Hobbies Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hobbies - Article Example I love McDonalds, and Starbucks is my home away from home. Some people like to collect to stamps, some like to paint'..I like to eat. Simple! I have yet another hobby that most people aren't aware off. I'm a serial killer!! Yes I'm the same person who some people and even animals are afraid off. Yes...and that's because I kill mosquitoes. I have a record hunting spree of killing 103 mosquitoes in a single hour. I kill by the dozen and that too with my bare hands. And I enjoy it. Weird right' Well that's me! Oh I left the favorite hobby of mine for the last. This is the most normal hobby that I have and it's a kind of hobby that most people have. Yes I'm talking about reading books. Bookworm sounds too nerdy, yet if it had been something cool, I would be a a proud bookworm. But obviously I read E-books. Harry Potters, Lord of the Rings, Stephan Kings, Dan Browns'.you name it and I most probably would have read it. I suppose you weren't expecting such a normal hobby from me, right' Wel l, I have to say it again'that's me '

Iran's Foreign Policy Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Iran's Foreign Policy - Research Proposal Example The election of President George Bush in 2000 dampened these hopes as he left moderate Iranians puzzled by his demonizing of Iran and the inclusion of the country in the 'axis of evil' along with North Korea (Katz, 2005, p.59). This set the stage for the election of the conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an Islamic nationalist that is suspicious of the US and capitalist countries, and has increased the tensions between the countries and elevated the risk of direct confrontation (Pirouz & Reed, 2005). The possibility that Iran may have a nuclear weapons program has made them a threat to the national security of the US. Iran poses a significant threat to the US national security from Islamic extremists that have considerable influence on the Iranian government. This has placed the advocates of a 'Holy War' against the United States in a position to disrupt trade or Iran's vital supply of petroleum. Regional disputes could spill over into Iran and involve a nation that may have nuclear capability. The current administration has professed the belief that Iran is going to get a nuclear weapon or the necessary resources to build one sometime in the near future (Sagan, 2006). If the US administration believes that Iran poses a significant economic or military threat there is a risk of the US taking preemptive action to prevent Iran from destabilizing the region or the world economy. The last 60 years have seen considerable swings in our relations with Iran. In 1951 Iranian Premier Ali Razmara, who was open to trade and favorable relations with the West, was assassinated and replaced by Mohammad Mossadeq. Mossadeq was a hardliner that planned to nationalize the country's oil reserves and limit the power of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a pro-western Shah (Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). In 1953 a joint operation between the CIA and British intelligence overthrew the Mossadeq regime in a military coup that put the Shah into power (Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). This began a period of favorable relations with Iran that lasted until the Shah's removal in the Iranian Revolution of 1979. The Iranian Revolution was accompanied by the taking of the American embassy and the kidnapping of its occupants in Tehran. This resulted in the Carter administration implementing sanctions against Iran and an embargo on Iranian oil. In 1995, Clinton banned all trade with Iran. These tough sanctions were temporarily eased as companies were allowed to sell food and medical supplies in 1999 (Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). The current US policy has labeled Iran a terrorist nation and in 2002 Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld stated that Iran was responsible for, " inspiring and financing a culture of political murder and suicide bombing" (as cited in Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). This policy has continued with tougher sanctions and a policy of non-negotiations. The Bush administration has continued to escalate the rhetoric against Iran and Iran has responded by taking provocative military actions against the US and British interests in the region. This has led to the curren t policy of economically and politically isolating Iran in an effort to get them to curb their nuclear ambitions (Katzman, 2007, p.2). Faced with a hostile nation that may possess a nuclear weapon in the near future highlights the importance of having an effective policy in regards to

Impact of Uninsured Population Project PART TWO & FINAL Essay

Impact of Uninsured Population Project PART TWO & FINAL - Essay Example With more and more states, Texas included, passing laws making it illegal for immigrants here without papers to receive benefits, medical insurance becomes unavailable for these individuals and their families. Illegal immigrants coming into Texas are young and healthy workers, but as years pass, these workers have children, and grow older. This makes illegal immigrants have the same medical needs as average Americans. However, because of their illegal status, many of these individuals put off routine health care. Wolf (2008) suggests â€Å"For many illegal immigrants, the fear of deportation outweighs the pain of illness or injury, so they live with their afflictions rather than seeking help until their health problems become critical.† An example would by high blood pressure. Most Americans go to the doctor and are placed on medication. An illegal immigrant will live with high blood pressure until they have a heart attack or stroke. Wolf (2008) explains â€Å"Illegal immigrants can get emergency care through Medicaid, the federal-state program for the poor and people with disabilities. But they cant get non-emergency care unless they pay. They are ineligible for most other public benefits.† Since medical care is so high, many immigrants can only receive care through the emergency room. The organization that will be affected by the uninsured Texas illegal immigrants would be the taxpayers of Texas first and foremost, but then the emergency rooms around the state taking these individuals in. Money does not grow on trees. If the state of Texas runs out of money allotted for medical expenses for the uninsured, or with the new legislation passed making it illegal to give undocumented immigrants benefits, the hospitals take up the slack. Then hard choices must be made. Wolf (2008) states â€Å"The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston is considering denying cancer care to

Week 8 Question 1 Venture Capital Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 8 Question 1 Venture Capital - Assignment Example The company was making plans of launching new products and required a significant amount of money and venture capital was the best option for the company (Metrick & Yasuda, 2010). The venture capitalists that funded the operations of the company were mainly from the field of healthcare. Castlight Health Inc. stands to gain from the venture capital because it is yet to go public and at that time it would have expanded its operations which translate to higher profits. †¢Assess the challenges for businesses using the resources of a venture capitalist, given that significant returns on the investment are likely to be impacted by the firm. Indicate how a business can manage these expectations. Provide support for your rationale. The main disadvantage of venture capital is that it requires a very short time in generating cash. This puts a lot of financial pressure on the company and this may interfere with its daily operations. There is also the element of loss of control because the venture capitalist has made significant financial contributions in the operations of the company (Haislip, 2010). They venture capitalist may insist on appointing a representative on the management of the company. However, the business can manage the challenges by drafting an agreement to a number of restrictions as part of the deal. This includes the amount of cash to be paid and the number of people to be involved in the management team (Gladstone & Gladstone,

Hallstead Case Essay Example for Free

Hallstead Case Essay 1.)The breakeven point in number of sales has risen along with the breakeven point in sales dollars from 2003 to 2006. The margin of safety has decreased as well. Every year they have to increase the number of sales tickets then the previous year to meet their breakeven point. After 2004 when expansion of the store begun, Hallstead’s fixed cost have grown each year. The decrease from 2004 to 2006 is far less substantial than from 2003 to 2004. This damage is cause by the stores expansion. It is renting a much larger space down the street from its previous location. This has incurred much lager expenses each year then in than prior to 2004. 2.)Yes, the company’s income would increase. The new breakeven point in sales dollars would be approximately $6.03 million. 3.)Eliminating sales commission would have a huge effect on the breakeven volume. If they follow through with Gretchen’s idea of eliminating sales commission their expenses would decrease a great deal each year. They would not have to make nearly as many sales to breakeven. Although this could have an adverse effect on the sales volume. Employees will not be nearly as aggressive in making sales because it will not affect their personal income. Employees could act disapprovingly towards this new measure, affecting the bottom line negatively in the long run. 4.)If Hallstead added an additional $200,000 to advertising each year they would have to increase the sales volume considerably, that’s if they decide not to do away with sales commission. 5.)Average sales would have to increase over $24 to break even if fixed costs remained the same. 6.)I would recommend that Hallstead Jewelers listen to the consultant that suggested price reduction to increase sales. I believe this would be a smart move because with the new store they have room for more sales then the previous location so upping sales numbers is an important step. If reducing sales doesn’t help improve the bottom line, I would then suggest that they eliminate sales commission. Although this as been an important part of business, eliminating sales commission would greatly decrease their yearly expense. I think adding advertising after their recent move is extremely important. Although it is a $200,000 expense, it could increase sales significantly. These are my suggestions for Hallstead Jewelers

Stryker Corporation Business Analysis

Stryker Corporation Business Analysis Introduction The purpose of this project is to analyze an established company. The report will provide brief background of the company and its culture, critical analysis of a venture and its key people, core business model and business opportunities. The reader will be able to see the analysis of the most recent entrepreneurial thing that company did and major issues within the organization. In conclusion there will be a methodical critic from an entrepreneurial prospective provided that leads to the possible solutions for future. Company Description Stryker Corporation is a medical technology business that develops and manufactures medical implants, surgical technologies, emergency medical and patient handling equipment as well as execution beds of the death penalized people. They make their best effort by cooperating with their customers to run effective healthcare method and bring healthy lives back to the patients. They do not just make a product, but they also provide service to help people. Stryker is broadly based all round the world and is divided into numerous decentralized operational units, each performing as a detached entity: Stryker Biotech, Stryker Canada, Stryker Communications, Stryker Craniomaxillofacial, Stryker Development, Stryker Endoscopy, Stryker Imaging, Stryker Japan, Stryker Latin America, Stryker MedSurg, Stryker Orthopaedics and Stryker Spine. Venture is built on sustainability, creating a long-term contribution in responsible manner to patients, suppliers and buyers, communities, corporate governance and stakeholders. Its products, locations and service contributions are diverse; hence there are different types of motions within medical business that fully outline their social responsible behavior. Stryker was founded by Dr. Homer Stryker in 1941, an orthopedic doctor that investigated and designed new mechanisms. His inventions led Stryker to slowly integrate into the business and starting to gain capital Stryker was at the level of a small but well-built company. One invention after another and Stryker capitalized more assets that gave a lift to expansion and in 1964 the name of the company was changed to Stryker Corporation. Characteristics of the business opportunities In the middle of 19th century it was relatively easy to enter medical industry due to minimal amount of competition, thus nowadays analyzing Five Forces Approach it is barely impossible to do so, regarding the fact that rivalry among existing firms is too high. Company started operating in 1940s, before the beginning of World War 2, in their pre-mature stage of development Stryker has had a big boom in their demand. Dr. Homer Stryker was in the right place, at the right time. Concerning ventures clearly defined opportunity, it can be stated that Stryker was never eager to gain a pot, he was interested in improving peoples lives, thus taking risks. It can be clearly seen from a quote made by Ronda Stryker, Dr.Homers granddaughter: My grandpa was innovative and took risks. He was always trying to improve what he had and cared more about helping people than he cared about the money he made (Stryker, 2009). In the last century it was a great opportunity to start medical business that was weakly developed and unexamined, taking into consideration the fact that you would be willing to spend a lot of your capital on Research and development to progress. Core business model Next part describes Strykers core business model by using the business model canvas which clearly states the main points which should be included in a Business Model. Key Partners: The main partners of Stryker Corp. are mainly the employees since they are the ones selling the products. The company attaches a major importance to the close relationship between employees and clients. The main objectives for the employees is to understand the clients needs and to provide them with what they want, but also since the employee is so closely related to the guest he is also the one being innovative by suggesting new ideas in order to totally fulfill clients demand. The clients represent key partners as well. They are mainly independent hospitals and surgery centers. Stryker Corp. works with these healthcare centers in order for them to help patients in the most efficient way. Competitors are also among the key partners. There are major and smaller competitors. Of course Stryker Corp. has an advantage since it was one of the first movers in this industry and it is always focusing on improving quality, service and innovation. Stryker Corp. has very strong established network with its suppliers. Company pays a lot of attention on maintaining these relationships in order to ensure smooth running of business. Key Activities: The main activity of Stryker Corp. is sales of medical equipment such as hospital beds, operating room devices and medical devices. The company has a very strong sales force since their employees work on commission, which highly motivates them to perform better. Stryker Corp. states that their sales approach is focusing on personal relationships with individual decision makers. The company also attaches an importance on marketing and Research and development activities, since the main aim of the business is to always be innovative and to come up with new products and communicate those products effectively to their customers. In order to do so, Stryker has participated in advertisement campaigns over the past few years. Company also provides its customers with a very detailed website. Another key activity is maintaining close relationship between the employee and the customer that helps them retain most of these customers and make sure that the world of healthcare is aware of what Stryker Corp. is providing. Key resources: Here, once again, the main resource of the company is its employees. For Stryker Corp. it is important to hire people who share the same vision as to improve patients lives as well as clinical efficiency and effectiveness. The company makes sure to provide them with a safe working environment, strong benefits, services compensation and personal growth opportunities. Stryker has received the Gallup workplace Award which ranks them at the top working places on the world (Stryker, 2009). Another key resource for the company is its knowledge and innovation. Over the past year Stryker Corp. has spent a considerable amount into research and development in order to always come up with the latest technology and the most performing products. Other key resources are assets of the company, its technology, products and capital resources. One of the most important resources is the brand of the venture. All of the resources are required to deliver the value proposition to the target group. Value Proposition: Stryker Corp. focuses on having the highest quality standards in order to offer the best products to its customers. The following are the factors that Stryker relies on: product quality, performance criteria and price. Company wants to offer the top products in the and also the service that goes with it. In order to do so, employees receive special training programs that help them understand clients needs and demands and how to be able to fulfill them is the most efficient way. The design of products has to be made to reduce risks, enhance health and safety, but also to able the doctors to work faster and be more efficient. As mentioned above for Stryker Corp. value of its product is one of the main factors they focus on. Customer Relationship: Compared to other companies, Stryker Corp. has a very close relationship with their customers. This is done to understand them better and to be able to offer them what they are looking for. By having such a close relation clients feel special and they become loyal to the company. As the CEO, Mr. Macmillan mentioned, We dont just make products, we make products and we provide services that help people (Stryker, 2009). In this industry the relation between customers and business is of a high importance, since together they can create more advanced products which will contribute in healthy lives of millions of people worldwide. Customer Segments: Stryker Corp.s target market is known to be the medical professionals and healthcare providers that represent a very high scale demand. That is why the company is operating all around the world to stay the number one provider of medical and healthcare devices. Channels: Stryker operates through twelve manufacturing and distributions divisions with over 15,000 employees in 120 countries. Stryker has a decentralized system, with its headquarters in the U.S. and several offices around the world, which allows the company to make faster decisions about products and strategies. There is a direct communication between the company, suppliers and customers to make sure to provide them with fast and efficient services. Revenue Streams: Stryker Corp.s main revenues are from its sales of medical devices. As mentioned before, the company is divided into several departments the one with the highest revenue being orthopedics. The company itself had sales of 6.7 billion dollars in 2008, with an annual sales growth of 21%. Stryker is traded on the NYSE, it is one of the fortune 400 companies in the world and top 50 Company in the Business Week. Cost Structure: The main costs of Stryker Corp. are mainly allocated in the Research and development segment. Company decided to invest mainly in this segment since it always wants to be the leading healthcare provider and it is highly important to keep up with the technology and to always try to improve the healthcare system. Innovation, risk-taking and pro-activity of the venture and its key people Stryker Corp. is committed to the product quality and highly values innovation. Innovation is the essence of companys dedication to their clients. Research and development teams are working closely with the customers in order to understand their needs better and improve the products. The important part of innovation process is the feedback from people that is conducted periodically. The Stryker Global Technology Center is a core division that is working to boost the innovation to reduce costs while increasing quality. The key person in this area is Ray Umber, Ph.D., business development manager at Stryker. He came up with several innovative ideas that led Stryker to the top place in certain industry segments and now he giving others an opportunity to learn from his experience through training and practice (Stryker , 2009). From the time when the company was established it is obvious that risk-taking is a big part of all operations. Initial risks are connected directly to the risky nature of the industry. One of the most recent examples of risk-taking was the decision to change the vision of the company after many years of operating. There are also risks associated with decisions of expanding the business through acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships. Over the time line of Stryker Corp. it is evident how pro-active the venture is. Acquisitions play a big role in companys expansion. Stryker Corp. strategically grows into related industries to increase its products offering and get access to new resources and technologies. Over last year company acquired numerous ventures that are important investments for future success. This is also a high risk, since acquisitions require big amount of capital expenditures. Based on the financial situation in the world due to the 2008 crisis, such decisions can be seen as risky. However, Stryker orients on long-term strategy where these acquisitions are important. Proactive programs are also taking place on the smaller level inside the company. Last year, Stryker Corp. presented the program Proactive Distributor Selling that gives managers the opportunity and capacity to better develop, manage, and coach distributor relationships to maximize sales training results (n.a., 2009). Proactive approach is seen throughout all divisions of the company, from supply chains, manufacturing to sales. Company is adapting changes all the time with a goal of improving operations and value of the business. The present CEO of Stryker Corp., Stephen MacMillan is a perfect example of a proactive leader. He leads the company through a change time, explains the reasons and future moves, motivates people to adapt and react to these changes. Traits and characteristics associated of the companys key people There are three key people throughout the history of Stryker Corp.: three CEOs who led the company to the success and who had different traits and characteristics, which makes them successful entrepreneurs. First person who deserves an acknowledgement is the first CEO, Dr. Homer Stryker. He was the one who started the company being driven by his passion and interest in improving patients care. He was a very innovative person, many of his ideas became standards in the industry of medical equipment nowadays. During his work as a surgeon he encountered few problems and difficulties that he saw as opportunities for improvement. One of the main reasons of his success and success of his product was the fact that he was doing what he liked, what he was passionate about. He believed that his inventions will change the medical practice in a better way. He knew how to look at his business from customers perspective, therefore his products were always a match of their needs. Due to his achievements Stryker Corp. grew and became an international producer of medical equipment and surgical products. Second remarkable person is John Brown. His time as the CEO of a company was notable by quite different achievements than his predecessor. John Brown was a risk-taker, he made decisions to decentralize the company after many years being centralized. He saw big future for Stryker Corp. and this step was necessary at the time. He was a good planner who knew how to motivate people by giving them empowerment and responsibilities. Under his management members of the sales team got possibilities to get involved into creation of innovative products due to their good knowledge of customers. His 20% forever rule led the company to the new heights. John Brown built up the competitive advantage for Stryker Corp. that still serves the company. He had an ability to foresee, to manage company wisely, he kept the company going towards success. One of the key people in the company today and the example of successful entrepreneur is Stephen MacMillan, the present CEO of Stryker Corp. He wants to move the company further and expand its operating field. He is passionate about raising the level and often exceeds his own ambitious goals. As well as John Brown he took a risky decision of changing the vision of the company. This is a fundamental change that takes a lot of hard work to ensure success. For Stephen MacMillan, its all about coaching his team to stay ahead of the pack (Much, 2006). He has a great ability to motivate people, to manage companys resources wisely, plan everything one step ahead. He creates a positive image for Stryker Corp., gets involved in companys affairs and builds solid reputation for himself and company as a whole. Companys culture, values, vision and mission Stryker Corp. is the global leader in medical technology industry with the long history of success and strongly established culture. Success of the venture lays in discipline, stamina, ability to recognize the opportunities in the market, move quickly and adapt to current changes. Furthermore, culture differs from company to company and it is usually established naturally. Every time when people come together with the shared purpose culture is created. Stryker Corp.s culture was changing throughout the past, different set of values and incentives were created for employees, with aim to increase the overall financial performance of the company and bring back the benefits to patients, shareholders, community and its employees. Today they are focused on innovation, improving the quality of the products in order to build up trust and integrity. According to their mission statement: What matters most to us and to our customers is quality innovation and cost. Those are three areas how we are delivering for today and investing in future (Stryker, 2009). Companys strong financial and leadership position put the expectation for its products even higher and according to that company has to find the way to exceed customer expectations. Moreover, one of the core values and components in the Stryker Corp.s culture is sustainability. Organization believes in making differences by partnering with their customers and providing them effective healthcare system in order to improve health of their patients. It has built up strong believes and attitudes with their employees that present the essence for their future expansion. According to Striker Corp. they do not just make products our technologies, solutions and services are focused on improving the peoples life (Stryker, 2009). They strive to develop and manufacture products that could sustain the environment and its resou rces. With being sustainable in such a demanding and vigilant industry where the space to make mistake is highly minimized, companys sustainable commitment and responsibility is placed on the highest level. One of the key values is being Social Responsible Corporation in everything what business does. Venture acts as corporate citizen with strong commitment to the patient care by producing the safe products, high quality instrumentation and implants, seeking to minimize the negative effect on the environment, supporting the humanitarian missions and improving quality of life for patients. Building up the trust with customers and patients is everything what social responsibility is. Moreover, vision statement that presents the power tool to retain people with constant shared values was changing in the past with Stryker Corp. as well. Today Stryker Corp. emphasizes on ethics and their vision is: producing products which improve the lives of patients, providing employees with a challenging and rewarding work environment, supporting the communities in which we operate, and generating exceptional returns for our shareholders (Stryker , 2009). Stryker Corp. is not just profit oriented as it used to be before. Now the essential part of its success is the fact that company became more efficient and sociable responsible. Stryker is everything what entrepreneurship is. It was found by Dr. Homer Stryker and his innovative idea that enabled Stryker to be become what it is today, the leader in medical technology. Stryker Corp. involves sense of innovation and constant risk taking that is associated on the daily basis since it is operating in a very sensible environment. Evaluation of failures Stryker Corp. is a strong believer in ethics and bringing the special spirit within its people to compete, make changes and win over the long term. Because of their strong reputation in such sensitive industry, where one mistake or product defect could leave undesired consequences on their image and brand, failures are not tolerated. Taking the case of Surgical Navigation System, where there was a reasonable probability that a product could cause health problems or even create consequences leading to death, Stryker Corp. recalled the product and stopped its usage. This gave the company bad publicity, but it responded fast by pulling out all products from the market and arranging repair for all of them. Very important fact is that in this case Stryker Corp. assumed its responsibility and closely cooperated with public, special control agencies and auditors. After this company became even more cautious and increased safety and security measurements in order to minimize the risks and pr event negative impacts that can decrease their performance in a demanding and competitive market. Recent entrepreneurial thing Apart from the fundamental change of the companys vision that was discussed earlier, one of the main changes, which happened within Stryker Corp. in 2009, was that the Stryker legend, John W. Brown, retired from the board of directors. As mentioned previously he was one of the biggest influences towards the growth of the company. With his retirement the company decided to hire two more directors to replace his position in the board. One of the new members, Mr. Howard Lance is a former chairman, President and CEO of Harris Corporation, which based its operations mainly on telecommunications. The reason for this recruitment was to use his experience and knowledge within the Hong Kong market, where he has lived and worked since Strykers 2010 goal was to expand in the Chinese market. The second gentleman, Mr. Srikant Datar is a former professor of Harvard Business School, who already brings new perspectives towards the team, especially towards the emerging markets. However, mainly his responsibility will lie in bringing new entrepreneurial ideas towards the bio-tech field of the company. The reason this recruitment is the most entrepreneurial thing the company did in the past year is because it will bring a new perspective and help the company grow stronger in the years ahead. Since the company is currently facing consequences of the economic crisis something entrepreneurial had to be organized in order for the company to differentiate from the competition and persuade to their goal of being number one in the medical industry. Idea of hiring a former telecommunication CEO might not seem much related to the medical industry, but from an entrepreneurial side of view it brings new ideas and risks, which will lead the company towards growth. Major problem in the venture The major problem area not for Stryker Corp. only, but also for majority of organizations around the world, is the crisis. Looking at previous years, Stryker has always had a significant growth rate, even in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, however, it changed. Stryker only managed a growth rate of 0.1% in sales and 4% in earnings per share. As Mr. MacMillan states in the 2009 annual report, Clearly, this is not the kind of revenue and earnings growth our shareholders have historically expected from us, and we will never be satisfied with delivering results like these (Stryker, 2009), indicating that these numbers are not up to the satisfaction level in order to meet their goals. On the other hand he also states that 2009 felt more like a boxing match. We went toe-to-toe with a volatile global economy, rolled with some marketplace punches, moved quickly and battled back (Stryker, 2009). Here he is describing how tough the year was for the company in terms of keeping it up to the level expecte d by the shareholders. The crisis itself is the major problem. But within the crisis, sub-problems are found such as the fact that it leaves the market place in an unstable condition, where customers are afraid to buy products. The most common solution is to produce more effectively and lower the costs. Stryker Corp. did just that. The problem was that the quality decreased. The FDA (Food Drug Administration) has through the years become stricter in regulating the medical industry and this affected Stryker Corp. by receiving three warning letters upon their quality on products. The complaints mainly address their biotech and hip implant sector. Company was also accused for falsified hospital documentation, which is not just a quality problem, but becomes a PR problem. Competition is also a major indicator in the problem of reducing your costs. The medical industry is highly competitive industry, especially when it comes to innovations that increase quality and safety. Innovations, on the other hand, requi re big capital expenditures. To stay competitive Stryker Corp. had to further invest in this sector. The last problem in the year 2009 is that Stryker Corp. has some elements of a decentralized company (recent organization is hybrid between centralized and decentralized structure), which makes it difficult to carry out the same plan towards fighting the crisis in all operating countries. Possible solution and evaluation The next step in the problem analysis is to identify possible solutions towards the problem in order to achieve better results in 2010. The suggestions are listed below: Keep the operations as they are, since the market will grow by itself in 2010. Increase expenses on improving the quality Decrease production costs in order to decrease price Fully centralize the company Invest more in innovations to improve competitive advantage Hire a consultant, who can ensure the quality of the products being produced Increase PR spending to increase the companys image In order to find best-match solution, all of them need to be evaluated. The first point can be good, if their market analyst is correct. On the other hand, the market is unpredictable in most cases, therefore, the company would undertake a risk by following this statement of growth. Thus, first option is not a valid solution to the problem. Second possible solution based on the fact that quality was the major sub-problem that arose from the crisis and it is vital to ensure both PR and customer loyalty. Therefore, this option should be considered. Next alternative outlines a theory that is a must do to any companys future success. Decreasing production cost should always be a big part in order to achieve economies of scale, but decreasing that should not be a reason for decreasing the price, because once the recession will come to an end, the company will benefit more from not having changed the price. Solution number 4 is an absolute no-go solution. A major change such a centralizing the company in the times of crisis will just bring more trouble and confusion then there is already. In addition, if the communication is strong, the decision making towards changes in the market will be perceived much faster in a decentralized company or hybrid. Alternative number 5 is probably not the best solution in this case. In the times of crisis there is no need to further increase spending on innovations and most likely that competitors will not do it either since every company is trying to manage their expenses wisely. However, it does not mean that innovation segment must be neglected since it is one of the key elements in this industry. The most reasonable solution is number 6 in terms of sustaining the quality of the products produced and redistributed. It is always helpful to have someone from outside the company to give opinions upon the products and basic operations. Last alternative would also not contribute towards the major challenge of fighting the crisis, since it would mean more expenditure, which indirectly contributes to growth. To finalize upon the options analyzed above, the recommendation for Stryker Corp. would be to hire a consultant and continuously try to decrease costs. The consultant would ensure higher quality and ultimately increase in companys image since fewer customers would have complaints upon the products. In addition, with consultants help, reduced number or no warning letters from the FDA can be achieved. In order to come back to the growth expected by shareholders, our recommendation is to continuously decrease costs and thereby achieve economies of scale. Conclusion Stryker Corp. is a major company in the worlds medical device industry and not an individual business anymore, as it is seen from entrepreneurial perspective. However, its key people and their activities are remarkable from this point of view. This venture has an organized structure, clear goals and objectives that drive company towards continuous growth. Based on evaluation of core business model and major problems that Stryker Corp. has today, there are still many business opportunities that can be undertaken and recommendations provided will contribute in the future success.

The Implications For Social Work Practice Social Work Essay

The Implications For Social Work Practice Social Work Essay What are the implications for social work practice? What more can social work as a profession do to actively promote an education agenda for looked after children? What might an individual social worker do? There is an inherent barrier between social workers and looked after children and young people. This has been formed over time because of a number of factors, firstly the turnover of staff makes it near impossible for children and young people to form relationships with the social worker, reducing their confidence in discussing issues that may be of a great concern to them. The status alone of a social workers can prevent some children from wanting to discuss matters because of the societal stigma attached to having a social worker. The stigma is not something that social workers alone as professionals can eliminate, society can and only when society accepts that social workers are doing positive work, and start to learn about the positive work they are doing, through the media and other resources. Then we can start to break down the stigma attached to social workers and enable all individuals to have the confidence of discussing issues with their social worker. Staff turnovers within children services have been high and highlighted in the media on numerous occasions (ref). To reduce the turnover, staff need to feel confident in the work they are conducting and safe from media scrutiny when the problems lie out of their hands. The caseload they have could also be investigated to ensure that the number of cases they have does not start to affect their practice. When there are particular cases that are quite complex and need lots of time allocated to, meaning other cases may be neglected. In 2010, the Ofsted safeguarding and looked after children national results of the childrens social work practitioners survey stated that social workers caseloads are unmanageable and because of an underlying ethos of disciplinaries, those who were struggling with their workload were too frightened to say that they could not manage. To enable a change within this area of social work, management and Local Authorities need to look at a different approach to caseload work, and to facilitate their staff to have the confidence when they cannot manage the caseload they have (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children third report, 2009). Social workers who work with children and families also need the best possible training and support to meet the usual and complex demands of their work. Looked after children, their families and carers need to know that the social workers whom they are working with have the right skills, knowledge, and experience to help them through often complex situations. Since 2008 the Childrens workforce Development Council has focused on ensuring social workers have more support within their role in childrens services. Social workers can embrace this change to ensure that they can stay within this area of social work. The opportunities of training will enable more experienced social workers to remain in childrens services. Looked after children have a number of needs that must be met to ensure their educational outcomes can be achieved. Recent legislation (Jackson et al, 2002) has attempted to address the factors that can contribute to successful educational outcomes including stable and consistent care, regular attendance at school, if they miss any school to catch up so they are at the same level as their peers. Research (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children third report, 2009) has shown that looked after children and young people need support from their carers whether foster carers or carers within residential homes in all areas of their lives. The carers need to understand the importance of education so the child can have educational opportunities in the future. They also need to be informed by social workers about the financial support that is available for those children who are not reaching expected standards of attainment. The paper Care Matters: Transforming the Live s of Children and Young People in Care (2007) proposed new initiatives and recommendations including agency links between adults and childrens services to ensure that professionals within the departments ensure they see the family as a whole. To implement a tired framework of foster carers that work at different levels of need. To implement new recruitment changes of foster carers so those with more experience and higher qualifications are suitable for those children who have more needs to meet. Social workers are responsible for placing looked after children and young people within placements that match. Having more understanding of the importance of education both as individual social workers and as a profession will enable them to highlight how important it is to their possible carers. The reasons why young people in care are in need of educational support are because the Local Authority is the corporate parent social workers should advocate for them like they would their own child. As Local Authorities have a legal duty to promote the education of children in care, specifically children in care because of the research (Jackson et al, 2002) that shows the number of looked after children who considerably underachieve at school. Research has shown that (Jackson et al, 2002) a good education can help provide a basis to enter adulthood successfully (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children third report, 2009). To ensure that young people in care attend school social workers must promote the value of a good education. Discuss with the young person their ambitions, expectations and achievements like any other parent would. The Children Act (2004) states that Local Authorities are required to ensure appropriate education provision can be provided before the young persons placement starts, unless in an emergency. Social workers are also required to support those care leavers who have entered higher education until they are 24, and until 21 otherwise. Social workers need to continue to promote the education of looked after children, be available to give advice and support to professionals as well as family, the child and their carers. Social workers must also promote a stable environment for the young person in care. Jackson and Thomas (2000) maintain that stability is universally seen as a desirable goal in relation to  looked  after  children. This is because staying in the same place lets  children  to recover from separation  and  adverse experiences, it provides them with the opportunity to make new attachments. Jackson and Thomas (2000) argue that if they are of school age, it will probably allow them to progress at the same school, enabling them to keep their friends and stay near to their usual environment. Stability gives  children  the opportunity to learn, to feel they belong to someone  and  to be nurtured. When  children  cannot have stability in the place where they live, it is important for them to have consistency as far as possible (Jackson  and  Thomas 2000). For example maintaining the same school  and  social  worker are very important. There are many reasons why  children  change placements. There can be changes to the child  and  familys circumstances. Sinclair (2005) suggests that when foster care breakdown has occurred lack of  social  work support may have contributed to placement breakdown. Unless looked after young people have the stability to form relationships, engage within school and have educational achievements how can social work as a profession promote entering tertiary education when the basics of meeting the childs needs are not available. Within research (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children third report, 2009) there seems to be a lack of focus on education and achievement of looked after children from the earliest point. Children do their best when there is stability and consistency. Giving education a priority seems too risky. Most social workers would place the child nearer to the family rather than to keep the stability of the childs education. When making these decisions around placements social workers and management seem risk averse, they focus on the childs present situation not taking account of the long term impact of how much a good education can offer. There has often been a short sightedness within social work of looked after young people leaving care at an early age of 18 when legally the Local Authority is still responsible for them until 21 or until 24 if in higher education. In 2008, of the young people who left care aged 16 or over, 39% were aged 16 or 17, and 61% left on their 18th birthday (Department for education, 2008). The average age of young people not in care who leave home is 24 (Care matters, green paper, 2006). Some looked after young people may have chosen to leave care at the earliest possibility because the time spent in the placement has been so miserable. But they should still be given the option to stay within care until the Local Authority is no longer legally obliged to care for them. Do parents stop being parents at 21 or 24? Why should the Local Authority be able to stop and cut off their support that the young person has relied upon. Consequently, those looked after young people who are particularly vulnerable who have been supported hopefully positively by social workers and carers who when the child turns 18 are no longer entitled to benefits to accommodate them, its only on their good will the young person is then expected to cope with life with very little help and support (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children third report, 2009). As a profession and individually social workers need to recognise that young people will transition into adulthood at different times and in different ways. Many may take to it easily and enjoy the independence it brings, some may find it harder and need extra support. Social workers should show more commitment to reducing the age gap of those leaving care and those young people whom leave their families homes independently (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children, third report, 2009). The White paper care matters (2007) introduced new schemes which addressed the number of looked after young people who were leaving care too early. These included the Right2BCared4 and Staying put. The right to be cared for allows the young person to make decisions around leaving their placement, with the Children and Young Persons Act (2008) a looked after child has to have a statutory review before they are moved from a care placement. The staying put scheme allows a looked after young person to stay in foster care until 21. If young people in care have the desire to continue their education and enter higher education then social workers should support them as much as possible to help them achieve their goals. The main implication for social work practice is arguing for resources. If you help one young person in care get resources for extra tutoring, like most parents are now seen keen to do can we help all? Whether it is fair or not within different Local Authorities young people in care are now offering more than others, the postcode lottery could mean going onto further education, getting a better job or finishing care early and coping on the fringes of society. Some would argue that it is unfair to offer an assessment, but as long as the social worker can evidence the different needs then why should they not argue and advocate on behalf of the young person like any other parent would, especially when the young person is particularly bright, if not given the help these are the individuals who would be hurt the most. When the young person in care has decided that further education is a goal they may find it difficult to enter University straight away because of their psychological state. Not everyone who has not in care enters University at 18, because of age limits and support available until a certain age young people in care are given a time limit of when they can enter University. As a profession social work can promote the possibility of entering University at an older age and highlighting to the Local Authorities and Governments that they can be available for support until the young person has finished their University course. The practical arrangements of entering University can be that daunting that some young people in care may decide its too much. Unlike others who can go home when time term has ended, where can the young person in care go? Who takes the responsibility to provide accommodation during this time? Social workers should understand the benefits of further education. Therefore employ the role as advocates on behalf of all young people in care to highlight these potential problems and how to overcome them, for example work with foster carers to be able to provide accommodation on short term basis whilst not at University, Investigate into other young people in care within the Local Authority accessing tertiary education and see what voluntary organisations can provide if resources are low. Social workers should also promote the approaches other countries use, as they have a higher amount of young people in care accessing tertiary education, it may be that the style of social work could change. Social work may have to employ more resources into residential care, some of the most vulnerable and challenging young people in care are accommodated within residential care, why should these individuals have fewer opportunities than those who are easier to place and care for. They may also have to be more involved with foster carers and families to ensure that they understand the importance of education, and its potential benefits if the young person has good educational achievements.