Reflective Paper: Quality Systems, Control and Motivation Essay

Identify functional and dysfunctional control systems within your own organization. Dell believes that an effective strategy for improving quality and that it has achieved results in their organizations. The enterprise faces several issues on the road to long-term continuous improvement. This list of causes provides a checklist of organizational barriers which represent ongoing quality struggles for many quality organizations. This list can be broken down into three categories of quality problems: People problems which cover individuals not performing their jobs effectively, communication breakdowns, lack of teamwork/conflict, poorly trained workers and lack of worker input and commitment. Management problems which include improper supervision, conflicting/unrealistic goals, poor planning and organizing, lack of resources, and lack of top management support. Quality system problems which encompass ineffective corrective action procedures, people not aware that quality problems exist (ineffective feedback mechanisms), ineffective measurement procedures, unrealistic quality standards, and technology/equipment problems (Longenecker & Scazzero, 1993). I believe that taken together, long-term quality improvement efforts must address specific people, management and system problems that either develop or persist over time. In reviewing the specific examples of ongoing quality problems presented in the study, it is interesting to note the almost total absence of technical problems. Deming has observed that technical problems are often relatively easier to address where quality is concerned (Deming, 1984). The majority of problems are softer in nature: people and managerial factors. This supports the widely-held view that people and managerial issues are the key to long-term quality improvement and that these issues require an ongoing adjustment (alignment) in an organization’s overall operating culture and management practice. Interpret criteria for developing and evaluating control systems. In reviewing managerial perceptions of quality control and systems of Dell, a number of rather interesting paradoxes and contrasts emerge. First, managers strongly believe that TQM efforts improves quality, yet their organizations are not so likely to implement quality principles fully into their overall management philosophy and strategy. Second, while there are tools such as TQM that are perceived as effective in improving quality, enthusiasm and support for the process diminish with time. Third, while most managers admit that there is still room for improvement and that ongoing quality problems exist, I feel that Dell is less than completely focused on dealing with long-term quality problems. These factors are issues which all quality organizations must strive to address on a long-term basis and organizations would be well-served to consider the following lessons in the development and evaluation of quality control systems: The conduct an organizational audit of the current qualty system. Maturing quality organizations are well served to survey management personnel on the issues identified in their respective organisations to evaluate their present perception of the organization’s quality processes and the consequences of these perceptions. Dell managers should be surveyed first to assess their belief in the quality process and willingness to support this effort in both word and deed. Workers should then be surveyed to elicit their perceptions and input of the organization’s quality process to determining their support and confidence in the system. Such an audit permits the firm a chance to determine its status along the quality continuum and provides input on what procedure the firm must undertake to move forward in the quality system maturation process. The feedback garnered from this process can be an invaluable source of information and impetus for change. Dell management support/action is critical to long-term quality improvement. It is a well-documented fact that management support is needed to get any quality effort started. What is not always apparent is the necessity of the continued involvement and support managers must demonstrate to keep quality efforts viable. To this end, top management must make continuous improvement an ongoing priority for managers throughout the organization. Managers’ roles and duties must be specified with continuous improvement as part and parcel of every manager’s job description. Involvement in correction action teams, providing leadership on defining and refining quality standards, providing the resources necessary for improvement, developing and implementing feedback mechanisms and coaching are all critical elements of a manager’s job as a quality leader. Managers must be selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and rewarded on their ability to foster continuous improvement in their areas of responsibility within the organization. Without this focus, managers’ enthusiasm and support for quality will weaken over time creating less than positive role models for the rest of the organization. Remember that people are the key to long-term improvement. Technical problems are dealt with early on in the quality process, overall. Based on Longenecker & Scazzero’s (1993) study, it is   suggested that long-term improvement is built on systematically considering the â€Å"human side of quality†. Towards this goal, employees across levels are required to be aptly led by their superiors. In addition,   employees need to be properly trained to perform their jobs, need to develop effective problem-solving/conflict-resolution skills, need effective communication skills, and to be taught how to function in team oriented cultures. Moreover, employee input must be systematically tapped by managers on issues which affect both continuous improvement and the workplace. Feedback and coaching for the individual is paramount for overall Dell quality efforts to progress. In summary, practice and research indicate that workers are the critical ingredients in long-term quality improvement and that they respond favourably when given proper support and leadership. The human component cannot be shrugged off or neglected without negative outcomes. Dell quality systems must continuously improve TQM. Once an efficient improvement system is established within an organization, quality will be improved. Yet, even the most effective systems must undergo transition and mature with the dynamic demands associated and with changing organizational needs. This indicates that systematic approaches to long-term quality improvement must be occasionally critiqued and feedback provided to improve quality improvement systems. Towards this objective, corrective action procedures must be changed and streamlined, feedback mechanisms must be constantly assessed and enhanced, quality standards must evolve and measurement procedures must be meaningful and cost-efficient. Without adjustments, these quality systems can serve as obstacles rather than assist quality improvement and be perceived as barriers to improvement. Moreover, technical improvements must be made to operating systems to keep them viable and technologically up-to-date. If quality systems fail to practise continuous improvement, the outcomes for the firm will be both negative and ironic. At the individual level, a number of reflective queries are in order for us operating in stable and mature quality international organizations such as Dell: Am I practising continuous improvement on an ongoing basis? Am I encouraging my subordinates to practise the principles of TQM through my actions? Am I providing leadership in addressing ongoing/persistent quality problems? Am I providing leadership to improve our existing quality improvement processes? Are we using corrective action procedures in an effective and efficient manner? (Longenecker & Scazzero, 1993) These are issues that TQM managers must be reflect on a personal basis. The responses to these questions are crucial and represent an authentic evaluation of a firm’s leadership commitment to long-term continuous improvement. In conclusion, TQM systems were believed to be effective by practising managers in this global research. And yet, these systems require constant support and leadership to sustain their effectiveness in the long term. Moreover, literature indicate that it is worthwhile to assess the perceptions of practising managers to identify the status and needs for an ongoing TQM process. We can learn that while achieving long-term quality improvement is a noble goal, a host of barriers exist that threaten this process. Without a commitment to eliminate these barriers, and to the practice of TQM, quality improvement for international organisations is threatened. The outcome is a quality improvement process hoped for by competitors that will lose its effectiveness through time. Hard earned quality gains can be futile without constant persisitence and diligence from all organizational members. It is for this reason that quality will always be a strategic tool in the global marketplace because the quality achievements of yesterday mean little to our competitors and customers. Analyze and illustrate the essentials of quality management and the techniques that are associated with it One manager has shared his lament on the practice of total quality management, as follows: â€Å"The problem isn’t that we don’t know what to do but rather that we struggle to do what we know we should do on a daily basis where our quality improvement process is concerned †¦ and we’ve been at TQM for over six years already† (Longenecker & Scazzero, 1993). The exercise of total quality management TQM) as a strategy for gaining competitive advantage has been adopted by an increasing number of international organisations, and has somehow evolved to become a competitive mandate. The assumption of TQM is quite apparent: quality improvement can be attained if a firm drafts a management philosophy of continuous improvement and breeds the required best practices (Juran, 1993). Gradually and patiently, majority of international organisations have been effective at the implementation of quality practices during the previous decade, with more than satisfactory outcomes. For instance, United Parcel Service, Motorola, Ford, Cadillac, Nestlà ©, Airbus, Shell, Toyota and Phillips are some of the more popular TQM achievers in the global marketplace. However, it may be worthy to note that their quality practices took substantial time and patience to conceptualise, draft, and implement. Much more so, was the time necessary for these best practices to mature and to be maintained. Quality gurus such as Deming, Juran, Scholtes and Crosby taught that organisations ought to adopt a quality improvement approach from a long-term perspective. They also gave a warning that attaining some quality improvement may somewhat lead to complacency. Moreover, they concur that obstacles to quality may include a whole host of factors, encompassing both novel and current organisationa issues (Walton, 1986). Quality experts contend that majority of quality enhancement research are inclined on concentrating on the initial start-up phase of the improvement process and is somewhat lacking on considering long-term challenges (Mann & Kehoe, 1995). Studies on organisational life cycles and organisational development has apparently illustrated that as firms grow, mature, and grow more stable, several issues are brought forth at each cycle of the phase. Certain quality gurus hold a similar perspective on the   quality improvement cycle that exists as the firm proceeds through an initial start-up, followed by a development phase at which maturity as a quality firm ensues (Harrington, 1987). The initial quality start-up phase necessitates breaking exercises the organisation has been accustomed to, and applying critical quality practices. Moreover, this phase calls for the development of an organisational framework that will allow the systematic resolution of quality issues and building credibility for the improvement process (Harrington, 1987). The TQM development phase necessitates that the firm build on initial successes, expand the degree of organization involvement, developing better â€Å"systems† to support quality improvement efforts and refining corrective action procedures. The TQM maturity phase is distinguished by TQM practices being strongly anchored on in organizational strategy and planning, management decision making, human resource practices and support systems improvement. The foundational practices of total quality management must be focused on and refined at each phase of the TQM cycle for the organization to become increasingly effective at continuous improvement. This enhanced proficiency at improving quality is imperative since quality standards and expectations are constantly increasing in the ultra-competitive global market (Gehari, 1993). Summarizing these points, firms must learn and mature on an ongoing basis to preclude quality processes from being stagnant or even becoming ineffective over time. Deming has argued that management complacency and a lack of organizational discipline can prevent improvement efforts from maturing and developing to the next level (Deming, 1982). Juran has argued that these same tendencies can cause even the best TQM systems to break down with the passage of time and changes in key personnel (Juran, 1988). Previous research has demonstrated the painstaking and labour-intensive challenges of properly implementing TQM practices (Juran, 1988). Once these practices are in place and quality begins to improve, it is easy for an organization to become complacent or lose focus several years into the quality improvement process. Deming (1982) has advocated that effective and long-term quality improvement requires the following: A belief on the part of managers that their TQM process is effective; A belief on the part of managers that there is still a need for improvement; A commitment on the part of all organizational members to practise TQM on an ongoing basis; The ability to focus on and respond to long-term quality problems; Maintaining organizational support for TQM efforts; and Integrating TQM into the organization’s management philosophy and strategy. The manager’s lament in our opening quote succinctly summarized this concern when he stated, â€Å"it isn’t that we don’t know what to do [to improve quality] but rather we struggle to do what we know we should do on a daily basis†. In my work at Dell, I need to continuously ensure that I live quality, especially since I have external customer encounters each day. This is a core facet of my job. These quality principles are vital to the successful performance of my function, and also determines the degree of quality by which I execute it. At a personal level, I strive to live quality both in my professional and personal life; that is, I am keenly aware that the outcomes in my life are determined by the quality of the decisions I make. References Deming, W.E. (1982). Quality and productivity and competitive position. Cambridge, MA: MIT. Deming, W.E. (1984). Out of the crisis. Cambridge, MA: MIT. Gehari, R.R. (1993). Quality value chain – a meta-synthesis of frontiers of quality movement. Academy of Management Executive, 7(2), 29-42. Harrington, H.J. (1987). The improvement process. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Juran, J. (1988). Juran on planning for quality. New York, NY: Free Press. Juran, J. (1993). Made in USA: a Renaissance in quality. Harvard Business Review, July-August 1993, 42-50. Longenecker, C.O., Scazzero, J.A. (1993). Total quality management from theory to practice: a case study. International Journal of Reliability & Quality Management, 10(5), 24-31. Mann, R. & Kehoe, D. (1995). Factors affecting the implementation and success of TQM. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 12 (1). Walton, M. (1986). The Deming management method. New York, NY: Perigee Books.

Therapeutic Communication

Therapeutic Communication- Nurse Relationships as Part of a Team Abstract The scenario in which I will discuss within my paper consists of an LPN student and a preceptor working a busy 12 hour shift on their acute care practicum. Both Patty (student) and Mary Lou (preceptor) worked very hard one evening and had not had a break when a patient requested some pain medication. They discussed their options with regards to pain management and later Patty administered Morphine 7. 5 mg SC into injector port in Mr B’s leg. At the end of the shift it was noted during a narcotic count that there had been an error with Morphine.Patty had given the wrong amount as per order. Therapeutic Communication- Nurse Relationships as Part of a Team Before Mary Lou can organize a meeting with Patty the LPN student, she must first ensure the safety of the patient as paramount. Then she must decide the best way to approach Patty, an appropriate location to interview, the factors to consider while inter viewing and the communication skills that would benefit their interview. Also she needs to determine whether anybody else should be involved. After careful consideration and all the facts gathered, Mary Lou calls Patty in for a interview.Discussion Mary Lou decided to call a meeting in a neutral setting that would be non- confrontational and non-threaten to Patty. A place they could sit comfortably across from each other and make eye contact. It is important for Mary Lou not to attach blame and her approach will include sensitivity and respect, after all Patty is a student and still quite vulnerable. Mary Lou wants to make it clear an error has been made and that it needs to be addressed, rectified and reported without demoralizing or belittling Patty. The methods by which it is reported or addressed should be thoughtful, maintain confidentiality, and be directed toward the appropriate person, agency, or regulatory body. † ( Burkhardt, Nathaniel, Walton, 2010, p 200) Some fact ors Mary Lou considers while interviewing Patty are any possible underlying reasons for the error: what happened. It is important for Patty to comfortably clarify in her own words and for Mary Lou to actively listen to the accounts of the day. This helps both parties understand completely where the error might have occurred and they can take steps to avoid a reoccurrence.While Mary Lou realizes Patty ultimately administered the wrong dose of medication, it is very important that Mary Lou states her role as preceptor and her accountability in the incident. The Canadian Nurses Association notes in its Code of Ethics that as a part of being accountable, ( Burkhardt, Nathaniel, Walton, 2010, p 200) â€Å" Nurses share their knowledge and provide feedback, mentorship and guidance for the professional development of nursing students, novice nurses and other health care team members. (CNA, 2008, p18) Mary Lou also offers empathy as she was once a nursing student as well and while we striv e for perfection, human error can not always be avoided. The last issue to be considered and implemented is if anybody else needed to be involved? Mary Lou decided as long as they clearly identified the issue at hand and recognized they both had an ethical and professional responsibility to report the incident and rectify their shortfalls as student and preceptor, no other entity need to be involved. ConclusionIn conclusion I think Mary Lou did an excellent job of identifying and addressing the issue of medication error ensuring dignity and respect to Patty. Mary Lou showed empathy and understanding while focusing on responsibilities of both parties to be more accountable in their daily care of patients, which at the end of the day is their main goal. One area of improvement that I noticed of Mary Lou after viewing the recording was she could have offered more open ended questions and let Patty express herself more. While I did feel Mary Lou actively listened to Patty, the opportuni ty for Patty to give feedback was not fully utilized.Over all I found this to be an interesting experience on therapeutic communication that I enjoyed completing. References Arnold, E. C. & Boggs, K. U. (2011) Interpersonal relationships: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses, sixth edition (6th ed. ). St Louis, MO: Elsevier/Saunders Burkhardt, M. , Nathaniel, A. , Walton, N. (2010) Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing (1st ed. ) Toronto, ON: Nelson Education Ltd Canadian Nurses Association (2008) Code of Ethics for Registered nurses. Author If you need to type anything after the reference list then start it on this page

Frank Lloyd Wright vs Le Corbusier Essays

Frank Lloyd Wright vs Le Corbusier Essays Frank Lloyd Wright vs Le Corbusier Essay Frank Lloyd Wright vs Le Corbusier Essay During this postwar era, modernism dove eloped because of the common influences of Wright and Couriers and the different infill ounce s of Wright and Couriers. Wright and Couriers had many common influences during the modernist pee riot. Some of these common influences are their use of geometric shapes and they both referred to their works as organic. For example Frank Lloyd Wright designed a snail shaped m assume with a winding interior for the display of artwork called the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum . He introduced circles and curves in this. Also Lee Courtiers Villa Savoy is very sys metrical and is all geometric shapes. Lastly, both architects were fascinated by new techno skies. They rose to the challenge of the automobile and its role as a monopolizing force in architecture Even though Wright and Couriers have many common influences they also h eave many different individual influences. Wright was fascinated by the automobile, convinced of its attention to revolutionist modern life. He felt that it had created possibilities of new communities based on a new knowledge of time and space. The rural isolation of Wrights c itty is only possible through the highways that connect its homesteads. Lee Couriers looked to technology to promote a different trend. While also revering myths, he was principally inter Estes in the energy of new constructs, recreating old paradigms instead of reviving them. :

An Outline of Global Climate Change on Earth

An Outline of Global Climate Change on Earth There is no doubt that the accumulating evidence is suggesting that the Earth’s climate is continually changing in direct result because of human activity. The most important of which causes the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from fossil fuels. A report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated the Earth’s average land and sea surface temperature has increased by 0.6  ± 0.2 degrees Celsius since the middle of the 19th century (â€Å"Climate Change 2014†). The largest parts of change have occurred after 1976. The temperature is not the only thing to change on Earth. The models of precipitation have also changed. The drier regions of Earth are becoming drier, meanwhile other areas are becoming wetter. In the regions where precipitation has surged there has been an unequal boost in the prevalence of the heaviest precipitation occurrences. Furthermore, the IPCC has concluded that if no specif ic actions are taken to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, the Earth’s temperatures will likely rise between 1.4 and 5.8 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¾ C from 1990 to 2100 (â€Å"Findings of the IPCC†). These forecasts wind speed and precipitation are not as consistent, but they also suggest significant changes. In general, humans are very accustomed to changing climatic conditions that vary on a daily, seasonal, or annual timescale. Increasing evidence suggests that in addition to this natural climate change, average climatic conditions measured over a period of thirty years or longer are also changing a lot more than the natural variations documented in the time periods of decades or centuries. As time is going on the understanding of these causes are becoming more and more understood. Climatologists have compared climate model simulations of the effects of greenhouse gas emissions to that of the observed climate changes of the past. They have also evaluated the possible natural infl uences to include solar and volcanic activity. Climatologists have concluded that there is new and strong evidence that the majority of the global warming observed over the last fifty years is most likely to be attributable to human activities. Global warming has been documented and observed in all continents with the largest temperature changes happening at the middle and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. The miniscule amount of climatic change that has already occurred so far has had unmistakable effects on a large variety of natural ecosystems. Over the period 1948 to 2013, the average annual temperature in Canada has warmed by 1.6  °C (relative to the 1961-1990 average), a higher rate of warming than in most other regions of the world (â€Å"Impacts of Climate Change†). There are climate model simulations that have been used to estimate the effects of the Earth’s past, present, and future greenhouse gas emissions on climate changes. These models are based on the data of the heat confining properties of gases released into the atmosphere from man-made and natural sources. Also the measured climatic effects of other natural phenomena is used. The models used by the IPCC have been certified by testing their ability to explain climate changes that already happened in the Earth’s past. Generally, the models can give decent estimates of past patterns only when man-made emissions of non-greenhouse gas air pollutants are included to go with the natural phenomena. This underscores that the models show a good estimate of the climate system, natural fluctuations are important contributors to climatic changes even if they cannot sufficiently explain past trends on their own, and man-made greenhouse gas emissions are a vital contributor to climate patterns and are certainly likely to remain so going forward.

Automotive Production Levels Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Automotive Production Levels - Research Paper Example It is price which either actually exists in market or market is moving towards it assuming no market impediments or government policies exist to prevent equilibrium to be reached. At equilibrium price, both forces do not have any tendency to change, provided all other things remain same (Abel and Bernanke, 2005). If all the conditions of free market are met, then GM should have been able fetch sales of 2478001 units of vehicles in second quarter. If compared this figure with its last two quarter units sold, there exits a gap of 87000 vehicles in all. Price elasticity of demand is a quantitative measure (coefficient) showing percentage change in the quantity demanded with respect to percentage change in price (Leamer, 2009). Price elasticity for second quarter of 2012 for GM motor is – 0.95. Negative coefficient of price elasticity shows negative relation of price and demand. Categorization is made based on where the elasticity coefficient lies from 0 to 1. Price elasticity of GM being -0.95 refers to inelastic demand. It refers; only large proportionate change in price can bring small proportionate change in demand which results in steeper demand curve. This kind of elasticity is usually for products that are considered necessities and importance of vehicle has no question in every aspect from business to personal lives. Since it has inelastic demand and there lies a gap between equilibrium price and average unit price of about $ 4000.00 i.e. 19,558 - 15,527 respectively, management can increase profitability by increasing it price that will finally benefit its total revenue which is going negative. If calculated elasticity is considered to be of another brand say A than comparison would guide the future strategy. For instance, if competitor’s brand A increases prices by the differential discussed in previous question, then there is little chance that its customers would switch to ours due to inelastic demand.

APPLIED E BUSINESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

APPLIED E BUSINESS - Essay Example ing and Mortgage disclosure Act), according to this new law, it became obligatory for the lenders to disclose their lending procedure to the common public (Squires 7). The year after the passage of HMDA experienced the acceptance of CRA (Community reinvestment Act) because analysis showed that the amount being invested in meager areas was quite low (Ross 44). The Act made it obligatory for the banking institution to provide loans to all the people available in the market; provide the facility of depositing money to limited areas and develop reports regarding the habit of lending and submit the report to the federal body. These reports aided in evaluation of the applicants when these applicants made request for conducting takeovers and amalgamations. The practices made by the Act were not implied on the credit unions as these unions were not as large as the banks of that era. According to the definition of credit unions, these unions are allowed to restrict the amount of money they le nd to people sharing similar characteristics such as work and educational institute. The outcome of the CRA act was that there was a sudden increase in the amount borrowed by people living in areas that consist of low to middle income earners. The research conducted by San Francisco Fed showed that the amount of money borrowed by low income earners for the purpose of purchasing homes elevated by 37% during the period of 1993 to 1997 and during the same period, the amount borrowed by middle income earners elevated by 32% (Laderman 2). During the same era, the number of buying and selling offers of home made by lower middle income earners increased by 43% and for low income earners it increased by 43% (Laderman 2). This era even witnessed an increase in the borrowing conducted by high income earners by 17% and middle income earners by 23% (Laderman 2). Those in the favor of the act believed that these achievements were caused due to the act, while during the same period increase in

Describe in detail how you would go about isolating and studying the Essay

Describe in detail how you would go about isolating and studying the expression of the gene which appears to render the Southern Region population subgroup in saudi Arabia resistant to Type 2 diabetes - Essay Example Among these are the genes encoding leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and adiptonectin. These genes may be involved in the development of insulin resistance. Therefore, to address the potential genetic association between resistance to type 2 diabetes, it is important to assess whether individuals whose phenotype shows resistance to the disorder are genetically screened to see if differences exist between the structure and/or activity of adipocytokine genes in groups women with similar risk factors (viz. obesity) and markedly different incidence rates for diabetes. A subpopulation of Saudi Arabian women has been identified that is resistant to the development of type 2 diabetes, despite incidence rates of obesity at the same level as the entire population of women in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this research was to identify whether or not there was a genetic basis to this phenotypic observation. The present study involves a genetic assessment of the gene called resistin, previously identified in mice on chromosome 8 (Steppan et al, 2001). To study this gene in humans it was necessary to clone the gene. This process is initiated by a technique called fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The mouse gene is used as a probe to identify the chromosomal location of its human gene counterpart. Since gene sequences are frequently homologous among different species, the related genes or orthologues can be used to identify similar genes in different species (Gregory & Hebert, 1999). The mouse gene is attached to a fluorescent probe and mixed with human chromosomal DNA that has been denatured (connverted to single stranded form). The fluorescent band identifies the chromosomal location of the gene in humans. The chromosome segment can then be cut with restriction enzymes and linked to an expression vector to generate a recombinant