Issue of job recognition in the case study - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about theIssue of job recognition in the case study. Answer: Case analysis and Introduction Job recognition is considered as the most important tool that rewards the most vital results that people build for the business. The recognition should offer the employer as well as employee with exact information about what behaviors are being recognized and rewarded (Kanfer, Frese and Johnson, 2017). It has been analyzed that the clear criteria will be helpful for the employee to perform adequately. The case study of Flora fast food is being taken for analyzing the issue of job recognition. Flora Rangi established the fast food restaurant in Auckland. After three years of struggle and hard work, she established the thriving business by employing the universities and college student for a part time job and involves the disabled people in the staff for filling side-order packs and cleaning. The new policies introduced by Flora to improve the productivity of the employee and the customer services. As a consultant team, it has been analyzed that due to this polices many members who are disabled and served their so many years for Flora Fast Food restaurant had to go. Due to her policy the negative feedback started on the page of the company that this was discrimination and this had drawn support from a number of others who posted comments. There are number of theories that are able to analyze the case study and will explain the outcomes witnessed. Herzberg (Two Factor theories) Herzbergs motivation theory is also known as Motivation-Hygiene theory. It concludes that there are various factors in the workplace that can be the reason of job satisfaction and a different set of factors that may cause the dissatisfaction. The major two factors are comprised in this theory that is Hygiene factors and motivating factors (Onoyase, 2017). Hygiene factors involve the working conditions, salary and benefits, supervision, status and the policies of the company. The job satisfaction was not given by Flora to the employees who bring the adverse situation in the Floras Fast Food restaurant. The changed policy without considering the job recognition is being the reason of job dissatisfaction. The factor of motivation involves the recognition, achievement, responsibility, job challenge, advancement and growth. However, appraisal is given by CEO which is not based on the performance and it increases the inequality at work place. It is essential for the organization to focus o n the intrinsic or motivational factors to motivate the employees (Ghazi, Shahzada Khan, 2013). Job recognition keeps great importance in the company because it ensures employees that they will get growth as per their performance. As it has been analyzed that rewards given by Flora was not effective which demotivate staff members (Dartey-Baah Amoako, 2011). Vrooms Expectancy theory (VET) Vrooms expectancy theory is another theory of the motivational assumes that behaviour results from aware options among substitutes whose aim it is to increase the happiness and decrease the pain. It has been realized by Vroom that the performance of the employee is based on the factors of an individual such as personality, knowledge, skill and experience. Expectancy, instrumentality and Valence are three elements of the Vrooms expectancy theory. The first element of the VET is expectancy theory that increases the efforts will lead to right path. People get more confident when they realize that they can accomplish the task with good skills and it may lead them to get possible outcomes as per his expectations. Instrumentally is the second element of the VIT that can be considered in the form of thought that if an individual performs well, and then an effective result will bring to that individual. It has been analyzed through case study that due to lack of job recognition, many staff m embers are disappointed and it impacted bad influence on the organizations behave. Valence is the final component of vrooms expectancy theory and it is expected satisfaction which an individual attains from a particular reward. The value of them is based in individual differences (Hsu, Shinnar and Powell, 2014). Adams Equity theory Adams equity theory is the motivational theory which can be applied on the functions of the organization to improve the productivity of the employee. It has comprised two factors such as input and output. Input includes the loyalty, skill, ability, adaptability, flexibility, determination, enthusiasm, support of colleagues and trust in superiors. It is vital for the organization to increase the input factor of the employees for earning competitive advantages. Output involves the financial rewards such as salary, benefits and perks and intangibles include responsibility, sense of achievement, stimulus, praise, job security and recognition (Bell Martin, 2012). It has been analyzed through case study that various policies and new equipments have been introduced by Flora without analyzing the skills and flexibility of the employee. The communication between employees and employer did not make which bring the issue of job recognition. It is vital for the company to delegate the work as p er the performance and the skills of the employee so that they can content themselves and do not get demoralized (Bolino Turnley, 2008). Literature Review A companys success is dependent on the motivating employees. One of the biggest concerns of manager should be made meaningful contributions even in smaller task. Motivation is necessary for increasing the productivity of the employees and the strength of the motivation techniques is job satisfaction, increase productivity, improve learning capacity, and improve efficiency and more engaged with works and employee as well. Job satisfaction is integral for the employees to stay in a company for the long time (Danish Usman, 2010). Factors which influence the motivation levels There are various factors which may influence the levels of motivation of the employee. There are some common and managerial practices that may influence the motivation level. It is necessary for the employees to get any rewards and recognition for their work and when they do not get what they deserve, they start to feel that no one cares. There are some reasons that reduce the productivity of the employees and motivation of the employee as well such as unnecessary policies, fostering the competitive work environment, poor feedback and unfair treatment. The consequences of unmotivated employees Due to lack of motivational factors, employees of the company get unmotivated and start to think to leave the organization. Unmotivated employees spread the negativity at the workplace which impacts the performance of others as well. Poor performance, dissatisfaction, poor customer services and decreased revenue are the consequences of the unmotivated employees. Unmotivated employees do perform at a lower level in comparison of others worker. Unmotivated employees are unable to provide the efficient services to the customer (Millette Gagn, 2008). For instance, if organizations are unable to handle the accounting, returns of handling complaints and order fulfillment, they will be unable to provide the adequate image in the view of the outsiders. Unmotivated employees may being the reason of the decreased revenues because when they do not motivate, they will not prefer to accomplish the take which may lead the company into adverse situation. Way of improving the situation There are various ways which improve the situation of the company by motivating the employees of the organization. Initially, organizations need to understand the demands and desires of the employees. Job recognition is essential component and it has been analyzed that consistency, clarity and fairness are necessary for the job recognition. As per Aziri, (2011), job recognition is considered as the situational because each individual are different preference and for enhancing the motivation with the help of job recognition, an organization should conduct the rewards and recognition program. Recommendations In the limelight of above discussion, it has been concluded that job recognition is crucial for motivating the employees in an adequate manner because without motivation employees cannot perform in an adequate manner. The case study has been analyzed and it can be concluded that Flora should understand the skills, knowledge, flexibility and experience of the employees before implementing the policies. She should consider the experience first and retain the customer by providing the challenging task so that boring cannot occur by doing same work for a long time. But for it she should also provide the training for increasing the confidence of them. Promotion should be done on the basis of experience; it will increase the boost of them to connect with the company for long time (Danish Usman, 2010). There are various motivation theories that should be implemented by Flora to encourage them and make them sure that they are valuable assets for the company. Along with that it has been reco mmended that clarify of vision and mission should be necessary to motivate employees. Incentivize program is crucial for improving the efficiency of the employees because it is the factor of motivation which is able to fulfill the psychological need of an employee in a different way (AbuAlRub AL?Zaru, 2008). References AbuAlRub, R. F., AL?ZARU, I. M. (2008). Job stress, recognition, job performance and intention to stay at work among Jordanian hospital nurses.Journal of nursing management,16(3), 227-236. Aziri, B. (2011). Job satisfaction: a literature review.Management Research Practice,3(4). Bell, R. L., Martin, J. S. (2012). The relevance of scientific management and equity theory in everyday managerial communication situations. Bolino, M. C., Turnley, W. H. (2008). Old faces, new places: equity theory in cross?cultural contexts.Journal of Organizational Behavior,29(1), 29-50. Danish, R. Q., Usman, A. (2010). Impact of reward and recognition on job satisfaction and motivation: An empirical study from Pakistan.International journal of business and management,5(2), 159. Danish, R. Q., Usman, A. (2010). Impact of reward and recognition on job satisfaction and motivation: An empirical study from Pakistan.International journal of business and management,5(2), 159. Dartey-Baah, K., Amoako, G. K. (2011). Application of Frederick Herzberg's Two-Factor theory in assessing and understanding employee motivation at work: a Ghanaian Perspective.European Journal of Business and Management,3(9), 1-8. Ghazi, S. R., Shahzada, G., Khan, M. S. (2013). Resurrecting Herzbergs two factor theory: An implication to the university teachers.Journal of educational and social research,3(2), 445. Hsu, D.K., Shinnar, R.S. and Powell, B.C., (2014). Expectancy theory and entrepreneurial motivation: A longitudinal examination of the role of entrepreneurship education.Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship,26(1), p.121. Kanfer, R., Frese, M. and Johnson, R.E., (2017). Motivation related to work: A century of progress.Journal of Applied Psychology,102(3), p.338. Millette, V., Gagn, M. (2008). Designing volunteers tasks to maximize motivation, satisfaction and performance: The impact of job characteristics on volunteer engagement.Motivation and Emotion,32(1), 11-22. Onoyase, A., (2017). Motivation and Job Performance of Lecturers of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria: Implication for Counseling. World Journal of Educational Research,4(2), p.280.

Who Killed Jfk Essays - Lee Harvey Oswald, JFK, Warren Commission

Who Killed Jfk? Who Killed JFK? Who Killed JFK? You may ask why I say this, but its something you really need to know. If you believe that Lee Harvey Oswald killed him then you are taking part in probably the biggest government conspiracy known to man. This massive cover-up will last for years and probably violate every single law known to man. Well, when the people started to get suspicious about the mystery involving the murder, the government dispatched the Warren Commission to investigate and silence all doubts concerning the mystery around the murder of President Kennedy. The warren commission established a single bullet theory, which stated that two of President Kennedys wounds and all five of Governor Connallys were caused by the magic bullet, to back up all claims that Lee Oswald was the only person shooting at the president. In September 1964 the Warren Commission stated that they could find no credible evidence that there was a conspiracy. The Warren Commission also wanted the people to believe the fatal head shot that killed JFK was fired by Oswald. That means that the exit wound must be in the front of the head and the entrance wound in the back of the head. All of the eye witnesses, doctors, and nurses that saw the presidents head would of said that the exit of the bullet was in the back of the head, which means that there was another shooter who was in front of JFK. All of the real autopsy photographs of the presidents head showed that the exit wound was in the back of the head, hard proof that there was another shooter which means conspiracy. Lee Oswald had no apparent motive to murder President Kennedy. There is not a single known instance in Oswalds life where he expressed even a slight negative comment in reference to President Kennedy. Right after the shooting Patrolman Marion Baker headed straight to where he thought the shots came from, The Texas School Book Depository, 105 seconds after the first shot, when he reached the second floor cafeteria by stairs, he saw Oswald sitting down drinking a coke, after a positive check to see if Oswald worked there he headed up the back stairs on pursuit. While in jail the police interrogated Oswald for twelve straight hours and failed to keep any written, tape, or video record of the interrogation. Before Oswald had any chance to consult a lawyer he was killed by Jack Ruby when being transferred by police. Was Oswald a cover-up guy for the government to place blame on? According to Robert Groden since November 1963, there have more than 400 deaths of witnesses to the assignation of President Kennedy, witnesses to Lee Oswalds activities, Jack Rubys associates, those involved in the medical procedures at Parkland Hospital, and the autopsy at Bethesda Naval Hospital. The causes of these deaths are sometimes quite bazarre. Death by karate chop, gunshot, and slit throat are not exactly natural causes of death, yet many obvious murders were deemed natural. The most famous person to die was news reporter, Dorthy Kilagallen, who was the only person allowed to interview Jack Ruby in jail. She stated that she would fly to New Orleans and break this mystery wide open. On November 8,1963 she was found dead of a massive barbiturate overdose. Was this murder or not? Some people and groups who are possibly involved in the murder and cover-up are people at odds with JFK or who had something to gain over his death. One possibility are tyrannical and ego-centric head of FBI J. Edgar Hoover, who was also at war with JFK. Some others are several powerful factions of the CIA and the Anti-Castro Cuban community over the Bay of Pigs fiasco. So who really killed JFK, well no one really knows because the government buried all evidence deep within secret files for the protection of us. I believe that Oswald is innocent and just a cover-up man, and it was high powered government officials who had something to gain from his death. So who killed him, I will leave that to you. Social Issues

Costly Business Case Utilities Co.

Costly Business Case Utilities Co. Introduction Utilities Co. was keen on cutting 120 jobs because of the tough economic climate and escalating competition. Maree Davis, the HR Manager of the company was at the centre point of implementing the plan of cutting the workforce.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Costly Business Case: Utilities Co. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The CEO indicated that the redundancies were voluntary, but it emerged later that the plan targeted specific workers in the middle level management. The strategy of downsizing the workforce had two stages. The first stage was to make a public statement on the intention to dismiss employees and the second stage was to use targeted redundancies. However, the announcement invited attention from the press and state politicians because of industrial action to protect jobs. Similarly, the announcement led to severe work-related stress as many employees were in fear of losing their jo bs. In particular, the company received negative messages from the press and customers who were dissatisfied with service delivery at the time. As HR manager, Maree found it difficult to implement the strategy because she felt that the CEO’s decision was challenging and it was virtually impossible to identify 120 redundant jobs. Although she received voluntary redundancies from 52 employees, there was a lot of dissatisfaction. On the other hand, the CEO was relentless on implementing the layoff plan despite efforts for negations from the union and advice from HR department. Surprisingly, the targeted redundancies did not express interest in voluntary redundancy, thus triggering the need to enter the second phase of the plan.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At this point, Maree resigned from his position because she felt that the decision to lay off many older employees could lead to troubles with Human Rights Commission. Therefore, this paper analyses the case of Utilities Co. with reference to HR implications of the CEO’s announcement to lay off 120 staff. The paper also explains the OHS concerns that arose in response to the announcement, and outlines recommendations to improve OHS during layoffs. Similarly, the third section of this paper evaluates the impact of industrial action on the organisation. Finally, the recommendation section discuses an ideal organisation’s plan to communicate the layoff decision to employees and managers. HR Implications of CEO’s Announcement to Lay off Staff The CEO’s announcement emerged because of the claims that the Utilities Co. was experiencing tough economic times and increasing competition. As a result, the company wanted to get rid of underperforming staff to remain competitive in its market segment. The CEO was in an unfortunate position of determining the bette r alternative of dismissing workers. The announcement was an indication that the company was determined to downsize its workforce, but the figure was quite alarming and consequently led to shock and disorder within the company. The workers, including the HR manager, were unhappy about the announcement because it would cost them their positions in the company. In addition, the announcement implied that the company’s management was poor because it elicited some interesting facts about employment relationship within the company. First, Maree had identified that the company had few workers in some significant areas.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Costly Business Case: Utilities Co. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This meant that it was difficult to identify 120 redundant jobs despite the CEO’s suggestion that the exercise targeted underperforming middle managers. Second, the company did not relate w ell with its employees because expert staff expressed interest in voluntary redundancies, but the target group did not express interest in the process. This meant that the company was to lose its productive workforce. It is surprising how the company lacks proper procedures of communicating lay offs to its employees. In the light of the HR conflicts brought about by CEO’s announcements, it is essential to understand employment relationship in managing workplace relations. The perspectives of employment relationship help us to understand how an employee and an employer relate. Employment relationship entails managing staff for successful objectives of the organisation while taking into consideration worker’s anticipations (Chambliss, 2007). However, Utilities Co. did not consider the expectations of employees with regards to work ethics, moral, team contribution skills, motivation, and general aptitude. Furthermore, findings from studies indicate that employment relatio n is mainly open-ended, spontaneous, and an inclusion of contradictory theories about conflict, control, and regulation. The perspectives of employment relations are: utilitarianism, pluralism, and Marxism (Bateman Snell, 2009).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the pluralist view of employment relationship is a good example of explaining the situation at the company. Pluralists perceive an organisation comprising of powerful and different sub-groups, including management and trade unions. This viewpoint considers conflicts as a common aspect in organisation because the employer and employees have dissimilar interests; the CEO’s objective is to reduce the number of employees in order to cut down the company’s expenses while employees’ interest is retaining their occupations and enhancing their welfare. Kramar et al. (2011) argue that different organisations with disparate management also engage in establishing guidelines of employment. Detection and control of conflicts is imperative in determining the best approaches of problem solving. Additionally, the management’s role is to coordinate and persuade employees to harmonize the different interests rather than enforcing rules that would compromise negoti ations. Trade unions are recognized as genuine agents of employees, thus such organizations advocate for collecting bargaining which helps in dealing with conflicts. Thus, employers should accept and expect to resolve conflicts through legitimate measures of dealing with disagreements (Brewster, 2008). According to Roethlisberger (2009), pluralism derives its ideas from the point of view of Donovan Commission, which started in 1965 to assess the rising conflicts in industrial relations practices. Pluralism was important in its analysis on management: unlike the unitary approach where there are no authentic grounds for conflicts, managers in a pluralistic system should accept conflicts and seek feasible procedures of avoiding them. Thus, the first basis of pluralism is that the organisation should have industrial relations and personnel professionals who provide staffing and collective bargaining counsel to managers (Brewster, 2007). Second, external arbitrators are required to help in conflict resolution. Third, the management should recognize trade unions when analysing employee sentiments. Finally, the management should establish a good environment for collecting bargaining with union representatives. Therefore, it is apparent that successful industrial relations involvements such as collective bargaining can resolve disputes. Unlike the unitary system, the pluralist theory provides alternative solutions to conflicts, thus the management must exercise control and regulation, considering the requirements of trade unions and the state. Similarly, pluralist engage all participants in conflict resolution, thus favourable solutions are open to discussion. This follows the notion that conflicts are important in understanding the major tensions in an organisation and therefore the management should not ignore them. Furthermore, the theory advocates for divergent employee relations rules. Some organizations can decide to deal with employee organizations instead of t rade unions, while other organizations can work with trade unions to enhance employee commitment. In essence, pluralism is appropriate for a collective industrial relations system because trade unions are involved in conflict resolution (Bateman Snell, 2009). However, the major disadvantage of pluralist perspective, which the case depicts, is emphasis on rules and procedures, but it ignores other factors that affect or contribute to resolving disputes. For example, through industrial relations, organisations can formulate rules that determine the steps of resolving conflicts. However, such rules may not apply to different working environment. Likewise, the theory fails to note that the state not only considers the interests of the public, but also business interests. Dekler (2007) argue that focusing on employee interest may hinder the process of collective bargaining. Likewise, the redundancies raised equity issues within the company. The concept of equity relates to satisfaction in relation to expectations of fair and/or unfair allocation of resources in the HR perspective (Kramar, 2011). The equity issues depicted in the company are flexible work and discrimination. The communication strategy assumed by the CEO and organisational factors affected the flexibility of work. According to Boxall Baron (2004), essential communication, from Human Resource perspective, stresses the open relations between the organisation and employees. This results to goals being realized, which in turn improve the company’s performance. However, Utilities Co. did not express the need to enhance effective communication. The management communicated the lay off news without considering workers’ reactions. As a result, employees exhibited low productivity since the customers were complaining. Several factors affect work behaviour. First, people within the company have different positions, relations, and views. The relationship between individuals of various departments with regards to management level determines how they behave. Workers tend to conform to their line manager more often as compared to managers of other departments (Godard, 2010). Customers also influence the way employees perform their duties, as there exist the need to satisfy customers. In addition, organisational goals shape the way employees work. The goals of an organisation are the reason for existence. Managers direct the activities of the organisation to the attainment of goals. The goals of an organisation will determine the nature of its inputs and outputs, the series of activities to acquire the inputs, and interactions with its external environment (Decenzo Silhanek, 2002). Furthermore, culture reflects the underlying assumptions about the way of performing work; what is acceptable and not acceptable, and what actions and behaviour are encouraged and discouraged within a company. Organisational structure underlines the manner of arranging individuals and groups with re spect to the task they perform. The culture and structure of an organisation develop over time and in response to a complex set of factors affecting work behaviour. The key factors that affect the development of any corporate culture include history, primary function and technology, goals and objectives, size, location, management and staffing, and the environment (Schmidt, 2009). On the other hand, discrimination was evident through the redundancies. As outlined by Maree, the CEO targeted older employees who held managerial positions and were receiving higher wages. Such employees were mainly 50 or older, and a move to lay them off would imply that the company discriminates people according to age. Similarly, the CEO’s argument that the targeted groups were underperforming was inconsequential because the team manages and controls the organisation; laying them off would worsen the current situation. OHS Concerns in Response to the Announcement The announcement to downsize the workforce had adverse effects on staff safety, health, and welfare. Lay offs often entail major changes to work processes because there is redistribution of tasks to a smaller number of staff, alterations to job descriptions, and changes to training (White-Means Hersch, 2005; Quill, 2005). The first reaction to the announcement was shock, which led to fear and decreased productivity. In addition, the OHS team received stress-related claims from workers who expressed their stress through anxiety disorders and depression. For instance, an employee became physically violent towards colleagues. In particular, Maree experienced stress-related sickness in the process of making difficult decisions within a short time. She was in a dilemma while trying to identify 120 redundant jobs and improving understaffed areas. For example, industrial action compromised the process because the HR staff received numerous abusive messages from both the press and customers; Maree ignored the messages, b ut felt sick. Besides, the CEO gave a short notice to persuade Maree to execute the layoff plans. According to Quinlan (2007), job insecurity and bad working relations (as the ones depicted in the case) correlate with undesirable effects on worker safety and health because there are fears that arise from new informal means of communication between employees. However, the OHS team in the company was overwhelmed with complaints from distressed staff members. Similarly, some unsatisfied staff accepted the call for voluntary redundancies, which led to cutbacks in customer service areas. This indicates that the organisation was not keen on supporting staff affected by the announcement; it is surprising that the CEO was happy with the process, and he did not consider worker’s wellbeing. For instance, Maree had to support her own staff and other organisational activities because many workers were unable or reluctant to adjust to the changes in workplace conditions. In light of OHS c oncerns in the organisation, the OHS team should embark on a risk assessment of the OHS effects of the layoffs, discuss with employees and their representatives, and manage the risks without interfering with current OHS standards (Dragano, Verde, Siegrist, 2005). This is in a bid to improve OHS during layoffs. The risks stem from personal factors that affect work behaviour. The HR department should assess the factors that affect work behaviour during layoffs. Work behaviour analysis encompasses the methodical assessment of the nature and components of a well-defined job (Armstrong Baron, 2004). The OHS team should identify individual differences such as gender, marital status, and tenure because they affect work behaviour. The obvious differences between men and women affect job performance. There exist no systematic male and female differences in analytical abilities, competitive focus, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills. Researchers believe that women are more wi lling to abide by the rule of work and men are insistent and more likely to have expectations of achievement (Johnstone, Quinlan, Walters, 2005). Another issue that seems to differ between male and female employees is the preference for job environment; women mainly prefer an organisation that caters for their wellbeing (Mullins, 2004). For instance, Maree found that some women accepted voluntary redundancies because the organisation does not respect people. Work experience through tenure also affects work behaviour. Moreover, if person stays long in a job, chances are few that he or she will quit. Thus, tenure and satisfaction are concurrently related (Moore, Grunberg, Geenberg, 2004). This explains why the old employees of Utilities Co. were reluctant in taking voluntary redundancies. In essence, the equity officer analysed the demographic profile of workers who had quit their jobs on voluntary redundancies and found that many younger staff and women had taken redundancies. Seco nd, personality tends to predict behaviour and happiness related to work. These behaviours include absenteeism, performance, and team effectiveness. Personality matters when we combine different personality, thus achieving a stronger relationship between work performance and personality. Third, what people perceive determine how they perform their work-related activities. For instance, the layoff announcement shocked workers because they knew that their jobs were insecure, and therefore they felt disappointed by the organisation. Fourth, values help individuals to determine what is good, right, or desirable. Values help in the analysis of organisational behaviour and hence managers can be able to accommodate individuals from different cultures. Since values differ across cultures, understanding such differences is helpful in predicting employee behaviour from various cultures. Finally, attitudes affect work behaviour because they reflect how employees feel about the work. Attitude i nvolves the aspects of cognition, affect and behaviour. Cognitive facet of an attitude is a belief in something; for instance, grapevine is wrong. Affective facet of attitude is the emotional or feeling part of attitude, while behavioural facet of an attitude is an intention to act in a particular way towards somebody or something (Sverke, Hellgren, Naswall, 2002). Another recommendation for Utilities Co. is to provide help documents on layoffs to explain the role of OHS team and staff in order to improve OHS. The documents should take into consideration the factors explained in the previous paragraphs because they are the ones that lead to health issues during downsizing. The Impact of Industrial Action on the Organisation The workers union responded to the layoff announcement by engaging in industrial action in order to prevent massive layoffs. The union felt that the redundancy process was unfair. As one of the steps towards industrial action, the union applied for protected ind ustrial action through the Fair Work Australia (FWA). Besides, the union though that the pending enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) was one of the major contributing factors of the redundancies. In light of the union campaign, there was keen interest from the media and national politicians because Utilities Co. was a big and formerly state owned business. This made the CEO to engage the company’s lawyers in devising plans to proceed with layoffs. The CEO defended his decisions by citing that the company wanted to stay afloat in the current economic problems. Besides, he agreed to proceed with negotiations on a new EBA because of pressure from the union. However, the ongoing industrial action surpassed the hostile meetings as it became gradually more disruptive and reduced the quality of service delivery. The company received many customer complaints and it was difficult to reach out to new customers because constant negative press was taking effect. Many HR workers receive d abusive e-mails and experiences emotional stress. However, the union did not achieve its major objective because the company proceeded to subsequent processes of cutting down its workforce. The industrial action only tainted the company’s image and facilitated the layoff process. Interestingly, the company postponed the EBA negotiations because of industrial action. In fact, the EBA meetings were not successful because the union opted for industrial action before considering the option of negotiations. The fallout of EBA negotiations meant that the company was determined to lay off employees. Although the CEO indicated that the redundancies were voluntary, the second phase of downsizing was compulsory redundancies, which targeted one third of middle management positions. The union could have opted for negotiation with the company through collective bargaining. Since there was an existing EBA, it was necessary to cite the guidelines in the agreement to avoid conflicts. In th e negotiations, the union could have cited unfair dismissal laws to persuade the company to retain workers or offer notice and full redundancy benefits (Artz, 2010). Another argument that the union could have used in the negotiation is that the company breached the Australian labour laws because the redundancies were not genuine. According to Decenzo Silhanek (2002), redundancy arises where an employer does not require a worker’s job and someone else cannot take the work. However, from the case, Maree found out that some important areas within the Utilities Co. were having few staff and it was difficult to identify 120 redundant jobs. In fact, it would be appropriate to consider the company’s action as unfair termination. This could have been a good discussion point because unfair dismissal laws is important to make sure both that employees can confront unjust termination, and to act as a guideline for employees who would layoff workers unfairly. In essence, understan ding the unfair dismissal laws could have been a significant step in ensuring safety and fairness in Utilities Co. Recommendations Maree resigned from her HR position because she was unable to work under pressure. This is evident because abuses from customers made her sick. If I were in the same position, I would not have resigned because such challenges are common in the workplace and it was a matter of executing what the company had initiated, but the process was wrong. Maree should have conducted thorough investigation of the company and communicated her findings to the CEO. However, she did not provide feasible suggestions to the CEO. For instance, Maree noticed that the company had few workers in some critical areas, but she did not explain it to the CEO. The CEO needed assurance that the company can weather the tough economic climate and increasing communication without necessarily cutting down the workforce. Maree failed to identify other significant factors that contribute t o productivity. The best approaches of increasing workplace productivity are positive management and good communication. In the place of work, managers who exercise positive means and enhance positive behaviour can achieve positive results. The managers must have broad knowledge and act as the intellectuals of the organisation. When disagreements arise within the organisation, it is the manager who advices the administrators on the approach to employ towards solving the problem amicably. Other matters that require the counsel of HR manager include appraisal, training, recruitment and incorporations (Kramar et al., 2011). As a matter of consideration, the manager understands the capacity of the organisation much more than anybody else. For instance, the manager is responsible for designing the tasks for every employee and thus he/she has to be involved when the organisation intends to hire and/or layoff staff (Dekler, 2007). Moreover, with regards to the layoff decision by the CEO, t he ideal organisation plan to communicate the decision would include good communication strategies, honesty, respect towards employees, asking feedback, ensuring commitment to employees’ safety and wellbeing. First, the organisation should share all the information regarding layoffs, citing the major reasons and implications to workers. The management should not imagine that workers understand the message at once or communicate only when all details are available. Consistent and accurate information is better in order to avoid rumours. Second, clarity of the decision to layoff workers might help them prepare, thus avoiding distractions like stress (Maertz et al., 2010). If the company does not know the exact number of redundancies, it is important to suggest a reasonable number. The company should make promises that are conceivable through exercising credibility. Third, the organisation should have guidelines that allow room for respect and dignity towards employees. For inst ance, a manager can exercise respect through giving the dismissed worker a chance to say goodbyes or letting him time to thank and/or receive thanks from colleagues. Fourth, the organisation should ask for feedback from various sources. Listening to employee’s suggestions or questions enhances organisational support to workers. The HR managers can administer questions, such as: How can we communicate better the layoff decision? Are there any major issues regarding how the layoffs are conducted? (Hershey, Blanchard, Johnson, 2008). Finally, it is important to restate the organisation’s commitment to health and welfare where possible. The organisation should focus on safety by expressing the likely effects of layoffs and the necessary reactions expected from employees to reduce the effects. For instance, a supervisor can take some time to ask each affected employee in his line of work how they are fairing with the changes. In this case, the supervisor can deal with the employees’ problems while focusing on work and enhancing safety measures. Conclusion The CEO and HR manager of Utilities Co. were in an unfortunate position of finding an appropriate strategy to lay off workers. Administering layoffs is often difficult because it involves dealing with people and factors that affect work behaviour. This paper analysed the implications of announcing layoffs, the concerns of OHS, the impact of industrial action on the organisation, and proposed an ideal organisation’s plan to communicate the layoff decision to the staff. The major HR implication of CEO’s announcement to lay off staff was that the HR department would work hard to identify redundancies within the company and consequently restructure the working environment. The announcement was received with shock from employees, and it led to decreased morale and productivity. As the HR manager, Maree was required to support her own staff and troubleshoot across the organisation in order to maintain the company’s operations. In addition, the announcement increased the OHS concerns as the news stressed many employees, and they even felt sick. As a response to the announcement, the union’s industrial action interfered with service delivery, but did not stop the company’s stand on dismissing workers. Therefore, the major recommendation for Utilities Co. is to have a feasible plan to communicate the layoff decision to the staff through the following five strategies: good communication strategies, honesty, respect towards employees, asking feedback, ensuring commitment to employees’ safety and wellbeing. References Artz, B 2010, ‘The impact of union experience on job satisfaction’, Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 387–405. Armstrong, M Baron, A 2004, Managing performance: Performance management in action, 2nd edn, CIPD, London. Bateman, TS Snell, SA 2009, Management: Leadin g and collaborating in the competitive world, 8th edn, The McGraw-Hill Companies, New York. Boxall, P Purcell, J 2008, Strategy and human resource management, 2nd edn, Palgrave MacMillan, Basingstoke. Brewster, C 2007, ‘Human resource management: European views and perspectives’, International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 18, pp. 769-787. Chambliss, K 2007, Equal employment advocacy, Working Paper, no. 4-6, Institute for Legal Studies, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison. Decenzo,DA Silhanek, B 2002, Human relations: Personal and professional development, 2nd edn, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Dekler, M 2007, ‘Healing emotional trauma in organizations: an O.D framework and case study’, Organizational Development Journal, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 49-56. Dragano, N, Verde, P Siegrist, J 2005, ‘Organisational downsizing and work stress: testing synergistic health effects in employed men and women’, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, vo l. 59, pp. 694-699. Godard, J 2010, ‘What is best for workers? The implications of workplace and human resource management practices revisited’, Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 466–488. Hershey, P, Blanchard, K Johnson, D 2008, Management of organizational behavior: Leading human resources, 9th edn, Pearson Education, New Jersey. Johnstone, R, Quinlan, M Walters, D 2005, ‘Statutory OHS Workplace Arrangements for the Modern Labour Market’, Journal of Industrial Relations, vol47, no. 1, pp. 93-116. Kramar, R, Bartram, T, De Cieri, H Noe, RA 2011, Human resource management: Strategy, people, performance, 4th edn, McGraw-Hill Education Australia New Zealand, Sydney. Maertz, C P, Wiley, JW, Lerouge, C Campion, MA 2010, ‘Downsizing effects on survivors: Layoffs, offshoring, and outsourcing’, Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 275–285. Moore, S, Gru nberg, L Greenberg, E 2004, ‘Repeated downsizing contact: The effects of similar and dissimilar layoff experiences on work and well-being outcomes’, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 247-257. Mullins, L 2004, Management and organizational behaviour, Pitman Publishing, London. Quill, E 2005, ‘Employer’s liability for bullying and harassment’, International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 645-666. Quinlan, M 2007, ‘Organisational restructuring/downsizing, OHS regulation and worker health and wellbeing’, National Research Centre for OHS Regulation, The Australian National University, Sydney Roethlisberger, F 2009, Management and the worker, Harvard University Press, Cambridge. Schmidt, SW 2009, ‘Employee demographics and job training satisfaction: the relationship between dimensions of diversity and satisfaction with job training’, Human Resource Devel opment International, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 297-312. Sverke, M, Hellgren, J Naswall, K 2002, ‘No security: A meta-analysis and review of job insecurity and its consequences’, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, vol. 7, pp. 242-264. White-Means, S Hersch, J 2005, ‘Health insurance disparities in traditional and contingent/alternative employment’, International Journal of Health Care Finance and Economics, vol. 5, pp. 351-368.

Manage budgets and financial plans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Manage budgets and financial plans - Essay Example Effective communication is made up of voice clarity, subject appropriateness, and language simplicity. Clarity is an important component of effective communication. Unless communication between individuals or groups is clear, communication will lack direction and can be misinterpreted. Communication is a vital link in our life. Business dealings, financial markets, legal or medical opinions, education, sports or entertainment are all a part of our life. To sustain or succeed, communication is vital. Wars have been won and lost through the use of effective and non-effective communication. Subject appropriateness is another component of effective communication. I, as a speaker must be able to deliver precise, subjective information to make you and others receptive to what I say. If I were to repeatedly go on lecturing without any participation from the audience, the whole exercise would lose its importance and nullify the objective. Also, if I were to go on stage and make a presentatio n without proper preparation, it may end up being monotonous, elaborate and finally go down as being a drab. An unprepared elaborate speech will only rebuke the audience. No one likes to be held up by lengthy lectures or speeches. The listener/audience will soon begin to lose interest and direction. Time is precious. Effective communication must thus be precise and concise. Language simplicity is the third feature in effective communication. Use of strong language can harm the intent of such an exercise. Confusion will prevail. The purpose of making a point will be lost. What good would it be, if I were to use strong language that finds most people in the audience searching for meanings Simple language that is easily understood will make the presentation most effective. The idea is to make those present understand the focus of the presentation and at the same time the reason behind it. Thus, it must be said that for effective communication, clarity, appropriateness, and simple langu age is important. In order to understand how effective communication can deliver the desired results at a professional level, I have traced three potential scenarios: 1. An address to team leaders on the introduction of the annual budget 2. A departmental meeting citing the reason for a budgetary cut 3. A capital proposal in an operational area 2.0 Effective communication and strategies while introducing an annual budget: and explaining their responsibilities to the team leaders within your department To present a company's annual financial budget to leaders of various departments calls for very precise and informative data. First and foremost, I, as the speaker must be well versed with financial terms. I should be able to interpret and conclude to all team members the logic behind any thrust in funding a particular project or division. It must be understood that all information being spelt out by me is in keeping with the company's new policies, and approved by senior managers and board members. At no point of

Does Culture, Motivation & Productivity affect value addition. The Literature review

Does Culture, Motivation & Productivity affect value addition. The case study upon ASK Italian Restaurant UK - Literature review Example Many of these scholars agree that employee recruitment and application of different management practices are mainly geared towards adding value to the particular business in question (Zamora 2003, p.17; Ulrich 2008, p. 21). Like any other business, ASK Italian restaurant is a business in which the managerial styles and work environment are made to be conducive purposefully to add value to the business. ASK Italian is a British casual dining restaurant chain that mainly serves Italian cuisine (food, wine and culture, to say the least) in different parts of UK (Empathica Develops 2012, p.9). ASK restaurants are situated in prime positions with each restaurant having a unique design to fit the setting (Italians got Everything 2010, p. 11). It must be noted in this regard that the setting together with the culture of the people around and the general productivity of the business affects greatly the value addition and the management practices of ASK businesses across UK. Value addition an d the customer care management practices when ejected in appropriate measure into the business makes the business stand out in the crowded world of competitors (Melling, 2008). Research done by Thomas and Kerr (2004) indicated that motivation level varies depending on the different functions in the workplace. According to Heinrichs (2013), Motivation can be categorized into either intrinsic motivation as referring to those motivations coming from the value of work for an individual. Or, on the other hand, can be extrinsic motivation, which are those motivations that originate from outside work itself. Differently put these are motivations coming from the desire to obtain an outcome independent of the work itself. The various functions in the work environment may include factors like evaluation, expectation, actual performance feedback, reward, autonomy or the very nature of the work itself (Tabassi, Mahyuddin and Abu 2007, p.145). In their

Investigation of Food Poisoning Outbreak

Investigation of Food Poisoning Outbreak Christian Nehme INTRODUCTION An investigation of a food poisoning outbreak requires some knowledge into what food poisoning is and some common culprit bacteria which trigger such outbreaks. Food poisoning, also known as foodborne illness, is the name for the range of illnesses caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or drink. Food poisoning occurs in two main ways: poisoning by toxic agent or by infectious agent. Food intoxication is when the food contains toxins, usually occurring when the organism that produced the toxin is no longer present or able to cause infection. Food infection, on the other hand, is when the food contains bacteria which infect the body after it is eaten. Foodborne illness is quite common, affecting almost 5.5 million Australians each year. Two common food poisoning causing bacteria are B.cereus vs S. aureus. Bacillus species are Gram positive, aerobic heterotrophs, with the ability to form resistant spore coats. Do they have similar symptoms, toxins? cases in Australia. Description of Scenario As a special treat paid for by the Department of Health and Aging, 435 pensioners were taken on a catered summer’s day harbour cruise. Later that day, a number of the participants became very ill. The food was prepared on shore and brought onto the boat that day, The boat left Circular Quay at around 10am and cruised around Sydney Harbour past Watsons Bay, into Darling Harbour and disembarking at Circular Quay at 3pm.. The water was rather calm and there was a medium breeze. Local hospitals and ambulances were mobilized to respond to the outbreak. It also came to the attention of the local PHU and their personnel were able to retrieve some remnant food and patient specimens from the scene and hospitals. Questionnaires were distributed to the guest list once this was obtained by the local PHU and the NSW Food Authority. Of the questionnaires sent out, 339 were returned providing the following information. Symptoms Of the total number who were sick, 153 suffered severe diarrhoea; 139 vomited; 122 experienced abdominal cramps; 117 said that they felt nauseous; 11 complained of numbness in the arms and legs; and 3 developed haematuria. Thankfully no deaths were recorded as a consequence of this outbreak. Reported details on illness, and what was eaten and not eaten were compiled into Food Attack Tables. RESULTS Number of individuals who attended the cruise:435 Number of questionnaires returned:339 Number of individuals who suffered diarrhea: 153 Number of individuals who suffered vomiting: 139 Number of individuals who suffered abdominal cramps: 122 Number of individuals who suffered nausea: 117 Number of individuals who suffered numbness in arms / legs: 139 Number of individuals who suffered haematuria: 139 Number of deaths: 0 The incubation periods of the sick individuals (number of cases) are displayed in Figure 1. The food-specific attack rates for foods thought to be implicated are shown in Table 1. Figure 1: Epidemic curve presenting incubation periods of sick pensioners aboard the harbour cruise. Results obtained from responses to a questionnaire. Onset times appear as two distinct peaks, one occurring between 2-3 hours and the other between 6-15 hours, after consuming lunch. Data Calculated Percentage morbidity: (219 x 100) / 339 = 64.6% Percentage mortality: (0 x 100) / 339= 0.0% Percentage case fatality rate: (0 x 100) / 219= 0.0% Average incubation period: = 9.9 Hours Table 1: Food-specific Attack rates using data from questionnaire and other calculations including the Odds Ratio, Chi squared and Confidence Interval for each food type. Odds Ratio: An odds ratio greater than 1 indicates a higher risk of becoming risk on eating that particular food type. In Table 1 above, all meats have an odds ratio less than 1, and only Rice Pudding with Custard has an odds ratio greater than 1. Confidence Interval: the Odds Ratio is within a 95% confidence level if the CI does not include 1. From Table 1, Roast Lamb is the only food not within a 95% confidence level, whilst the 3 other food types are within a 95% confidence level. Chi-Squared: Ho = the sickness is not a result of any of the food consumed H1 = the sickness is a result of any of the food consumed When the P-Value is less than 0.05 (non-significant), the null hypothesis can be rejected. Since the P-Value is less than 0.05 for the Chicken, Ham Rice Pudding, the null hypothesis can be rejected, indicating that the case of the sickness was due to the consumption of either one of, or a combination of these foods. Since the P-Value of the Roast Lamb is much greater than 0.05, the null hypothesis cannot be rejected, signifying that the consumption of the Roast Lamb was most probably not a cause of the sickness. % Ill (Attack Rate): this is a measurement of correlation of the percentage of passengers who got sick and the total number who ate or did not eat a specific type of food. The correlation for Rice Pudding was the one to stand out, where only 20% of the passengers who did not eat rice pudding actually reported that they got sick. This is dramatically less than the other food types, which were above 60% each. Also, Rice Pudding had the highest attack rate of 57.8%. Flowchart of Experiment Food Swabs Cook’s Nose Swab Faecal Swab Results of Experiment DISCUSSION As evident from Figure 1, the number of cases are spread out from 2-21 hours after consuming lunch. There are 2 distinct peaks, occurring at 2-3 and 6-15 hours after consuming lunch. At this stage, a pathogen can possibly be the causative agent as it has shown to portray such symptoms on passing from the Upper Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) to the Lower GIT(Kho et al. 2011). These peaks can be linked with vomiting and diarrhoea, respectively. Of the commonly known pathogens, Bacillus cereus, a spore-forming pathogen, causes two distinct forms of foodborne effects: an emetic syndrome (vomiting-typified by an incubation period of 1–6 hours) and a diarrheal illness typified by an incubation period of 6–24 hours (Benenson AS, ed). Table 1 yields useful results which play a critical role in identifying the trigger organism for the outbreak. The attack rate for people who ate the different food types was the highest for Rice Pudding Custard (57.8%), although the other food types were closely behind, Roast Lamb being the closest at 56%. This is not enough information to be able to conclude the causative food type since the attack rate only ranges by 7%. This close range could be due to the fact that these food types were consumed in varying combinations, which makes it difficult to pinpoint the exact, single food at fault. This attack rate, however, can be combined with the attack rate of the pensioners who did not eat a particular food type, giving a clearer picture as to what the causative food source was. Rice Pudding Custard, having the lowest attack rate at just 20%, suggests that if it were not eaten, the chance of becoming ill is heavily less compared to the nearest food type, Roast Lamb, with an attack rate of 62.2%. This, combined with the high attack rate of pensioners who ate the Rice Pudding Custard, signals it to be the culprit source of pathogens. The odds ratio of Rice Pudding Custard, being 5.47, is significantly greater than other food types (which are all less than 1), suggesting that the risk of becoming ill upon consumption is 5.47 times greater than if Rice Pudding weren’t consumed. Furthermore, since the P-Value is less than 0.05 for the Chicken, Ham Rice Pudding, the null hypothesis can be rejected (that the sickness is not a result of any of the food consumed). This indicates that the case of the sickness was due to the consumption of either one of, or a combination of these foods. Since the P-Value of the Roast Lamb is much greater than 0.05, the null hypothesis cannot be rejected, signifying that the consumption of the Roast Lamb was most probably not a cause of the outbreak. However, the Confidence Interval for Rice Pudding Custard lies within a 95% confidence level, further supporting the claim that the Rice Pudding Custard was the causative food source. Knowing the possible food source which triggered the outbreak, and having an idea that the causative organism behind the outbreak was B. cereus (due to the two peaks correlating to the typical symptoms), laboratory investigations were then conducted to conclude what the exact organism was. The first test conducted was inoculating each food sample onto a PEMBA plate. The results varied as to the PEMBA count (cfu/g), possibly due to experimental error. However, Rice Pudding had the highest consistent overall count, with 8.5 x106 and 7.9 x 106 cfu/g. The colonies that grew on the PEMBA plates for the Chicken, Ham and Roast Lamb were small, yellow colonies, measuring approximately 1-2mm each, indicating the possibility of Gram Positive Cocci. The Rice Pudding, however, displayed large (4-5mm), matt blue colonies with a halo of precipitate. The PEMBA isolate for the Rice Pudding were Gram Positive Rods, occurring in chains with an oval central spore. The lipid granule test was positive an d catalase positive, with motile cells. Since none of the other food types PEMBA isolates showed GPR, no further testing was conducted on Chicken, Ham and Roast Lamb. Salmonella, Enterococcus and Shigella may have been possible pathogenic causing bacteria which contributed to the outbreak. In order to eliminate or support this possibility, a Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate (XLD) plate was used. Faecal swabs of the sick pensioners who had eaten a particular food type were inoculated onto the XLD media. The only differentiating outcome was the appearance of the colonies of the faecal sample from people who consumed the Rice Pudding Custard, were slightly larger than those for the other food types. No definitive conclusion can be made from this. Faecal swabs were also plated on PEMBA plates and inoculated into the XLD media. The PEMBA plates displayed small, yellow Gram Positive Cocci colonies for the Chicken, Ham Roast Lamb specimens. The Rice Pudding Custard however, displayed large, Gram Positive Rods, which appeared as large, blue, matte colonies when sub-cultured onto the PEMBA plates. This further supports the finding that B.cereus was the causat ive organism. The next step is to eliminate any possibility that the pathogen Staphylococci spp had any part to play, or to confirm that it did. To do this, the Cook’s nose swab was inoculated on Blood Agar (BA) to stablish haemolysis and on Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), as a selective mechanism for salt-tolerant microorganisms such as Staphylococcus or Enterococcus. After testing, small, round, flat, ÃŽ ³ – haemolytic white colonies were seen on the Blood Agar, with the BA Isolate being Gram Positive Cocci, occurring in clusters and being catalase positive. Although this suggests the possible presence of a Staphylococci species, the MSA plate rendered small, white colonies with pink agar throughout. The pink agar confirms that the Mannitol was not fermented, which is an indicator that no Staphylococci species was present. Further proof for the non-existence of S.aureus was seen with the Latex test displaying no clumping. In order to confirm that B.cereus was the causative organism for the outbreak, further tests were conducted. These include gelatin positive, starch positive, casein negative, nitrate positive (no gas formed). The sample tested positive for Glucose VP. This means that glucose was broken down by the Rice Pudding specimen to form acetoin, and was evident through the dark red colour formed. B.cereus tested negative for the indole test, meaning it was unable to split indole from tryptophan (Wong, Chang Fan 1988). All these test results correspond with the presence of B. cereus and at this point, we are more confident that this is the causative organism. To test for purity, and to confirm that no other specimen influenced these results, a BHIA purity test was performed, which resulted with a pure result, meaning the listed test results were solely caused by the Rice Pudding Custard specimen. Through the results of the media growth and the results of the confirmatory tests conducted, it was determined that the causative food source was the Rice Pudding Custard, which contained a strain of B.cereus. This resulted through the Cook not cooking the Rice at the ideal temperature, and since the temperature used was hot enough to trigger the B.cereus to enter their vegetative state, but was not high enough to kill the B.cereus, this resulted in the widespread growth of the specimen. Accompanied with the fact that the rice was prepared the night before and the warmer environment in which the rice was kept for the period of time overnight were suitable conditions and promoted its growth, further accounts for the growth of B.cereus (Jesen et al. 2003). Outbreaks such as this could be avoided, and at least minimised if some precautions were taken by all those involved with the handling, making and consuming of foods. The following list outlines some main ways through which this can be achieved (Klietmann, W, 2002): Storage of hot food above 600C and cold food in the fridge below 40C Keeping cooked and raw food separated at all times, to avoid cross-contamination Using separate chopping boards and utensils for raw and cooked foods Improving hygiene such as washing hands before and after contact with food Utilising a heat process to destroy the vegetative cells and a rapid cooling process to prevent the spores from germinating Using appropriate cleaning and disinfection of contact surfaces of food, such as sodium hypochlorite based disinfectants Keep frozen foods frozen until used Cooked foods which won’t be consumed within an hour should be kept at temperatures below 10Â °C or above 50Â °C (Roberts, T.A) Experimental Method The main source of primary data was obtained from the questionaries. The accuracy of the answers to the questions asked has a direct influence on the results obtained, and on the findings extracted from the questionaries. Thus, if the questionnaires are completed accurately and in detail, the reliability of the results would increase and a higher potential in obtaining accurate leads as to which species were the triggers to the outbreak would be attained. However, out of the 435 pensioners who were on the cruise, only 339 questionnaires were completed and returned to the local PHU the NSW Food Authority. This leaves 96 unaccounted for pensioners, which would have aided and fastened the search for the possible trigger. These 96 absences could have been a result of the pensioners not wanting to give out personal information, not having an easy method of returning the questionnaires, and some pensioners may not have received the questionaries in the first place. This absence of 96 resp onses has a direct effect on the accuracy of the collected data from these questionnaires, as the data is only a sample of the population, and is not a complete reflection of all pensioners involved. Furthermore, more detailed questions could have been asked on the questionnaires which may have sped the process of identifying the relationship between the symptoms caused and the time of onset. Improvements with the data collection could have involved the collection of vomit and diarrhoea samples, which would have helped identify the pathogen early on in the investigation. API strips could have been used to aid in identifying the pathogen as fast as possible, as well as using advanced technological methods. Testing the venue of where the food was prepared further and analysing all possible contributions to the outbreak at the source by further investigating the cook, the staff involved, whether other foods were being prepared at the same time, the overall hygiene of the kitchen, pest related influences, and previous occurrences and whether any have occurred since. Continuous monitoring of all food preparation methods and staff involved since the occurrence will aid in preventing a reoccurrence. A stricter enforcement of an increased hygiene standard could be rolled out onto not only similar cruise companies, but also all kitchens and restaurants throughout Australia. The most feasible and economical method would be to allocate fortnightly swabs of the kitchen, staff, floors, equipment and food samples at all these food-related location, and be sent to relevant laboratories to be analysed and reported. A safety-tick program could be implemented which takes these results and businesses ca n display them, notifying customers that they conduct regular hygiene tests and have passed all tests, giving the customer piece of mind that their chances of getting food poisoning is less likely. REFERENCES Jenson, I Moir, C. J: In Foodborne Micro-organisms of Public Health Significance. A. D. Hocking et al. (editor) 6th edition. AIFST (NSW Branch) Waterloo NSW 2003. SAA: Australian Standard. Food Microbiology. Method 2.6: Examination for specific organisms – AS 1766.2.6, pp. D8-D12, 1991. Benenson AS, ed. Control of communicable diseases in man. 15th ed. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 1990:177–8. Kho, M.F., Bellier, A., Balasubramani, V., Hu, Y., Hsu, W., Nielsen-LeRoux, C., McGillivray, S.M., Nizet, V. Aroian, R.V. 2011, The pore-forming protein Cry5B elicits the pathogenicity of Bacillus sp. against Caenorhabditis elegans, PLoS One, vol. 6, no. 12, p. e29122. Wong, H., Chang, M. Fan, J. 1988, Incidence and characterization of Bacillus cereus isolates contaminating dairy products, Applied and environmental microbiology, vol. 54, pp. 699-702. Jesen, G.B., Hansen, B.M., Eilenberg, J. Mahillon, J. 2003, The hidden lifestyles of Bacillus ceresus and relatives, Environmental microbiology, vol. 5, pp. 631-40. Roberts, T. A.; Baird-Parker, A. C.; Tompkin, R. B. (1996). Characteristics of microbial pathogens. London: Blackie Academic Professional. p.24. Klietmann, W. and Ruoff, K. 2002. Bioterrorism: Implications for the Clinical Microbiologist. Amer. Soc. Micro. 14(2):364-381.

My College Experience :: Personal Narrative Writing

My College Experience My decision to change schools from The University of North Texas to come to Penn State, leaving behind friends I had made was a difficult and long process. The months leading to the decision were filled with a lot of stress, and put strain on family and friends alike. Adding to the situation was the strain of my not having a car, and not being able to afford to fix my current one. Even with these factors pressuring me, I think I managed to make the right decision, and left UNT, and came to Penn State. I should have known right from the start that I would have problems. My first day on the UNT campus I was told I would have to redo nearly all of my previous college work. They had different history, language, and English requirements than did my community college from Pennsylvania, and despite providing course descriptions, the classes that did match up, were named differently that theirs, so they denied transferring nearly all of my classes. After a fight, I resolved to take the classes that they required differently from my community college, for example, American History, where I had European history. Things were not fixed yet, but at least I was taking classes, and making progress.To further worsen things, I fell ill not a week into the semester. An initial strain of the flu had me running a fever of 102, and made me pretty much unable to do anything. I managed to get over it in about a week, but then I got a secondary infection which once again raised my body temperature to 102+. I finally went to see a doctor. He explained what happened why my fever broke and came back. He also prescribed antibiotics and cough medicine which got me on my feet again after another week. When I came back, professors were not willing to work with me at all, doctor’s note or no doctor’s note. My physics class even had a test the first day I was back, and I was forced to take it totally unprepared. Needless to say I failed the test miserably. To my surprise, so did the rest of the class. I managed to catch up in all my other classes to the point where I could expect a C, but I never recovered from physics, and ended up needing to retake it, and having my GPA smudged.