Guns and Fracking Strategies

            According to this particular case study, banking can indirectly and directly support guns and fracking as part of their strategy. It is vital to note that environmentally-friendly premises are cost-effective and cheaper to maintain in the long run. Matt, whose intention is to put up a building for the sake of promoting environmental stewardship needs all the support he can get in terms of low-interest rates banks (Pasiouras et al., 2009). The incorporation of sustainability can be applied in line with two principles: combining eco-friendly and social obligations within a bank’s activities via ecological inventiveness such as recycling programs and upgrading energy effectiveness. Additionally, it would be a strategic move to fund and assist Matt achieve his vision by funding his plan and ideas. For instance, Matt plans to hire an architect who would make the building while incorporating environmental considerations such as solar-powered windows, wind-powered turbines, louvered roofs, and butterfly-shaped rooftops to direct the rainwater out of the roofs and into underground dug tunnels (Yamori et al., 2013). When banks support these ideas, they will come up with cost-effective ways of supporting environmentally friendly projects. These will save costs that would otherwise have gone into funding expensive projects which lack environmental considerations.

            The banking sector must carefully consider everything before funding a project. Environmental projects provide a platform for minimizing risks and impacting society on a larger scale than other projects (Cetorelli, & Peristiani, 2012). From Matt's perspective, value-based approaches to banking would steadily and gradually grow the financial muscles of any financial institution as numerous people would seek its banking services due to the environmental policies which attract more deals and fairness within the society. In terms of disagreement on gym issues. Environmental friendly buildings have to accommodate and facilitate different ideas hence a gym within the building is a positive recommendation. Instead of seeking gyms services in a different location, one can exercise in one place and save money and finances (Peek, & Rosengren, 2010). In other words, environmental sustained building considers the utilization of space and flexibility to achieve multiple tasks under one roof. In other simpler terms, the ability to fund cost-effective projects, reduce environmental pollutions increase a company's shares, and grows a business much stronger.

            As stated earlier, ethical banking practices concentrate on environmental conservation and sustainability hence Matt has to draft up regulations and rules which are eco-friendly to the natural surroundings. On the other hand, the use and production of guns may not be an environmental issue. However, it is still an ethical issue. Hence, the bank should not just state its position on environmental issues but holistically made its position on gun. Consequently, the bank should make it known its stand on guns since banks have a social responsibility for the society and it can affect various societies with its decisions. Therefore, loaning decisions might be quiet challenging and tasking to bankers (Niepmann et al., 2017). Even though Matt may not know it, his business will in the near future facilitate the issuing of guns either through supplying gun companies with loans or keeping accounts and records of gun holders. Either way, the bank will play a role in impacting gun usage and manufacturing and its impact on the surrounding will be determined by how banks handled its ethical obligations. When the gun issue cropped up on Matt's case, Matt argued that gun regulations are not necessary as his bank would only deal with business aligned to its environmental mission.  In order for Matt to get a permit, he had to prove that his bank would be a nonprofit entity and its green banking objectives would take second place. This way, the bank would carry out its activities effectively without compromising the set gun regulations. Banks usually have a tendency to loosen their grip on their rich clients, with gun regulations banks will deny unscrupulous gun dealers loans which will facilitate unlawful production of guns. Approving loans application has various implications on the banking institutions. One of them is that the bank can lose its client or forced to reduce its loan rates hence forgoing profitability. Therefore, being an ethical bank comes with its consequences. The company relies on its objective before it can close any deals. If any deal is contrary to the company's mission, then the company foregoes the project. This is the reason the managers insisted that Matt's first objective is to building a non-profit organization before he can proceed to environmental conditions. It very important for companies to build in place flexibility measures while handling gun issues, for example, accepting loan applications from gun organizations that only issue guns meant for trapshooting or hunting expeditions (Ayadi et al., 2012). The interdependence between banking, the natural surrounding, and social obligation only occurs if the bank incorporates the item design, mission policies, and approaches based on all the three aspects so that all the entities can balance and bring the desired positive result. Time and again the bank has proved essential in regulating business activities and gun regulation.

References

Ayadi, R., Arbak, E., & Pieter De Groen, W. (2012). Regulation of European banks and business models: towards a new paradigm?. Centre for European Policy Studies, Forthcoming.

Cetorelli, N., & Peristiani, S. (2012). The role of banks in asset securitization. Federal Reserve Bank of New York Economic Policy Review, 18(2), 47-64.

Niepmann, F., & Schmidt-Eisenlohr, T. (2017). International trade, risk, and the role of banks. Journal of International Economics, 107, 111-126.

Pasiouras, F., Tanna, S., & Zopounidis, C. (2009). The impact of banking regulations on banks' cost and profit efficiency: Cross-country evidence. International review of financial analysis, 18(5), 294-302.

Peek, J., & Rosengren, E. S. (2010). The role of banks in the transmission of monetary policy (pp. 257-277). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Yamori, N., Kondo, K., Tomimura, K., Shindo, Y., & Takaku, K. (2013). Japanese banking regulations and SME finance under the global financial crisis. Japanese Journal of Monetary and Financial Economics, 1(1), 59-90.

Animal Rights

Introduction

Animal rights are the sense that some or all the animals should be allowed the possession of their existence. It is a belief that animals have a right to freedom from the exploitation of human beings. Animals have principle interests that should be recognized, considered, and protected. These principal interests accord moral and legal rights to the animals. Animal rights enable animals to have justifiable claims against actions carried out by humans and cause harm to them.

In his article, the author discusses the implementation of policies to protect the rights and well-being of the animals. A major concern about social ethics that has been noted is the treatment of animals that are used by people for different purposes Rollin (2011). This is shown by the phone call and letters that the government receives about animal-related issues compared to any other area. Bills that are related to animal welfare have been witnessed yearly. These bills range from trying to defend replication in the research of animals. They also are concerned with protecting marine mammals so that they could not be victims of fishermen. The bills also try to help prevent ivory from being imported to reducing the parrot business. State policies that have been passed exceedingly have helped to prevent the use of existing and non-existing shelter animals for biomedical examination and training and have moved concentration to other areas of animal welfare. Steel-jawed leg hold traps have been abolished in many countries. Hunting of bears during spring has also been abolished. This is because the hunters used to shoot breastfeeding mothers and this left the cubs as orphans who later starved to death. Horses too have fallen to be victims of slaughter or sometimes being shipped for slaughter which has led to strict laws being made. Different states have worked to abolish hunting, slaughtering of animals to protect their well-being.

Laws have been passed to protect the use of animals from being used in the laboratory. Animals have been used for research and laws to constraint their use have been passed. The toxicological assessment of cosmetics on animals has decreased Rollin (2011). In some of the countries, genetic engineering has been opposed as a way of promoting animal ethics. Social concern about the treatment of animals has also been felt in the agricultural sector. The treatment of farm animals in modern production has led to new ethics for animals. Scientists stated that any system of agriculture that does not meet the needs of animals was morally not accepted. For animal welfare, environmental despoliation, animal and human well-being, and social justice there was the end of high confinement of agriculture. Animal welfare is anything to do with ethical obligations and what we owe the animal and to the extent we do. The welfare of an animal consists of its physical and intellectual condition. Animals despite where they are should have the freedom to be fed, to be comfortable, to be treated in case of a disease, to act and be treated normally, and not to suffer mentally.

I believe the author’s argument on protecting the welfare of the animals is the right thing to do. However, I believe that animals cannot have equal rights to humans. This is in the sense that human beings are the once who take care of these animals and therefore cannot have equal rights to human beings. Animals and human beings are different in terms of morals, social life, and mentality. Animals do not have the capabilities of making moral judgments and depend on humans for almost everything. The author’s argument will lead to the end of advances for example in the medical field when laws preventing animal experimentation are passed Rollin (2011). People will have to become vegetarians when laws against the slaughtering of animals are passed. It is in the best interest of an animal that humans can oppose the cruelty of animals but should not be denied the opportunity to use them to advance human interests. Animals and their products help in the growth and well-being of people and businesses. For example, the leather business has thrived for a long time and these laws are capable of ending the leather business. Healthy products that are produced from the animals and are significant to a person’s health will no longer be available if these laws are passed.

Conclusion

Animal rights ensure that their interests should be recognized, considered, and protected. Animal rights are concerned with the welfare of animals and protection against harm by human beings. The laws implemented for animal rights include things like no slaughtering, no hunting, no use of animal products, and no examination of animals for research. However, these laws are problematic in the world that we live in and where human beings take care of these animals. These laws will end medical advancements, businesses and people will end up being vegetarians. Protecting the well-being of the animals is the ethical thing to do but implementing these laws against human beings will be inappropriate.

References

Rollin B. E. (2011). Animal Rights as a Mainstream Phenomenon. Animals: an open access journal from MDPI, 1(1), 102–115.

Introduction

Employee benefits are any additional advantages offered to an employee in addition to their salary. These benefits help to motivate employees hence increasing productivity in a company. They also add value to the company because the employees have a conducive working environment. Employee benefits increase the economic security of employees.

Why does SAS provide so many benefits for their employees?

The employee’s benefits offered at SAS help in reducing destruction so that they can focus on their work. Some of the programs are offered to support employees who need help for example eldercare, parenting, and financial debt management. All the programs at SAS are available to make employees happy, healthy, and productive and this makes their lives easier. These benefits are convenient for the employees for example in cases like for the working mothers, daycare has been provided for them. This makes work easier for the parent and enables her to be at ease while working knowing that their child is safe. These benefits motivate employees to work even harder. They also create a conducive working environment for the employees. Due to the motivation, the employee’s production is excellently done and this makes the customers satisfied hence the company’s growth.  

How do you think the executives at SAS justify the expense of these benefits that go beyond most corporations?

Providing these benefits to the employees increases the company’s productivity. This is because the employees always have a clear mind while working, putting in their best, and creating good software. Good software from the company satisfies the customers and that is the main goal and so by this everyone is happy. Satisfied customers continue buying the software making the company more successful. There is no time wastage and by this, more work is done increasing the company’s sales.

Conclusion

Employee benefits work best for both the company and the employees. This is because the employees get motivated making them more productive which is a benefit to the company. The benefits keep the employees happy and healthy making them work extra hard. Employee benefits work towards improving the working conditions, reducing destruction, and time wastage ensuring that the employees are motivated.

Socio-economic impacts of mining industry

                                                            Standardization

The Gulp River Chamber of Commerce Submission

             According to modern research, the mining industry is one of the important pillars that assist in boosting the growth of economies globally. The reason for that is because it is regarded as one of the avenues that create jobs for thousands of people wherever it is situated. Despite that, the social and economic challenges of the increasing mining activities are the ones that effect the economic well-being of the rich resource nations. The reason for that is because the mining industry and other associated activities have been realized to affect the employment rate of local employment nations. Considerable community and social infrastructure society are pressurized to observe mining as the ultimate intercontinental employment opportunity (Alanna et al., 2018).  For instance, community demographics, working hours, and so on, create significant social impacts on countries with strong and efficient mining activities.

             Nevertheless, it is important to identify the gaps that exist in the mining sector to enable mining developers to address its economic effects. Although mining sectors have been perceived to have the ability to bring economic benefits to the concerned nations, it has various negative economic factors. For example, mining activities have a profound impact on the health of people as well as deteriorating the natural environment. From the historical information collected, it has been realized that mining places less emphasis on the management of the welfare of the surrounding communities particularly on issues relating to environmental management, health, and safety of its workers (World Bank, 2018). Therefore, the social and economic impacts of the mining sector are what should necessitate mining developers to come up with measures that can combat these challenges. As a result of that, it is easier for them to take into consideration the effects of mining activities on the surrounding communities. In so doing, both the government and the concerned authorities can be able to formulate and implement effective policies that that can assist in promoting positive outcomes (Thomas et al., 2017). The same strategy can also have the ability to minimize the negative impacts of mining on the community. 

             Through mining activities, economic research indicates that it is possible for mining developers to increase the rate of employment, infrastructure development, and improvement, flow of revenue to local communities, and so on to solve communal problems.  Whenever a mining site is established within a certain region, the surrounding towns get expanded to service such an activity. For instance, a large percentage of agricultural service sectors or towns encounter economic growth as a result of the services that they receive for the surrounding mining industries (Haslam, 2016). For the towns that had been previously established, gender imbalances occur in the process of establishing or building mining towns. Such a situation has the likelihood of lowering the average income for workers.

The #No-To-PMP Action Group Submission

             With the increase in demand for commodities, the development of mining sectors also continues to be negatively affected. Conventional mining patterns of the traditional towns change with time because of the majority of the adoption of the FIFO strategy by mining developers. Instead of developing mining towns, companies end up establishing self-contained and permanent camps within the mining sites to provide houses for their workers. Even though the FIFO strategy could have been initially adopted by few mining sectors, a large percentage of the conventional mining sectors foster the adoption of the same strategy thus making a proportion of its workers to opt for urban works. The impact of this is that it ends up increasing the non-resident workforce of the mining sectors in urban areas (Bebbington, 2018).

            Technological innovation is a necessary requirement in mining projects that need implementation. New mining projects require high standards to successfully implement the projects. However, it not easy for new mining projects to attain the technological standards that are needed to successfully implement their operations.  The life cycle of mining projects begins with exploration, goes to production, and ends with closure and post-mining of the sites (Haslam, 2016). Technological innovations can accord immense benefits to mining companies and consumers at all stages of this life cycle.

            Fly-in-fly-out practices draw strong concerns from critics because of these reasons. A good example of the concerns is where long-distance commuting takes place instead of immigration. Local communities do not benefit to the levels that are required in the places that new mining projects are implemented. Although the three life cycles somehow overlap, the industry must make a substantial investment in mine development especially technologically to derive optimum benefits for every stakeholder before production begins (Alanna et al., 2018).    The investments will accrue in further explorations near the mineral deposits and development drilling while the mining is undergoing. In the small-host municipalities, the local employment is somehow modest as compared to the operating phase as other supporting businesses arise such as maintenance and repair firms. The suggestion, therefore, is that the employment impacts of new mining projects tend to be highly region-specific. Hence, the larger the mining site is, the more the employment prospects (Nalule, 2020). For example, the larger the expanse of the area covered by the mining project, the more the likelihood of having a higher capacity of requiring more labor skills in their expenditures.

                                                            Analysis

The Gulp River Chamber of Commerce Submission

            The mining industry is a crucial component of the global economy. While the economic benefits have been thoroughly magnified and explored, social factors are now coming to light. Increasingly, the social impacts on the communities they operate in are being considered to minimize negative impacts. Research in the field is limited, but researchers are continuingly taking interest in the field. Recent studies continue to document how mining activities have a negative impact on nearby communities and town residents. The themes researchers are concentrating on include adverse effects on the imported workforce, infrastructure pressures, housing and services, inequality gaps, poor child development, family break-ups, drug and alcohol abuse, and impact on indigenous communities (Thomas et al., 2017). The themes researched are credible and valid in determining research outcomes.

            The extent to which the inputs of the mining activities are implemented will determine the prevailing industrial structure. For instance, in diversified regional economies are better equipped to deal with an explosion demand for services and goods. In consideration of these uncertainties about the real-life impacts, sound assessments of employment effects are vital. Mining should be a vehicle for regional development and job creation (Filer et al., 2017). Although community relations may be intense and lead to costly conflicts, as well as increase risks for other businesses, it has to derive optimum benefits for the communities they operate.

             On the other hand, the information collected indicates that the mining industry has a strong and positive impact on the non-recruitment industries. Regardless of that, research indicates that such an impact is relatively limited to service-aggregated industries. What this implies is the fact that in the long-run, technological advancement has the propensity of reducing the number of workers that are required to operative in the perceived mining industry.  In this case, the time diminishing spillovers have been realized to be affecting the well-being of the local economies (Bebbington, 2018). The strategies to be implemented by communities will comprise of efforts that will enable it to achieve economic diversification.

            The loss of direct employment in the mining sectors can also be dealt with through enhancing a business environment that fosters the growth of suppliers of the mining industry. Such a mechanism will enable the mining industry to develop into a mineral cluster that has the potential for internationalization (Alanna et al., 2018). Regardless of that, it should be understood that business organizations that participate in specialized intensive activities for instance environmental and technical consulting might end up facing obstacles in attracting skilled and semi-skilled labor from the remote local communities.

The #No-To-PMP Action Group Submission

             The mining industry is one of the economic activities that have been perceived to have the propensity of creating jobs for thousands of people globally. In any region where such activity is being conducted, research indicates that it has continued to become one of the most important economic activities that enable people to improve their living standards. As much as they are lowly paid, they will have to cater for their daily expenses which also keep on increasing with the increase in mining activities within their region. The costs that they in for food, housing, and other services are perceived to be relatively higher in mining areas as compared to non-mining regions (Filer et al., 2017). Considering the creation of new jobs, research indicates that the attractiveness of mining activities is the one that ends up affecting the number of people who are willing to work in private and public service industries.

             From the differences that exist between different mining regions, the increasing rate of employment is what has been perceived to have the propensity of affecting the economic activities of other sectors of the economy. Although private sectors are the ones that are greatly impacted, industrial sectors continue to benefit as a result of the considerations provided by the mining municipalities. The private service sectors comprise of employment in hotels, restaurants, and trade, and so on (Nalule, 2020). The information collected indicates that it is important to address the context-specific situations that affect the employment rate of the mining industry. 

             The inter-country differences that exist between the mining and service industry have been realized to impact the living standards of people. The result of this research also illustrates that the mining industry has the propensity of more people as compared to the service industry. With specialization in mining activities makes such industries to be able to increase the economies of scale (Thomas et al., 2017). As a result of that, it is evident that some of the differences that exist between these industries can be attributed to stronger recruitment impacts of mining.

            The increase in employment rates in these sectors means that the service industry will benefit more because they have a lot of money to spend. This means that the mining boom that is experienced cannot induce the fly-in or fly-out effects because of the increasing number of people employed in mining and service industries. On the other hand, the same scenario is coupled with strategies that are used by the construction industry to attract potential investors to make huge investments (Haslam, 2016). Since mining is a tedious activity and requires a huge capital outlay, it in return increases logistic and infrastructure demands

                                                            Recommendation

            Technological advancement continues to grow which in return will assist in reducing the mining spill-over effects on local communities. Traditionally, the development of the mining industry was found to have placed less emphasis on the management of the negative impacts arising from such activity. As a result of that, it is paramount for communities to ensure that they have diversified their economies through a strategy termed as mineral clusters (Bebbington, 2018). The same strategy is perceived to enable to be able to face or handle challenges they might face as a result of the establishment of mining industries within the region

            Some of the issues that need to be dealt with encompass things like environmental impacts and the health and safety of the workers.  since the social effects of mining have been some of the issues that have received considerable global attention, the developers of mining industries are required to take into consideration the effect such activity will have on the surrounding communities (Nalule, 2020). As a result of that, it is importat for the mining developers to come up with various strategies to decrease negative impacts as well as enhance positive outcomes.

            Through mining activities, there is the creation of jobs, improvement of infrastructure, as well as the continued flow of revenues to the local communities. For instance, income inequality arising from the mining industry is one of the challenges that need to be taken into consideration by developers. Ideally, the rate of employment is associated with the decline or increase in the flow of revenues to the local communities (Filer et al., 2017). Although it is evident that workers in mining industries are paid highly, those individuals who are employed in other sectors of the economy end up receiving relatively low wages. Despite that, the social problems that are created as a result of such activity ought to be addressed appropriately to ensure that the wellbeing of the local communities does not deteriorate.

            Regardless of the prevailing uncertainties in the industry, it is important for developers and the associated government to conduct sound evaluations regarding the effects such activity has on its workers. Such a scenario will have to take into account the need for applying systematic econometric approaches in assessing mining-induced work multipliers in the pragmatic context of the work being offered to the community. It is also paramount to take into consideration the data collected from the workers who are employed in the mining and the non-mining sectors so as to understand the effects of the current mining boom period.

References

Alanna, S, Tess G, Ashleigh W, & Sally B. (2018). The social impacts of mining on local communities in Australia, Rural Society. Routledge Press.  27:1, 18-34, DOI: 10.1080/10371656.2018.1443725

Bebbington, A. (2018). Governing extractive industries: Politics, histories, ideas. Oxford, United Kingdom : Oxford University Press

In Filer, C., In Le, M. P.-Y., & Australian National University Press. (2017). Large-scale mines and local-level politics: Between New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea. Canberra : ANU Press

In Haslam, M. K. F. M. (2016). Labour Force Mobility in the Australian Resources Industry: Socio-Economic and Regional Impacts. Singapore : Springer Singapore

Nalule, V. R. (2020). Mining and the law in Africa: Exploring the social and environmental impacts. Place of publication not identified: SPRINGER NATURE.

Thomas M, Thomas E, Patrik S, and Linda, W. (2017). “The local employment impacts of mining: an econometric analysis of job multipliers in northern Sweden”. Mineral Economics. 30:53–65

World Bank. (2018). Poverty and shared prosperity 2018: Piecing together the poverty puzzle. Washington, D.C : World Bank

Critical Reflective Journal

Project manager

Introduction

For project managers to effectively manage the projects, they must understand the corporate strategy. In other words, they must connect the project with the company strategy to achieve both the project's success and help the organization achieve the strategy. As a project manager, I understand that the strategic objectives need to be restructured into micro-objectives or sub-objectives and at this point, managers from different levels of the organization such as project managers, and team leaders must be involved in the strategy implementation. Thus, as a project manager, I have a part to play to ensure that the organization achieves its goals.  Therefore, as a project manager, my role is to ensure successful projects through a corporate strategy point of view. This means that I should go beyond the traditional project management that focuses on time and budget goals and connect the project management with corporate goals and strategies.  In project management, my role is to align projects with the overall organization's mission, vision, and goals. Note that my role is not only to coordinate effort but I must start strategic or in other words, I must also ensure that the project helps the organization achieve the goals.  As a project manager, I will ensure that the projects are not tactical and regulatory but rather,  my projects will be strategic projects meaning that they will be leading indicators (drive strategic change) and lagging indicators (improving process). As a project manager, I will also create an action plan that will help in achieving the goals of a project. In strategic planning, I will apply my SWOT analysis. The evaluation of my SWOT will help focus on things that are important and set personal goals to achieve project success. In project management, my role as a project manager is to use the project processes not only to ensure successful project completion but also to achieve the strategic goal of the organization.

My role in Project portfolio management

As a project manager, I understand that organizations are interested in achieving a strategic advantage and stay ahead of other competitors. The organizations have strategic objectives or steps that will follow to achieve the ultimate goal.  Every organization expects all levels of the organization to understand the strategic objectives and apply real actions to achieve the ultimate goal. In other words, all levels of the organization must put the strategy in action (Romano, 2014, para. 2). As a project manager, it is my role and responsibility to help the organization achieve its strategic goals.  In this case, I will tie the role of portfolio management to help the organization achieve the strategies and objectives. As a project manager, I am aware that corporate strategy is a long-term direction toward creating a conducive business environment, achieving value, and fulfilling the stakeholders' expectations (Romano, 2014, para. 3).  I am aware that a strategy is complex; meaning that it is difficult to create strategic decisions, and it is also difficult to predict future needs.  Thus, as a project manager, I will immerse myself in the cooperate setting (bottom level) and play the role of evaluating the organization's resources and processes (Romano, 2014, para. 12). Note that for the organization to achieve the strategy, it must come up with organization initiatives. My role is to manage the portfolio or rather to come up with an operation plan under which the organization will achieve its goals.  As a project manager, I will come up with projects that align with organizational strategy. The purpose of setting up projects is to connect strategy with actions. In other words, the purpose of the project is to embark on the company potential initiatives and ensure that the particular project will bring the expected benefit (Cabanis-Brewin & Pennypacker, 2006, para, 2). Therefore, it is my responsibility to choose the right project that lines up with strategic objectives and generates value.  It is also my responsibility to eliminate all projects that do not align with the strategic objectives.  In general, my role as a project manager is to define the right project, align the project with strategic objectives or ensure that the project will bring competitive advantage, and control the project.

   I would like to put my roles clear by saying that as the organizations create a strategy, it establishes a well-defined process and gives a strategic direction to all levels of the organization.  In such a scenario, organization managers monitor the operations to see if the objectives are met.  In most cases, the organizations do not achieve the strategic goals since the projects remain incomplete. To address these problems, my role as a project manager is to provide the organization with criteria. For example, I will ensure that the corporate strategy is realism (Romano, 2014, part 11). This means that the strategic goals and mission must reflect or consider factors such as risks, performance, and cost.  Secondly, my role as a project manager is to ensure that the organization should understand the project type; whether it is long-term or short-term, the technologies that will be used, and other capabilities.  In general, it is my role to ensure that when a company decides to start a project, the project is strategically aligned (Romano, 2014, part 11).  As a project manager, I am aware that businesses are working in unstable markets and changing environments. This means that a six months company strategic trajectory could be altered due to the inevitable changes and unstable markets. To ensure that the organization achieves its strategic goals, I will provide a strategic awareness or in other words, I will understand the scope of the projects and then evaluate the future (Cabanis-Brewin & Pennypacker, 2006, para, 3). If I realize that the organization's strategic trajectory is wrong, I will act as a change agent. My recommendation to the organization is that as a project manager to be able to align the projects to the corporate strategy, the organization must communicate the strategy. Clear communication will help me to understand the visions and mission and ultimately transform them into tangible objectives (Romano, 2014, part 11). Another recommendation is that the organization should communicate the strategy to all the stakeholders. I understand that when all the stakeholders have the information, they will support decisions and improve the fulfillment of strategic objectives.

My role in quality management and customer focus

As a project manager, my role is not only to provide an operational value but also a strategic value. This means that in project management, I will not only focus on the project life cycle but  I will also implement a more comprehensive framework that aims at promoting growth, market position, and increasing profits (Orčik & Gajić,  2012, para, 2).  In general, I will maintain the traditional mindset but I will go beyond to include a strategic mindset in project management. I am aware that the business strategy entails the creation of competitive advantages.  At the operational level, I will ensure that the projects and the business strategy move together. Traditionally, projects could increase attention on project goals, resources, scope, and other elements (Orčik & Gajić, 2012, para, 2). This means that there was no connection between the project plan and the business strategy.  However, my role in project management is to ensure that the project plans align with the business strategies.  I will consider both external and internal project strategy. In the external project strategy, I will ensure that the main purpose of the project is to make money and achieve the marketing strategy. In the internal project strategy, I will ensure that the project achieves the operational strategy. In general, to help the organization achieve its strategy, I will ensure that the project has a positive impact on the stakeholders, it brings competitive advantages, and it directs the behavior.  I understand that many organizations measure success on the basis is of financial and economic indicators. However, as a project manager, I would like to put it clear that project success factors are also a criterion for company success (Orčik & Gajić, 2012, para, 8). Thus, I will go beyond the triple constrains (time, cost, and performance) and involve another factor known as customer satisfaction. The triple constraints are primary factors whereas factors such as customer satisfaction, ethical conduct, government regulations, and more are secondary factors.   As a project manager, I will go beyond the triple constrains and ensure that the projects align with the customer-defined value.  Note that project success is not only measured by focusing on the triple constraints but other factors such as the impact on the customer determine the success (Orčik & Gajić, 2012, para, 8). Thus, in achieving the organization strategy, I will deal with the correct metrics. This means that I will involve both project-based metrics such as time, cost, customer satisfaction, and safety consideration, and process management process metrics such as benchmarking and more.  

 In the project portfolio, I will apply the resource-based theory.  Note that the project portfolio means that as a project manager, I should group projects to balance the number of projects.  In this scenario, the resource-based theory will help understand the company's capabilities and focus on activities that will meet the organization's goal (GARDINER, 2005, p.54). After grouping the projects, I will evaluate the projects of great value and benefits.  This means that the company's international capabilities and core competencies should support the project since the project will bring more opportunities and competitive advantage (GARDINER, 2005, p.54).  Rather than focusing on projects that will only bring profit, I will focus on projects that will increase value.

Ethical role as a project manager

As a project manager, I will observe the discipline and practices of the project management to create value for the entire organization. In taking about ethics, I understand that project management is not an independent entity but it is a unit that is part of the entire organization. This tells me that I should ensure that the project entity produces results that will impact the entire organization. As a project manager, I will ensure that the project team acts ethically, or in other words, they should develop moral character (Schweriner, 2007, para, 2). I am aware of many ethical issues such as bribery, blatant fraud, and other forms such as health and safety issues, information sharing, and more. However, it is my role and responsibility to ensure that the project team acts fairly and honestly and uphold professionalism in the project processes (Schweriner, 2007, para, 2).  As a project manager, I am aware that all organizational levels should create a business relationship to meet the strategic goal.  Similarly, as a project manager, I will ensure that the project management unit adheres to the code of conduct (Schweriner, 2007, para, 6). Note that failure to act ethically will affect not only the project unit but the entire organization including the customers.  As a project manager, I understand that the project team is involved in ethical issues such as conflict of interests where some members view the project as a new sale opportunity.  In such scenarios, I will develop a project charter, document everything, and incorporate ethics in the organization.

A personal SWOT analysis

 The following personal SWOT analysis will help me succeed in a project management career.

 Strengths

• Team leader- I love coaching team members, improving their strengths, and working with them to identify problems and resolve conflict.
• Effective communication skills- I communicate effectively with the project team and other managers at different levels of the organization.
• Ability to strategize- I do not only deal with the triple constrains in project management but I have a bigger picture.  I consider other factors such as customer satisfaction and ensure that the project aligns with the corporate strategy.
• Risk management insights- before planning the project, I identify the unanticipated issues and control the risk.
• Critical thinking- I do not only apply the classroom knowledge but I am objective or in other words, I go beyond to evaluate an issue and find solutions.
• Certification in project management professional- I have a university-based PMP and therefore, I am a highly-skilled project manager. I have the skills ad qualifications that are needed to manage the project.  I know how to manage the triple constraints and also to align the project with corporate strategy.

 Weaknesses

• I lack patience when working with the project team. I do not rely on them for project success and therefore I add extra ability to complete the project.
• I am detail-oriented- this is a weakness to me because I  focus too much to see if there are minor mistakes in the project processes.  This affects the team's ability to exercise their freedom and meet the deadline
• I find it hard to ask for help- sometimes I lack expertise in some areas but I find myself being too independent that I cannot approach other managers for help.
• I am unable to maintain work/life balance-I do not meet my personal needs because I love my work.

Opportunities

 As a project manager, I am exposed to plausible plans that will help achieve the organization's strategy. Note that once I come up with a project plan, I can make adjustments to align the project within a realistic approach (Kendrick, 2005, para, 4).  I can optimize plans and compress schedules to meet the interests of the sponsors and other stakeholders.  Another opportunity is that a project is associated with both beneficial and adverse outcomes.  It is possible to prevent adverse outcomes through standards risk measures.

 Threats

 In project management, workers need constant attention. As a project manager, I am required to create an authoritative and controlling environment to achieve the desired goals.  This is a threat in that a controlling environment will de-motivate workers and they will feel uncomfortable (Peterson, 2007, para, 7).

Goals and a reflective plan of action

  I have long-term goals that I aspire to achieve within two years.

• Be strategic- my long-term goal in the project management career is to be able to focus on the right project. My action plan for this goal is to start seeing projects using a different lens. Some projects have long-term impacts whereas others have short-term risks (Ferrer, 2018, p. 17).  I will execute high-impact projects that will be a competitive advantage.
• Increase my project management knowledge- as a project manager, I want to take my role seriously.  My action plan is taking  online courses and do self-study to increase knowledge and learn newer practices
• Deliver value to customers- as a project manager, I  do not want to achieve success in the triple constraints only but  I also want to deliver value to customers.  I want to fulfill the customers' expectations and ultimately achieve real success (Ferrer, 2018, p. 17).  My action plan is to create a relationship with customers to get a sense of what they needed.
• Focus on leadership- above all, I look forward to being a good leader to my team and my organization.  My action plan is to look for a mentor and participate in volunteer opportunities to widen my horizons. 

Conclusion

 My role as a project manager is multifaceted.  This means that my role is not only to execute project plans and controlling the project team to ensure a successful project but I am also responsible in ensuring that the projects align with corporate projects. Thus, I go beyond the traditional role of managing the project to include the modern role of measuring the objective of the project and organization and ensuring that the objectives move together. To ensure that the project aligns with corporate strategy, I will break down the project scope and choose the projects that align with the strategic plan and bring business benefits and competitive advantage.  My knowledge and skills will help in aligning the project with strategy since I will not only act as a project manager but I will also act as a company's strategic thinker. As a project manager, I have set my goals and action plans. I am aware that successful people want to surpass their standards and gain personal and professional development. Similarly, I want to gain professional development so that I can achieve the project as well as corporate objectives.  My strengths and opportunities will contribute to the project and the organization's success. However, I will also work on my weakness and threats and turn them into my greatest strength and opportunities.

References

 Romano, L. (2014). Corporate strategy for project managers: why strategic alignment and

awareness is so important.  Project Management Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/strategic-alignment-importance-corporate-strategy-1405

976772. GARDINER, P. (2005). Project Management. Palgrave Macmillan. http://www.myilibrary.com?id=976772.

Orčik, A. and Gajić, S., 2012. The Role of Strategic Project Management in achieving

organizational success. Prague, 1st Multidisciplinary Academic Conference-MAC.

 Schweriner, J.H. (2007). Ethics considerations for the project manager in professional services.

Project Management Institute. Retrieved from:  https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/ethics-considerations-manager-professional-services-7398

 Kendrick, T. (2005). Project opportunity: risk sink or  risk source?  Project Management

Institute. Retrieved from:  https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/project-opportunity-management-risks-9947

 Peterson, T.M. (2007). Motivation: how to increase project team performance. Project

Management Institute. Retrieved from:  https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/motivation-increase-project-team-performance-7234

 Cabanis-Brewin, J. & Pennypacker, J. S. (2006). Best practices for aligning project to corporate

strategy.  Project Management Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/aligning-projects-corporate-strategy-performance-8074

Ferrer Romero, E.F., 2018. Strategic project management: a methodology for sustainable

competitive advantage. Revista EAN, (spe), pp.15-31.

Disaster preparedness

A disaster is defined as any sudden event that is calamitous in nature and results in loss, great damage and destruction. It is any occurrence that causes distress, disruption and great misfortune that often requires intervention from a third party in order to recover. disasters occur either naturally or as a result of man-made activities. While disasters resulting from man-made activities are just as dangerous, natural occurring disasters tend to have a larger impact especially because they take time to occur and usually require a lot of effort before they are resolved. A good example of naturally occurring disasters is the Covid-19 global epidemic.

In the 1970’s, the phrase ‘determinants of health’ was used to refer to factors that affect a person’s health (Mutalik, 2015). The determinants are either behavioural, ecological, economic, sociocultural and biological. They are further divided into four categories namely genetics, lifestyle, environmental and nutrition. When one of the categories is affected by a disease, a support system is required and medical care acts as the support system as it is responsible for helping people to maintain good quality health.

            The occurrence of disasters has led to the development of disaster preparedness planning to help prevent disasters from causing too much damage. A disaster preparedness plan involves measures taken by organizations and individuals to help prepare for disasters as well as determine the best approach to take when a disaster does occur in order to reduce the negative effects caused (Ready, 2020). the process involves identifying resources and the responsibilities of staff within an organization in order to prepare the organization and each individual on how to deal with a disaster when it occurs.

            Disaster preparedness plans are important in that, they help people to identify what actions to take when a disaster occurs. Since natural disasters are difficult to prevent, preparedness ensures that those tasked with the responsibility of resolving them have the information and knowhow on how to reduce the negative outcomes (CDC, 2020). Another importance is that the plans allow for fast and effective responses. In the field of medicine for instance, a disaster could result in the loss of human life or multiple people falling seriously sick. In the case of epidemics, disaster preparedness planning helps nurses and caregivers to identify when to take steps such as quarantine and immunization (CDC, 2020). The information allows for fast action that not only helps to manage disasters but also prevent the spread of their effects.

            Public health nurses play an important role in helping to manage natural disasters and preventing their spread as is the case with the Covid-19 epidemic. Their importance is crucial as they are involved in all the four phases of the disaster management cycle.

• Preparedness

Nurses bear the responsibility of ensuring that the hospital is equipped with all the equipment and materials needed to deal with a disaster. Although most of the decisions are made by department heads and the top management, nurses are the ones responsible for keeping records that help to keep track of the organization’s resources (Cary et al, 2014). Nurses also undergo training and gain knowledge on what steps to take when dealing with a disaster a way of staying prepared.

• Response

Nurses act as the first contact between the hospital and the patients. They are therefore the first response and carry out activities such as conducting tests, interviews and advising patients on what steps to follow. In the occurrence of an emergency, nurses respond by determining whether quarantine is needed or not (APHN, 2014). They also assist in administering treatment and helping patients to manage their condition. A good example is the current Covid-19 epidemic. Nurses are working together with other medical professionals to assist patients in quarantine. Their roles involve maintaining quarantine, administering treatments and explaining to patients what steps to take in order to manage the condition.

• Recovery

Nurses role in the recovery process involves measures taken after a disaster has occurred. When dealing with the epidemic, nurses’ role will include advising patients on what medication to take, how to change their lifestyles and measures to take in order to curb the spread of Covid-19. Other than attending to patients while under quarantine, the nurses also help the public by sharing information about the disease and how to prevent its spread.

• Mitigation

Mitigation involves activities taken after a disaster has been resolved. Nurses ensure that the measures taken to manage a disaster are sustainable. Once the disaster has occurred and measures taken to prevent its spread, nurses ensure that the measures implemented are adhered to. This often involves quarantine and advising patients to make visits to ensure that the disaster does not reoccur.

References

Association of Public Health Nurses, (2014) “The Role of the Public Health Nurse In        Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery” NACCHO, retrieved from,             https://www.naccho.org/blog/articles/the-role-of-the-public-health-nurse-in-disaster-            preparedness-response-and-recovery

Carry A, Jakeway C, Larosa M and Schoenfisch S, (2014) “The Role of Public Health Nurses      in Emergency Preparedness and Response: A Position Paper of the Association of     State and Territorial Directors of Nursing” Pubmed, retrieved from,         https://www.researchgate.net/deref/http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1111%2Fj.15     25-1446.2008.00716.x

Centre for Disease Control, (2020) “Preparedness and planning” retrieved from,             https://emergency.cdc.gov/planning/index.asp

Patwardhan, B., Mutalik, G., & Tillu, G. (2015). Integrative Approaches for Health:         Biomedical Research, Ayurveda and Yoga. London: Academic press

Ready, (2020) “Emergency response plan” retrieved from,             https://www.ready.gov/business/implementation/emergency

            The journey to becoming a successful leader has been greatly influenced by my experiences and the example set by my parents. As a child, I grew up admiring the efficiency in which both my parents would demonstrate juggling their careers yet still be part of my childhood. From my father, I learnt the importance of prioritising what is important in my life and finding time to engage in activities that are not always tied to my career. While at home, my father had this policy where any outside interruptions were only allowed before the dinner table was set. My father held a leadership position in his place of work and was responsible for other employees. This meant that my father’s input was required in various busines transactions. Since the organization he worked for operated on a 24-hour schedule, he would often receive calls at odd hours of the night or during his off days when he was supposed to be spending time with family. The importance of his work made it difficult to fully go offline and the company even provided him with a work phone for emergencies. Despite this however, my father managed to find time for my family and this demonstrated his ability to handle different responsibilities.

            I also learnt that as a leader, some problems are unavoidable and successful resolution depends on how flexible the leader is to change. As a child, I was fond of making mistakes that often got me ion trouble. I remember one time I misplaced the keys to my locker and failed to hand in my assignment on time. My mother was called in to the school to discuss the issue with my lecturer as I could not convince the teacher that I could not access my paper. Despite having to go to work and still make it home in time to prepare meals and other house chores, my mother would always find time to show up for school activities even when the meetings were impromptu. My mother taught me the importance of being flexible and why it is important to find time for the things that are important in life.

            As a child, learning was closely tied to the experiences I had at home and while in school. The interaction with my peers, parents and teachers have greatly influenced the type of leader I am today and who I aspire to become in future. When I joined school, I got to experience different forms of leadership. Although the lessons I learnt from my parents influence me as a leader today, I also learnt that leaders should be free of bias and rely on experience and analysis rather than personal beliefs and opinions. My lecturers were a big influence in helping me to improve my skills as a leader as they taught me the importance of separating emotions and personal feelings when leading.

In school, the I got the opportunity to engage with people from diverse backgrounds. The students and lecturers comprised of individuals with different beliefs resulting from the different cultural backgrounds. Although the diversity exposed me to different personalities and taught me how to interact with different people, it also helped me identify the challenges that leaders face when trying to get different people to work together towards achieving a common goal. From my teachers, I learnt the importance of respecting other people’s customs and traditions. The diverse student population made it difficult for lecturers to use just one approach when teaching. Although a general approach was practiced when teaching groups, the tactics would change drastically when dealing with a single student. Teachers would lean towards specific cultural practices and traditions when communicating with students on a one on one basis. the approach had positive results on students as it placed both parties in an environment that was respective of everyone’s beliefs and made the learning more effective.

My learning experience has greatly helped me to better understand the importance of a corporate culture. The corporate culture is responsible for determining how activities are carried out within an organization. Other that coming up with the objectives that need to be achieved, the corporate strategy also determines the type of employees to hire and what is needed to ensure that the set objectives are achieved. The corporate culture must however take into account the needs that employees may have and how to satisfy them. While employees are hired to accomplish specific tasks, some duties fall out of the job description. The corporate culture should therefore be flexible enough to adapt to the changes that arise when a task falls out of the confines of the objectives stipulated by the top management. In such a case, the responsibility falls to leaders who must identify the best candidate to take on the added responsibilities. Leaders therefore have a responsibility to ensure that the right people are selected to handle the work required. They also help create a corporate culture that takes into account the organizational needs as well as personal needs that employees have to assist them in taking on more responsibilities.

The journey to becoming an effective leader has also taught me the importance of teamwork and why leaders should strive to lead by example. I have enrolled in various volunteer and internship programs that have greatly contributed to my growth as a leader. An example is the case where I was placed head of a team tasked with the responsibility of improving performance for a company. My responsibilities as a team leader involved ensuring that each member of the team was aware of the role they were expected to play. Since the task required us to come up with actionable information, it was my responsibility to ensure that other team members were motivated and had the proper working environment to encourage innovation.

On a personal level, my goal is to become a transformational leader as I try to see the best in the people that I work with. As a transformational leader, I am able to share my vision and attitude towards work with other members of my team. When assigned the role of team leader, I tried to lead by example and encourage others to do the same. Instead of using my authority as a leader, I tried to result to cooperation where every individual was given equal treatment regardless of position held. Since the goal was to come up with ways to improve performance, giving everyone a chance to be heard ensured that the changes implemented were respective of all employee needs. I would motivate other teammates by assigning duties that were respective of the individuals’ skills and also in line with their personal objectives. this ensured that achieving the goals set for the team would also translate as a personal achievement since the two objectives were tied together.

The experiences have also taught me that my greatest weakness has to do with time management. As a leader, I try to lead by example and this often involves showing others what to do rather than dictating orders. As such, I tend to take on more responsibilities than I can handle. While I find it easy to take on tasks that do not require a lot of input, my effectiveness as a leader and abilities are negatively affected when I have to deal with tasks that are too demanding. I will also try to learn more by emulating leaders that I interact with the same way I hope to inspire those that I work with.

In future, I plan to work more to improve my delegation skills as a way of reducing some of the responsibilities I take. My difficulty in managing time is mainly because I take on too many duties at once and find difficulty accomplishing complex task. I will try and entrust others with the responsibilities assigned to me as a way to help them improve their overall skills and also to help ensure that I don’t take on more tasks than I can comfortably handle. I also aspire to be the kind of leader that sets an example for others to emulate. I have discovered that leadership is a skill that requires to be improved constantly and I will continue to take on new challenges and learning experiences in future so as to become an effective leader.

Social Responsibility or Sustained Greenwashing

Summary

The Body Shop International Plc was founded by Anita Roddick in 1976.  Since its foundation, it has been a model of ethical behaviors and it has been offering high-quality products and considered environmental protection as the key responsibility.  In making strategic decisions, the Body Shop had a deal with L’Oréal and after the discussion, L’Oréal bought the Body Shop in 2006.  Both companies thought that the partnership would bring benefits through sharing expertise and knowledge.  However, the difference between the two companies is that the Body Shop was a responsible business or in other words, it complied with social responsibility practices. On the other hand, L'Oréal practiced consumerism. This means that the company was interested in consumer spending to increase sales and profit. The company was also involved in unethical business practices such as women exploitation, animal testing, human rights violation, irresponsible marketing, controversial technologies, and many more.  Now, the problem is that critics raise the argument that Body Shop has lost its image, its corporate social responsibility, and its values and principles. The purpose of this paper is to study the case and understand whether L’Oréal intended to buy Body Shop's corporate social responsibility to improve its image.  Some critics questions the Body Shop's ethical standards, it means that Body Shop was not serious about its CSR. In other words, it was associated with unethical behaviors and its founders were hypocrites. The paper will go into detail and make a critical argument to understand whether Body Shop is a green washer.

Q1

 The merger and acquisition of the Body shop do not conform to the type of collaboration described by the texts.  First, L’Oréal aimed to pursue Body Shop's values and increase its target revenues. For many years, L’Oréal has tried to incorporate new brands with strong identity into the business.  It is important to note that the strategic rationale toward acquisition is brand equity value (ICMR, 2006).  Initially, Anita Roddick thought that the partnership or rather the merger and acquisition would retain the company's core values.  However, this was not the case in that   L’Oréal learned about the Body Shop's commitment to fair trading.  After concentrating on customer's perception and values, it got the chance to enter into the market (ICMR, 2006). Note that during the deal, L’Oréal gained an idea and this indicates that the deal was controversial. This is because, how could Body Shop  International Plc, a well-known company for its ethical practices make a deal with a company that does animal testing,  and affects human health and the  environment?  This means that the deal was unfriendly and it did not conform to the type of collaboration described by the literature.

 According to Pisano & Verganti (2008), many corporations do not consider collaborative architecture while making collaborative innovation.  The author states that corporations should understand that there are different modes of collaboration and therefore, companies need to make critical choices about which companies should cooperate with.  The first mode of collaboration is the elite circle. This means that when a company is faced with challenges, it defines the problem and potential solution. Then, it selects a group of experts who will help in developing solutions to the problem.  The second mode of collaboration is the innovation mall.  This means that when a company has problems, it accepts different solutions from different problem solvers.  It then chooses the best solution from the many solutions proposed by experts. The third mode of collaboration is the innovation community. This means that a company opens the door for everyone to come and give a solution to the existing problem. Finally, the model of collaboration is the consortium. This means that the company chooses the best experts who would identify the problem and choose a solution (Pisano & Verganti, 2008).  Focusing on this type of collaboration, it is clear that the Body Shop did not understand its company's strategy. In other words, it did not understand the business problem. If it could analyze the business problem and create strategic goals, it could have understood the collaboration networks.

According to Hagedoorn & Duysters (2002), the major purpose of mergers and acquisitions is to increase the company's market power and enhance its capabilities. Therefore, in emerge and acquisition or other forms of collaboration such as strategic technology alliance,   the external sources should bring innovative capabilities or in other words, it should renew the company through the creation of new knowledge (Hagedoorn & Duysters, 2002).  Apart from these expectations, the authors state that before engaging in mergers and acquisitions, a company should have strategic considerations.  In other words, the company should ask questions like; how will the new activities affect the core business? Or are the external activities related to the business core values?  If the external activities do not align with the core business, then the eternal source should not be incorporated.  From the case study, it appears that the Body Shop did not have these strategic considerations or rather it did not have a high carefulness while creating the deal (Hagedoorn & Duysters, 2002).  Rather than creating a sustainable competitive advantage, it allowed the external source to acquire Corporate Social Responsibility hence affections the Body Shop's future performances.

 Q 2

 According to the texts, Anita Roddick was a transformational leader.  This is because she always inspired the organizational members to achieve extraordinary outcomes (Bass, 1990).   For example, she did not only focus on the competition but she corporated values of sustainability in the business. She was a rational thinker in that besides economic values, she focused on social responsibility or in other she wanted a company that benefits the community (ICMR, 2006).  She ensures that the company goes beyond the goal of productivity and focus on customer satisfaction and community well-being.  Bass (1990) states that in transformational leadership the leader goes beyond expectations.  He or she has a strong commitment to creating stable environments. The founder went beyond self-interest and put more effort to achieve extraordinary results.  She applies her problem-solving skills and adaptability to create a unique setting. 

 According to Gosling & Mintzberg (2003), the founder of the Body Shop had a managerial mindset. This is because she had self-knowledge, she formed a network of relationships, and she communicated her organization's system.  She also studied the real world to understand the external environment, and finally, she combined all the elements to make a change.  This mindset allowed her to create a suitable environment and to find viable solutions to the problems. She had proactive management that values customer demand and fulfilled their needs concerning their different preferences. The founder of the company was also an extraverted leader. According to Grant et al.  (2011)  extraverted leaders offer individualized consideration to the need of the community.  She was provocative in her leadership and ensured that the business brings positive changes.  She was talkative and authentic and this character inspired the team to focus on value than money.

Q3.

Since the Body Shop is under new ownership, my suggestions for change management is that an effective leadership should be introduced and sustained. The role of the new leadership is to strengthen the business operations and ensure that the company does not only focus on making profit but it also concerned with positive social and environmental change (Gill, 2002). Another reason is that management is unable to address uncertainty complexity as it lacks structures and strategies. Thus, leadership is more important than management because the former will go beyond to develop a new mindset and focus on values and assumptions.  Management is associated with many challenges in that it only focuses on the social system (Gill, 2002).  On the other hand, leadership understands the challenges and risks and builds power relationships to rate vision, values, and strategy. Moreover, leadership enables the leaders to create empowerment and motivation toward accepting the change. 

 According to Christensen & Overdorf, (2000) companies are experiencing disruptive changes.  These companies have resources, technological know-how, and talented managers to manage the change but still, they are struggling with management. This is because they do not understand the organizational capabilities. Up to this point, the Body Shop needs new leadership that will build a better business. Note that Body Shop is value-driven and therefore the new leadership should have the passion of creating a positive environment for people and communities (Christensen & Overdorf, 2000). Since Body Shop has experienced change issues, the new leadership should understand the organization and have a systematic look at the organization's core capabilities before implementing change. The leader should also understand the company's core values and the knowledge will allow the leader to make independent decisions about whether a change is needed or not.

 Q4

The merge of Body Shop and L'Oréal can lead to an ambidexterity-performance relationship. The two companies can increase growth performance through exploitative and exploration activities. This is because the companies have unique capabilities. For example, Body Shop is well known for great quality whereas L’Oréal is well known for research. It conducts comprehensive research to understand innovation and creativity toward increasing quality and efficiency (Popadić & Černe, 2016). Since the L’Oréal is good in technological innovations, Body Shop can explore new knowledge and develop its expertise.  Note that the merge and acquisition have created alliance ties and each company will rely on the external actor for resources and knowledge.  Thus, each company will benefit from innovation advantages.

 Jansen et al. (2006) add that companies are experiencing tension as a result of a high competitive rate. Thus, firms demand new ideas that will help them gain stability. The merger of Body Shop and L’Oréal can lead to ambidexterity in that both companies need to create strategic objectives and they must use different coordination mechanisms to create and achieve objectives.  In this case, the coordination mechanism means that the two companies can form connectedness or social relations (Jansen et al. 2006). The connectedness will enable them to develop knowledge and achieve efficiency and control.  For example, Body Shape is more interested in protecting the environment, the planet, and human rights and therefore it provide quality products that create a quality life.  On the other hand, L’Oréal focuses on strong research to generate positive results on beauty products. This means that companies have unique roles and they can create coordination and benefit from above-average performance.

  Q5

The newly merged company of Body Shop and L’Oréal can adopt innovation for shared value by creating a social purpose. First, the two companies should come up with a social mission or solving social problems (Pfitzer et al.2013).Note that it is not possible to create a shared value without stating the goals and objectives. Secondly, companies need to define the social need. The companies can create social value by identifying the issue they need to address, the social condition as well as a plan of action.  In this case, they need to identify the problem, its impact on the environment, resources needed, execution capabilities, and more (Pfitzer et al.2013). The companies need to measure the shared value. This means that the companies should evaluate the social and environmental impacts of the initiatives. In creating shared value initiatives, companies also need to create the right structure of a business. The structure will enable the companies to align the resources and establishes the process.  Finally, the companies need to create a relationship with external stakeholders in identifying the problems and proposing solutions (Pfitzer et al.2013). These five ingredients will enable the two companies to create social values and become profitable companies.

 According to Enkel et al. (2009), the Body Shop, and L’Oréal can adopt for open innovation using the outside-in process, the inside-out process, or the process of the couple.  Open innovation means that companies should go beyond their internal knowledge and explore external knowledge to create new products and gain a competitive advantage.  The outside-in process means that the company can create a relationship network with suppliers, customers, and competitors (Enkel et al. 2009). The company will gain awareness and understand the perspectives and make decisions based on the outside experience. The inside-out process means that companies can transfer their knowledge to the external market. This process creates corporate venturing activities where firms learn about each other's capabilities and incorporate the knowledge in their business to create a sustainable future Enkel et al. (2009). Lastly, companies can use a coupled process. This means that companies can form partnerships with other firms and allocate resources, knowledge and skills and combine capabilities in developing new products. 

Q6.

 On sustainability and CSR, the Body is not selling out its values and principles but its goal is to spread the values to other companies. Note that it is concerned with standard corporate practices and in creating a merge and acquisition deal, it stands on the social justice agenda (ICMR, 2006). The company's goal was to change the unethical practices such as misleading claims and unrealistic beauty ideals. It encouraged other businesses to focus on health and safety. Given that the company adhered to corporate responsibility, but Body Shape clarifies that it is not selling its values and principles but rather, L’Oréal will learn the values an increase commitment to the environment (ICMR, 2006).  The deal was a long-term plan and within a given period, L’Oréal could change the unethical behaviors and focus on fair trade.

 The appropriate CSR model, in this case, is the pyramid model. This is because the Body Shop believes that it has a business responsibility to meet social expectations.  Its goal is not only to make a profit but it considers other factors such as obeying the laws and acting ethically (ICMR, 2006). It has an economic responsibility meaning that it has the obligation to create a rational trade, to protect the environment, to execute fair practices, and more. In general, it focuses on improving social activities to improve the well-being of the people

 The appropriate sustainable model, in this case, is the social impact model. This model is appropriate in that the Body Shop Company provides a strong brand not only to increase revenue but also want to create a positive impact on society (Clinton & Whisnant, 2015).  It focuses on creating ethical products to create mutual trust and strong relationships with the users. 

 The appropriate Business Model Innovation Grid is a social business model. This is because the Body Shop focuses on sustainable development through social values (Clinton & Whisnant, 2015). It goes beyond economic values to ensure that the business aims to benefit society and protect the environment.

Conclusion

 The Body Shop is committed to providing quality products to its customers. It advocates for freedom and security and ensures that workers live in conductive workplaces and provides the customer with natural products. It acknowledges the corporate social responsibility in blowing the whistle against unethical conduct, defending human rights, and protecting the environment and promoting the community well-being. However, the main issues arise when the company creates a deal with a company that is associated with unethical practices such as animal testing. However, the case analysis has eliminated the ambiguity and provided an insight that both companies can benefit from the merge and acquisition.  Each company plays a unique role in increasing economic growth and through merge integration, both can create a common goal and objectives.

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deliver both social benefit and business value rely on five mutually reinforcing

elements. Harvard Business Review, 91(1), 2-9.

Enkel, E., Gassmann, O., & Chesbrough, H. (2009). Open R&D and open innovation: exploring

the phenomenon. R&d Management, 39(4), 311-316.

Clinton, L., & Whisnant, R. (2015). Business model innovations for sustainability. In Managing

Sustainable Business (pp. 463-503). Springer, Dordrecht.

Workplace diversity

In your opinion, what is workplace diversity? Can you provide an example?

Workplace diversity is a term used to refer to a workplace that is comprised of employees with different characteristics. For example gender, ethnicity, race, religion among other differences Saxena (1). Workplace diversity is important because each person has their characteristic which they bring to the table making work easier. An example of workplace diversity is when a company hires employees who are from different ethnical groups and can work together in harmony. 

Is workforce diversity important for improving productivity and performance at the workplace?

Workplace diversity helps to improve productivity in the workplace because it offers a wide range of talent and not talent that is confined to one particular ethnicity. The many talents help in understanding the client’s needs and motivation broadly. Workplace diversity contributes to the effectiveness and success of a company making it add to its production and profits. It helps to increase the skills and knowledge that exist in a company Fahad (1). An example of this is, employees from a different ethnic group can come up with an innovation that the company is not accustomed to. However, workplace diversity can become hard to achieve due to the different characteristics that sometimes cause discrimination and conflicts. Some colleagues are likely to experience a lack of cooperation from others. A discrepancy in how the companies develop diversity policies and how they implement them can make it hard to achieve workplace diversity Shemla (1). Lack of good management for the diversified worker can cause serious problems and make it unachievable. These problems include language barriers, different beliefs, and perceptions among others which are about human behavior. 

Works Cited

 AFS concrete material

                                                                            Introduction

            AFS is perceived to be one of the materials that are used in the modem construction industries. Ideally, the mechanisms that are used in the AFS logic are perceived to be one of the fundamental frameworks that aid in the replacement of the external and internal concrete wall. In this case, the engineering mechanisms stipulates that it is vital to utilize the combination of galvanized stud and fibre cement frames to enhance the long lasting of such walls (CSR Building Products LIMITED, 2014). The main reason as to why that mechanism is recommended is because it is light and relatively available in different weights.   As a result of that, it becomes possible for commercial consumers to utilize it in various multi-residential applications (Siddique, 2008). Conversely, what the same analysis implies is the fact that each panel of the same system is easier to erect before filling it with cement.

Description of AFS concrete material

            The general establishment of the modern AFS logic wall consists of fibre cement sheet that are long-lasting.  Such materials are of economic importance because they are sandwiched with galvanized stud frames. In the process of making the base of each wall, it is paramount to make use of the floor tracks that will be fixed at the marked slaps. After that, the erection of the wall is enhanced by bracing and filling of horizontal and vertical reinforcement bars (CSR Building Products LIMITED, 2014). The final mechanisms that need to be undertaken entail leveling the filled cemented areas.  

                                                            Literature search

Material used for replacement and construction of new structures

            According to the modern engineering research, AFS (permanent framework for concrete walls) have been regarded to an ideal resolution for erecting concrete walls. What this implies is the fact that such wall as simple to erect. Regardless of the fact those structures are perceived to be permanent; the general use of those AFS systems can be easily replaceable with connectional means that were used to construct such walls (Grandfield, 2016). In using them in hotels, shopping centers, hospitals, and multi-leveled residential buildings, the continued use of the AFS building materials have proven to be the ultimate choice for developers.  

Important characteristics of the AFS material

            From the engineering perspectives, the data collected stipulates that the AFS logic walls consist of galvanized studs and fibre cemented frames. Due to the fact that such walls are enhanced by the use of stud frames, it makes them to be sandwiched against any damage. As a result of that, they continue to maintain their shape regardless of the forces that trigger them. The incorporation of fibre cement is what is perceived to allow each structure to be painted easily. Regardless of where such walls will be erected, it is important for the engineers to determine the general thickness of the wall they want to erect.  The reason for taking into consideration the thickness of each erected structure is because is the one that aid in determining the reinforcement to be used. Ideally, the resistance of the fibre cement used should have to be taken into consideration (International Conference on Mechatronic Systems and Materials Application & Jiang, 2012).

              On the other hand, research indicates that it is paramount for AFS logic walls to be utilized in projects that necessitate the use of heavy bearing walls. The use of such a system should be based on the use of concrete walls that range between 120-262mm. the panels that utilizes walls ranging from 1100mm is recommended provided that the width of the AFS concrete walls supplied ranges from  200mm to 1100mm. they should have an height of 2000mm to 42000mm.  

Advantages of the AFS material in construction

            The general and the continued use of the AFS logic walls have been regarded as being the ultimate material for enhancing the construction of the modern structures.  In the process of enhancing quick erection of structures, the use of the AFS concrete walling systems have proven to be a permanent for deepening beam transfer and hardwearing finishes (CSR Building Products LIMITED, 2014).  Although it is one of the sacrificial means for instilling framework structures, the use of this mechanism is the one that is perceived to minimize the expenses that developers incur in erecting such structures.  The use of the AFS logic walls is also considered to be a permanent resolution for establishing external and internal frameworks (Mouton, 2013).  The reason for that is because it complies with the construction standards formulated and implemented by AS3600-2009 and NCC (national construction code).

            On the other hand, the use of the AFS concrete walling material has the propensity of eliminating material acquisition, labor, and it handling expenses.  Due to the fact that they are easily manufactured in AFS factories, they can be easily bought from wholesalers and retailers. Because of the fact that they are light in weight, consumers can easily carry them to the construction site without the need of tower cranes.  The easiness to lift them on the construction site is the one that allows them to be filled with AFS concrete mix. Due to the fact that such logic walls provide deep beam transfer panels, it is easier to erect large open span concrete filling spaces. As a result of that, the structure is able to provide living areas and car parking systems within the minimal saved areas. The fabre rating of the AFS walling systems is perceived to exceed the NCC requirements (Chau et al., 2017). Although such a wall has the likelihood of withstanding vibrations up to 50db, it is also able to secure its occupants from fires rating from 240F⁰

            When it comes to the issue of waste management, the use of the AFS concrete walling system has the potential of reducing the costs that developers do incur. From the engineering perspectives, the AFS walls are measurable and easily to be installed thus saving the owner the counter the effect of offcuts. In the process of saving onsite preparation expenses, the developer are incurs little costs in waste removal. The same scenario is what has the ability to increase the values of each construction project. Although the expenses that will be incurred for purchasing plywood and timber will be minimized, labor expenses can also be catered for. The use of the AFS logic walls is advantageous because it minimizes the time and materials that are used for construction (International Conference on Mechatronic Systems and Materials Application, & Jiang, 2012). The available manpower can also be allocated for erecting concrete slabs thus reducing the same expenses. As a result of that, the expenses that could have been incurred can be channeled to other tasks like hiring more contractors.

            Conversely, in the process of enhancing waste management, using these materials enables builders the time it takes to hire and install them. Saving the onsite preparation expenses is another advantage that is perceived to have the likelihood of minimizing the costs that could have been incurred to remove wastes of the conventional materials. Therefore, the expenses that could have been incurred in waste management can be channeled in the purchase of other high quality resources as well as hiring more contractors to accelerate the construction process.  As compared to the costs that could have been incurred to construct customary formwork walls, the use of the AFS walls provides a solid concrete-feel and hard-wearing resistant walls. This is advantageous because it makes the installation process to be relatively easier thus increasing the value of the project. The use of AFS logic walls enables builders to reduce the time taken and the wastage of materials by workers (Grandfield, 2016). Expenses arising from plasterboard finishing and the construction of studs can also be minimized with the use of AFS logic walls.

Environmental properties of AFS logic walls

            Due to the fact that the AFS walls are measurable and easier to deliver them to the construction site, they have been proven to be environmentally sustainable. There is no wastage of materials on site in terms of offcuts and disposal of waste materials. As opposed to traditional walls, AFS logic walls consist of galvanized stud and fibre cement walls that are easy to install. Due to the fact that they have been tested and used in multiple projects, they are able to counter the effects of sound travelling from one room to another. The same materials have the propensity of lasting for more than 50 years which the minimum requirements of the AS3600 construction code (CSR Building Products LIMITED, 2014). The materials are also advantageous to use because they do not corrode easily.

            From the information collected above, it is logical to say that AFS logic walls are one of the standout solutions for the replacement of the old method of constructing walls. Since these materials comprises of long-lasting fibre cement sheets, it is easy to erect floors before filling the walls with cement at a shortest time as possible. Despite that, one of the disadvantages of AFS logic walls is that they are a bit costly. Conversely, there are few people who can manage to install them properly. As a result of that, the shortage of skilled contractors implies that the project can take a number of days to be completed as scheduled (Ichiro, 1989). Such a scenario becomes detrimental in the project deadline.

Conclusion

            Ideally the AFS logic wall system through a wide research has been recommended as the most suitable construction form compared to the other  forms of wall construction, therefore it can suitably replace the old forms of wall construction .It can be then ranked as the most superior system of wall construction because of its characteristics which are more favorable  since it incurs less cost and its time conservative , the system also saves the construction company from incurring a lot of labor costs. The construction companies do not need to regularly check on the walls to ensure there are no cracks because so far there has been no reported case of any crack nor corrosion on the walls constructed using the logic system .The walls can last for a fairly long period. As from the above stated points it can clearly be concluded that AFS logic wall system is the most suitable product to be used in constructing industries in walls and formwork construction

References                                                                

Chau, K.W, Isabelle, Y.S.C, Weisheng, & Chris, W. (2017). Proceedings of the 21st International Symposium on Advancement of Construction Management and Real Estate. Springer Press.

CSR Building Products LIMITED. AFS Logic wall System – Corrosion Durability Review. (2014). Retrieved 4 June 2020, from https://4c4q1h2lyyvztfm081lcxz2g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp content/uploads/2016/06/Internal_Durability_Report-1.pdf

Grandfield, J. (2016). Light Metals 2014. Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Ichiro, S (1989). Corrosion-Resist Coatings: Corrosion Technology. CRC Press

International Conference on Mechatronic Systems and Materials Application, & In Jiang, L. (2012). Mechatronic Systems and Materials Application: Selected, peer reviewed papers from the 2012 International Conference on Mechatronic Systems and Materials Application (ICMSMA 2012), September 8-9, 2012, Qingdao, China. Durnten-Zurich, Switzerland: Trans Tech.

Mouton, Y. (2013). Organic Materials for Sustainable Civil Engineering. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Siddique, R. (2008). Waste materials and by-products in concrete. Berlin: Springer.

Uber’s employee crisis

            Uber Technologies Inc. is one of the leading companies in the transport industry. The company has a 68-billion-dollar market cap and constant demand for the services it offers. Its success in the market it operates in is greatly as a result of the quality of service the company offers to its customers through its employees (Isaac, 2019).  Most of the customers who have used Uber services attest to its emphasis on offering the highest quality of service and most opt for uber over taking other public means of transport including other taxis and car service organizations. Despite the positive image and continued success however, Uber has had a negative relationship with its employees on various occurrences. Employee complains and lawsuits are a common occurrence for the company. The issues that arise between uber and its employees are as a result of the company’s decision to treat the drivers as contractors rather than employees as it puts the drivers at a disadvantage as it denies them the rights and freedoms given to other employees.

            Uber was launched in 2009 and it has received various complaints and lawsuits from the government, its competitors, drivers and even customers who rely on its service. The lawsuits were based on various issues of misconduct relating to intellectual property, lack of conducting adequate background checks when hiring drivers, price fixing, issues related to safety and lack of employee benefits to mention a few (Isaac, 2019). Uber drivers for instance operate on a 50% annual rate which forces the company to seek out drivers with questionable backgrounds or those that who are non-credit worthy as they are the ones most likely to accept the terms of employment (Horan, 2019). Despite its success in the market, the company constantly seeks out ways to exploit its employees and this has greatly contributed to the tension between the company and its employees. Uber drivers for instance enjoy no benefits for the work they perform and barely get any minimum wage. Cases of sexual harassment are also common as the company has failed to create an ideal working environment for its employees.

            A good example of how Uber disregards the rights and freedoms of its employee is evident in the company’s decision to release 14 percent of its workforce without giving proper notice. The decision means that over 3,700 people will lose their jobs and roughly 180 driver service centres located in different locations where the company operates (Chapman, 2020). Due to the company’s large market share, the decision to release employees is likely to affect people from different parts of the world especially people working in the recruitment and support departments. The decision also means that 40 percent of the 450 driver centres from different of the world will also be forced to shut down, leaving its employees jobless.

            The strained relationships that the company has with its employees is greatly as a result of the structural framework that the company bases its operations on. The organization operates on a task-oriented approach where more focus is placed on achieving the objectives set rather than the processes involved (Bolman & Deal, 2013). The structural framework for any organization addresses issues related to setting goals and ensuring they are measurable and achievable; determining what procedures to be used and also identifying and clarifying tasks. The decision to release its employees for instance was a strategic approach aimed at helping the business cope with the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic (Chapman, 2020). While the decision would favour the organization, it fails to take account of the negative impact that the decision will have on the employees that lose their jobs especially during a crisis.

            Uber’s strained relationship with its employees is mainly due to the company’s failure to address its employees ‘needs and also the desire to increase profits even at the employee’s expense. The company strategy is based on the assumption that its employees are independent contractors mainly because the employees are responsible for setting up their own work schedules (Larcker & Tayan, 2018). This is especially because uber employees such as drivers are free to decide where to work from, what time to operate and even choose whether to work depending on their schedule. Although the company gives a lot of control to employees in determining how to go about meeting its objectives, Uber still has a responsibility to ensure that the needs of the people working to meet its objectives are met. Since the freedom that employees like drivers enjoy were part of the contract signed during employee recruitment, they should not be used as tools to oppress the employees.

            The decision to treat employees as contractors rather than employees puts employees at a disadvantage as it denies them the rights and protection offered to employees by the government. Different organizations have to adjust to the political environment they base operations and this often involves abiding to the laws and policies that are issued to help create a fair and safe working environment (Isaac, 2019). The policies and protection are however reserved for employees and not other relationships such as those between an employer and a contractor. Concerning Uber, the decision to treat employees as contractors is used to exploit employees and make decisions that only favour the company. The decision to release 14 percent of its workforce for example would not have been possible as the government protects employees from such actions from an employer (Feiner, 2020). Although the law may differ depending on the country an organization operates in, most regions require employers to give employees some form of notification prior to terminating their contract. The provision is put in play to ensure that organizations maintain their responsibility to look after the employee’s interest and also to prevent hasty terminations.

            Since uber regards its employees as independent contractors it was possible to release employees without prior notice or giving them ample time to prepare for the change. Although the government protects people’s rights from being violated by their employers, its ability to look ensure that all rights are protected is limited by the existence of job titles that do not necessarily warrant the protection required (Scholz, 2017). Since Uber regards employees as contractors, the decision to release them without adequate notice is possible as it does not breach any policy agreed upon by the government or the employees. Regardless of the terms used to define people working for uber, the company should also take into account the fact that its operations are not based solely on ensuring that activities engaged in are legal. The organization has an obligation to engage in ethical conduct and ensure that employee’s needs are fulfilled as this makes it easier for them to carry out their duties.  

The problems the company faces are also as a result of how the company goes about hiring employees. Human resource plays two major roles for an organization. On the one hand, human resource addresses the needs of the organization by hiring the right people for the job (Bolman & Deal, 2013). Through it, an organization is able to recruit qualified individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to ensure that the set objectives are met within the time frame provided. The second role that human resource play in an organization has to do with the employee’s need and ensuring that they are met in the course of fulfilling the organizational objectives (Feiner, 2020). This includes creating a safe working environment and also offering job security.  Good human resource management should therefore ensure that the needs of the employees are attended to with the same commitment as the approaches taken to ensure that the customer needs are met. Concerning Uber however, most of the emphasis is towards ensuring that the company has the right manpower to keep up with the increasing demand for uber services. The human resources approach employed at uber overly focus on the customer and often place the employees at a disadvantage.

The strained relationship that exists between uber and its employees has created a strenuous environment that makes it difficult for the employees to perform their duty and this greatly discourages innovation. Employees at uber, especially uber drivers, are not paid a minimum wage and also do not get compensation for working overtime (Abril et al, 2018). The company also denies its employees health insurance covers or regularly scheduled breaks. The human resource management approach fails to factor in the importance of aligning organizational interests with those of its employees. Its main focus is towards ensuring that the objectives set are met, regardless of the impact that accomplishing it will have on the employees.

            The decision to regard employees as contractors has pushed Uber to seek out loopholes in its political environment especially when conforming to the laws and regulations the company is expected to follow (Brenton & Driskil, 2005). A businesses political frame is meant to assist in resolving problems encountered by individual employees or the organization in general. The political framework acts as a guideline that helps the organization to determine how to go about resolving conflicts and adjusting to a crisis without affecting its interests or those of its employees. Concerning uber however, processes employed try to seek out ways to promote growth and remain operational, sometimes at the employees’ expense.

When responding to the Covid-19 crisis for instance, the political framework should have helped uber to design a strategy that helps the company cope with the changes brought about by the pandemic without greatly inconveniencing its employees (Chapman, 2020). The approach taken however focused more towards protecting the interest of the company with little concern over the impact the action taken would have on the employees. On the one hand, releasing 14 percent of the workforce meant lesser expenses in form of salaries and other modes of compensation that the company pays its employees. The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected business for companies like uber that rely on people’s tendency to move from one place to another (Chapman, 2020). With majority of its customers remaining indoors due to the pandemic, there is little demand for uber services and this makes it difficult to sustain the same workforce with lesser income. There is however the issue of company responsibility where actions taken by an organization should also factor in the impact that they will have on the employees. Firing people, regardless of the positive outcome for the business, should be carried out in such a way that allows the individual to prepare for the change. Uber however failed to give its employees notice and this greatly puts them at a disadvantage.

The issue of uber placing its interest over those of its employees is however a common occurrence which only goes to show the extent of the problem. In Paris for instance, the court of appeal ruled in favour of an uber driver who had filed a lawsuit against the company (Passy, 2019). The case was against the company after it failed to protect the employee’s interests on the grounds that the individual was a contractor and not an employee. The ruling however argued that the driver had signed a work contract with the company and therefore qualified as an employee. In the U.K the court made a ruling to ensure that uber drivers are referred to as workers rather than contractors. The different definition would force the company to recognise its workers and offer them the same benefits and protection offered to employees.

There are occurrences however where the political environment favours Uber despite the disadvantages such a framework would have on employees. In the United States for example, it was ruled in a court of law that uber employees are actually contractors and not employees and should therefore not ask for the same protection offered to employees by the federal law (Passy, 2019). Furthermore, the ruling agreed with Uber’s approach of not acknowledging its members of staff as employees which allows the company to distance itself further from duties and practices meant to protect the employees from being exploited. As a result, the organization operates as a go between for drivers and their customers. The definition places employees as customers rather than workers as they only use Uber to reach customers (Horan, 2019). Although the definition fails to take into account the complicated nature of the relationship between uber and its employees, the decision made by the United States government makes it easier for the desired change to be achieved.

Solution

            Any attempt to resolve the strained relationship between Uber and its employees must take into account the symbolic frame and the impact that employees’ personal goals and objectives have on how they go about performing their duties. The framework discusses the importance of inspiring employees and encouraging them to work together towards a common goal. The approach uber takes when addressing employee needs places its interest over those of its employees. This creates an environment where employees do not feel as part of the organization but rather a means to an end. Such an environment creates a lot of challenges for all parties involved. On the side of employees, there is little motivation and desire to go beyond one’s assigned duties. There is little innovation as people only commit what is necessary to perform the task at hand.

            In order to resolve the issue, the company should assess its corporate policy against rider; the elephant; and the path model. The approach is ideal as it would help the company to identify the problem, issues that make it difficult to bring about the desired change and also what path to take to ensure that the positive changes achieved are sustainable (Smith, 2020). The first aspect of the model is the rider which addresses Uber’s conscious thought that triggers the desire to improve relationships with its employees. The rider acts as the plan forming stage where the company can identify the problem and come up with possible solutions (Smith, 2020). At this stage, the organization can focus its attention towards improving communication so as to get constructive feedback on what issues cause problems so as to come up with a plan that addresses the needs of all parties involved.

            Once the goal is set, the process can move to the elephant phase which deals with issues related to emotions and decision making. Uber, like the elephant, is a big company that has remained operational despite the various complains from the employees, customers and other organization (Smith, 2020). The approach currently employed by the company is as a result of its primal instinct which makes it difficult to work on the ideas identified in the rider stage of the framework. Concerning Uber, the company has already identified that there is a major problem regarding how it treats its employees. Although various attempts have been made to remedy the situation, the company keeps reverting to its previous corporate culture despite the challenges it creates.

            Lastly, the path pushes the company to not only make plans, but implement them in a way that will bring about the desired results. Since uber has already identified the problem, the elephant stage is the reason behind the existence of more conflict between the company and its employees. It is therefore crucial that Uber change its approach and move from the elephant stage to the implementation stage and implement the changes aimed at improving the relationship between the company and its employees. Since the main problem has to do with the company treating the employees as contractors, the process could help bring about change and create an environment where the company is just as invested in ensuring employee needs are met as it does with its customers.

References

Beatty, J. F., Samuelson, S. S., & Abril, P. S. (2018). Essentials of Business Law. Mason,             OH: Cengage.

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2013). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and         leadership. San Francisco, Jossey Bass

Chapman L, (2020) “Uber is reducing workforce by 14% and signals more cuts to come” Bloomberg, retrieved from, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-            06/uber-is-reducing-workforce-by-14-and-signals-more-cuts-to-come

Driskill, G. W., & Brenton, A. L. (2005). Organizational culture in action: A cultural       analysis workbook. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Feiner L, (2020) “Uber to lay of 3700 employees , about 14% of workforce” CNBC, retrieved      from, https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/06/uber-to-lay-off-3700-employees-about- 14percent-of-workforce.html

HHoran H, (2019) “Uber’s path of destruction” American Affairs, retrieved from,             https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2019/05/ubers-path-of-destruction/

Isaac M, (2019) “How Uber got lost” The New York Times, retrieved from,             https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2019/05/ubers-path-of-destruction/

Isaac, M. (2019). Super pumped: The battle for Uber. Norton & Company Inc.

Larcker D and Tayan B, “Governance gone wild: Misbehaviour at uber technologies”       Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, retrieved from,             https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2018/01/20/governance-gone-wild-misbehavior-at-           uber-technologies/

Passy J, (2019) “Uber doesn’t want its drivers to be employees: Here’s why that matters” Market Watch, retrieved from, https://www.marketwatch.com/story/uber-doesnt-   want-its-drivers-to-be-employees-heres-why-that-matters-2017-11-13

Smith D, (2020) “The rider, the elephant and the path: Understanding the process of change         for health and fitness” Absolute, retrieved from,            https://absolutehealthperformance.com.au/understanding-process-change-health-            fitness/

Lease or License?

Introduction

            Any organization or individual occupying a premise where the superior interest is owned by another party; for a given duration of time; with the authority to operate exclusively without the owner’s interruption does so under a contract referred to as a lease. Despite the definition, however, there have been cases where leases are used to serve as licenses and this has sparked the debate as to whether the distinction between a lease and a license still exists. A license for instance is a personal agreement between the parties involved where the owner allows the person signing the license to carry out activities such as occupying the land. The license however fails to offer any form of proprietorial rights and usually becomes void once a change in ownership of the land occurs. A lease on the other hand gives more than permission to occupy the premises which makes it a commodity that can be bought and resold. Unlike licenses, the lease survives any change in ownership that occurs before the lease expires when the lease is a commercial premise in accordance with the provisions for part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. The lease is therefore better for the tenant as it prevents relocation or termination of the agreement with the previous owner even after a change in ownership. The holder of the lease has security in that the owner cannot repossess the property or land from the person leasing it unless a valid reason is provided for in the court of law. Although licenses and leases have been used interchangeably to refer to the same document, the traditional distinction is still relevant and desirable today as it helps in making decisions based on guidelines stipulated in each contract.

Background 

           The history of the lease can be traced back to The House of Lords in the Street V Mountford (1985) where it was ruled that any form of residential accommodation that was granted for a duration of time; required payment of rent, and gave the tenant exclusive possession of the premises would be regarded as tenancy and this formed the basis of what came to be referred to as a lease[1]. By definition, a lease is an agreement that exists between a landlord and the tenant giving the tenant exclusive rights to possess the premises for a given duration of time and pay rent as compensation for the exclusivity and premises. A license on the other hand is the case where an individual or group gives the licensee the right to occupy the premises and pay a fee. Unlike a lease, however, the license does not give the licensee the right to exclusively possess the property or premises. 

           The use of the term and license and lease to refer to the same agreement is as a result of the subsequent cases that expanded the scope of what a can be defined as a lease or a license[2]. In some cases, the parties involved resulted to recognizing that a lease did exist, even in cases where the landlord lacked a legal estate in the property and this results in the lines between a lease and license becoming blurred. Take the case of the Fox LJ in Ashburn Anstalt v Arnold [1988] EWCA Civ 14 as an example. The case sought to determine whether the agreement between Arnold and the landlord meant that the property he occupied could be declared vacant by another party. When Arnold occupied the property, it stood as a complex that was up for redevelopment by the owner. After selling his lease to Matlodge, Arnold was allowed to occupy the premises free of charge until a quarter’s notice to quit was issued. It was later ruled that despite not stating the duration in which the free tenancy would last, the provision for a notice to quit meant that the owner could notify the tenant upon which the agreement becomes a tenancy. 

            The ruling made in the Street v Mountford [1985] AC 809 is a perfect example of why traditional distinctions of leases and licenses are still relevant and desirable today. In his ruling, Lord Templeman drew the conclusion that the relationship between the parties involved was one of a license despite all indications pointing to a lease. In his definition of what constitutes a lease, Lord Templeman pointed out that any agreement where the tenant a). got exclusive; b). for a fixed or periodic duration of time; c). with payment of rent, then the relationship will be one that constitutes a lease. However, rent could not be the differentiating factor because rent is paid both leases and licenses. The final ruling made was based on Lord Templeman argument that differentiating between a lease and a license would also require one to focus on the agreement itself rather than the terms used by each party to define the agreement. The decision to rule the Street v Mountford [1985] AC 809 as a license is an example of the harm that arises from using the two terms interchangeably. Despite the agreement between the two parties qualifying as a lease, Lord Templeman ruled it a license because the nature of the relationship following the agreement was one of a license.

Non-Conventional View of Property: Relativity of Title

           The non-conventional view of property can help to better demonstrate the importance of understanding the difference between a lease and a license. Lord Hoffman in London and Quadrant Housing Trust v Bruton [1999] UKHL 26 can best explain the confusion regarding leases and licenses as it went against the ideology where leases often warrant proprietary interest. The case made it possible for the court to consider non-conventional views regarding property while still retaining the idea[3]. In addition, if the term property is used in reference to the significant control over access that the individual has to the premises, it grants him the power to carry out the duties that led to applying for the lease in the first place. 

           The control over access that the individual has to the leased premises is thus as a result of the power relation that comprises of legal sanctions and controlled access to benefits that result from resources excluded in the lease. In a society where exclusive possession in absolute terms is no longer common, there is a need to adopt a non-conventional definition of what is considered property[4]. Doing so could help to identify that leases, unlike licenses, attract proprietary interest and in so doing, help differentiate the two concepts. 

            In the Bruton v London and Quadrant Housing Trust (1999) for example, it was possible for Bruton to enact his rights against London and Quadrant Housing Trust and all other third parties except the local authority as it was the one responsible for granting the original lease. Although the local authority had a superior title, Bruton’s rights were protected as he had the right to claim some form of possession for the property. The provision that property can exist as a continuum has made the task of implementing the laws stipulated in leases difficult and this has led to the tendency of licenses being used in place as they offer a more straightforward ruling. This is especially because the license in no way gives the licensee exclusive rights over the premises or property, thus making it easier to make a ruling especially in cases where a change in ownership has occurred. 

            A lease can be given to an individual or group even in cases where the person giving the lease lacks ‘Absolute Title’ as the landlord can rely on the provision of a ‘Good Leasehold Title’. Absolute title is the case where the landlord is still in control of or owns the property. Good Leasehold Title offers the provision where the holder of the leasehold is not capable of finding out whether the leaser has the power and authority to take any actions that affect the property[5]. The only provision is that the title for the property in question is satisfactory. 

Parallels with Adverse Possession

           The importance of understanding the difference between a license and a lease is evident in Lord Denning in Errington v Errington Woods [1952] 1 KB 290; [1951] EWCA 2 as it was the determining factor in deciding who retains ownership to a house. The agreement between the couple and the father meant that they had leased the property and the wife’s payment of the mortgage meant that she continued to hold up the terms agreed upon. Even after the father’s death, the lease gave the couple control over the property even after the husband opted to live with the mother. The wife was entitled to the house as she had honored the lease by paying the mortgage for the house[6]. Although the mother was the owner as she acquired the house through inheritance, she could not evict the wife as the house was leased to her and her husband without any provision on how to terminate the lease. 

           Another example is the case of Dutton v Manchester Airport (1999) where Manchester Airport sought to operate on land owned by the National Trust. The activities that the airport sort to carry out included cutting down trees at an ecological site that was important to the residents of the area. Prior to Manchester Airport receiving the license to move into the region and carry out their activities, activists like Lee Dutton had already moved in the region and camped on the land to protest activities by the Manchester Airport. Their access to the land was however based on protesting the airport which resulted in the protesters occupying the land with no form of consent or license to do so[7]. The decision by Manchester airport to have Dutton and other protestors legally removed from the land faced various complications that can help to shed more light on how licenses and leases remain different entities even today. Since Manchester Airport was yet to get the lease and occupy the land, they had no legal grounds to call on the court to get rid of Lee Dutton because the airport had no control over the land. 

            In order to overcome the restriction preventing the Manchester Airport from taking legal action, the airport sought for ejectment, a provision that is reserved for individuals or organizations that have an estate in the land but lack parties[8]. Even with such a provision, Manchester Airport still lacked the authority to evict the protestors, even though the court of law as the airport was not a licensee. When the ruling was made, Manchester airport was given control of the land, an error on the side of the court as it treated license as a lease by giving it proprietary value and in so doing, wrongfully ruled in favor of the airport.

Conclusion

           The lack of clarity in differentiating between a lease and a license is greatly influenced by the difficulty in resolving issues in accordance with the guidelines stipulated by each contract. There is however a clear distinction especially because leases give the lease exclusive rights to property or land whereas a license only gives access to the property or land but without the exclusivity. Differentiating the two is crucial as it helps to settle legal disputes and ensure justice is upheld. In cases where ejections are used, the court should assess the interests of both parties before determining what ruling to make.

References

Allen, Noble. “Recognizing the difference between a lease and a license in Connecticut” Hinckley Allen, 2014, retrieved from, https://www.hinckleyallen.com/publications/recognizing-the-difference-between-a-            lease-and-a-license-in-connecticut/

Ang, Ming, “Blurred lines: Preserving the distinction between leases and agreements”. 2017,      Retrieved from, http://www.keepcalmtalklaw.co.uk/blurred-lines-preserving-the-        distinction-between-leases-and-licences/

Bright, Susan. “Street vs Mountford revisited”. ResearchGate, 2006, retrieved from,             https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228184123_Street_v_Mountford_Revisited

Hinojosa JP.  ‘On Property, Leases, Licenses, Horses, and Carts: Revisiting Bruton v       London and Quadrant Housing Trust’ Conveyancer and Property Lawyer, Mar/Apr,     2005. 114-122

Moran, Allan. Leases and licences. In Commercial property law (pp. 34-42). London:      Learning Matters, 2007, doi: 10.4135/9781446278772.n4

Pawlowski, M. ‘Occupational Rights in Leasehold Law: Time for Rationalisation?’          Conveyancer and Property Lawyer, Nov/Dec, .2002. p. 550-559

Shaw, Nicholas. “Contractualisation and the lease-license distinction” 2018, Retrieved from,             http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AdelLawRw/1996/8.pdf

Stewart, Marcia, Ralph Warner, and Janet Portman. Leases & Rental Agreements. , 2017.             Print.

Universal, Law. Land Laws - Lease Licences Rent Control and Slum Clearance in Delhi. Place of publication not identified: Universal Law Publishing, 2008. Print.

[1] Stewart, Marcia, Ralph Warner, and Janet Portman. Leases & Rental Agreements. , 2017. Print p. 13

[2] Universal, Law. Land Laws - Lease Licences Rent Control and Slum Clearance in Delhi. Place of publication not identified: Universal Law Publishing, 2008. Print. P. 20.

[3] Allen, Noble. “Recognizing the difference between a lease and a license in Connecticut” Hinckley Allen, 2014, p. 4. Retrieved from:https://www.hinckleyallen.com/publications/recognizing-the-difference-between-a-lease-and-a-license-in-connecticut/

[4] Hinojosa JP. (2005) ‘On Property, Leases, Licenses, Horses, and Carts: Revisiting Bruton v London and Quadrant Housing Trust’ Conveyancer and Property Lawyer, Mar/Apr, p. 115.

[5] Pawlowski, M. (2002) ‘Occupational Rights in Leasehold Law: Time for Rationalisation?’ Conveyancer and Property Lawyer, Nov/Dec, p.556

[6] Moran, Allan, Leases and licences. In Commercial property law (pp. 34-42). London: Learning Matters, 2007, doi: 10.4135/9781446278772.n4, P. 37

[7] Shaw, Nicholas. “Contractualisation and the lease-license distinction” 2018, retrieved from,                 http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AdelLawRw/1996/8.pdf, P.212

[8] Ang, Ming, “Blurred lines: Preserving the distinction between leases and agreements”.   2017, P. 1. Retrieved from: http://www.keepcalmtalklaw.co.uk/blurred-lines-preserving-the-distinction-between-leases-and-licences/