Hyatt Regency Edinburgh Marina Announced As Hyatt's First Hotel in Scotland

                                                Company overview

            Hyatt Hotels Corporation is one of the American leading hospitality companies with a portfolio of fourteen premier brands. As the end of the year 2017, the portfolio of the company indicated that company had the capacity of including at least 700 properties worldwide. Despite that, this is basically the first time the company have had the opportunity of opening its first hotel in Scotland. The main purpose of the company in this city entails taking care of each person so that their outstanding services can boost its growth strategies in its hospitality industry. The objective behind this is to assist in attracting and retaining customers, building relationships with top colleagues, and creating value for shareholders.

                                                    Challenges

            As in the case of any business organization, Hyatt Regency Edinburgh Marina faces many challenges taking into consideration its chain of operations. With regard to the wealth the company has managed to acquire, it is evident that the growing competition in the modern service industry is the one which will somehow hinder it from enjoy the economies of scale. This competition mainly arises from the already well established Scottish tourist hotels, holiday parks, lodges, and so on (Alastair, 2017). Research also indicates that the manner in which the company has been using subcontracting strategies is the one which will impact the services it will be offering in Scotland. The reason for that is because the intention of the management authority with this technique entails lowering the expenses it incurs in terms of wages. As a way of evading liability, it implies that the workers will be demoralized because of the dangerous or poor working conditions.

            In the process of venturing in a new city, the existence of the outsized development in the company’s limited service brands is the one which affects its customer segments. Another challenges associated with this is the fact that the company’s loyalty program have been noted to fail in improving some of the services it offers to their loyal customers as far as those brands are concerned.

                                                Opportunities

            Considering the agreement entered, it implies that the company will have the capacity of opening the first Hyatt branded property in Scotland as well as the third Hyatt Regency Hotel in the United Kingdom. As a result of that, by the end of the year 2021, it is expected that the company could have the opportunity of opening and managing at least 98 apartments and 187 guestrooms. This is what will make the company to act as a premier hotel and residential destination in the city (Resource, 2018).

            In order to be in the position of showcasing the best hospitality services, the company has the plans of incorporating world-class services, creative designs, as well as other state-of-the-art facilities. Additionally, the company has the potential of including 10, 000 square foot banquet and conference center, bar and restaurant. After the hotel has been established, it will be featuring serene spa providing restorative therapies and boutique fitness classes (Resource, 2018). It, therefore, implies that the presence of such astonishing amenities together with its convenient location is the one which will make it to be a true shopping destination not only for local travelers but also for international travelers visiting the historic capital of Scotland.

                                                            Recommendations

Promotion _The vision, mission, purpose, and values of the Hyatt Hotels Corporations are always brought to life by the organization’s workmates, whom the company regards as Hyatt family. Because of that, in the process of venturing its new business in Scotland, its management authority should ensure that it has utilized the available social media platforms for advertising the services they offer. These platforms such as TVs, radio, magazines, and so on are the one which will enable the company to reach its potential customers (Evert, 2011).

Product _ To be able to market the company’s brand and services to be offered, the management authority should ensure that they have continued embodying its purpose of caring for their esteemed customers, the business owner, and the whole community it will be operating in. The reason for that is because such commitment to offering genuine services is what ultimately differentiates what drives the preference of the tourists visiting their business (Dogra & Ghuman, 2010). 

Place _ The management team should ensure that they have been provided with suitable autonomy to establish operational rules and regulations in the best interests of the hotel and its associated brands. It is this strategy which will enable the business to venture well in the city taking into consideration some of the operational decisions to be formulated by those managers who had initially demonstrated to achieving the mission and vision of the company  (Hoffmann, 2008). This goes in line with the idea of targeting the local and international potential customers

Price _ Regardless of the competition the company can be experiencing in Scotland’s tourism industry, minimizing such challenges and utilizing the available opportunities is the one which will enable the company to offer services at a reasonable price. It is the high levels of customer satisfactions and reasonable prices which results to the continuous increase of guest preferences for the company’s brands (Evert, 2011). This equally results from strengthened revenue investment base both in the short-run and in the long-run. 

                                                            Implementation

Short-term

            The mutual engagement of the company’s colleagues also have the ability of enhancing proficient operation of the company’s properties, hence leading to the financial improvements for its owners. It, therefore, implies that the sustainable adherence to such operational principles will act as the basis for improving the brand reputation of the company (Dogra & Ghuman, 2010). The reason for that is because it is one of the fundamental factors which impact the managerial decisions of the company’s developers and group owners to make adequate investment in its portfolio around the world.

Long-term

Conversely, collaborating together with the existing potential investors and prospective owners to boost the company’s presence will result to increasing customer satisfaction, create new channels, and improve its brand preference for professional long-term growth. As a means of boosting the tourism industry, it implies that it is possible to continue making the hotel to be fit for such upscale waterfront development.   It is because of these strategies which will add to the growing portfolio of the company (Hoffmann, 2008). Moreover, the management authority needs to ensure that they acquired more guests as compared to its competitors taking into account the full service hotel treatment it will be offering to each individual.

                                                Conclusion

            Considering the challenges and the opportunities available, its management authority should ensure that they are in the position of offering a seamless experience which will ensure that they have connected the business and leisure alike to anything they require under one roof. This will ensure that its guests have had the capacity of enjoying a wide range of amenities and services, including flexible working space, outstanding culinary experiences, relax or collaborate, and other technology enabled facilities. Such facilities will be crucial for clients having events, meeting, together with professional planner who adheres to the every detail of this organization. Another reason which compels the company to be operating effectively is the fact that it is one of the perfect foundations which will enable its management authority to launch its bland effectively. In return, it will be easier with time for the company to experience era for establishing flawless and new tourism opportunities. This should be incorporated with other online means of promoting the business so as to outdo its rivals.

                                                References

Alastair, J. D. (2017). Scotland and Tourism: The Long View, 1700–2015. Routledge Advances in Tourism. Taylor & Francis Press

Dogra, B., & Ghuman, K. (2010). Rural marketing: Concepts and practices. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill.

Evert, G. (2011). Total Relationship Marketing. Routledge Press

Felix, O. (2013).  Principles of Hospitality Management: Hyatt Hotels Corporation. GRIN Verlag Press

Hoffmann, S. (2008). Are the 4 P's of international marketing of equal importance to all firms? What factors might cause some to more or less important than others?: A short article. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH.

Resource, H. (2018). Hyatt Regency Edinburgh Marina Announced As Hyatt's First Hotel in Scotland. Retrieved from https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article102894.html

International Analysis of Organization Design

Kuwait Culture Summary

The Kuwait culture is rich in values, strongly held traditions and cherished values.  The foundation of the country’s culture is the general Arab cultural traditions and practices that are generally observed across the Arabian Peninsula. The culture has transformed over time so that it is referred as Bedaw and Urbans at the same time (Advameg, Inc., 2018). There is also a great influence of Islam on the culture, values and traditions and in spite of the effect of Western Education especially in Urban areas , the average person still persistently observes the traditional values and customs. Hence, there is a great respect for family values, elders and for guests.  Greetings indicate Kuwaitis affection, but men and women who are not relatives are normally segregated, and thus, gestures such as kissing among them are not culturally acceptable. Religion plays an important role in the society, so that prayers and mosques define the daily practices of the Kuwaitis. The Islamic constitution makes the Kuwait culture to be more conservative with the labor market consisting mostly of men and few women (Advameg, Inc., 2018).

As a democratic country, there are is freedom of expression to some extent, where people may raise their opinions without fear of facing persecution. The Kuwait people can be considered to be social responsible people, and this can be attributed to the cultural and religious values instilled since childhood.  The Kuwaiti cuisine is an important aspect in the local culture, since food and beverages are crucial in defining the hospitality of the society.  The Diwaniyas are an important aspect of the country’s social life, and involves people gathering in the evening to conduct social discourses until late in the night (Advameg, Inc., 2018). 

The Kuwait’s culture can also be viewed from the power distance perspective. Power distance refers to the degree to which the less power members of organizations in a given country anticipate and accept the unequal distribution of power (Murray, Poole & Jones, 2006). In Kuwait people embrace a hierarchical order, whereby everyone occupies their place, the centralization aspect is common and people at lower ranks expect to be given instructions on what they should do. The country can also be viewed as a collective society, with much emphasis placed on member group whether family, extended families or extended relationships.  In such a culture, loyalty is vital and comes above other regulations or social rules.  A strong relationship is fostered with everybody taking responsibility for fellow others in the same group (Murray, Poole & Jones, 2006). In addition, the society is relatively feminine with dominant values in the society being quality of life and deep care for others. In a famine society, the quality of life is viewed as an indication for success while standing out from the rest is not highly regarded (Murray, Poole & Jones, 2006).  Kuwait culture leans more towards avoiding uncertainty.

The Uncertainty Avoidance dimension relates to the degree to which people in the society feel threatened by unknown circumstances and has established institutions and beliefs that attempt to avoid such scenarios (Murray, Poole & Jones, 2006). Kuwait culture consists of firm religious codes of belief that informs behavior and intolerance for unorthodox ideas or conducts. The society can be termed as normative with preference for maintain long- held norms and traditions while being suspicious of any change coming from outside. However, the culture is becoming more pragmatic, with increased efforts aimed at promoting modern education to prepare for country’s future.

Coca Cola in Kuwait

Organizational structure and management

Coca Cola is a multinational firm with its presence in many regional markets around the globe and thus, it has a complex organizational structure. The control of the firm is achieved through a structured vertical hierarchy, whereby decisions are made at the top level by the upper management (Puravankara, 2007). The routine or daily decisions necessary for its operations are made by the various line managers placed at the middle level. The organizational structures may be classified on the basis of power centralization or extend of standardization, the planning process and roles formation. The major elements or dimensions that can be used to analyze the impact of Kuwait’s culture on the organizational structure of Coca Cola Company include power distance and uncertainty avoidance.  Since the organizational structure of the firm is based on hierarchy in management and decision making, it largely aligns with Kuwait’s score on power distance dimension. The presence of Coca Cola in Kuwait means that its structure will align to the hierarchal distances observed in the society in terms of accepting decision making and power to be distributed unequally. In this regard, the people in the organization will accept the instituted hierarchical order so that each person occupies his or her place in the society (Conţiu, 2011).  In terms of uncertainty avoidance, the effect of the country’s culture on the organization can be seen in the extent of roles formation including standardization of rules and procedures and job description. The hierarchical control is normally based on the regulation and control unit and decisions are normally centralized by the management of the organization.

Moreover, working relations and procedures among individuals can be expected to be rigid in line with the codes of beliefs and expected conduct in the Kuwait culture. The organizational structure of Coca Cola’s operations in the country can be expected to align with the expectations of the society, while not introducing codes or beliefs that will be considered unorthodox. In culture with high uncertainty avoidance, people have an emotional need for rules that will establish their roles and responsibilities, while regarding security as an important aspect of their individual motivation (Conţiu, 2011). The Coca Cola organizational structure has to align with the codes and beliefs of the people in the society so that to avoid antagonizing workers in the country. It will be important for the leadership to ensure security as an important aspect in motivating labor force in the country.   Normally, structure in an organization is a reflection of the behaviors and interpretation of members and represents their cultural views (Conţiu, 2011). This means that in Kuwait, the organizational structure of Coca Cola branch will reflect the social construction of the managers and employees who will be ensure that operations of the firm are ongoing. Culture may be viewed as external by the individuals or groups in the organization (Erez, 2010). The workers and managers in the Coca Cola will see the organizational structure as a result of interactions between individuals or with the systems.

The individuals may be able to manipulate the structure of the firm so as to reflect the interaction among individuals in line with their culture and interaction with various systems that have been established in the organization. The culture of the individual managers and employees will also alter their approach in making important decisions in organization. People are able to alter strategies in problem solving when they engross themselves in single-loop conduct without a change in their underlying values (Conţiu, 2011).  The Kuwait culture is increasing being influenced by changes in workforce demographics, innovations and new leadership models that are making organizations to focus in an employee-centric experience and culture. This relates to the fact that the culture of the country is defined by a collective society, where people are expected to be responsible for other members of the group. In collective societies, employee relationships are seen from the moral perspective (Conţiu, 2011). The managers of Coca Cola company has to embrace this aspect , in that , they have focus more on employee engagement , improving leadership in the organization and creating a meaningful culture where employees will be comfortable to work. 

The organizational design has to pay attention to the organizational needs and the demands in the Kuwait market. While many multinational firms are moving towards decentralization of authority so that they become more customer-centric, the Coca Cola Company may be expected to achieve this through aligning organizational structure with the region’s business needs.  In order to be in line with changes in business landscape and achieve the desired results, the firm has to be keen on the changes in the culture as a result of innovation and technology, and design its organization structure and operations accordingly (Bahhouth, Ziemnowicz & Zgheib, 2012). The extent of such changes could be felt in the adoption of a leadership model that depicts the need to reengineer, and also, improve the entire management. In line with the collective culture of the country, the change in leadership model has to cater for the experience and needs.

Job design

The globalization process brings about opportunities for multinational firms to transfer managerial practices such as job design across different cultures.  The issue arising in this case is whether the model of job design that has been effective in the home country of the organization also succeeds in another country (Erez, 2010). The culture of a host country like Kuwait has the potential to moderate the relationship between some job designs and the related behavioral outcomes. Specifically, autonomy and feedback as characteristics of job design can help explain the above. Work autonomy is considered to be a major motivational factor in individualistic cultures, but at the individual level, it brings about experience of wellbeing and self-worth in a collectivistic culture or one with high power distance, in some countries (Erez, 2010). However, in a country like Kuwait that has a culture that upholds collectivistic values, empowering employees is not likely to increase their satisfaction that when they are instructed on what they should do. Therefore, Kuwait culture may moderate the impact of job autonomy on the self-motive of employees and the outcomes of job performance. Hence, when Coca Cola management is designing the jobs in Kuwait, the country’s national culture has to be considered.  

 Feedback is an essential job characteristic that improves an individual’s understanding of behavioral results and internal control over such behavior. In a culture that is hierarchical and collective, the need for individual’s self-control is less common since a person is not able to monitor their behavior independently. The members of a group are driven by the need to save face in a collective culture, and this can have negatively affect the sense of belonging of the individual in a given group (Erez, 2010).  Thus, positive feedback can have positive impact while negative feedback results in negative effect. The job design carried out by Coca Cola in Kuwait has to consider that collectivist people in such a culture may easily accept feedback on collective performance rather than individual performance.

Environmental scanning  

The culture of the country may also impact on Coca Cola’s environmental scanning, where the firm intends to learn more about strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in this given market.  The survival of a firm over the long-term depends largely on how it responds to the cultural environment of the society in which its operations are located. The values, expectations, customs and beliefs of the society will inform the approach to be used by Coca Cola management in scanning this environment. The management must consider the changing expectations and values of the society and the likely effect it will have on its operations (Lesca, 2013). This means the cultural values and expectation of Kuwait’s society will determine the internal condition of the firm in terms of marketing, fiancé and even management approaches adopted. In a society that is more collectivistic, but which is experiencing changes due to innovation and technology, Coca Cola has to come up with strategy that will align its operations with consumer expectations in Kuwait. The strategies have to also consider that the market is likely to become more competitive due to globalization, and thus, building core competencies based on the cultural values (Lesca, 2013). The firm also has to align its strategies to the consumption patterns of Kuwaitis, which are largely informed by religious values and practices including various celebrations held in the country. This implies that the national culture of the country will greatly impact the strategies adopted by Coca Cola for the purpose of environmental scanning to ensure sustainability of its business practices.

Human Resource Management systems

The effect of a country’s culture can also be felt in the various activities involved in this field including recruitment , candidates selection , employees’ training and development and even performance appraisal or related remuneration. If recruiters of an organization come from a society with collective values, it is likely that much attention will be placed on the relationship-oriented or personal sources of recruitment including employee referrals or networking (Đorđević, 2016). This case would apply as far as Coca Cola‘s presence in Kuwait is concerned, since the culture highly uphold collectivistic values. Moreover, applicants with collectivistic values are likely to apply for jobs where they can form a team and cooperate with their colleagues (Đorđević, 2016). Such is the case of applicants from Kuwait. In the selection process, the selection for Coca Cola employees in Kuwait would prefer individuals ready to work in a team. Also, more attention would be given to people belonging to a given social class.  In the training and development, the higher distance Kuwait culture would mean that human resource management system would focus more on formal communication with the trainees.

References

Bahhouth, V., Ziemnowicz, C., & Zgheib, Y. (2012). Effect of culture and traditions on consumer behavior in Kuwait. International Journal of Business, Marketing, and Decision Sciences, 5(2), 1-11.

Đorđević, B. (2016). Impact of National Culture on International Human Resource Management. Economic Themes, 54(2), 281-300.

Lesca, N. (2013). Environmental Scanning and Sustainable Development. London: Wiley. 51-59

Erez, M. (2010). Culture and job design. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 31(2‐3), 389-400.

Conţiu, L. C. (2011). THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE ON ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES IN ROMANIA. Studia Universitatis Petru Maior-Philologia, 10.

Puravankara, D. (2007). Strategic analysis of the coca-cola company (Doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Business Administration-Simon Fraser University).

Murray, P., Murray, P., Poole, D., & Jones, G. (2006). Contemporary issues in management and organisational behaviour. South Melbourne, Vic: Thomson Learning.

Advameg, Inc.,(2018). State of Kuwait. Retrieved from: https://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Kuwait.html

Introduction

This particular case study looks at an international retailer, IKEA. It is one of the largest furniture retailers in the world. The firm specializes in selling furniture in their stores located in various areas around the world. The organization pioneered flat packaging of products at an affordable price. IKEA hired me as an international consultant to come up with solutions to predicaments their organization faced. The essay wills identify and group various issues facing the firm, come up with a strategy that exposes the underlying causes and suggest a solution to the problems.

Defining problems

Political Studies reveal that governments have a heavy influence on firms. Thus, in case of a political shift from stable to unstable it affects the business environment. For instance, in Poland, after the demise of the governance, the political upheaval affected the business surrounding which in turn affected the relationship of suppliers with IKEA. Consequently, honoring contracts became a challenge (Jonsson, & Foss, 2011). IKEA is an international retailer, which relies on foreign policies and a good stable environment. Any hitch and business becomes sour.

The second type difficulties are economic factors. Financial recessions often vary with the economic strength of the host country, the weaker the economy the higher the effects of an economic recession. IKEA established its business across various countries hence with the outbreak of a financial recession in 2008; it could not rap its head around the fluctuating rate across various host nations (Jonsson, & Foss, 2011). For example as the as the Swedish currency gained against the US dollar, importing resources from Sweden became expensive which in turn affected the price of the furniture.

In social spheres, Europe and America have different cultural practices. A business cannot establish an effective strategy without factoring in culture. European love detailed furniture designs hence their products must be perfect at first glance. On the other hand, American emphasize on functionality of items. Thus, coming up with a strategy that covers all-cultural aspects are difficult.

Developing a diagnosis

Internationally, there are many entrants in the furniture industry. More so, retailing is no longer a unique business venture. Hence, new entrants increased competition among key players such as IKEA (Norman, 2010). More competition implies that buyers will have more bargaining power due to the existence of numerous alternatives in the furniture market.

Since time immemorial, humans used furniture. Styles keep on changing based on emerging trends. The industry shifts from wood to plywood, iron and plastic. The market becomes more environmental friendly with time (Norman, 2010). However, despite of the change, the fundamental function of furniture remains. In other words, shifting a business strategy to suit trends is not an easy task.

Developing a solution

In order to come up with a sustainable strategy, IKEA should focus on its objectives. Initially, IKEA targeted middle and lower classes clients (Norman, 2010). The strategy worked well but IKEA can extend its aims so that it can cater for clients who would not mind paying more for their well-designed furniture. Again, expanding into interior design and kitchen items would increase their market share. Thus, it increases a client’s alternatives when he or she walks into any IKEA store.

In summary IKEA can also tailor its products to suit the needs of specific clients. Customization of furniture will bring in new ideas that can service not only one client but others as well. The main problem facing IKEA is the increase in rivalry among new entrants thus giving more bargaining power.

Reference

Jonsson, A., & Foss, N. J. (2011). International expansion through flexible replication: Learning from the internationalization experience of IKEA. Journal of International Business Studies, 42(9), 1079-1102.

Norman, D. A. (2010). THE WAY I SEE IT The transmedia design challenge: technology that is pleasurable and satisfying. interactions, 17(1), 12-15.

Adoption of vertical farming to help deal with farming problems in United Arabs Emirates

Date        :

To           :  Khadim Al Darei, the manager Al Dahra Agricultural Company

From        : Leon Deng, primary researcher of the project

Subject    : Adoption of vertical farming to help deal with farming problems in

                                    United Arabs Emirates (UAE)

The following is a progress report on a project to determine the effectiveness of vertical farming and how effective it would be for United Arabs Emirates. The report gives an overview of the project, explaining the sections that have been completed, those that have not been completed and giving some recommendation is regard to vertical farming adoption in UAE.

Scope and Purpose

Reducing stock of agricultural land per assets is becoming an emerging global issue as the population continues growing and this is the case in United Arabs Emirates (UAE). The proposed approach to dealing with farming problems in UAE is through the adoption of vertical farming which offers a realistic alternative to conventional production of crops.

I am the main researcher in this project and with the help of two of my colleagues; we hope to answer the following questions;

1. What does vertical farming entail?
2. What are the forces behind vertical farming?
3. What are some of the high-tech vertical farming methods?
4. What are the implications of vertical farming for UAE?

The progress

The project has adopted a qualitative informative approach where it examines the wide range of literature that is related to agronomy, vertical farming, rooftop farming and urban agriculture. I began working on this project in mid-October 2018 and I hope to have completed it by mid December 2018 and it is okay to say that I am on the right time track. So far I have acquired the data that I need to complete the project, I have already completed the first section of this project and I have already began working on the second.

To date an examination of both secondary and primary literatures on vertical farming have been acquired through the use of online search engines as well as databases including; proQuest, Google Scholar, Ebsco host among others. Over 100 sources between the years 2010 and 2018 were acquired but after an analysis, we have only decided to use 15 sources for the final project. 42% of these articles are peer reviewed journals, 20% books, 6% theses, 9% conference papers and 15% websites.

I have also completed the introduction part of the project where a critical definition of vertical farming has been completed and an analysis of how it would be beneficial to UAE which is a desert based country has also been clearly defined.

I am currently reviewing the literature that I have acquired so that I can begin working one the literature review section which will analyse and compare all the past studies that have been conducted on vertical farming to understand how effective the method would be for UAE.

Remaining tasks

 I still have two important tasks to handle so that I can complete this project and this include the analysis and the recommendation sections that I hope to complete within the next four weeks. The analysis section will give a detailed exploration of vertical given and why UAE would greatly benefit from this method of farming. I will also be explaining the best design to use while making a vertical farm and I will also explain the whole process including the materials required to create a vertical farm on the recommendation section.

Expected results

You had requested to understand whether vertical farming is a technique that can be incorporated in UAE to help improve farming and increase food for the growing population especially at the urban centres. So far the analysis of all the data acquired from the sources I have acquired indicate the effectiveness of vertical farming for UAE because this is a method that is easy to implement and it does not rely on the common elements of farming like soil and climate (The Growth of Robot Farming, 2016). I have so far come up with notion that Vertical farming is much cheaper as compared to conventional farming because of the lowered risks when growing crops especially when it comes to the high temperatures in UAE. The most amazing thing about this method is the fact that crops can be grown all year round which means that you will be able to have more food within a short time which will greatly help deal with the issue of food shortage in UAE.

Figure 1; table showing the advantages of vertical farming over other farming methods

From ‘Urban Crops’ by Tobe (2016), Rising need for nursery, indoor and vertical farming - The Robot Report

This method also encourages sustainability which is a major issue in the globe today; in that the use of fossil fuels is minimized through the use of solar panels, storage batteries and roof top wind turbine and this basically help in reduce ecosystem carbon levels (Kozai, 2015). If you look at vertical farming critically you will see that it provides an economical edge for the country in that there is the combination of widespread research, growth with farming practice and modern expertise which helps improves efficiency. With the fact that I have already completed the first section of this project and already working on the second, I can confidently assure you that the project will be completed by mid-December 2018. Feel free to contact me about any details on this project.

Some of selected sources

Tobe, F. (2016). Rising need for nursery, indoor and vertical farming - The Robot Report.

Retrieved from https://www.therobotreport.com/rising-need-for-nursery-indoor-and-vertical-farming/

Kozai T, Genhua N, and Michiko T. 2015. Plant Factory: An Indoor Vertical Farming

            System for Efficient Quality Food Production. ,. Internet resource.

The Growth of Robot Farming. (2016).  Trends Magazine, (155),  32–36. Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=114558469&site=ehost-live

Yours faithfully,

Leon Deng.

Journal entry

Monopoly: Uber in Korea

The goal of this lesson was to try and understand the issue of monopoly of the Uber business within Korea. A monopoly market as we learnt is when there is one market that has the total market control in dictating the price of goods and services. Uber is a global car sharing platform that has seen a lot of monopolized success in many states.

This is however not the case with Korea where since 2013 it has not been able to acquire monopoly. For one there is a lot of resistance from the Korean taxi owners that are threatened by predatory prices of Uber and fear that it might drive other taxi companies out of business (Yonhap, 2017). On the other hand the laws that govern the taxi transport businesses are very strict. They only favour a certain percentage of transport businesses that are mostly owned by the government meaning that the government has monopolized the taxi business in Korea.

 I disagree with the thinking that Uber negatively impacts the taxi business in Korea. I can confidently argue that Uber is beneficial to the society; it helps in expanding transport options by extending taxi services to areas that are always underserved and hence increased revenues for the country (Chang-Hyun, 2018). Uber increases the options for transport in suburban neighbourhoods where it is difficult to get transportation during late nights or even during the day when the other forms of transportation is unavailable or even unreliable. This creates room for people to extensively work even during the night and this helps to improve the economy.

The aggressive model of lowering prices is a competition strategy that Uber uses in order to get more clients and it has positive outcomes for both the clients and the passengers (Meyer, 2016). I believe that the acceptance of Uber in Korea would help break the government enforced monopoly. Uber has been applauded for its success in others states that have fully embraced it and they coexist well with other taxi companies something that should be adopted in Korea.

References

Chang-Hyun, S. (2018). Why Uber is having hard time in Korea. Retrieved from

            https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2018/09/726_247655.html

Meyer, J. (2016). Uber is Not ( And Will Never Be) A Monopoly. Retrieved from

            https://www.google.com/search?q=proactive&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-ab

Yonhap, Y. (2017). Uber launches car pool service in Seoul for diversification. Retrieved             from http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170921000873

Human resources

 Q 1.

 Today, companies are using evidence-based human resources practices similar to other fields like medicine and nursing, criminology, public policy, and education. Evidence-based practice is the process where the organizations make decisions using scientific evidence derived from research and findings (Barends et al. 2017). They focus on applying research results rather than personal preferences and intuition.  However, some organizations do not practice evidence-based management despite the evidence that evidence-based management is associated with higher productivity and financial performance. The reasons as to why organizations do not practice evidence-based management is because;  organizational managers do not have the knowledge based on academic research or in other words, they do not use the scientific evidence while making decisions but rather they use personal experience and adhere to organization common practices (Barends et al. 2017). In most cases, they seek guidance from peers, formal education, intuition, and readily available information. Managers are also not interested in reading academic journals and relevant research databases due to lack of research and statistical knowledge. Managers also argue that they lack time to conduct scientific research and find it difficult to access research findings (Barends et al. 2017). Generally, education and research experience affect the attitudes toward evidence-based practices. Managers who have experience with research have positive attitudes whereas managers who are not familiar with academic research or have insufficient skills have difficulties in understanding scientific research.

 Q2.

 Promotion can bring long-term consequences to the company. Thus, it is important to use the appropriate evaluation criteria to build value and increase performance and productivity.   Note that promotion is beneficial for both the organization and the employee because when the employee is promoted, he or she will increase morale, performance, and productivity and the organization will enjoy the profit (Grabner & Moers, 2013). The performance measure that I would select for promotion decision is the employee's ability on the current performance. Tracking how the employee is performing is an important step that will help understand whether the employee will be capable in working at a higher level.  As a human resource manager, I would measure the quality of the performance, work quantity, and work efficiency (Grabner & Moers, 2013). Generally, I would measure the job performance focusing on both qualitative and quantitative metrics in order to compare employees' profile and promote the top performers.

References

Barends, E., Villanueva, J., Rousseau, D. M., Briner, R. B., Jepsen, D. M., Houghton, E., & Ten Have, S.

(2017). Managerial attitudes and perceived barriers regarding evidence-based practice: An

international survey. PloS one, 12(10), e0184594.

Grabner, I., & Moers, F. (2013). Managers' choices of performance measures in promotion decisions: An

analysis of alternative job assignments. Journal of Accounting Research, 51(5), 1187-1220.

Nursing

Applying Measurement Tools

HEDIS is used to measure the performance which is used to compare the health plan performance, access to care and patients' satisfaction. HEDIS has a set of measures and these measures are combined with HEDIS score to provide the health insurance plan with ratings. Consumers use the ratings to understand the quality of health plans, select a plan or switch plans.  HEDIS concentrates on elements such as effectiveness of care, access to care, cost of care, health care choices and credible descriptive information regarding health care (McCune, 2016).The health plan also uses the ratings to improve their services.

 In the scenario, the physicians want information on quality incentives for patients with diabetes. As the staff nurse, I have the responsibility to find the information and give a report based on the number of diabetic patients and the services they have received with respect to the HEDIS comprehensive diabetes care.

 In comprehensive diabetes care, HEDIS is used to gather data and report whether the diabetic patients have received the necessary screening and exams. Using HEDIS, I will report information on comprehensive diabetes care in the following areas;

• Hemoglobin test-normal should be 7.5%
• HbA1c control
• HbA1c poor control
• Blood pressure control-normal should be 140/80mmHg
• Eye exam-retinal or dilated
• Nephropathy screening and care
• LDL cholesterol testing- LDL should be 3 and cholesterol level should be 5mmol/l (McCune, 2016)

 I would take this measure in patients aged 18-75 to find out if they receive proper diabetes management to reduce complications like heart diseases, kidney disease, and premature death.  The information will help understand the gaps that need to be filled and suggest the treatments and guidance (McCune, 2016).

Reference

McCune, D. (2016). Understanding HEDIS For Ophthalmology. Review of Ophthalmology, 23(8), 22–23. Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=117313870&site=ehost-live

Introduction

 They say that motivation is the fuel that drives the human being soul. For that reason, ethical conduct and issues concerning decency are some of the essentials that make an officer successfully carry out his or her duties. Most studies proof that lack of motivation slows down or kills the desire to work passionately which in turn affects the outcome of a task. It is vital to note that motivation is a necessity for personal growth and therefore it is a mental state that needs regular renewal. This essay will critically analyze and discuss ways in which creating surrounding that meets both the needs and of officers and the institution while at the same time looking into methods of incorporating motivational strategies in the work place.

Philosophical approach to the issues

 In this particular study case, Captain Edith, has to solve the challenges facing her division. She has to find creative way of encouraging and motivating her colleagues. The issues within her workstation range from patrol officers bored during work hours and negligence among other officers that led to slow services (Armstrong, & Taylor, 2014). One of the most appropriate approach to motivating individuals through controlling external factors found within  a work station and combining those aspects with motivational elements. Hygiene aspects are examples of external elements. Keeping high level of cleanliness in the work place has a way of sending a clear message to workers that the institution values their services and presence at the work place. However, if hygiene matters are poor, dissatisfaction may arise and will lower participation and outcome at the department. Examples of hygiene elements are a firm’s operational patterns, wages, security at the department and social relationships. Regularly, Captain Edith has to recognize outstanding performance from her colleagues and promotions to facilitate motivation, which will consequently increase productivity.

Management only, cannot meet motivational needs of a department as it revolves around coordination of activities and end result. Nevertheless, if administration tasks can bring out and incorporate features that influence motivating factors, it is plausible. Low inspiration is equal to low performance (Rigby, & Ryan, 2018). In other words, an activity should have a motivating factor behind it to push individuals to successfully carry it out and put all their effort behind the task. In addition, poor working environment can cause a nosedive in output. To prevent strikes and complains the Captain should think of interchanging positions. Rotating posts will give people new experiences and change routines. Moreover, breaking routines have a way of rejuvenating spirits and thus motivate people into working at their best.

Motivating strategies

Captain Edith has many strategies to pick from. The first strategy is setting up small manageable goals. Her department has specialized duties for each officer but setting personal goals for each duty, increases effort of any officer assigned to each responsibility. In fact, one can assess performance of any duty based on a personal objective (Rigby, & Ryan, 2018). For instance, if a patrol officer carries out a specialized task such as preventive patrol, the personal aim attached to the task should be to carry out preliminary surveys each day and then write a report. This will motivate an officer to do more. Setting personalized goals reduces boredom as the executor can see the start and finish of a task.

 Encouraging positivity among colleagues is not easy but one of the ways of motivating people to do better and carry out their duties no matter the situation they find themselves. No one is ready to acknowledge laziness as an underlying cause of failure (Elliott, & Story, 2017). It is also fair to recognize that challenges are part of life and one has to withstand the storms of life. Therefore, reminding people to remain positive during the hard times is an effective way of inspiring individuals back into positivity. Instead of reiterating people’s failures, the Captain should try to remind them of the things they did well. Positivity tends to uplifts people’s spirits and motivates them to work harder. In light of positivity, happiness has a way of keeping people on the right track and increases their productivity. Happiness improves relationships and operations become smoother.

The second strategy that the Captain can consider is ensuring officers take breaks in between their tasks (Rigby, & Ryan, 2018). The Captain cannot maintain motivation with exhausted personnel. Breaks renew energy and are critical to one’s health.

Application of ERG concept

ERG theory is simple and founded on three dynamics: satisfy, intensify and frustration. The concept suggests that a worker’s traits can respond to motivation only under various types of needs (Elliott, & Story, 2017). In other words, satisfying immediate needs followed by indirect desires. Either way, meeting the needs of direct needs will create room to satisfy indirect needs. Thus, this theory is not applicable. It makes it hard to pin point a specific factor that motivates folks.

In summary, factors that motivate people may change with time but one fact remains: making people feel loved has a way of encouraging happiness and positivity in their lives. To have a motivating surrounding, administrator must create a positive relationship with their workers. A positive social interaction encourages good morale to work hard.

References

Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers.

Elliott, C. N., & Story, P. A. (2017). Motivational Effects of Goal Orientation. The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research, 5(1), 4.

Rigby, C. S., & Ryan, R. M. (2018). Self-determination theory in human resource development: New directions and practical considerations. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 20(2), 133-147.

Financial accounting

Financial accounting plays a major role in the decision making process for a business. For starters, it presents investors with the information they need to analyze the business and assess its financial health to determine whether it is likely to remain profitable. Through it, creditors are also able to check the liquidity of the business and whether it deserves to get financial assistance in the form of credit. Financial accounting is therefore important to a business and greatly assists in the decision making process.

When it comes to making decisions regarding investments, a business can rely on its internal accounting reports such as income statements and balance sheets. The information in these reports helps create a better understanding of the history of a company as well as the state the company stock is in (Gray, 2014). Since the information in balance sheets and income statements is regulated by the Financial Accounting Standard Board, it gives a true depiction of the company and assesses what investing decisions to make.

In the case of determining what to borrow, as well as the likelihood of lending institutions to give out loans, a business can rely on its accounting ratios (Sherman, 2018). Since lending institutions examine a business’ times interest earned ratio and debt-t-equity ratio before taking the liability to give large loans, it is important to first examine the accounting ratios in order to decide on what type of loan to apply for.

Financial accounting is also important as it helps to assess the efficiency within an organization. CEO’s could examine product performance by relying on sales records to determine what products need to be produced more and which ones need to be improved or dropped. Without financial accounting it would be difficult to know which products are doing better than others especially in the case of the Europe branch that deals in a wide variety of products (Latham, 2017). The information further helps to determine what raw materials need to be bought, in what quantity and for what purpose. Instead of just buying products, the financial reports make it easy to identify the products that are doing well and therefore must be in constant supply.

Financial reports for multinational corporations differ from domestic ones in that; multinationals have to abide by the domestic, as well as the international laws and principles set in place to assess the accounts that a business presents. For multinationals, the company has to ensure that its financial reports are in line with the international reporting standards that govern businesses that operate in different countries (Gray, 2014). Businesses operating domestically only have to base their accounting on local rules as is the case with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles used by companies operating in the United States only. Multinationals have to observe both domestic and international guidelines for financial reporting and this is what sets them apart from organizations operating domestically.

The financial reports that a business has are an ideal depiction of the position the organization is in. they not only make it possible to assess a business’s current position but also give a general idea of what the business will be able to achieve in future. Through the financial reports, it is possible to make decisions that are based on past analysis, present state and expected future outcomes using data tallied from the financial reports. It is therefore important for a business to keep well documented and valid financial reports to make the decision making process run smoothly.

References

Gray J, (2014) “International accounting and transnational decisions” London, Boston;     Butterworth, print

Latham A, (2017) “What are the six key differences between multinational and domestic financial management?” retrieved from, https://bizfluent.com/info-8641557-six-       multinational-domestic-financial-management.html

Sherman F, (2018) “Factors that affect a multinational corporation” retrieved from,             https://smallbusiness.chron.com/factors-affect-multinational-corporation-75252.html

UNHCR

Mission and strategy

The mission of UNHCR involves protecting the rights and welfare of refugees around the world by ensuring that every person enjoys the right of seeking a safe haven in another country and going back home voluntarily.  The organization tries to find lasting solutions to the plight of the refugees by helping them to go back to their countries or to have a permanent settlement in another state (UNHCR, 2005).  The strategy used by the organization in safeguarding the interests of refugees is informed by the roles and mandates issued by the United Nations General Assembly and UNHCR Executive Committee. The organization can, therefore, get involved with other groups including internally displaced persons, stateless persons, former refugees and people whose nationality is disputed. Their main strategy involves trying to minimize situations that lead to forced displacements by engaging other institutions or states to establish conditions favorable for the protection of human rights and solving disputes in a peaceful manner (UNHCR, 2005). The organization gives more specific attention to the wellbeing of needy children while promoting the equal rights of disadvantaged groups including girls and women. In collaboration with states, regional and international organizations including non-governmental entities, UNHCR is able to accomplish its mission across the world (UNHCR, 2005). An important aspect in its operations includes participation principle poised on the notion that refugees and other beneficiaries of its activities must be consulted over decisions and actions that have effects on their lives.

The principles upheld in UNHCR are established in its code of conduct, where guiding principles are also enshrined. These include upholding the fundamental human rights, human dignity for both men and women and ensuring social justice (UNHCR, 2004). The values highlighted includes the core values established by the UN system which include integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity , and employees of the organization are expected to uphold an international perspective at any given time (UNHCR, 2004). The staffs are expected to embrace and promote tolerance, show confidentiality and uphold confidentiality.  The organization aims at having working relations with humanitarian partners, seek to enhance performance while promoting an environment that personal development and supporting positive change.  Practicing tolerance involves according equal respect to persons without discriminating on race, religion, gender, language or ethnic origin, disability, political views and other such distinguishing aspects (UNHCR, 2004). The values also include respecting the different cultures, traditions and customs of everyone while desisting from behaviors that are unacceptable in a given cultural context.

PEST analysis

• Political analysis

The UNHCR is situated within the context of the overall global politics, which are informed by the policies and actions of states which are predominant plays in the global political system. This means that the operations of the organization have been influenced or constrained by the decisions and actions of these states and at times, it has been perceived as a passive mechanism having no independent agenda (Roberts, 2002). Hence, the policies and actions of the organization have not only been driven by its independent operations but also by the interests of the various states. The UNHCR policy has also evolved unexpected ways including those that have not been sanctioned by various states. The operations of the organization started becoming complex in the post – Cold War period as the together with other International Organizations, its relevance became more prominent (Roberts, 2002). There are various factors that have informed the operations of UNCHR which includes: the ending of bipolar competition where International Organization behavior had been constrained; globalization has encouraged international community to handle the intensified interdependence through widened scope of operations ; increasing interconnection of politics at national and transnational level that has offered the organization a chance to enhance domestic and international politics; the increased international relations that has made it harder for countries and other players to ignore regional organizational policies (Forsythe, 2001). This has enabled the UNHCR to expand its roles and facilitated coordination with other agencies of United Nations and security actors such as NATO. With the changing global political environment as a result of changes in international relations, the UNHCR has been forced to transform its operations and the notion of refugee emergencies in order to continue being relevant to dynamic needs of the community across the globe.

 As a result of changes in international political system, whereby International Organizations have gained more power, there has been internationalization of major areas of concerns so that issues such as observance of human rights are being scrutinized internationally (Forsythe, 2001). This has come with increased autonomy for the UNHCR, so much that it can now pursue policy decision regardless of external pressures and at the same time remaining pertinent to international conditions. Hence, the changing political environment has had a profound impact on the leadership and operations of UNHCR especially due to the increased international relations and internal autonomy. With less political pressures from the states or international political players, the organization can pursue its mission independently while focusing on the changing needs of refugees. This includes its decisions on whether to participate in assisting the IDPs in politically volatile countries.

• Economic factors

 The UNHCR operations are majorly supported by donations funds that go into providing assistance to refugees seeking political asylum. The various economic aspects including fluctuations in exchange rates and inflations affect the funds available to offer such assistance. In circumstances where donation are made using different currencies to one budget which is used in other different currencies , fluctuations in exchange rate are quite relevant to the general changes in funding and implementation(UNHCR, 2002). Due to changes in currency values the funds received may be more or less, but can also bring about increase in costs related to expenditure in some countries (UNHCR, 2002). The fluctuations in exchange rate also affects the value of pledges not received, forecast income and even expenditures.  The impacts of inflation on the financial situation of the organization are significant over a given period of time even though at times, they can be problematic to accurately quantify.  The programs receive highest contributions from the largest economies and those with higher GDP, and continued domestic economic improved means an assured inflow of financial support not only from the states but also from the corporate world (UNHCR, 2002). Hence, a favorable economic environment can enhance the funding of the organization and its performance.  

• Social factors

The social aspects that affect the operations of UNHCR involve the perception of the society on refugees and asylum seekers.  The work of the organization can be affected by the public attitudes depending on the characteristics of the migrants and refugees.  The citizens of a state appear to show favorable disposition towards people recognized as refugees than they are towards people seen as asylum-seekers and such migrants (Dempster & Hargrave, 2017).  Also, there usually varied preferences towards people from different states of origin, and this can be associated with ethnic and cultural differences. Hence it is possible for people to be opposed to refugees who are of different race or ethnicity and that have clear cultural difference (Dempster & Hargrave, 2017). The organization can face difficulties encouraging the acceptance of some refugees in some societies.

• Technological factors

Technology changes every aspect of life including provision of humanitarian interventions. The emergence of satellite imagery, digital fingerprinting and even text messaging and such other technologies have enabled the organization to improve refugee protection and assist the most vulnerable especially those in urban areas. The organization is also able conduct individual follow-up for the people who are most vulnerable and update information on people with special needs including the sick (Jacobsen & Sandvik, 2018).  Through interactive technology important information is provided that enables the organizational workers to learn more about the population in camps and this improves the implementation of various programs (Jacobsen & Sandvik, 2018). The technology enables easier communication with refugees who need support and protection from the organization.

Organization structure

The organizational structure of UNHCR is largely hierarchical. Hierarchical organizational structure involves different levels of authority in an organization and a vertical link between the senior levels and subordinate levels. In the organization, the higher levels control the lower ones and information flow vertically in the structure. Communication involves upward flow of information through every level until it gets to the top while direction flows downwards until it reaches the lowest level in the hierarchy. The UNHCR structure has the High Office at the top  consisting of High Commissioner, Deputy High commissioner , Assistant High Commissioner for Operations and Protection and then the Chef de Cabinet (McKittrick, 2008). At this level policies are made while improving accountability and the general management functions. It is followed by the Division of external Relations whose role is to mobilize financial and political assistance for the organization’s programs. The Division of Financial and Administration Management deal with financial resources issues, budgeting and financial management. The structure enables the organization to effectively plan and allocate the available resource and ensure that there is accountability among the staff members. The headquarters is majorly mandated with ensuring accountability and decision making while paying attention to the wishes of the donors, and hence are the held responsible for any misuse of funds or abuse of office (UNHCR, 2005). The hierarchical structure enables the management to implement the policies made while ensuring that the opinions of other partners are upheld at all the lower levels of management (McKittrick, 2008).  The processes of the organization crosses various units in different countries and the structure ensures that all the actions taken at any unit are beneficial to the that may prevent people from seeking asylum are addressed at all levels of management.

Organizational culture

The UNHCR‘s culture can be termed as bureaucratic. A bureaucratic organization is one that involves a pyramidal structure of command, where there is a high level of formality in its operations. At time, a strict control or command structure exists so that order, fairness and efficiency are held in high regards. Such an organization has an internal culture that is complex with series of relationships through which behavior is formed (Ashkanasy, Wilderom, & Peterson, 2011).  Within the United Nation’s system, UNHCR is a bureaucracy with own distinctive value system and culture with leadership playing an important role in the organization. The culture, internal structure and leadership can be understood well when related to its external environment. The operations and conduct of the employees are guided by the established principles and code of conduct. These principles and values aforementioned influence the behavior of the top and lower management levels and their relationship with other agencies and refugees are who are the beneficiaries of the organization’s operations.

After its establishment, the organization’s activities expanded so that the vertical structure based culture has been transformed into a personal relationships and role-based hierarchy form of bureaucracy (McKittrick, 2008).  The major traits of the culture are therefore the values, interests and asymmetrical assumptions that have been a formal organizational culture. However, the individuals working for the displaced persons may have unresolved issues relating social relationships and may try to avert family trauma through such work, while others may be experiencing inner disconnection or self-alienation. The lack of adequate resources to accomplish the assigned work can kill their morale can also lead to negative behavior or culture which is not appropriate for high performance of the organization.  The core values regarding processes and people including those relating to goals achievement, minimal loss and maximum personal victory can be seen to be based on assumptions (McKittrick, 2008). The high regard for the top management by other staff can instill an empowerment sense among the decision makers resulting in mutual vertical relations that ensures that continuity and cohesions is maintained throughout the organization. The organization values can, therefore, important traits that inform the behavior of the staff including when relating with other parties and the refugees. The hierarchical structure forms a major basis of this culture.

References

UNHCR,(2004).Code of Conduct & Explanatory Notes. Retrieved from: https://cms.emergency.unhcr.org/documents/11982/32382/UNHCR+Code+of+Conduct/72ff3fdf-4e7c-4928-8cc2-723655b421c7

 Forsythe, D. P. (2001). UNHCR's mandate: the politics of being non-political. UNHCR.

Roberts, A. (2002). The UNHCR and World Politics: A Perilous Path. Gil Loescher. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. 431 pp.£ 45.00. Survival, 44(1), 177-178.

Dempster, H., & Hargrave, K. (2017). Understanding public attitudes towards refugees and migrants. Working Paper 512. London: Overseas Development Institute.

 Jacobsen, K. L., & Sandvik, K. B. (2018). UNHCR and the pursuit of international protection: accountability through technology?. Third World Quarterly, 1-17.

UNHCR, (2002).Funding UNHCR’s Programmes. Retrieved from: http://www.unhcr.org/3edf4fce0.pdf

UNHCR, (2005).ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN AND STRENGTHENING OF UNHCR .Independent Study on UNHCR’s Senior Management Structure. Retrieved from: http://www.unhcr.org/4225c6312.pdf

Ashkanasy, N. M., Wilderom, C., & Peterson, M. F. (2011). The handbook of organizational culture and climate. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE. 166-167

McKittrick, A. (2008). UNHCR as an Autonomous Organisation: Complex Operations and the Case of Kosovo. Oxford University: Refugee Studies Centre.

 Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

Alternative Dispute Resolution is a method used to resolve disputes. Human relationships are characterized by disagreements and the role of ADR is to help the parties negotiate and manage tension without using the legal processes. There are different types of ADR but the methods that I found interesting are negotiation and mediation. Negotiation is a process where parties are involved in a conversation without the need for a third party. They may use a lawyer who would build rapport with the parties, ask questions and help the parties create fundamental goals. Mediation is a process where a mediator acts as a third party and assists in negotiation. The mediator discusses the issue in a private session and helps the parties arrive into conclusion (Blake et al, 2016).

            Negotiation and mediation have similar principles in that both methods do not need formal procedural rules but they only need an agreement to settle and solve the issue.  Another similarity is that both methods will require the exchange of information and the parties focus on providing and recording the details and addressing the issue. In addition, lawyers involved in these two cases should show professional and ethical concern (Blake et al, 2016).   Both methods are protected by the legal profession to help the clients solve the issues. 

However, mediation and negotiation have some differences in that in negotiation, there must be lawyers to represents each party. In addition, parties involved in the negotiation process work with one another through a normal communication where they even decide on things like time, place and more (Blake et al, 2016).  On the other hand, mediation is formal as it requires a mediator to decide on things like time and space.  A mediator has an important role as he leads the discussion, manages communication and gives legal advice.  They try to find the underlying concerns and helps the parties search for a resolution (Blake et al, 2016). The mediator is just a third party who tries to create a bilateral relationship between the parties. Even though the lawyer and the mediator may play similar roles in helping the parties each into an agreement,  their differences in that the lawyer has a higher level of control and ensure effective presentation,  offer an effective response,  question effectively and listen effectively. 

Parties may use the mediation process when they need to preserve a relationship. For example, a husband and a wife may divorce due to disagreement and misunderstanding. To solve the differences, they may use mediation since the mediator will help the couples stay in control, foster familial bonds and help them avoid lengthy divorces which may lead to damaging effects.  The important thing is that the mediator will help both parties understand the other and help the parties reach an agreement.

Reference

Blake, S. H., Browne, J., Sime, S., & Oxford University Press. (2016). A practical approach to

alternative dispute resolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

ERP

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a business software that was employed in 1990 to support the business processes and manage the business system through the provision of the necessary information.  Garača (2011) explains the key elements on the use of ERP system. He asserts that the ERP system requires training for the purpose of providing the need users with theoretical knowledge of the business processes and knowledge on the ERP system.  These types of knowledge require universal educational materials- designed to provide knowledge related to business processes and ERP system materials- designed to provide ERP system knowledge. 

Focusing on the factors or key elements on the ERP system, the Technology Acceptance Model, and the Expectation Confirmation Theory provides important aspects that help understand the key elements. For example, in the use of technology or rather the ERP system, the TAM models focuses beliefs and intentions of individuals and user behaviors whereas the ECT focuses on the customer satisfaction (Garača, 2011). These two models the claim that the key elements in the use of the ERP systems are the acceptance and satisfaction.  In testing this hypothesis, the findings should show that the use of ERP system requires training and involvement to allow the need users gain realistic expectations and increase satisfaction. In addition, the use of the ERP system requires financial resources and organizational commitment for the purpose of training the users, changing their negative attitudes towards computers, reducing computer anxiety and increasing satisfaction (Garača, 2011). 

 Sharma, Patil & Tandon (2012) add that organization can benefit from the ERP systems by implementing the best practices. The best practices will help the organization avoid failures, help the managers understand the risk factors towards the project, reduce the risks, reduce cultural discrepancies, boost efficiency and ensure effective implementation of ERP systems (Sharma, Patil & Tandon, 2012). Venous suggests the organization should customize their software in order to have the necessary functionalities and operate more efficiently by using the appropriate business model.

ERP System

SAP    

Systems, Application, and Products or SAP is a business application software in the Enterprise Resource Planning. SAP was founded in 1972 and by 1999, it was the third-largest software vendor in the globe. Being the leader in the ERP market, SAP developed industry solution maps for 19 industries and it extended its services to offer customer relationship and supply chain management (Boeder & Groene, 2014). SAP has been playing a significant role in providing the end users with the appropriate information on the internet and strengthening business to business functionality. It has developed mySAP.com Marketplace which acts as an Internet-centric approach in connecting inter-company training community.

   SAP has enabled companies and organizations to implement functional and quality requirements. It has created a business standards software that enables the organizations to use standardizations and flexibility. SAP ERP system assists companies in the management of financial supply chain where the business is able to conduct collections management, dispute management, SAP Biller Direct and SAP credit management (Boeder & Groene, 2014).  Generally, SAP is designed to cater for all the organizational needs and the businesses are now able to manage the operations including product planning, procurement, distribution, inventory management and manufacturing and sales (Boeder & Groene, 2014). In addition, SAP also concentrates on enterprise resource planning by managing the organizational resources including the employees. It ensures a centralized workforce and flexible payroll options to keep the employees satisfied.  It also coordinates the organization's human resources by providing managers and employees with a web-enabled access. The latter allows managers to manage and provide employees with benefits, attendance management, employee self-service, employees satisfaction and ensures the compliance with law and regulations. With SAP ERP, the organizations are able to provide financial reporting in a timely manner (Boeder & Groene, 2014). SAP collects financial data and managers can access the data at any time and they can run reports, visualize the data, review products, markets, and costs to maximize effectiveness and profitability.

References

 Boeder, J., & Groene, B. (2014). The Architecture of SAP ERP: Understand how successful software

works. Hamburg: tradition.

 Sharma, R. R. K., Patil, S. M., & Tandon, A. (2012). Customization and best practices model for adopting

ERP system: an analysis. Journal of International Business Strategy, 12(1).

 Garača, Ž. (2011). Factors related to the intended use of ERP systems. Management: Journal of

contemporary management issues, 16(2), 23-42.