Saturday, August 22, 2020

Comparative Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative free essay sample

Research in sociologies to a great extent relies upon estimations and examination and translation of numerical just as non numerical information. Quantitative research strategies center around measurable methodologies and subjective techniques depend on content investigation, relative examination, grounded hypothesis, and understanding. Quantitative strategies accentuate on target estimations and numerical examination of information gathered through surveys, polls or overviews and subjective research centers around understanding social marvels through meetings, individual remarks and so on. Quantitative and subjective strategies are concentrated inside the setting of positivist and henomenological ideal models. The utilization of research techniques could be concentrated with regards to business and the executives or in social brain research to comprehend a social procedure. A portion of the fundamental instruments for subjective or quantitative research are identified with information assortment strategies which can be contextual analyses, polls or meetings. Research strategies are centered around things like administration issues or social procedure for instance; an investigation on the connection between age, physical exercise and sexual orientation. We will compose a custom exposition test on Near Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative or then again any comparative theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page A few hindrances and potential defects of such strategies might be identified with misuse or isuse of meeting procedures, insufficiency of information assortment techniques and dependability of information. The methodological methodology and information assortment strategies are significant in research and structure a significant part of study. The contextual investigation approach is particularly valuable in examination of business situations and perceptual mapping strategies are utilized for showcasing research. Center gatherings and reviews are utilized as other favored strategies for information assortment, particularly inside business conditions. Interpretive research can be considered as a significant part of subjective nalysis, in spite of the fact that similarly as with every single subjective datum, abstract predisposition can be an impediment in the legitimacy of such methodologies. In examining research techniques, it is important to feature the contrasts among subjective and quantitative strategies despite the fact that it has likewise been contended that an incorporated way to deal with social examination could shut in the hole among quantitative and subjective strategies and both these techniques could be utilized for social research contemplates. Indeed there may not be a predetermined right strategy for explore as every technique appears to have its qualities and shortcomings and

Friday, August 21, 2020

Credit Card Skimmer Found in Chicago Store - OppLoans

Credit Card Skimmer Found in Chicago Store - OppLoans Credit Card Skimmer Found in Chicago StoreInside Subprime: August 26, 2019By Lindsay FrankelChicago police are cautioning consumers about credit card safety after finding a credit card skimmer in an ATM at a Target store downtown. The skimmer was found in an area with a high concentration of Chicago payday loan stores, which are known to target financially vulnerable people.Police responded to the store on South State Street after a technician located the skimming device. It remains uncertain how long the skimmer was there, and there aren’t currently any suspects in custody.A credit card skimmer is a device typically installed at a gas pump or ATM that is designed to steal your credit card information for the purpose of making clone cards.According to Consumer Reports, as recently as 2016 there was 70 percent jump in credit and debit cards being compromised at ATMs and card readers. Gas stations are an easy target for crooks because most have not updated their payment terminals wit h chip technology, which can help prevent skimming.Representatives from the Better Business Bureau along with Chicago police have several suggestions for detecting skimming technology. The simplest way to find out if there’s a skimming device installed at an ATM or gas pump is to “jiggle the card port before you insert your card, because normally youll be able to tell if there is a device thats put there to compromise your account information,” said Officer Zeyad Matlock.There are also apps you can download that will help detect the presence of a credit card skimmer.Steve Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, also suggests putting your hand over the PIN pad while entering your information, since hidden cameras are sometimes used to steal PIN information.In addition, activate text alerts for your credit card account so you can uncover fraudulent transactions right away. Report your suspicions to your bank or credit card issuer immediately.Credit card skimming drains Americans of about $2 billion annually. To avoid becoming a victim, consider taking steps to find out if there’s a device installed before using an ATM or gas pump.Learn more about  payday loans, scams, and  cash advances  by  checking out our  city and state financial guides, including  Florida,  Illinois,  Chicago,  Ohio,  Texas, and more.Visit  OppLoans  on  YouTube  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  LinkedIn

Monday, May 25, 2020

Presidential Elections - ESL Lesson

Its the presidential election season in the United States and the topic is quite popular in classes around the country. Discussing the presidential election can cover a wide range of topics beyond just the two candidates. For example, you might discuss and explain the U.S. electoral college and process of collecting and counting votes. Advanced level classes might find the topic especially interesting as they can bring in observations and comparisons from their own electoral systems. Here are some suggestions and short activities that you can use in class to focus on the election. Ive put them in the order in which Id present the exercises in class in order to build up vocabulary. However, each exercise could certainly be done as a standalone activity. Definition Match Up Match the key vocabulary concerning elections to the definition. Terms attack adscandidatedebatedelegateElectoral Collegeelectoral voteparty conventionparty platformpolitical partypopular votepresidential nomineeprimary electionregistered voterslogansound bitestump speechswing statethird partyto electto nominatevoter turnoutvoting booth Definitions choose who will be the next presidenta state which does not typically vote either Republican or Democrat but swings back and forth between the partiesa short phrase which is used to encourage voters to support a candidatea political party which is neither Republican nor Democratthe person who runs for president  the person who is chosen by the party to run for presidentan election to decide who will be chosen by the party  a representative from a state who can vote at the primary conventiona gathering of a political party to choose a candidate and vote on other issues important to the partya standard speech that is used repeatedly during a campaignadvertising which is aggressive and tries to hurt the other candidatea short phrase which sums up an opinion or fact and is repeated throughout the mediahow many people vote in the election, usually expressed in a percentagethe group of state representatives which cast the electoral votea vote by someone in the Electoral College for the votethe number of people who vote for the president Conversation Questions Here are some questions to get the conversation going. These questions use the vocabulary in the match up to help start using the new vocabulary actively. Which parties have candidates?Who are the nominees?  Have you seen a presidential debate?How do presidential elections differ from the US election in your country?Do voters have to register in your country?Whats voter turnout like in your country?Do you understand the difference between the Electoral college and the popular vote?What do you think are the main planks in each partys platform?Which candidate appeals to you? Why? Electoral Points of View In this day and age of media sound bites, it can be a helpful exercise to remind students that media coverage almost has its own point-of-view despite claims of objectivity. Ask students to try to find examples of articles that are biased from both the left and the right, as well as from a neutral point of view.   Have students find an example of a biased Republican and Democratic news report or article.Ask students to underline the biased opinions.Each student should explain how the opinion is biased. Questions that cant help include: Does the blog post represent a specific point of view? Does the author appeal to the emotions or rely on statistics? How does the writer try to persuade the reader of his or her point of view? Etc.  Ask students to write a short blog post or paragraph presenting either candidate from a biased point of view. Encourage them to exaggerate!As a class, discuss what types of signs they look for when looking for bias. Student Debate For more advanced classes, ask students to debate the issues being presented as themes of the election. Students should base their arguments on how they think each candidate would address the issues.   Student Polling Activity A simple exercise: ask students to vote for either candidate and count the votes. The results may surprise everyone!   Finally, students might also find this presidential election dialogue helpful, as well as this longer reading comprehension on presidential elections.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Play Therapy Is Used As A Modality - 1398 Words

Play therapy was presented in class by Kallie Kraweitz, who was a guest speaker. Ms. Kraweitz is in the process of completing her online Education in Counseling and Play therapy from University of Mississippi. She is not an expert in the subject but she is currently in the program and she came to share some basic information that she has learned in her course work and also the experiences that she has acquired during her journey in the course. She defined play therapy as â€Å"the systematic use of theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapist use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychological difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development† ( Kallie Make a†¦show more content†¦When this is accomplished that is when the clinician is able to help their clients and find intervention that will help elevate the problem. In addition, this is a way that the clinician will establish a relation ship with their client. By so doing the clients will be able to establish trust with the clinician because without trust the client will not be comfortable to share deep information about what is going on with them but when they gain their trust, that is when the clinician will really get to know what is going on with their client. Still Alice is a movie that we watched in class. This movie is about a Harvard psychologist named Alice Howland who is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease at the peak of her career. We notice some symptom of disorder when she is invited to speak at Stanford and she could not remember simple words during her presentation and also when she went to Los Angeles to visit her daughter Lydia, she becomes forgetful and when she returns home to Cambridge and she goes for a run and she forgets her way home and although she eventually remembers her way and she gets home. Alice does not think that she has Alzheimer, instead she thinks that maybe it is menopause so she decided to make an appointment with a doctor to find out what is going on with her. She does go to her appointment, the doctor does not really know what is going on with her she they request for an MRI to be performed on her and

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Vengeful Heart That Ignites The Hysteria Of The Salem...

Alexa Graham AP English/5thPeriod Mrs. Garner December 17, 2014 The Vengeful Heart That Ignites the Hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials The ability to live one’s life to the fullest is a God-given right that no one should have to suppress. In the rigid structure of Puritan settlements, there was minimal room to explore life, especially if you were a young Puritan woman. Women were required to sit silently and obey their husbands, take care of the children and the house, and attend church like good Christian wives. However, as in all human beings, these women had temptations and sinful natures. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller illustrates the relationship between Abigail Williams and John Proctor to portray the themes of pride and lust, and the part they played during the Salem Witch Trials. John Proctor struggles against his lethal attraction to Abigail, fighting with his own moral qualities. When Proctor and Abigail are alone in Betty’s room in Act 1, he reveals that he is still attracted to her rebellious nature when he smiles at her mischief. â€Å"Ah, you’re wicked yet, aren’t y’!† (Miller 23). However, as she advances towards him temptingly, thinking he still feels the same as her, he remembers himself and tries to back track, feeling sympathy for her, but knowing it is the right thing to do. â€Å"Child-†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"But I will cut off my hand before I reach for you again† (Miller 23). Proctor’s desire for Abigail centered on the fact that she was so willing to disregard the Puritan

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. Answer: Introduction Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is an infection caused by a human bacterial microorganism called Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus). According to Bogestam et al (2018), S.aureus is responsible for various infections in humans such as bullous impetigo, folliculitis, boils, cellulitis, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, post-surgical wound infection as well as intravascular line infections. The author further adds that S.aureus can also lead to deadly infections such as meningitis, septicemia and endocarditis. The main aim of this essay is to analyze MRSA by identifying its risk factors and evaluating its prevalence in Australia. With specific reference to Mrs. Jenkins, a patient admitted with MRSA, the paper will first identify the incidence and prevalence of MRSA in Australia. Secondly, there will be an examination of Mrs. Jenkins diagnosis and the relationship between her infection and other factors such as hand hygiene, transmitted-based precautions, and standard pre cautions. Lastly, the paper will examine the role of both community registered nurse and occupational therapist in relation to Mrs. Jenkins case. The identification of incidence and prevalence of MRSA in Australia has largely been the responsibility of the Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR), an organization that has been monitoring the prevalence of MRSA in Australia since 1985 (Wang et al 2018). According to the author, there exist two main types of MRSA namely the hospital-acquired MRSA and the community-acquired MRSA. Community-based MRSA (CA-MRSA) are MRSA infections acquired by individuals who have not had a recent hospital and may not have undergone any clinical procedure such as catheter, dialysis or surgery. CA-MRSA is mostly manifested in the form of boils, pimples and skin infections that may otherwise occur in healthy individuals (Askura et al 2018). On the other hand, according to Hongo et al (2018), hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) occur among individuals who might have been in the hospital in the recent past for clinical procedures such as surgery, catheter or dialysis. They mainly occur where pa tients undergo invasive medical procedures or where patients have low immune systems and are mainly transmitted when a physician touches an HA-MRSA carrier and fails to wash their hands (Heckel et al 2017). Research has it that the hospital-acquired MRSA in Australia (Aus-2/3) is associated with most MRSA infections and originated from Australia after becoming established in most Melbourne Teaching hospitals in the 1970s. According to Kuonza et al (2017), the first survey done by AGAR in 1985 revealed that Aus-2/3 was responsible for 25% of all S.aureus infection in most big hospitals in Sidney, Canberra, Eastern Seaboard, and Melbourne. These revelations called for intensive efforts by the Australian Department of Health to reduce the prevalence and address the possible risk factors. A recent study by AGRA indicate that the Aus-2/3 may be existing in two types of clones, a phenomenon suspected to have been the cause of an increase in the prevalence of MRSA in the period of 2001 and 2005 especially within New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria (Becker et al 2018). However, studies by Guimaraes et al (2017) indicate a decline in Aus-2/3 prevalence in the year 2009 and the decline is estimated to have continued at a rapid rate since then. Nonetheless, Sorensen et al (2017), Naidu et al (2017) and Herrera et al (2016) acknowledge that Aus-2/3 has largely contributed to various community-onset infections especially among patients with a history of admission into facilities characterized by its prevalence. As illustrated by Sato et al (2017) in figure1 below, the decline in the prevalence of Aus-2/3 has largely been attributed to an improvement in infection control within Australian hospitals, an introduction of The National Hygiene Program in 2008, and the implementation of policies that demand public reporting of MRSA infection trends in Australia. Sato et al (2017) also note that the decline in the prevalence of Aus-2/3 has largely been boosted by the implementation of National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards which mainly advocates for preventing and controlling infections associated with healthcare. Naro et al (2018) believe that CA-MRSA had its first onset in Australia in 1980s and has since increased in prevalence to exceed the prevalence of HA-RMSA in Australia. In fact, according to the author, CA-MRSA is largely believed to have rivaled HA-MRSA as the cause of hospital-onset infection in Australia. Part of the reason for their high prevalence is its high resistance to antibiotics and it is estimated that this resistant is likely to increase over time (Ghaznavi-Rad et al 2018). Blanco et al (2017) claim that CA-RMSA was first noted in Australia in 1985 and became more prevalent in Kimberley region in 1989. By 2004, a number of CA-RMSA clones are believed to have gained much prevalence in Western Australia. Fast forward to 2014, CA-RMSA is believed to have accounted for 45% of all hospital-onset infections as compared to HA-MRSA which was at 48% (Sato et al 2017). The following figure (figure 2) illustrates AGRAs survey of CA-MRSA prevalence between 2001 and 2014: In the case of Mrs. Jenkins, her MRSA infection could be a HA-MRSA because she has a history of sustaining an injury and was admitted in the hospital where her wound was dressed and cleaned before discharge. He has now been readmitted again and the doctor has diagnosed her with MRSA. According to Carfora et al (2016), HA-MRSA usually occurs on patients who have recently had a hospital admission and therefore it is highly likely that Mrs. Jenkins earlier admission might have exposed her to HA-MRSA. Because both HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA occur in different settings, Mrs. Jenkins might have been exposed to HA-MRSA as a result of three main factors namely: Being hospitalized Undergoing an invasive medical procedure, and Longer residence in the hospital. Being hospitalized is a great risk factor for HA-MRSA because a hospitalized patient is highly exposed to carriers of MRSA bacteria (Wang et al 2018). In the case of Jenkins, the physician might have touched his wound during dressing with gloves which may have earlier been used to handle a HA-MRSA carrier patient. Likewise, the hospital might not have been at a good hygienic condition when Jenkins was fist admitted in the hospital. This is because according to Bogestam et al (2018), MRSA bacteria spread rapidly in hospitals that have poor hygiene practices. Jenkins could have also been exposed to HA-MRSA as a result of getting into contact with invasive medical devices especially if the physician used them during wound dressing. According to Hongo et al (2018), invasive medical materials such as scissors, catheters, and surgical knives provide a pathway for HA-MRSA to invade the patients body. The hospital bedding could have also been a risk factor for Jenkins to contact HA-MRSA if a t all she lay on some that were not properly washed or sanitized. According to Heckel et al (2017), HA-MRSA bacteria tend to reside on unclean or poorly kept hospital linen such as bed sheets or blankets. Other risk factors for RMSA include keeping wounds uncovered, using other peoples personal items such as razors, towels, clothing and sheets, keeping unclean hands especially after touching other peoples personal objects, and lack of protective gadgets such as gloves in hospital settings. While some of these risk factors may not relate to Jenkins case, being aware of them minimizes the likeliness of getting MRSA (Askura et al 2018). Hand hygiene and HA-MRSA Nearly a decade ago, Ignaz Semmelweis discovered a relationship between health workers hand hygiene and infections to patients. Indeed, several years after his death, a slew of evidence (Kuonza et al 2017; Becker et al 2018; and Bogestam et al 2018) are still emerging to show that there is an association between healthcare-associated infections and health workers hand hygiene. As a result, scholars have proposed improved hand hygiene as a major prevention remedy for HA-MRSA. In fact, while there is still no consensus among scholars over the best control mechanism for HA-MRSA, a majority of them (e.g. Heckel et al 2017, Kuonza et al 2017, Becker et al 2018 and Bogestam et al 2018) agree that keeping hand hygiene is a cornerstone remedy. For instance, Pittet et al (2009) launched a quasi-experimental study to investigate the effects of maintained hand hygiene on the infection rates of HA-MRSA. The intervention included an increased access to alcohol hand scrubs and visual hand washing reminders. Feedback from the hospital staff indicated an increase in hand washing compliance by 18% with a reported decrease in HA-MRSA episodes in the hospital by 0.5 incidences per 10000 patient-days. This and other studies (Hongo et al 2018, Heckel et al 2017 and Sorensen et al 2017) reveal that keeping high-level hand hygiene by washing hands with antibiotic soaps after touching body fluids, secretions, excretions, blood or contaminated items reduce the chances of Jenkins contracting HA-MRSA. Kuonza et al (2017) also recommend that when hands (with gloves or not) are visibly soiled with body fluids or blood when handling the same patient, physicians should wash them with clean water and soap to prevent cross-contamination of the patients different body parts. Apart from hand hygiene, the other standard precaution required to be maintained to prevent HA-MRSA include gloving, eye, mouth and nose protection, gowning and proper laundry handling. According to Hongo et al (2018), wearing non-sterile and clean gloves when a physician is likely to handle blood or other infectious fluids such as non-intact skin (e.g. Jenkins wound), mucus, or contaminated intact skin is extremely important. The gloves should also be carefully removed after handling the patient to prevent hand contamination. While handling mucous membrane, the physician should wear protective gear such as masks, face shields, goggles, or a combination of both; on the nose, eyes, mouth, and ears to avoid contact with splashed blood or infectious fluids (Wang et al 2018). According to Bogestam et al (2018), it is also a standard precaution to wear gowns to protect the physicians skin from contamination and to ensure that the physicians clothes are not contaminated by body fluids or s ecretions. After dressing Jenkins wound, it was necessary to transport or handle his bedding/linen carefully to avoid contamination of air or the nearby surfaces (Askura et al 2018). Transmitted-Based Precautions Transmitted-base precautions for HA-MRSA are categorized into droplet, airborne and contact precautions. According to Kuonza et al (2017), contact-based precautions are normally meant to prevent the transmission of HA-MRSA through direct or indirect contact with a carrier and may include placing patients diagnosed with HA-MRSA in private rooms or together with other patients with similar diagnosis. It also involves keeping the patients quarantined in their respective rooms unless they are to be moved for a medical procedure (Wang et al 2018). According to Hongo et al (2018), other contact-based precautions include wearing gloves before handling the diagnosed patient and observing all the other standard precautions related to HA-MRSA. Droplet precautions are meant to prevent transmission from infectious agents that can drop from the patient through sneezing or coughing. According to Bogestam et al (2018), they include keeping the patient in surgical masks when out of the room, keeping them in private rooms unless they are to be moved for a medical procedure, keeping patient care items such as pressure cuffs dedicated to the patients only, and teaching the patients to cover their nose when sneezing or coughing. Being an old-age patient, these precautions should be implemented with care to ensure that she does not perceive her isolation as a disregard to her health situation or age (Sorensen et al 2017). It is also important to explain to Jenkins the importance of each procedure to gain her best cooperation. Hongo et al (2018) write that a community registered nurses major role is to attend to patients receiving health care services outside the hospital setting. In the case of Jenkins, a community registered nurse would help meet her health needs in respect to her old age situation especially owing to the fact that she is highly prone to forgetting to take her prescribed medication, and maintain the required hygiene for the wound to heal faster. Typically, the nurse would be responsible for cleaning and dress Jenkins wound, ensuring Jenkins maintains the oral medication until the end of the dosage, and maintain Jenkins general hygiene to ensure that she does not infect other people around her with MRSA. On the other hand, an occupational therapist majorly offers therapy services to patients with chronic musculoskeletal illness. In the case of Jenkins, an occupational therapist would be responsible for helping improve her performance of daily activities such as valued daily roles, social interaction and leisure activities (Wang et al 2018). According to Bogestam et al (2018), an occupational therapist would also assist Jenkins to adapt to life routine disruptions as a result of her wound and maintain her physiological balance as a result of her health and age condition. References Asakura, K, Azechi, T, Sasano, H, Matsui, H, Hanaki, H, Miyazaki, M, Takata, T, Sekine, M, Takaku, T, Ochiai, T, Komatsu, N, Shibayama, K, Katayama, Y, Yahara, K 2018, 'Rapid and easy detection of low-level resistance to vancomycin in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry', Plos ONE, 13, 3, pp. 1-10, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Becker, K, van Alen, S, Idelevich, E, Schleimer, N, Seggewi, J, Mellmann, A, Kaspar, U, Peters, G 2018, 'Plasmid-Encoded Transferable mecB-Mediated Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus', Emerging Infectious Diseases, 24, 2, pp. 242-248, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Bogestam, K, Vondracek, M, Karlsson, M, Fang, H, Giske, C 2018, 'Introduction of a hydrolysis probe PCR assay for high-throughput screening of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with the ability to include or exclude detection of Staphylococcus argenteus', Plos ONE, 13, 2, pp. 1-14, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Blanco, N, Perencevich, E, Li, S, Morgan, D, Pineles, L, Johnson, J, Robinson, G, Anderson, D, Jacob, J, Maragakis, L, Harris, A, null, n 2017, 'Effect of meteorological factors and geographic location on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci colonization in the US', Plos ONE, 12, 5, pp. 1-13, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Carfora, V, Giacinti, G, Sagrafoli, D, Marri, N, Giangolini, G, Alba, P, Feltrin, F, Sorbara, L, Amoruso, R, Caprioli, A, Amatiste, S, Battisti, A 2016, 'Methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus in dairy sheep and in-contact humans: An intra-farm study', Journal Of Dairy Science, 99, 6, pp. 4251-4258, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Ghaznavi-Rad, E, Fard-Mousavi, N, Shahsavari, A, Japoni-Nejad, A, Van Belkum, A 2018, 'Distribution of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec types among methicillin-resistant coagulase negative staphylococci in central Iran', Iranian Journal Of Microbiology, 10, 1, pp. 7-13, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Guimares, F, Manzi, M, Joaquim, S, Richini-Pereira, V, Langoni, H 2017, 'Short communication: Outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-associated mastitis in a closed dairy herd', Journal Of Dairy Science, 100, 1, pp. 726-730, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Hongo, M, Miyakoshi, N, Fujii, M, Kasukawa, Y, Ishikawa, Y, Kudo, D, Shimada, Y 2018, 'Pyogenic Spondylitis Caused by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Associated with Tracheostomy followed by Resection of Ossification of the Anterior Longitudinal Ligament', Case Reports In Orthopedics, pp. 1-5, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Heckel, M, Geidrfer, W, Herbst, F, Stiel, S, Ostgathe, C, Bogdan, C 2017, 'Nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at a palliative care unit: A prospective single service analysis', Plos ONE, 12, 12, pp. 1-14, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Herrera, F, Garca-Lpez, M, Santos, J 2016, 'Short communication: Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from raw milk fresh cheese in Colombia', Journal Of Dairy Science, 99, 10, pp. 7872-7876, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Kuonza, L, Shuping, L, Perovic, O, Musekiwa, A, Iyaloo, S 2017, 'Hospital-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: A cross-sectional analysis of risk factors in South African tertiary public hospitals', Plos ONE, 12, 11, pp. 1-14, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Naidu, D, Quinones, J, Lutschg, K, Balaguru, D 2017, 'Healthy Adolescent with a Mycotic Aortic Aneurysm from Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus', Texas Heart Institute Journal, 44, 4, pp. 279-282, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Narayanaswamy, V, Giatpaiboon, S, Wiesmann, W, Baker, S, Townsend, S, Uhrig, J, Orwin, P 2018, 'In Vitro activity of novel glycopolymer against clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus', Plos ONE, 13, 1, pp. 1-16, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Nori, Y, Matsuo, D, Hideharu, H, Hisao, Y, Norihisa, Y, Shoji, H, Yukihiro, A, Kazunori, T, Yoshioka, N, Deguchi, M, Hagiya, H, Yoshida, H, Yamamoto, N, Hashimoto, S, Akeda, Y, Tomono, K 2018, 'Available, Bed-sided, Comprehensive (ABC) score to a diagnosis of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection: a derivation and validation study', BMC Infectious Diseases, 18, pp. 1-7, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Pittet D, Allegranzi B, Boyce J, 2009 World Health Organization World Alliance for Patient Safety First Global Patient Safety Challenge Core Group of Experts The World Health Organization guidelines on hand hygiene in health care and their consensus recommendations. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol.;30(7):611622. Sato, T, Usui, M, Konishi, N, Kai, A, Matsui, H, Hanaki, H, Tamura, Y 2017, 'Closely related methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from retail meat, cows with mastitis, and humans in Japan', Plos ONE, 12, 10, pp. 1-11, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Srensen, A, Toft, N, Boklund, A, Espinosa-Gongora, C, Grsbll, K, Larsen, J, Halasa, T 2017, 'A mechanistic model for spread of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) within a pig herd', Plos ONE, 12, 11, pp. 1-18, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Udo, E, Al-Sweih, N 2017, 'Dominance of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones in a maternity hospital', Plos ONE, 12, 6, pp. 1-12, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018. Wang, H, Lee, T, Tseng, Y, Liu, T, Huang, K, Chang, Y, Chen, C, Lu, J 2018, 'A new scheme for strain typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on the basis of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry by using machine learning approach', Plos ONE, 13, 3, pp. 1-16, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 19 April 2018.

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Management Strategy Models

Introduction Comprehensive business situation analysis can take many forms. Situation analysis involves the evaluation of the situation and the trends in a particular company’s market. The commonest is the analysis on the basis three C’s. According to Orcullo (2007), his particular situation analysis refers to the study of the major elements of the businesses that crucially affect the direction that any business takes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management Strategy Models specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Gotz and Mann (2006) say that customers, costs and competition traditionally form the core of the three C’s analysis. Strauss (2008) says that, nowadays business situation analysis includes collaboration, the company itself and competitive advantage that the company holds over its rivals. According to Bohn (2009), another model that will be used to evaluate Morison’s company is th e SWOT analysis. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that Morrisons is experiencing relative to its competitors will be analyzed to determine the situation and recommend the possible remedies and strategies it should take to avoid losing ground to other supermarket chains. The C’s Business Situation Analysis Customers Like the other leading three stores, Morrisons has focused on the mid low-end segment of the population. The company has pursued a strategy focusing on offering unbeatable customer service and a favorable shopping environment. Again, it regularly competes on special offers and other promotions that aim to convince customers as savings oriented. The strategy has had considerable success evidenced by the number of customers who visit the stores every year. For instance, the store announced that a whooping 10.8 million customers visited the store in the three months leading to November 2009. The figures were way ahead of predictions and further ser ved as a vote of confidence in the customer service polices that is in place. Competition Morrisons supermarket faces competition from many other retails chains in the UK that already control a big share of the market. Waitrose, Sainsbury, ASDA and Tesco provide for the major competition for Morrisons in the UK. Apart from Waitrose, the rest are way ahead of the Morrisons in the market in terms of diversity of goods and services and regional presence.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Company Morrison Supermarkets plc. is classified as the fourth largest super market in the United Kingdom. It is got a sizable market share in the UK that was estimated at 11.8% in 2008. Currently, it is estimated to employ more than 124, 000. However, compared to its competitors, Morrisons was the smallest in terms of the market share segment. It is way behind market leader Tesco with a market s hare of 30.9%, Asda with 16.8% and Sainsbury with 16% (Li 2008). The company majorly deals with groceries and consumer goods that form the core of its revenue sources. Its revenue in the year 2010 is estimated to have hit 14, 528 million pounds. It is made a net profit of 460 million pounds in the year 2009. SWOT Analysis The C’s analysis above brings out many strengths and weaknesses of the Morrison’s retail chain. Similarly, it analyses the opportunities that can be exploited and the threats that are encroaching on its survival in the market (Fine 2009). Any strategy therefore that the new leader is going to carry out must address the elements identified in the SWOT analysis. Strengths It is apparent that Morrisons has a distinct advantage in the Northern part of the UK. Its historical ties with the place and success in courting low and mid low-end customers is one of the strengths that it boasts over its smaller rivals. The acquisition of Safeway’s retail gro up has only served to reinforce that advantage of consolidating Northern UK and other parts of the country. Again, unlike its competitors who have diversified in the products they offer, Morrison is yet to diversify universally beyond groceries and non-food offers. It therefore provides an area of strength that can be exploited by the retail chain to its advantage. The chain also has enormous strength among the upper middle class segment of the population. Morrison too has its â€Å"good quality food† tag that it has cultivated over time and which accords strength that its competitors do not have. Morrisons has a strong balance sheet besides owning majority of its store portfolio which is estimated at 89%. Estimates put its value of property to be 7.5 billion pounds higher than its market capitalization. With only 19% as its debt equity, Morrisons comes out top in the sector.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management Strategy Models specifically for yo u for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company therefore is stable as far as asset worth and accumulation is concerned. The above are financial strengths that the company can use to its advantage to increase business Weaknesses The supermarket however seems unsure which direction it should take. Failure to establish presence in the south when all other major chains did so was a case in point where the retail chain’s top management failed to make quick decisions and take risks to increase its market share in the UK. Opportunities Concentration on the low-end market means there still is an opportunity for the supermarket to grow its customer base in the high sections of the population. The fact that its leading competitors have larger market share and make more profits with their low-end client base is reason enough that there is still opportunity in expanding the customer base. Though Morrisons has ventured into the southern part of the UK, there st ill is an opportunity to expand its operations throughout the country to make it a nationwide chain hence access a larger client pool. While Tesco for instance has 2282 stores, Morrisons has 447 stores, giving it a huge opportunity to grow its branches to effectively compete with the leading three stores. All of Morrisons rivals have developed online shopping options for their customers. They have expanded their market reach to accommodate those that rely on the internet for shopping. Morrison’s new CEO has acknowledged the company is looking into the possibility of developing such a system. It is an opportunity that if exploited could see is customer base grow while the market share will be increased. Threats The price war between Morrisons and Tesco placed Morrisons at the receiving end. A Tesco advert in 2007 sought to inform prospective customers how Tesco had over 3000 items priced cheaper than at their rival Morrison. The financial muscle and the greater market share of the competitors will always be a threat to Morison’s position and progress as a market leader in the UK.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strategy development Given the stiff competition among supermarkets in the UK, it is important that Morrisons develops a strategy aimed at maintaining its competitive advantage. Its strengths as identified in the SWOT analysis will be consolidated while the measure will be put in place to stem the weaknesses. The strategy has to focus on exploiting the existing opportunities to increase the revenues of the company. Porter’s Generic Business Model According to Porter’s generic business opportunities model, innovation, quality enhancement and cost reduction form the core of any business strategy (Rundle and Johnson 2010). Innovation aims to increase the differentiation of products and adds value to them. Kossowski (2007) asserts that differentiation will enhance creativity that will ensure uniqueness of products giving a company’s good s and services an edge over the others. Quality enhancement on the other hand will involve concentration of particular market segm ents and development of highly developed products for those markets. Provision of cost leadership involves reduction of costs while remaining competitive on pricing. Charging lower prices will ensure while maintaining an acceptable profit margin on each unit of goods sold will effectively manage costs leading to profitability. Porter’s generic business opportunities model suits Morrisons as it seeks to increase its market share while raising its revenues. The new Chief Executive Officer needs to focus on new innovations that will bring new customers on board. Their marketing ways have to change so as the message goes beyond the mid low-end customer base that forms its core clientele. Innovation is also critically needed if the company is to increase the variety of goods that it has offering its customers. Pricing has been one of the fronts that the super markets have engaged each other. Morrison’s has a strong financial backing which can easily be turned to price offer s to customers. The new CEO will need to focus on specific market segments like they are doing now with a reduced margin and an intention to win the price war. A price war can easily turn against the company especially if the rivals have a considerable financial muscle like that of Tesco and the other two leading supermarkets. Morrisons has numerous factories where its products are manufactured. Possession of these factories gives them an advantage over their competitors. In the quest to improve sales, the new management should focus on improving the quality of their goods. This will be easier especially because they have control over the production of a majority of goods for their outlets. The leadership of the company should focus in making goods difficult to imitate by competitors and counterfeits. That way they are able to lock in any intended onslaught on their products by the competitors. Diversification beyond food products is necessary if market leaders like Tesco are to be challenged. Considering all leading supermarkets target the low-end segment of the market and regularly engage in price competition with Morrisons, it is important the new CEO carefully reviews the strategy. Caution will need to be applied in order to ensure costs are minimized while profits are maximized. Five forces Model Five forces model is another strategy model that is popular with businesses (Hax 2009).This strategy model suits into Morrisons current needs and the new management can use it to improve its market share while combating the challenges that face the company. According to Shaw-McMinn et al.(2001), the model involves analysis of the market through five fronts which touches on almost every aspect. Threat from new entrants in the market, the industry, bargaining power if suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers and the threat of substitute products constitute the five forces that shape strategy formulation in many companies. There are likely to other new entrants in the UK market. Though they present no considerable threat, it is important that the new management of Morrisons take note of them. New entrants normally enter the market with the intention of capitalizing on the existing player mistakes. Lack of online shopping for Morrisons may be one of the weaknesses that new entrants may be targeting. Considering they will be competing for the same clientele, it is important that Morrisons take steps to consolidate the customer base and ensure loyalty of customers. One way the new CEO can do it is through introduction of the shopper’s card that promises rewards for loyal and consistent customers. The supermarket industry in the UK is vibrant and any innovation player is guaranteed to keep its place. The new management of Morrisons should increase industry presence through offering diverse types of goods. Morrisons has already consolidated its position on the food sector. Its time the new management focused on other fronts that as a result will net new customers hence increase customer base. Keeping competitive advantage should also be top of the agenda. Morrisons would want to keep its superb infrastructure that greatly aides its domination of the groceries market. All goods that Morrisons distributes are obtained from suppliers. Considering it is largely a grocery oriented chain, suppliers come in handy. Suppliers determine the quality of the goods sold by the supermarket. Good relations with suppliers are therefore critical to Morison’s survival in the market. A few years back some industry analysts in the UK felt supermarkets in the UK including Morrisons were being too tough on suppliers. It is understandable because Morrisons has packaged itself a store that offers quality products compare with its rivals. Considering suppliers too have power and they can decide to sell their produce to other willing industry players, it is important the new management develop a relationship that is beneficial to both pa rties. It will be important for the new CEO to avoid the common hostilities that normally characterize supplier-buyer relationships. Buyers or customers are the main backbone of any business that has intentions of surviving in the market. The bargaining power of customers if not checked and carefully dealt with can easily lead to losses. Businesses have to perform a delicate balancing act where they need to make a sale and gain profit and ensure a customer is not lost or the reputation of the company is not damaged. The financial strength that Morrisons has plus an expected jump in profits through sound management will be enough for the new management to offer promotions that can double up as bargaining events. Substitute products offer reprieve to customers when they feel that do not experience maximum utility from the products they are interested in. It is therefore important that Morrison’s stock substitute products that will offer customers a wide variety to choose from i f their original intentions are not met. That calls for diversification of the products on offer in the stores in an effort to go beyond food products as earlier said. Conclusion The models described above do not offer the ultimate solution to Morrisons quest of increasing its market share in the UK. It is important for the management to note that its other leading competitors have overseas operations which gives them a competitive edge over Morrisons. The new CEO should consider taking Morrisons operations abroad in order for the company to increase its revenues and to improve its international market share. References Bohn, A. (2009) The SWOT Analysis. Berlin: GRIN Verlag. Hax, C., A. (2009) The Delta Model: Reinventing Your Business Strategy. New York: Springer. Fine, L. G. (2009) The SWOT Analysis: Using Your Strength to Overcome Weaknesses, Using Opportunities to Overcome Threats. New York: Booksurge Llc. Kossowski, A. (2007) Strategic Management: Porter’s Model of Gener ic Competitive Strategies Theory and analysis. Berlin: GRIN Verlag. Li, E. (2008) Supermarket Chains and Grocery Market in the UK. Web. Mann, C. J. and Gotz, K. (2006) Borderless business: managing the far-flung enterprise. London: Greenhood Publishing group. Orcullo, N. (2007) Fundamentals of Strategic Management’ 2007. Manchester: Rex Bookstore, Inc. Rundle, S. and Johnson. N. C. (2010) Business As Mission: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice. New York: Inter-Varsity Press. Shaw-McMinn, Peter, G. and Moss, Garry L. (2001) Eyecare business: marketing and strategy. London: Elsevier Health Sciences. Strauss, S. (2008) The small business bible: everything you need to know to succeed in your small business. London: John Wiley and Sons. This essay on Management Strategy Models was written and submitted by user Spencer L. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.