The Concept Of Leadership Management Essay

The Concept Of Leadership Management Essay The concept of leadership had now been not only within the frame of team, organization etc. it had been spread around the world and world is influenced by this concept. Leadership is very much required in todays turbulent world because of various crises etc. Leadership is also a universal concept. It is also a part of management and also considered as a management function. Leadership is also interconnected with other management functions such as planning, organizing, communication, motivating, coordination and controlling. There had been various confusions in the concept of leadership starting from definition of leadership till theory and approaches of leadership. Many researchers of management concepts such as Max Webber, Mary Parker Follet, F.W Taylor etc. have lead to serious development of leadership concept. The concept of leadership had been researched by various researchers leading to various findings. Findings such as leadership theories, approaches or styles had been analyzed and it is interpreted and given below. Further, Leaders are born or made is a biggest argument of century. This is what the whole research argues to conclude. Leadership There had been various definitions researched by various researchers. The universal definition of leadership is working with and through people and influencing the behavior of people towards the achievement of common goals. Leading is a management function without which management cannot step into next function which will interrupt the total organizational job and performance. Leadership involves four element: Leader/Persuader. Follower/Persuadee. Situation. Communication. Leader Leader is a person with the ability to influence or persuade the behavior of his/her subordinates towards a common objective or task to which the leader is focusing on. Effective leader is a person who positively influence another persons behavior through effective approach or style relating to the leadership theory used which turns the behavior towards achievement of goals effectively and efficiently. Role of effective leaders There are twelve different roles that an effective leader performs and these twelve roles are categorized into three categories and its stated below: Create an Inspiring Vision Lead by Example Create an inspiring vision, establish shared values, give direction and set stretch goals. Manage change strategically, take risks, create change, lead change, manage resistance to change. Lead by example, practice what you preach, set an example, and share risks or hardship. Demonstrate confidence, win respect and trust without courting popularity. Empower, Inspire, and Energize People Be enthusiastic, inspire and energize people, create a positive work environment. Empower people, delegate authority, be open to ideas, have faith in the creativity of others. Communicate openly and honestly, give clear guidelines, set clear expectations. Empathize, be willing to discuss and solve problems, listen with understanding, support and help. Build and Lead a Team Use team approach, facilitate cooperation; involve everyone; trust your group; rely on their judgment. Bring out the best in your people, have common touch with them; coach and provide effective feedback. Permit group decision, help your team reach better decisions. Monitor progress, but dont micromanage, lead your team; avoid close supervision, do not over boss, do not dictate, lead team self-assessment. To further discuss, an effective leader acts as a :- Clarifier who listens, summarizes and makes things clearer. Coach who encourages others to develop skills. Facilitator who helps the group set goals, make decisions, choose direction, and evaluate progress. Delegator who helps each group member apply their talents and interests to the groups goals. Initiator who gets things moving. Manger who helps coordinate the parts of a project and keeps an eye on program. Mediator who helps resolve differences. Networker who connects people with people and people with ideas to move the project forward. Problem solver who suggests solutions and ways to get things done. Visionary who sees creative solutions, new directions and possibilities. It is identified six important roles are required during various changes occurring in the environment. They are: Role model Sponsor Decision maker Voice Motivator Enforcer Skills of a leader According to management concept, skills are categorized into three divisions such as conceptual, human and technical skills. After various researchers findings being analyzed it had been concluded that an effective leader requires the following skills: Vision, mission and goal Competency Communication Inspiration Interpersonal Positive attitude Discrimination and strategic thinking Honesty/integrity Dedication/commitment Magnanimity/humility Open minded Creative/innovative Assertive/decisive Self-awareness Know the stuff Encouraging Practice makes perfect Passion Persuasion Delegate, empowering and fearlessness Genuine Supportive Motivating Emotional intelligence Employee-relations Crisis management Ownership and responsibility fairness Leadership Theories Leadership had been one of the concept universally researched by many, individually or jointly and which had resulted into various theories in the past centuries and it had been revised for various benefits. Out of these various theories major eight theories are discussed below: Great man theory Trait theory Behavioral theories Role theory. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y. Managerial grid. Participative leadership Lewins leadership style. Likerts leadership style. Situational leadership style Hersey and Blanchards situational leadership. Vroom and yettons normative model. Houses path goal theory. Contingency theories Fiedlers Least preferred co-worker(LPC) theory Cognitive resource theory. Strategic contingency theory. Transactional leadership Leader Member-Exchange (LMX) theory Transformational leadership Burns transformational leadership theory. Bass transformational leadership theory. Kouzes and Posners leadership participating inventory. Great Man Theory This theory is brought by Thomas Carlyle in 1840s stating that The history of the world is but the biography of great man. This theory is informed with the assumption that leaders are born and not made. He also assumes that great leaders will arise when there is a great need and that this is power inheritance within men. The greatest critique or counter argument for this theory arose in 1860 by Herbert Spencer that You must admit that the genesis of a great man depends on the long series of complex influences which has produced the race in which he appears, and the social state into which that race has slowly grown. Before he can remake his society, his society must make him which says that great men are the product of their societies and their actions would be impossible without social conditions built before their lifetimes. This theory makes us see a great man as heroic person from birth which shows examples such as Napoleon, Shakespeare, Martin Luther, Mahatma Gandhi etc. the counter argument of Herbert Spencer is the one that helped this theory to be alive from its findings till date. Trait Theory Trait theory is major area of study on human personality. Trait can be defined as behavior, thought, emotions, etc. of people that differs among people and influence behavior. It can be described as behavioral act through which leadership style has been performed. It also has similarity with great man theory. Gordon Allports three tier model: Gordon Allport was the first researcher to come up with this theory in 1936. He described four thousand personality traits. He categorized these traits into three levels: Cardinal trait- traits that dominate an individuals whole life and person becomes to be recognized. These traits are rare. Central trait- these are general characteristics that form the basic foundations of personality. These are the major characteristics that is used to describe another person but not dominating as cardinal trait. Terms such as intelligent, honest, anxious are considered central trait. Secondary trait- these are the traits that are sometimes related to attitudes and often appear only in certain situations. E.g.: getting anxious speaking to a group. 16 Personality Factors: Then, Raymond Cattell reduced the number of main personality traits found by Allports list of four thousand to one seventy one by eliminating uncommon traits and combining common characteristics. Then using, a statistical technique known as factor analysis, he identified closely related terms and reduced his list to just sixteen key personality traits. This is known as sixteen personality factor questionnaire (16PF). The sixteen personality traits are openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, self-esteem, harm avoidance, novelty seeking, perfectionism, alexithymia, rigidity, impulsivity, disinhibition, psychotism. Since its findings in 1949, it had been revised four times, once in 1956, then 1962, 1968 and in 1983. Eysenk three dimensions of personality: Hans Eysenk, a british psychologist developed a three dimensional trait model which includes: Introversion/Extraversion introversion involves focusing on inner experience while extraversion focusing attention outward on other people and environment. So, person with high introversion might be quiet and reserved while those with high extraversion might be sociable and outgoing. Neuroticism/Emotional stability This dimension is related to moodiness versus even-temperedness. Neuroticism refers to an individuals tendency to become emotional while stability refers to the tendency to remain emotionally constatnt. Psychoticism Individuals who are high on this trait tend to have difficulty dealing with reality and may be anti-social and manipulative. Eyesenk added this trait after studying individuals suffering from mental illness. Big Five Personality Trait Model: Big five framework of personality traits from Costa and McCrae emerged based on research findings of Eyesenk and Cattell. This emerged because Cattell focused on too many traits and Eyesenk focused on too few. This model focuses on five core traits that interact to form human personality. Those five traits are: Extraversion Agreeableness Conscientiousness Neuroticism Openness Many psychologist believe this model is not only universal but also have biological origins. Totally, trait theory was researched by various other researchers such as D.W.Fiske(1949), Norman(1967), Smith(1967), Goldberg(1981) etc. One of the famous research work is Stogdills trait research. Stogdill (1974) identified the following traits and skills as critical to leaders. Traits are: Â  Adaptable to situations Alert to social environment Ambitious and achievement-orientated Assertive Cooperative Decisive Dependable Dominant (desire to influence others) Energetic (high activity level) Persistent Self-confident Tolerant of stress Willing to assume responsibility Skills are: Clever (intelligent) Conceptually skilled Creative Diplomatic and tactful Fluent in speaking Knowledgeable about group task Organized (administrative ability) Persuasive Socially skilled McCall and Lombardo (1983) researched both success and failure identified four primary traits by which leaders could succeed or derail: Emotional stability and composure: Calm, confident and predictable, particularly when under stress. Admitting error: Owning up to mistakes, rather than putting energy into covering up. Good interpersonal skills: Able to communicate and persuade others without resort to negative or coercive tactics. Intellectual breadth: Able to understand a wide range of areas, rather than having a narrow (and narrow-minded) area of expertise. To be finally said that trait theory as great man theory follows the same phrase of Leaders are born, not made. The only difference it also includes an extra element of personality rather than looking it as a historic way. Behavioral Theory After the criticism of trait theory, many researched leadership in the form of behaviors, values etc. which lead to the behavioral theory that states behaviors of leaders pave way to learn and engage in leadership very easily. It also states that great leaders are made, not born. This theory focuses on actions of leaders, not on mental qualities. People learn to become leaders through teaching and observation. Under this theory there were two great studies: Ohio State University Study This study was conducted by a group of people from Ohio state university. They developed a list of one-fifty statements which was designed to measure nine different behavioral leadership dimension. The resulting questionnaire is known as Leaders Behavior Description Questionnaire(LBDQ). This was provided to students, administers, even to military personnel. The primary goal of the study was to identify common leadership behaviors. After analyzing the results, study led to a conclusion that there were two group of behaviors that were strongly correlated. These were defined as consideration(People oriented behavioral leaders) and initiating structure(Task oriented leaders). University Of Michigan Study(1950s) This study was led by Dr. Rensis Likert. This leadership study identified three characteristics of effective leadership. Two were which already found in Ohio State University study. Third dimension which was found in this study was participative leadership. Some of the theories that are categorized under behavioral theory are listed below: Role Theory Various researchers are involved in this theory. Some are Margaret Mead, Talcot Parsons and Robert k. Merton. But, this became famous through B.F. Skinner. Role theory states that followers are able to send their expectations of how their leaders might act and leaders also have expectations of their own roles and responsibilities of how to act to the situation. If the leader is so sensitive to people they may accept the followers expectation. This theory really states what the leader should do depending on situations. This might also solve conflicts and sometime lead to role-conflict. It shows that the way the leader acts in the normal life must be implemented when they are needed to act as a leader. This can be considered as an avatar or second life. The leaders who are role-playing may require their followers to act as they do. To be said in phrase Do as I do. This theory can take any style such as autocratic or sometimes democratic. This depends on the behaviorism of leader i.e. the way they look or the way they act etc. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y This theory was developed by McGregor in 1960s. This theory outlines the motivation need and behaviorism of leaders. Theory X outlines that leaders think their followers are lazy and doesnt want to work, they are who wants to ignore work as wherever possible. Leaders also think that they are responsible to restructure their followers through high restrictive supervision and a punitive atmosphere. This might lead to mistrust and cause diseconomies of scale in large business. Theory Y outlines that leaders think that their followers are ambitious, self-motivated and they know what their responsibilities and make themselves work to what they seek. This influences the leader that their only job is to make available a comfortable environment for workers purpose. This improves superior-subordinate relationship, participative skills, human resource development ability, conflict solving etc. Managerial Grid Managerial grid is also known as leadership grid. This is formed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton in 1960s. It is a graphical portrayal that depicts two dimension of leader behavior; concern for people on y-axis and concern for production on x-axis. This grid ranges from low(1) to high(9), creating 81 different positions to which leaders style may fall. Five leadership styles that results in the graph are :- Indifferent or Impoverished Management (1,1) In this style leaders have low concern for people and production. Leaders use this style to preserve job and job seniority, and protect themselves by avoiding getting into trouble. The main concern of leaders is not to be held responsible for any mistake. Employees will have high degree of dissatisfaction, disharmony within group. Ineffective approach resulting ineffective operations and decisions for organizations. Country club or Accommodating (1,9) Leaders have high concern for people and low concern for production. Leaders have qualities of yield and compliance to the situation. Leaders pay attention to the security and comfort of peoples hoping that performance would increase. Atmosphere would be friendly but ineffective productivity. Employees are happy and harmony within team. Status Quo or Middle of the road Leaders in this style try to balance and compromise between company goals and workers needs. Leaders try to achieve the needs of people and production but its not really met. Even though if it is met it will be average production. There will be good harmony in teams and average production. Dictatorial or Produce, Perish or Control (9,1) Leaders focus all their attention to production related matters and very little towards the needs of followers. Leaders will dominate as they hold the belief that gain could be achieved through rigid disciplines. This style remains effective where human interaction remain less. Productivity is short lived. This style is inspired by McGregors Theory X. followers experience high level of dissatisfaction and there will be high level of conflict within group. Sound or Team (9,9) This is considered as the most effective leadership style where leaders will contribute, are committed, can motivate and are motivated while believing that trust, respect and empowerment are essential for fostering a team environment where followers are motivated which results in maximum employee satisfaction as well as most efficient productivity. This is inspired by McGregors Theory Y. To this grid later certain additions were made: Opportunistic style Leaders using this style do not have a fixed location on the grid and they adopt the behavior that offers the greatest benefit. Exploit and manipulative characteristics. Paternalistic style Leaders using this style support and guide and discourage challenges to their thinking. This style defined to alternate between the (1,9) and (9,1) locations on the grid. Behaviors of initiative, inquiry, advocacy, decision, conflict, critique, resilience were associated with managerial grid. Participative Leadership Style Participative model can be known as an approach or style as well as a theory in leadership concept. Participative theory is also known as democratic theory which is described under title of leadership approaches below. This theory views that leaders make available a clear definition roles/responsibilities to his/her followers and leaders require their views or participation to the task or situation which increases motivation, commitment level and more collaborative and creativity. Participant may be subordinates, peers etc. But, the decision will be made by the leader through various views are taken. Many methods exists such as consultation, democratic leadership, management by objectives, joint decision making etc. Negative impact is, if the participants view is totally neglected the followers may feel as they are betrayed and less motivated leading to less commitment. Lewins leadership style In 1939, Kurt Lewin with Ron Lippit and Robert White came up with three set of leadership styles which are autocratic, democratic/participative and delegative/free-rein (Laissez-Faire) styles. Autocratic leader takes his own decision without consultation of members, Laissez-Faire style leader allows the followers to work on their own and participative leader takes decision with the consultation of his/her followers. Even, Kurt Lewin says that participative leadership is the most effective leadership style among his three findings. Likerts leadership style Rensis Likert and his colleagues studies the styles of leaders for three decades at University of Michigan and identified a four model system. This model was based on basis of questionnaire which is provided to managers at various managerial positions in over two-hundred organizations. Likerts four leadership style are : System 1 Exploitative Authoritative Responsibility lies in the hands of top managers. Superior has no trust, confidence in subordinates. Subordinates are not allowed to participate in decision making. Communication is very little and motivation is based on threats. System 2 Benevolent Authoritative Responsibility lies at managerial levels but not at lower level of organizational hierarchy. Superior has confidence and trust in subordinate which involves master-servant relationship. Still subordinates do not feel free to discuss things about the job with their superior. Communication is very little and motivation is based on reward system. System 3 Consultative Responsibility is widely spread throughout the organization. The superior has substantial confidence in subordinates. Some discussion about job-related things take place between superior and subordinates. Fair communication takes place and motivation is based on rewards and involvement in job. System 4 Participative Responsibility to achieve organizational goals is widely spread throughout the organizational hierarchy. Superior has high level of confidence in subordinates. High level of team work, communication and participation. Likert compares the four systems on the basis of leadership process, motivational force, communication process, interaction-influence process, decision making process and concludes that system 1 and 2 are least productive whereas system 3 and 4 are most productive. Finally, it is noted that system 4- participative model is the most effective style among the four systems. Situational Leadership Style As participative style, situational leadership is also considered as a style and theory. The famous leadership model discussed under this theory is Hersey and Blanchards leadership style discussed below. This theory shows the effective leadership style to be chosen defending on the situation i.e. depending to the maturity level and ability to willingness etc. This theory was first introduced as Life cycle theory of leadership which is renamed to situational leadership in mid 1970s. Hersey and Blanchards Leadership style First, Hersey and Blanchard developed their own situational leadership concept. In 1970s, they mutually agreed and developed the concept of situational leadership based on task and relationship behaviors that leader provides to the followers. They categorized all leadership styles into four behavior types which they named as: S1 : Telling/Directing high task focus and low relationship focus. Leaders define the roles and task of followers. Decisions are made by leaders and announced, so communication is largely one way. Followers need direction and supervision to get started. This is required for people who lack competence but are enthusiastic and committed. S2 : Selling/Coaching high task focus and high relationship focus. Leaders define roles and tasks to followers and also seek suggestions from followers. Communication is two way. Followers need direction and supervision because they are still inexperienced. They need support to build self-esteem and involvement in decision making to restore their commitment. This helps for people who have some competence but lack commitment. S3 : Participating/Supporting low task focus and high relationship focus. Leader pass day to day decisions to followers but control is with the followers. This is required for people who have competence but lack confidence or motivation but, they do not need much direction because of their skills. S4 : Delegating low task focus and low relationship focus. Leaders are still involved in decision and problem solving but control is with followers. Follower decides when and how leader will be involved. It is useful for people who have both competence and commitment. They are able and willing to work by themselves. Hersey and Blanchards situational leadership style developed four levels of maturity: M1 : followers of this maturity level lack specific skills or knowledge to work on their own. They need to be directed and supervised. M2 : they are willing to work but are unable to take independent responsibility to the task on which they are willing to work. M3 : followers at this maturity level are experienced and are able to work on the task but lack confidence to take the responsibility. M4 : followers at this maturity level are ones willing to take the task and be responsible for it and they have the experience to work on it. A good leader develops the competence and commitment in followers, So they are self-motivated rather than being dependant. So, Hersey develops four combination of competence and commitment which is known as development level. D1 Low competence and high commitment D2 Low competence and low commitment D3 High competence and low commitment D4 High competence and high commitment Competence shows ones task focus, experience etc. and commitment shows ones confidence and motivational level. Vroom and Yettons Normative Model This model is created by Vroom in collaboration with Yetton and later joining hands with Jago. The Vroom-Yetton-Jago model identifies five different styles on situation and level of involvement. They are: Autocratic type 1 (A I) Leader makes the decision on his/her own with the information he/she readily have at the time. This style is completely autocratic. Autocratic type 2 (A II) Decision is made by the leader, but information from relevant followers are collected. Decision or the problem is not informed to the followers. Followers only involvement is providing information. Consultative type 1 (C I) Leaders make the decision alone but he/she shares the problem to relevant followers individually and seek their ideas. Followers do not meet each other and leaders decision may or may not reflect his/her followers i

Reverse Logistics

REVERSE LOGISTICS SUPERVISED BY: ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR M. RAKOVSKA PREPARED BY: TATYANA BLAGOEVA FACULTY NUMBER: 10114004 Contents A Supply Chain Opportunity3 What is Reverse Logistics? 3 Case Examples4 Money is Hidden in Returns5 Reverse Logistics Completes the Supply Chain System6 Reverse Logistics and the Supply Chain Maturity Model11 Concluding Case Study Example13 The results were impressive:14 A Supply Chain Opportunity Most practitioners have their own understanding of the fundamental processes involved in an extended supply chain network.The novice will tell you it starts upstream with suppliers supplying suppliers, moves through manufacturing and production and goes downstream through distributors or direct to the business customers. An improvement effort starts within the four walls of a business by drawing a process map and working on product, information and financial flows to improve the key steps in the linkage that will save time, money and use of assets. The journeyman will go further and explain that a supply chain continues externally, until products and services have been delivered to the end consumer.System improvement involves order management, planning and distribution, inventory management and effective customer satisfaction. This counselor knows that supply chain is about bringing the key process steps to best practice and optimized conditions, while receiving high satisfaction ratings from the customers and consumers. The seasoned professional will shake his or her head and calmly explain that the journey is not ended until the products and services elivered have been accepted. If there is dissatisfaction with the results of the supply chain and something is returned, the processing continues. We stand with those who favor this extended enterprise view of supply chain, which results in the total satisfaction of the end consumer. There is a great opportunity in that sense, to focus on the generally forgotten or too often lower priority are a of attention given to finishing the job – going the last few feet in the linkage.When it comes to completing the end-to-end processing, companies should do two things: * Take the full view and understand the total cost of supply chain, which includes having and dealing with returns * Realize the opportunity that an analysis of the return part of the system offers in terms of finding and solving problems, better satisfying customers and consumers, and discovering a way to increase revenues What is Reverse Logistics?When considering any area of business as an opportunity for improvement, begin with having an understanding of just what you are trying to change. What is Reverse Logistics? The broader concept of  logistics  is described by The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) as:   The process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost effective flow of raw materials, in-process inventory, finished goods and related information f rom the point of origin to the point of consumption for the purpose of conforming to customer requirements.Wikipedia defines the narrower concept we are considering as:  Reverse logistics is the logistics process of removing new or used products from their initial point in a supply chain, such as returns from consumers, over stocked inventory, or outdated merchandise and redistributing them using disposition management rules that will result in maximized value at the end of the item’s useful life. For our purposes, reverse logistics includes all the activities that are mentioned in the definition above, with the difference that reverse logistics encompasses all of these activities as they operate in reverse.Therefore, according to authorities Dr. Dale S. Rogers and Dr. Ronald S Tibben-Lembke, reverse logistics becomes: The process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost effective flow of raw materials, in-process inventory, finished goods and related information from the point of consumption to the point of origin for the purpose of recapturing value or proper disposal. To settle on a specific definition, reverse logistics is the process of moving goods from their typical final destination for the purpose of capturing value, or achieving proper disposal to the satisfaction of the customer or consumer.Remanufacturing and refurbishment activities may be part of the procedure. Reverse logistics includes processing returned merchandise due to damage, seasonal inventory, restock, salvage, recalls, and excess inventory. It also includes recycling programs, hazardous material programs, obsolete equipment disposition, and asset recovery. For a practitioner, the disposition choice is determined by the most profitable alternative: * Reconditioning –  when a product is cleaned and repaired to return it to a â€Å"like new† state Refurbishing –  similar to reconditioning, except with perhaps more work involved in re pairing the product. * Remanufacturing –  similar to refurbishing, but requiring more extensive work; often requires completely disassembling the product * Resell –  when a returned product may be sold again as new * Recycle –  when a product is reduced to its basic elements, which are reused – also referred to as asset recovery. Case Examples A business printer field service and reverse logistics model helps explain how an operating system works.The process for such a firm starts when a business customer with a problem calls an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or third party customer support contact, both of which are used in an attempt to diagnose the problem and provide problem resolution instructions if applicable. An OEM field technician or third party certified technician attempts to repair the equipment on-site. If unable to make the repair, the unit is sent to the OEM or certified third party repair facility, where a regional-based loan er or exchange program may be available. The unit is then repaired at the OEM or third party repair facility.The OEM then ships the returned unit or comparable unit back to the customer, or places the unit in used stock if an exchange is previously provided. A field technician is then scheduled to install the loaner unit, exchange units, or repair equipment at the customer site   As an example, consider firms involved in the aftermarket sales and services business, and how reverse logistics plays a role. Products in this business can include accessories, replacement parts, and repair and service parts. The services could include: product and technical support, training, product documentation, warranty and claims management, and field service repairs.As an adjunct to these products and services, reverse logistics fits the definition by providing for: exchanges and in-warranty repair, out-of-warranty repair, maintenance, upgrades and retrofits, remanufacturing, and end-of-life asset recovery and hazardous material disposal. In the aftermarket business, field services and reverse logistics are generally considered one of the harder areas to manage, coordinate and operate efficiently. The area is often forgotten or given little consideration regarding launch of new products, importance to overall customer satisfaction and loyalty, and company profits.In a specific case example of how complex the situation can become and how allowances are made to assure proper services are provided, we can take a look at what Microsoft did when it decided to introduce its XBOX. The details help make the point about the importance of paying attention to the full supply spectrum, including reverse logistics. Microsoft decided to have the main product manufactured by Flextronics. Accessories would be produced by a variety of manufacturers. Distributors and electronics retailers were to perform the warehousing, distribution, and end customer sales functions.Solectron was used for af termarket warranty and customer repair services. Microsoft took the time to ensure the above capabilities were fully operational before the first XBOX was sold to an end consumer and that any returns would be processed effectively by the designated party. In another example, a cell phone reverse logistics model proved very beneficial for a firm selling such products under their brand name. This firm had the cell phones manufactured by LG Industries, Samsung, Motorola and others. Accessories were again manufactured by a variety of firms.Order taking and initial end consumer billing was performed by Amazon. Forward logistics, including warehousing, carrier service programming and order fulfillment were performed by CellStar. Cellular carriers such as Verizon and Sprint provided the monthly service. Extended warranty and product protection insurance was provided by lock/line. The customer call center service and reverse logistics was performed by CellStar. Money is Hidden in Returns Re asonable estimates made of the costs involved in the area we are considering indicate that reverse logistics as a part of supply chain could equal a half percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product, an enormous sum that often simply detracts from financial performance. Saving some of that money is one avenue for finding benefits. Understanding how to use reverse logistics to differentiate a business and build satisfaction and revenues with customers is generally hidden in the twilight of this area. If we take a look under the covers of this often neglected part of supply chain, we’ll see how a company can better understand the opportunities to eliminate many of the reasons for returns and turn dissatisfaction into satisfaction.The idea is to take a look and consider where you might do a better job with a nuisance part of your business. Let’s start by considering some common objective for reverse logistics initiatives. These include: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Improved customer satisfaction and loyalty †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reduced repair / replacement unit costs †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reduced replacement turnaround times †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Feedback on hardware design and ease of use †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Feedback on OEM quality †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Feedback on end consumer education and first level customer support †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Improve understanding of real reasons for hardware returns †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reduce overall level of returns   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Standardize returns processes across enterprise where possible/desired †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Utilize common systems across enterprise and automate the returns process to the extent possible/desired †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Handle increased volumes of returns due to new products, programs, business par tners †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enable demand driven supply chain concepts for returned products †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Differentiate company services from the competition Reverse Logistics Completes the Supply Chain System Exhibit 1 – Reverse Logistics: Returns, Customer Service, Field Service, Repair and  ReplacementNow let’s look at how you turn the objectives into benefits. A glance at Exhibit 1 shows reverse logistics can include a multiplicity of actions, from returning goods from a consumer to the retailer or provider, receiving customer service or   having field service take place to repair or fix the item in question, or having the product sent to a third party for repair or replacement. The fact is that reverse logistics includes virtually all of these services, and we counsel a broad perspective should be taken to not let this area be a burden to the business.Most companies tend to place the involved operations in the hands of a subsidiary part of an existing logistics function and pay little attention to the effect it can have on the company’s brand, financial performance or supply chain efficiency. A better view is to take a harder look at this area of the supply chain and find ways to turn what is typically a nuisance into something of value to the business. To make sense out of what we’re considering, let’s remember that reverse logistics includes all of the activity related to the final disposition of products that must be removed from the supply chain system.Such activity involves the processes related to removing products from a supply chain that do not have value for the customer or end consumer. These products may be the result of poor workmanship, over-stocked inventory, outdated or obsolete design, damages, or general dissatisfaction with product performance. For whatever reason, someone at the end of the downstream side of the supply chain says â€Å"I don’t wa nt it† and the smart supplier will make it easy to return the goods.The goal is to make certain the least damage is done to the firm’s brand and reputation, and to handle the process so it results in a positive rather than a negative impression. A system of disposition management is required to handle such situations in an effective and rewarding manner, with the understanding that reverse logistics is far different than forward logistics. In the return situation, there must be a convenient point of collection for receiving the goods or to remove these goods from the supply chain.This process step can require inspection, re-packaging, storage, and salvage of any residual value that might exist; and the development of a transportation mode that is compatible with the existing forward system of supply. The range includes credits for unwanted goods that are returned to inventory, payment for damage that may or may not be a fault of the supplier, replacement of obsolete pro duct, and simply accepting the return of goods that have no apparent problem. Much of the goods in the last category are re-conditioned or re-packaged to go back into the system or to an alternate buyer.There are many examples of firms using this type of system to turn what used to be an out-of-pocket loss into a profit by re-selling the returned goods to a satisfied customer. Exhibit 2 – Reverse Logistics Model – Small Logistics Partner In the model depicted above, the partner receives the returned goods and makes a test to determine if the need is for disposal, there is a major defect and the unit must be repaired, or there is a cosmetic defect and the unit can be refurbished. In either of the latter cases, the unit is repaired and placed in stock for subsequent used stock order fulfillment.In a broader situation, as shown in exhibit 3, the process becomes more involved. Now we see the unit is returned based on the â€Å"return from† location and goes to a des ignated center. The same type of processing takes place, but may also include factory direct repair if authorized by the OEM. This model is more appropriate where large volumes of product are to be processed. Exhibit 3 – Reverse Logistics Model – Large Repair Partners A model used by a satellite TV service provider is described in exhibit 4, where we see different business partners being used for returns processing and minor defect removal versus major product defect repair.Exhibit 4 – Model for Satellite TV Service Provider Where there is sufficient volume, cost savings for using a regional test and refurbishment center can be significant. As shown in exhibit 5, we see the results of an actual example. In this case, the total annual savings of $3. 5 million was based on 1. 4 million returns. Exhibit 5 – Projected Cost Savings for Refurbishment Center Reverse Logistics and the Supply Chain Maturity Model Improving the reverse logistics process starts with making selections from the list of objectives a firm wants to accomplish with its attention to this generally neglected area of supply chain.Our list includes the following common intentions: * Improved customer satisfaction and loyalty – don’t lose customers because of a bad experience * Reduced repair, replacement or re-shipment costs – handle the process in an effective manner * Gain feedback from the process to eliminate root causes – demonstrate to the customer that the firm studies its problems and makes them go away * Improve understanding of the reasons for returns – get to the bottom of why the system did not function in a fail-safe manner * Utilize common systems and automate the returns process to the extent possible – Find the way to turn a problem into an opportunity for better customer satisfaction and a source of revenue * Differentiate the firm’s services from those of the competition – Use the experience to ga in customer confidence and build new sales With such a list in hand, the next step is to determine what is currently taking place to meet the objectives versus what must be done to assure they are fully met. The procedure must follow some basic principles, including: * Move credit/flag product receipt point for returned product as close to the customer as possible * Minimize shipping costs * Minimize refurbishment/repair costs * Minimize hand-offs between organizations, facilities, systems, etc. in order to reduce costs and overall cycle time CSC has developed a proven methodology for helping take this step. In Exhibit 6, we see the characteristics and capabilities a firm demonstrates, as it moves up the familiar supply chain maturity model.Beneath each level of the model, we see industry examples showing what a company can achieve as it makes its progress to higher levels of achievement. CSC has been very successful using this calibration matrix to help a firm position its reverse logistics activities against what can be achieved. Exhibit 6 – Maturity Grid – Reverse Logistics Concluding Case Study Example A concluding case study will help demonstrate the kind of hidden values we’ve been considering. The firm is a major provider of logistics services to the wireless communications industry, serving network operators, agents, resellers, dealers, and retailers, located in North America, South America and Asia. Sales are in excess of $2 billion. The business problem was typical of the industry.Strong competition and low margins were prevalent factors on traditional forward logistics services. The firm needed to improve its business customer and end customer service levels. There were increasing business customer demands for more timely and useful data. Existing processes were fragmented, inconsistent and error prone. It was a very labor and paper intensive situation. The company did have a vision: Focus on diversification into higher margin p roduct and service lines. Position the firm to provide more value added customer services with higher profit margins – especially around reverse logistics including end customer support, advanced exchange programs, asset recovery, warranty and repair services.The solution that emerged included some very typical steps in a reverse logistics situation. The firm assessed its existing application architecture and technical infrastructure along with the high level business requirements needed to achieve its vision. A packaged application was recommended to address gaps in reverse logistics capability and leverage existing IT infrastructure. The firm reviewed its existing operations and business processes and introduced industry best practice concepts for reverse logistics. Business process improvement workshops were conducted, which were used to highlight opportunities for standardization and guide new application software configuration, enhancement and implementation.Finally, the firm performed custom enhancements as needed and implemented new software to enable enhanced reverse logistics capability. The results were impressive: * Re-designed business processes, new reverse logistics application capability and outsourcing of non-core functions allowed them to expand and improve level of service to customers, increase sales revenue stream by adding new customers, and increase overall profit margins * The new reverse logistics solution enabled the following typical improvements for their business customers (before versus after): –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reconcile warranty credit – from 30+ days   to

Project proposal †workplace improvement - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 12 Words: 3478 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? Aim The objective of the project is to suggest and test an improvement that can be made to enhance the quality of care and safety of the elderly inpatients aged 65 years and above. Since quality and patient safety are prerequisite practices in nursing, the project aims to achieve positive outcomes by directing the practitioners on how to carry out their practice while dealing with the elderly patients in medical wards. A time frame of one year will apply to achieve the outcomes. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Project proposal – workplace improvement" essay for you Create order Therefore, the project will be educative in nature by ensuring that the practitioners implement the desired evidence-based practice in the prevention of patient fall among the elderly inpatients. Setting The location of the proposed project will be in a hospital setting, within the medical ward. The setting hosts different patients presenting various ailments, and specifically the elderly inpatients. The project will impact positively on the management of the elderly inpatients within the hospital setting in regards to falls prevention. Therefore, the quality and safety performance will also be enhanced in the hospital setting, learning will occur, and patient safety will be promoted to greater extents. If successful, the intervention will be confirmed to be a functional approach that the nursing practitioners would apply at the workplace to ensure that the safety of their patients is guaranteed. Background Literature Review Patient Falls A fall is defined as an unexpected descent from a supine position, standing, or sitting position (Graham 2012). Falls are tragic in health care settings as evidenced by the large numbers of harm they impact on the affected patients. According to Graham (2012), falls are ranked second in the list of events that account for patient harm. They affect 2% to 17% of all patients in the course of their stay in the hospital (Hicks 2015). Trepanier and Hilsenbeck (2014) also supports the above argument by stating that most of the harm within a hospital setting result from patient falls. These arguments indicate that patient falls a critical issue compromising patient safety and quality of care. It is also stated that falls are the leading causes of injury-related deaths among older adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2012)reports that at least 20% of the people who fall face a broad range of injuries classified as moderate or severe. Such injuries can impact the inde pendence of living as stated by (Graham 2012). In most occasions, the people that fall develop a phobia towards falling even if there were no injuries sustained in the past falls. The disadvantage of the fear is that it can lead to inactivity of these patients that potentially causes their immobility and a reduction of physical activities, which in turn place the patient in danger of falling. In studying patient falls, presenting the statistics is also essential because it helps to contextualize the issue, determine its prevalence, and quantify the overall impacts of the issue on the health systems. Statistics by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2012) show that fall injuries in the people aged 65 years and above exceeded $19 billion in 2000, and its cost is expected to increase to $54 in 2020. There are reasons for the higher costs after a fall. For instance, after falling, there is greater use of health care resources and also as a result of increased hospital stay (Graham 2012). For example, in Goldsack, Cunningham, and Mascioli (2014), it was estimated that the cost hospitalization increased by $4, 200 in patients that sustained a fall as compared to those who did not maintain a fall. Hence, it implies that falls should be prevented to avoid such instances where the cost of treatment is increased, which also translates to overburdening the patient. Standards of Care Patient falls an issue of care and patient safety. Nurses are liable for patient safety within the hospital setting. They are also tasked with the identification of the patients at risk of sustaining injuries though falls (Hicks 2015, p. 51). Patient falls are classified as a quality indicator, and nurses should be committed to improving the care through nurse-led strategies. Falls are classified as nursing-related indicators of quality because they are related to the quality of care that a nurse offers in acute care (Quigley White 2013). Therefore, nurses should lead from the front as the people responsible for taking care of the patients. Since falls are hospital-acquired conditions, proper plans should be set up and implemented to identify the patients that are at risk of falling, and then evidence-based practices of fall prevention applied. Ultimately, there is intuition in postulating that falls prevention is an area of interest in nursing since it is related to the quality of care and patient outcomes in the hospital setting (Hicks 2015). However, the nursing practitioners require guidelines that can help them apply the desired evidence-based interventions in fall prevention. Routine Rounding There are numerous interventions that nurses can apply in fall prevention. However, concentrating on rounding can lead to positive outcomes in falls prevention among the elderly inpatients. Rounding is defined as the process through which a nurse intentionally checks on patients at regular intervals for the purpose of meeting their needs(Hutchings, Ward Bloodworth 2013). In this approach, nurses visit patients hourly on intention purposes but not to respond to an emergency call (Forde-Johnston 2014). Hourly rounding is also important in checking the position of the patients, assessing pain, and promoting patient comfort. Evidence shows that 50% of the total falls in an institution can be effectively avoided if nurses apply hourly rounding approaches of falls prevention (Hicks 2015). The tenets of hourly rounding include anxiety reduction, covering the four Ps (position, pain, potty, possessions), environment assessment, and informing the patients about the time of return of the staf f (Hicks 2015). However, the main question is whether hourly rounding is the best approach, among all interventions, that can lower patient falls in a hospital setting. The routine rounding intervention has also been covered by Tzeng and Chang-Yi (2012) by stating that it is a corrective approach centered on reducing the risks of patient falls in the hospital while seeking toileting services. The key issue in this study is that increment in the frequency of rounds by nurses around the times of vulnerability to falling has the potency to reduce risks of falls among the patients. Continued education on routine rounding will also equip the nurses and families with adequate knowledge regarding the practice. Round checks should be performed by all staff. Aides should also be requested to maintain the checks at night whenever a patient has the desire to leave the bed in the absence of the nurse to curb the adverse event. This is part of the hospital policy that nurses should attend in-services to improve their competencies in the area. By applying this policy in their study, Tucker et al. (2012) discovered that the number of falls dropped from 9 to 2 fall s in the first month of implementing the rounding intervention in the hospital. Another supporter of this evidence is the study by Olrich, Kalman, and Nigolian (2012), which found that hourly rounding decreased anxiety among the patients, and their reliance on the call system was decreased. Another suggestion by the study is that nursing assistants should be placed on each shift to help the nurses on shift to make hourly rounds. Forde-Johnston (2014) posits that nurses and their assistants are responsible for making hourly rounds and taking care of the patients’ needs. Therefore, as a result, positive clinical outcomes are achievable through the application of hourly rounding by the people assigned to carry out the task. The approach of routine rounding or hourly rounding has been in use for decades to promote, among other factors, a reduction in the rate of patient falls. Research has shown that hourly rounding is an appropriate evidence-based practice that has indicated positive outcomes in the prevention of falls in the hospital settings (Forde-Johnston 2014; Hicks 2015). Among the rest of the interventions, it is only the hourly rounding that makes a nurse attend to a patient on an hourly basis to check issues such as pain management and comfort the patient. Other matters such as toileting are addressed in the hourly rounding. However, the implication is that hourly rounding falls prevention tasks in a manner that enhances patient safety and quality of care. Ultimately, when addressed from another perspective, hourly rounding should be part of the hospital policy whereby nurses are subjected to in-service training, taught about the practice, and encouraged to apply it in their daily routine. The practice should be replicated in every other setting that intends to lower the intensity and expenses of injuries sustained by the elderly patients due to falls. Improvement proposed The specific intervention selected for the improvement of patient safety and quality of care is to make at least two rounds every hour within the medical wards occupied by the elderly inpatients aged at least 65 years. The rounds should be as frequent as possible. It is recommended that the people tasked with patient care should make as many rounds as possible within the same hour. Most of the previous evidence indicate that hourly rounds have the potential to reduce instances of patient falls (Forde-Johnston 2014; Hicks 2015; Hutchings, Ward Bloodworth 2013; Olrich, Kalman Nigolian 2012; Tzeng Chang-Yi 2012). The triangulation of evidence from the above studies means that rounding is a widely acclaimed evidence-based practice that can be recommended for the improvement of patient safety in hospitals. Since the project mainly covers the older adults aged 65 years and above, it implies that the rounding should be made in the wards where the older adults are admitted. Also, the same can be replicated in the residential aged-care homes. Apart from the nursing professionals, any other hospital worker can be trained on what to do to prevent patient falls. The study by Tucker et al. (2012) shows specifically that rounding can potentially reduce the number of patient falls experienced in the hospital. The study justifies the proposed improvement, and there is evidence that it can be applied to improve the safety of the elderly patients. It is evident that rounding is conducted in every clinical setting, but it is timed. The main purpose of rounding is to assess pain, to give medication, toileting, or when an emergency bell is pressed. However, the rounding that is proposed in this case is different because it is not meant to fulfill the above actions. The proposed rounding is to be done anytime and as frequent as possible during the day and at night. The rounding should be done by nurses and other aid workers in the hospital to check the positions of the patients on their beds or in any elevated position. If the adjustments are conducted as soon as possible, then the cases of falls will be decreased. By doing so, it is expected that the injuries sustained by the elderly patients through falls will be reduced, the cost of treatment will be shelved, and the length of hospital stay will also be minimized. Method The implementation plan will adhere to the guidelines provided by Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQH) (2009). The plan is an implementation guide that can be used both in hospitals and residential aged care facilities. The implementation plan will apply both informed decision-making and trial and learning. However, before the implementation of the proposed improvement, it should be noted that it will not be easier to address the fall prevention program in its entirety. Priority areas should be granted greater attention. The following are the proposed guidelines in the methodology. Use of reminders Reminders that are peculiar to the patient are to be utilized in the hospital setting. The reminders will be broadcast on paper, verbally, or through computer screens (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQH) 2009). These reminders will be presented publicly and in areas that are easily accessible. The main purpose of setting up the reminders is to prompt health professionals to recall information. Specifically, the reminders will address specific patients to enhance the accuracy of rounding and also to focus on an individual patient based on his or her needs. Patient-directed interventions In this approach, the elderly patients are encouraged to influence service providers (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQH) 2009). The providers will take note of the specific patients, record their needs and risks of falling, and then monitor them closely to prevent instances of falls. Educational outreach A hospital setting is composed of different professionals that collaborate in taking care of the patients. In this case, it is proposed that the trained professionals should meet the targeted service providers in their settings and demonstrate the intervention changes to them (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQH) 2009). The targeted service providers will be enlightened on the relevance of making the routine rounds, how to make the rounds, and why they should make the rounds as frequent as possible. Educational material Educational materials will be distributed to the targeted service providers. The materials include electronic, audio-visual, and printed information (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQH) 2009). The information is directive and offers instructions on what should be done on a step by step basis. The information is meant to enhance the performance of the service providers by promoting evidence-based practice. Progress auditing The progress will be audited and feedback provided. It is proposed that summaries of clinical performance over a given period should be provided. This approach will help to increase the awareness of the target group regarding their own practice, and the practice of the other service providers (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQH) 2009). Learning from trials will also be determined in this step. The practitioners will receive feedback information on what has been achieved and what is required for continuous spread of the implementation of the practice. They will be capable to determine what worked, what did not work, what should be changed, and what should be maintained. This is a technique aimed at improving the areas of weaknesses and maintaining the areas of strengths. Ethical issues The project will entail the participation of human subjects, which implies that the whole process should be ethical. In this case, the participants will be briefed about the objectives of the study. They will be informed of any risks likely to be encountered during the project. Additionally, the researcher will seek consent from the participants before subjecting them to the project processes. The participants will be requested to sign informed consent forms before proceeding (Cresswell Plano Clark 2011). Regarding the survey approach, the respondents will not be coerced to provide personal information that is deemed confidential. Therefore, confidentiality and anonymity will be upheld, and the data will not be accessed by third parties. The results will only be used for the purpose of the project. Techniques to assess project outcomes After the implementation of the recommendations based on the above methodology, the progress of the proposed improvement will be evaluated to determine its feasibility, and whether it is achieving the intended goals. The assessment plan will start immediately after launching the implementation of the proposed intervention. Before assessment of the outcomes of the intervention, the process will be assessed first using the following indicators. The proportion of the staff trained in the intervention of falls prevention. The percentage of the patients assessed as being at risk. The percentage of employees and patients that are satisfied with the intervention program. The applicability of the injury and falls prevention intervention Several tools will be used to assess the outcomes of the proposed intervention. It is advisable to use the already existing tools rather than developing new tools. In most cases, the most fundamental assessment tools to measure the progress of the program include observation, survey, and focus groups (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQH) 2009). The three techniques have been in existence for long and have been used by various researchers. The proposed project will consider the use of survey and observation techniques for assessment purposes. Survey The survey methodology has been used in numerous health care studies involving a large number of participants. In the study by Hasson et al. (2014), the authors used the survey methodology to evaluate the outcome of the proposed intervention on organizational changes. Risk assessment of the speech in the study was also achieved by using the inquiry approach. The survey approach is appropriate when a broad cross-section of participants is involved. For instance, in Hasson et al. (2014), a total of 1472 respondents participated in the study; therefore, the use of survey approach was appropriate for this type of sample because it is reliable in the collection and analysis of huge amounts of data. In the proposed study, the survey will be used to collect responses from the participants regarding the applicability of the monitoring intervention of falls prevention. To enhance the quality of data, the researcher will test the questionnaire items for reliability. A preliminary sample of the questionnaire will be presented to a set of individuals for testing purposes. Afterward, the items will be edited following the recommendations of the initial sample before being presented to the study sample. Observation The observation technique will also be appropriate for this study to assess the changes made in fall prevention. In the proposed study, the nursing staff and allied health workers will be observed after undergoing orientation training on routine rounding. Approximately 1000 observations will be made in the course of the project. A checklist will be used to record the observations. For instance, every routine rounding will be recorded on the checklist using a tick. Observations will be made 12 hours each day until the end of the 1000th view. The technique has been previously employed by Chavali, Menon, and Shukla (2014) to observe the hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers in a tertiary care hospital setting. To improve the quality of data collected, the observers will undergo training on correct rounding techniques. A preliminary observation will also be conducted on another healthcare environment issue and the results compared. Therefore, with the application of the prelim inary remark, inter-observer variation will be reduced, and the uniformity of data collection guaranteed Chavali, Menon, and Shukla (2014). Ultimately, the results will be expected to suit the needs of the project. Discussion The application of the proposed intervention has been supported by the previous studies, which implies that it can be used as an evidence-based practice in the clinical settings. As stated in the earlier studies, patient falls an issue of care and patient safety in health care facilities (Hicks 2015). Therefore, the problem can only be solved through nurse-led strategies. Nurses should maintain their functionality in enabling the implementation of the routine rounding intervention to reduce patient falls. The proposed intervention is aimed at improving the quality of care through full participation of the nursing practitioners as stated by (Quigley White 2013). Regarding routine rounding, Hutchings, Ward, and Bloodworth (2013) appropriately intentional checks should be conducted to confirm the safety of the elderly patients. Another study that supports the proposed intervention is Tzeng and Chang-Yi (2012), which states that routine rounding is a corrective approach to preventing fa lls. The implementation of the project is likely to encounter a series of challenges. The first challenge entails data collection in the clinical setting. For example, observation might be termed invasive by some participants especially when applied in the hospital setting. Some patients may also feel unsafe in the presence of the observer. Moreover, there are high chances of missing to record some of the critical observations. Another methodological constraint is that the participants might be conditioned to adhere to the routine only because they are being observed but later change the approach. Also, the survey approach requires adequate time for the staff to complete. Time constraints might affect data collection using the inquiry approach. The intervention itself presents several contextual implications. There might not be enough staff to constantly make rounds while at the same time attending to the other patients. This intervention requires the availability of an adequate number of the staff to achieve the desired outcomes. Additionally, change is usually resisted, and hence some of the nurses might be unwilling to participate fully. Further study is required to determine the attitudes of nursing practitioners on the change of clinical practices. Conclusion and recommendation The aim of the project is to determine whether routine rounding reduces the rate of falls among the elderly inpatients. The project is expected to offer a solution to the increasing trends in patient falls. The potential finding from the previous studies is that routine rounding potentially decreases the cases of patient falls. The proposed intervention is expected to promote the quality of care and patient safety in the selected hospital setting. The future study should implement other fall prevention interventions apart from routine rounding. Focus group technique is recommended as a methodology in the future studies. Ultimately, the nursing practice is expected to be enhanced as regards patient safety.

Salem Witch Trials of 1692 Essay - 2160 Words

The Salem witch trials of the 17th century, was an event that took place in the Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts which spread mass hysteria that centralized around the idea of witchcraft and reflected religious persecution. This tale of events provoked the fears of Puritans whom at the time hated and believed witchcraft to be evil, the practice of committing ill acts on the innocent, the aid of demonic spirits and conveying with Satan. Therefore, the idea of Devil worshipping and witchcraft became a central scapegoat as a reason to exterminate those who were outcasts and did not practice in the Puritan faith accordingly to the rest of the town. For some, it is unclear if whether the Salem witch trials sparked by two separate affairs.†¦show more content†¦This would explain the fear and panic that spread throughout the town in which rumors do not include whole facts but inferences and speculations of others. Moreover, there is also the small tale of Abigail Williams and J ohn Proctor. It is believed that eleven year old, Abigail Williams, had a crush on John Proctor which is why Abigail attempted to perform rituals in the forest with her friends to seduce John Proctor with a love spell. However, because of Abigail’s persistence to uphold the act of being possessed, it is because of Abigail that John Proctor and his daughter, Elizabeth Proctor, were charged with witchcraft and executed. Some may see this as the perfect example of the kind of cynical controversy amongst the town. Therefore, this allowed the fear and friction in the town to build up and allow others to blame and conspire against one another out of spite of hatred. Witchcraft is one of the most crucial aspects of the Salem witch trials because fear of it caused homicide and destruction of families. Puritans frowned upon any type of sorcery and seen witches as representatives of the devil. Additionally, that witchcraft was a form of the Devil’s effort to overthrow God’s Kingdom. Puritans also believed that Native Americans had closer connection to the spirit world and therefore were representatives for the DevilShow MoreRelatedThe Salem Witch Trials Of 16921281 Words   |  6 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials were a sequence of hearings, prosecutions, and hangings of people who were thought to be involved in witchcraft in Massachusetts. These trials occurred between February 1692 and May 1693(The Salem Witch Trials, 1692. ). The Trials resulted in the execution of twenty people, in fact, most of them were women. The first of the trials began in several towns in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, such as Salem Village (currently know n as Danvers), Salem Town, Ipswich, and Andover(SalemRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Of 16921270 Words   |  6 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials The year 1692 is remembered as one of the most scandalous times in American History. Throughout the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, over a hundred people were accused of practicing witchcraft (the majority of them being women). 14 women were hung, and 5 men were accused leading to a total of 19 people dying due to these trials. One man was even pressed to death by substantial weights for declining to enter a plea (Linder 1). No less than eight individuals passed on in jail, includingRead MoreSalem Witch Trials Of 16921271 Words   |  6 PagesSalem Witch Trials of 1692 Salem was a very disperse community in the Massachusetts Bay colony with a growing Puritan community in the northern America. Towns in the colony were scattered by a half days travel or more. In view of this, transportation and communication was a very slow and the settlers were threatened by the attack of bears and other wild animals. Puritans were spiritual people and believed that God is the ruler of everything they possessed. The puritans believed that they were theRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Of 1692 Essay2205 Words   |  9 Pages The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 were a dark time in American history. There were many possible causes of the Salem Witch Trials. A few major causes that led to the Salem Witch Trials were religion, reputations, and lack of laws. Life before the infamous Salem Witchcraft Trials was extremely mundane and normal. Salem villagers led a simple life in the customs of the Puritans. The Salem village and society was based and founded on the Puritan religion. The people had a very set lifestyle withRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials of 1692941 Words   |  4 PagesA. Plan of the investigation The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a dark and very crucial time in American history. The late sixteen hundreds consisted of relying on young girls for the truth; but to what extent did the puritan’s religion and culture have in the proceedings of the Salem Witch Trials? A focus on the religion that the puritans believed in and their culture will be discussed. Also, how their faith turned them against those who were accused of witchcraft. It is also neededRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trial Hysteria Of 1692879 Words   |  4 PagesThe Salem Witch Trial hysteria of 1692 caused 20 people to be hung or pressed to death and 4 perished in jail. In addition, 200 people in Salem were accused of being witches. On June 10 of 1692, Bridget Bishop was charged with practicing witchcraft and she was also accused of bewitching her husband to death. The result of her not confessing was that she was hung to her death. All of this frenzy started in the house of Samuel Parris. His daught ers were consumed by the bizarre tales told by their IndianRead MoreThe Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials Of 1692700 Words   |  3 PagesSalem Witch Trials DBQ   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How would you feel if your life was ruined just because you were considered unfit for society? This is exactly what was going on during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Prior to the trials, there were witch hunts that caused global unease mainly to Protestant societies. King Philip’s War also contributed to this unease by pushing people from the east coast and into Puritan towns. These towns had misogynistic male leadership, depriving many people of humanity becauseRead MoreEssay on Salem Witch Trials Of 16921061 Words   |  5 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials of 1692 In colonial Massachusetts between February of 1692 and May of 1963 over one hundred and fifty people were arrested and imprisoned for the capital felony of witchcraft. Trials were held in Salem Village, Ipswich, Andover and Salem Town of Essex County of Massachusetts, but accusations of witchcraft occurred in surrounding counties as well. Nineteen of the accused, fourteen women and five men, were hanged at Gallows Hill near Salem Village. Hysteria had swept throughRead MoreWitch Hunts : The Salem Witch Trials Of 1692938 Words   |  4 PagesWitch Hunts Essay â€Å"Its funny how everyone hates witch hunts†¦ until they see a witch† - Jon Stewart Even though The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 was one of the most well-known witchcraft trials over the world, the idea of witchcraft stretches over a long period of time and spreads throughout the world. One of the earliest known witch hunts according to (witchcraftandwitches.com) were in the mid 15th century, where Pope Innocent VII claimed that Satanists in Germany were meeting with demonsRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials And The Witch Hunts Of 1692801 Words   |  4 Pagesduring the witch hunts of 1692. The primary source that is being analyzed isn’t about him but is from many stories that he collected and put them together in a manuscript. This manuscript that contains true accounts about the trial and it included the attempted escape of Mrs. Cary of Charlestown Massachusetts told from her husband Nathaniel Cary’s viewpoint. I believe that Nathaniel Cary wanted this account to be written in order to highlight and expose how the puritans handled the witch trials and spe cifically