner where she states â€Å"we should recognise the importance of men’s role in promoting gender equality in workplaces. I firmly believe that we will only see significant gains when men start working with men to solve this problem. After all it is men who dominate nearly every institution in this country, particularly in our workplaces. If there is to be change, male CEOs and business leaders must champion it. We need men taking up the advocacy mantle and leading by example. †

David Jones SWOT Essay

David Jones Ltd (DJS), one of Australia’s oldest and most recognised department stores was founded in Sydney in 1838 and is a retailer of diversified products ranging from clothes to daily home products. This report’s purpose is to provide the David Jones’ Board and Senior Management advice through the assessment of SWOT, resources, capabilities and strategies with a Balanced Scorecard and Strategy Map as the measurement of the strategies. Part A-1: David Jones Strategic Analysis – SWOT STRENGTHS †¢ Brand Name, Product and Brand Portfolio DJS was the first department store in Australia and its black-on-white hounds tooth was judged one of the Australia’s top ten favourite trademarks in 20061. DJS maintains a wide variety of products and brands ranging from fashion to electrical goods with a portfolio of over 1000 brands covering international and local labels as well as its own internal DJS and DJS Plus brand names. †¢ Services Portfolio David Jones offers both in store and financial services to cater for customers. In store services include personal shopping, style advisors, beauty and free health screening services. Financial services provided include David Jones Platinum AMEX, Qantas Frequent Flyers points and the DJS Store card. Corporate services provided include DJ gift cards. †¢ Store Portfolio Operates 35 stores and two warehouse outlets in metropolitan locations nationally. The four premium Sydney and Melbourne CBD retail properties are owned outright with 85,000 sqm of retail space plus existing leased properties and the opening of new village format stores in areas with appropriate demographics with no major shopping centre. †¢ Capability for Fund Raising Even with challenging retail conditions, DJS’ balance sheet exhibits strong fundamentals exhibited by solid cash flows, low debt to equity and debt to asset ratios in FY11 and FY12. WEAKNESSES †¢ High Brand Switching – Low Brand Loyalty DJS is primarily a mid to high-end luxury brand. With the multitude of product and service options available for consumers from direct and indirect competitors and the current economic environment, David Jones target market is now seeking out bargains when it comes spending. †¢ Limited Global Penetration With the globalisation of retailing, DJS faces formidable competition in an attempt to increase its penetration in domestic and international markets as confirmed in the IbisWorld Report, â€Å"the globalisation of this industry is low but the trend is increasing†. †¢ Weak Profitability Indicators Volatility in the global equity markets, financial uncertainty in Europe and the US and weak domestic consumer sentiment impacted on DJS’ financial performance leading to a decline in all profitability ratios in 2012 as compared to FY112. †¢ Narrow Target Market David Jones focuses on the premium market and with a key external driver of retail sales being real disposable income, DJS’ market primarily comprises of the â€Å"baby boomers† with high disposable income, who under the current economic climate have reduced their spending dramatically. (IbisWorld 2012 p.15) OPPORTUNITIES †¢ Growth prospects: E-Retail With developments in technology and an increasing number of people utilising either computer or smartphone platforms, the trend towards online shopping is increasingly popular market both for its high efficiency and convenience with massive potential still to be explored in Australia. Statistics show 12% of sales earnings are derived from e-retail in UK compared to 4.9% in Australia. †¢ Business transformation With the rise of E-commerce, consumers have more options than ever before. To seize the opportunity and become a more enhanced profitable unit is to be vigilante across channels thereby giving customers many options for purchasing products, which involve providing the personalisation of physical stores, online options for convenience and engagement through social media. †¢ Brand expansion Globalization brings in more brands and more competition from other countries. Instead of being a competitor, DJS sees this as an opportunity of a ‘win-win’ situation by cooperating with more international suppliers evidenced by the introduction of 300 new brands over the past 26 months. †¢ Business expansion The physical store is an â€Å"experiential centre† where customers are able to interact with the brand and although e-retail provides choice, convenience and access, face to face customer service still reigns supreme (business insider article) the physical store plays an important role in the retail industry allowing consumers to touch, feel and take a product home fast. By increasing physical presence, and improving systems and processes, companies will be able to enhance the customer experience. THREATS †¢ Customer income and preference influence Real household disposable income has reflected a downward trend from 2009 to 2013 and household saving did not decrease during 2012, which reduced the level of cash flow meaning store sales will be affected by a decreased level of income remaining for shopping after spending on daily necessities. In addition to this, switching costs remain low for customer changing their preferences because of the diversity of options like Myer, K-Mart or the brand retailer like ZARA and Gucci. †¢ Counterfeit goods market As globalisation brings in new and various products, counterfeit goods also spread quickly. This has a negative influence on local retailers and trademark owners by taking away part of their local market share, taking advantage of the designs of a brand’s products as well as the millions of jobs lost, lost tax revenue and additional welfare spending as a result of counterfeit products. †¢ Competitive environment There are an increasing number of overseas and online competitors entering the Australia market. In addition, a strong Australia currency and online business exploration is also seen as a threat to retailers for it has a  deflationary impact on domestic sales4. †¢ Growing employment and wages – rising cost of doing business in general IbisWorld has stated that the capital to wage cost is expected to be 1:6.590 in 2013. Although industry research indicates employment and wages reducing in 2013, David Jones is increasing sales staff working hours and introducing hundreds of new positions in a bid to improve customer service and engagement. Part A-2 From our analysis on the external environment we have understood that in recent years the Australian department store industry has been characterised by increasing competition due to the presence of online competitors and overseas specialists, like Zara and Top Shop. Moreover, adverse macro-economic conditions further decrease the potential profitability of the industry. In fact after the GFC, a deteriorated â€Å"consumer sentiment index† and a reduced real household disposable income together with a strong Australian dollar increase the level of rivalry significantly. In this kind of environment, we strongly believe that DJS must rely on two fundamental capabilities: first class customer engagement and customer service and Brand Positioning. These two capabilities are mainly based on a common group of resources in addition to some specific resources that are tabled in Appendix X in detail. Upon analysis of the internal environment of DJS, the key factors for the success of the firm are: †¢ The property portfolio, which includes a basket of extremely well located and high-end profile buildings in all the major cities in Australia. These stores are unique and highly desirable assets for a premium retailer, are highly costly to imitate and difficult to substitute for potential premium competitors since they are a highly scarce resource. †¢ DJ’s is a particularly well-capitalised company with significant borrowing capacity as demonstrated by a gearing ratio of 13%, interest coverage ratio of 14.5x (FY12) and excess cash held allowing the company to continue investing in the development of its strategy. †¢ The brand portfolio; with over 1000 brands DJS can meet the expectations of its customers and ensure the preservation of its premium brand leadership as â€Å"home of brands† †¢ The employees and management culture; DJS has and continues to invest in training and development programs to ensure that the â€Å"face† and the â€Å"leaders† of the company are strongly oriented to customer retention and satisfaction. In assessing whether the two capabilities  mentioned above constitute a core competency for DJS, we have reached the following conclusion: 1) Ability to develop and maintain first class customer engagement and customer service Criteria Assessment Valuable Yes A high level of customer service is a key element for the success of the David Jones’ differentiation strategy. Rare Yes In the department store competitive arena only Myer have achieved a similar level of customer service. Non-substitutable Yes On-line based competitors can circumnavigate some key resources of this capability such as premium store locations and well-trained employees through an efficient on-line web store, however the physical experience of shopping in the store cannot be replaced. Costly-to-Imitate No First class customer service is extremely difficult to imitate and would require any potential competitor to heavily invest in training and services, although as Myer (Roy Morgan Awards in 2012) has shown this capability can be replicated in the long run. According to our vision, DJS has a temporary competitive advantage from its first class customer engagement and service since, at the status quo only Myer has a similar capability. However, it is of primary importance that DJS keep improving, for instance through an impeccable implementation of its OCR strategy in order to further improve the quality of its customer service so as to avoid new entrants reaching the same level of service. 2) Brand Positioning: ability to maintain premium leadership status in the department store market as the â€Å"Home of Brands† Criteria Assessment Valuable Yes This capability helps DJS to justify its premium price and to increase customer loyalty. Rare Yes The premium brand of DJS is a unique capability; no ones in the actual competitive environment can rely on a similar core competency. Non-substitutable Yes There is no strategic substitute for this capability; the DJS brand is one of the most iconic brands in Australia. Costly-to-Imitate Yes Developing a brand identity comparable to DJS is not one that can be achieved easily by competitors due to the massive investment required and the unique historical conditions that have contributed to form it. DJS has a Sustainable Competitive Advantage from its brand and in our opinion, the firm should heavily leverage on it to successfully implement its future strategy. PART A3 – Stakeholder Analysis Stakeholder group Specific interest Assessment of Shareholder value alignment 1. Employees Employees in David Jones as same as other employees who are interested in premium payout, promotion, training and recognition from employers. Fair company policies e.g. safety workplace and effective company communication and structure are additional requirement staff are looking – Employee reward to encourage employee to flow in their idea to the business e.g. Innovation Workshop – Training provided to retain staff: executive leadership program, Future leaders program, Operations Online Compliance Training – Incentive program in different level of management that align with shareholder value, e.g. New Frontline Incentive Incentive program only represents part of employees’ salary which means employees’ interest is not fully aligned with shareholders. 2. Customers Customers in David Jones prefer exclusiveness. The products they purchase from DJS won’t be able to find outside the store. That also applies to  shopping experiences which they are serviced in professional and friendly environment that cannot be experienced in other shops. Customers expect DJS can provide the best brand with premium quality and reasonable price. Only added value products can be found in DJS Customers are common to look for better price with top quality and service however shareholders expect DJS to be more profitable with generous dividend, especially DJS have maintained GP in these few years. It is a fact that both parties’ interests are contradicted. Ultimately customer satisfaction draws higher sales and margin. Mainly happy and loyal customers can maintain the profits in long term which shareholders can receive benefit 3. Suppliers They want to maintain good relationship with David Jones and make long term contract to get good margin for their business. Because of the reputation of DJ, suppliers want to achieve their brand recognition in the market. Suppliers’ value do not align with DJ’s shareholders’ value, they desire to maximize their margin but the cost of goods increase which lower shareholders dividend. But considering the brand recognition and reputation, both shareholders and suppliers want to capture market shares. They have to obtain a balance between their interests. 4. Community The community expects DJ concerns more about corporate social responsibility such as social wellbeing and environment sustainability such as producing environmental annual report and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. DJS outlines a list of environmentally sustainable managements to eliminate greenhouse gases, wastes and promote energy saving. DJS give charity leave to employees to support the National Breast Cancer Foundation and monetary support other charities. Community is not fully satisfied as DJS only concern a small portion of the society. Every group of stakeholders’ value has certain degree of alignment with shareholders but none of them is fully in lined. DJ relatively put more effort to appreciate employees who are the key personnel to draw the sales. However, the unbalance of stakeholders’ investment will disappoint the others and DJS should be careful to avoid any relationship damage. Part A-4: David Jones Generic Business Level Strategy In a highly concentrated and competitive retail environment, David Jones  pursues a Differentiation Strategy. It has historically targeted the 30 to 54 year old high income woman and the strategic factors relevant to her and is now seeking to expand this market to include the younger generation with medium to high disposable income. David Jones is known as a â€Å"quality† store and to achieve this, it focuses on providing a combination of exclusive product ranges, a high standard of customer service, image and store presentation and location. This is directly evidenced by optimisation of the David Jones private label and the introduction of over 300 new brands over the past 26 months. Additionally, further investment in customer service and engagement via increased frontline staff hours and in-store events as well as its continued focus on its personal shopping service and the introduction of style advisors offers their target shopper the complete shopping experience. PART B Transformation Suitability According to pro-rata population, the number of online customers in Australia ranks the third, but the sales generated from e-channel are far lower than other countries (IBIS-pp33). Although there is increasing competition in online business, retailers need online channels to expand business and take advantage of e-commerce to serve both national and international customers (IBIS-PP4). Feasibility In 2012, David Jones invested more than A$11 million in Technology CAPEX (AR12) and allocated a 200 person team in collaboration with IBM to successfully implement its â€Å"technological† revolution. High bargaining power with suppliers and very strong brand identity can greatly assist in the Price Harmonisation Process. Overall, David Jones has the necessary borrowing capacity and management skills to properly implement its turnaround strategy. Consistency DJS strategic point of â€Å"Transforming the Business† is not entirely consistent with its generic business level strategy but aims to provide a solid structural retail platform upon which its supplemental strategic points of â€Å"strengthening the core business† and â€Å"growing the store network† can  flourish as signified by price harmonisation which allows DJS to be competitive on price but not a â€Å"discounter†. Shareholders Value Implication This is risky to conclude that Omni channel is profitable when other competitors have already got a well developed system several years ago. The cost to maintain and develop this channel will take a couple of years to recover and reduce profit margin in the short term. Better customer engagement via mobile or internet and price reduction through price harmonization will attract more customers to shop at DJS over competitors, with potential to offset the expenses and eventually increase profit margin in long term. Strengthening the core business Suitability After the global financial crisis, expected profit margin decline to 3.9% in 2012-2013’s department industry with scaling back of disposable income, cost reduction becomes a key factor for keeping GP margin (IBIS pp19). Keeping high margin categories helps to increase GP margin. Brand portfolio is also important for mitigating competition from the effect of globalization. However, even though DJS has a better inventory management system, cutting time for clearance events may still cause excess inventories, which may incur inventory costs. Overall, this strategy is suitable in the current environment. Feasibility In 2012 David Jones added 85 new brands into its â€Å"Home of Brand† model. DJS can leverage on its brand positioning and on its knowledgeable merchandising team to develop its brand portfolio. DJS has the financial resources to fully complete the store refurbishment program. This together with the change in product mix (Fashion&Beauty/Home) should guarantee a higher GP margin. The reduction of the CODB is based on the management team’s capabilities and on the new investment in technology that have allowed a more efficient way of conducting business. Consistency â€Å"Strengthening the Core Business† is directly related to DJS generic strategy  of differentiation through its focus on â€Å"Offering the best National and International Brands† and the high value refurbishments it is undertaking. By continuing to invest in and expand its brand portfolio as well as the image and presentation of its stores and the provision of accompanying services, DJS provides an experience not offered by any other department store in Australia. Shareholders Value Implication In the short time, expanding labels and store refurbishment will lower DJS margin. In long term, the aim for David Jones is to minimize COBD and strengthen GP generation which improves operational profit and ultimately increases dividend to shareholders. B2 – Key Stakeholder Implications Impact on this stakeholder group Proposal to better align stakeholder interests with shareholder value 1. Employees Positive: open challenge and opportunity. It is risky but it will be profitable if success Negative: senior management was forced to leave DJS due to internal restructure happened in 2012.Time to adapt new systems and management. High risk to fail the negotiation with supplier to harmonise the cost. 2. Customers Positive: better shopping experience (store refurbishments). Open another channel to shop (Internet/mobile); welcome lower price; better customer service ; more brands to shop   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Increase customer retention and loyalty (more exclusive brands) – profitable customers which drive higher profit and give out more dividend. – Lower price encourage to choose DJ over competitors and potentially improve margin – Store refurbishment attracts more customers to come and visit. 3. Suppliers Negative: Cost of good is entitled to price harmonization agreement. Profit is minimised. Increase competition between suppliers when DJS introduce more labels to sell. – Increase brand awareness and market share to offset the margin loss due to price harmonisation. Shareholder is also benefit if sales are promoted by lowering the price. 4. Community Positive: Mobile apps and website will facilitate the communication with the community and provide more business opportunities to benefit the society. Introducing more products of choice to society and encouraging employment rate. Negative: refurbishment and new stores increase greenhouse gas emission and wastes. ​The new strategies have both positive and negative impact on stakeholders. The above analysis gives us a picture that customer is clear winner and supplier is loser in these new strategies. DJS has a lot of works to do in order to create the links of interest between all stakeholders and shareholders. Suppliers’ benefit will be captured in long term if DJS can achieve the goals of these strategies and increase sustainable sales.