Tuesday, August 6, 2019

The Need for Educators Essay Example for Free

The Need for Educators Essay The American Nurses Association (ANA) states nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations,† (ANA, 2012). However, what happens when there are not enough nurses to care for humanity? For many years now there has been a significant nurse shortage, rendering this topic the focus of myriad studies which scrutinize, analyze, and reanalyze the cause, effect, and solutions for this crisis (Webber, 1994). According to author, Hinshaw, (2001) â€Å"The shortage of nursing faculty is interwoven with the current national shortage of nurses,† (p. 1). The article, A Continuing Challenge: The Shortage of Educationally Prepared Nursing Faculty, highlights a number of factors which contribute to the shortage of nursing faculty, and the direct impact these influences have on the nationwide nursing shortage. There are several factors this article is successful in examining. Similar to the nursing shortage itself, the aging baby boomer population, now seeking retirement, is one of the main causes for increase in nursing faculty shortages (Hinshaw, 2001). Thus there is an exodus of retiring nursing professionals leaving the workforce and not enough new nurses to replace them, filling their positions. Additionally, this article brings to light an issue often neglected in realizing among nurses. â€Å"The other major problem is not only that nursing faculty are aging, but the average age for assistant professors is also increasing due to nurses entering academia later in their careers. This means that their time for potential productivity as leaders and scholars is being curtailed,† These issues necessitate an even higher demand for nursing faculty and an increase in availability for students within nursing education programs. Fang, Wilsey-Wisniewski, Bednash, (2006) assert that that over 40,000 qualified nursing applicants were turned away in the 2005-2006 academic year from baccalaureate nursing programs due to a lack of masters and doctoral qualified faculty, and that this number was increased over 9,000 from 32,000 qualified but rejected students from just two years earlier Hinshaw states. â€Å"Several other factors contribute to this dilemma: increased number of opportunities within the profession, along with non-competitive salaries in academia in relation to a major financial investment in doctoral education, and also the high expectations for academic positions,† (2001). Nurses who receive graduate and advanced practice degrees, possess the academic preparedness and credentials, which allow them more professional choices. Among these choices are administrative, entrepreneurial, clinical research, and academic positions. Furthermore, other nursing positions mentioned offer significantly higher financial compensation and render faculty salaries non-competitive, (Hinshaw, 2001). â€Å"The average annual salary for an associate professor of nursing with a masters degree is nearly 20 percent less that the average salary for a nurse practitioner with a masters degree, according to the 2007 salary survey by the journal ADVANCE for Nurse Practitioners† (Congress, 2009). Currently there are several strategies that have been reviewed, to alleviate the nursing shortage dilemma, for example; â€Å"Federal and private support for experienced nurses to enhance their education† (Hinshaw, 2001). In 2009, The Nurses Higher Education and Loan Repayment Act was established, offering a graduate degree loan repayment program with hopes for enticing nurses to become nurse educators. Such federal incentives are attempts to reduce the disparity of ratios between nurse educators and nursing students. Strategies for phasing and transitioning, has been another suggestion described in this article. â€Å"This author has found this a valuable strategy for retaining important expertise to have available to the junior faculty while showing respect (and remuneration) for the senior faculty involved,† (Hinshaw, 2001). One suggestion to propose would be more flexibility in scheduling for working nurses to continue their education. Many facilities desire their nurses to advance their studies, but fail to provide them with a more flexible schedule. This is a deterrent with many nurses and had been a large issue with me transitioning in going back to school. In final analysis, this article is thought provoking, and addresses key causes, effects, and possible strategies needed to resolve the nursing shortage dilemma. Numerous strategies are outlined in depth, and written in a clear, concise manner enabling full reader comprehension. Hinshaw encourages her audience to face the factors involved in this current nursing crisis, and for nursing professionals to consider the possible strategies they can participate in, and assist in implementing for this decade. It is important to inform the public of the issues that essentially effect everyone. Furthermore, educating the public, provides them with the information needed to make informed decisions when voting, and supporting certain health care policies.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Analysis of Marks and Spencer Plc

Analysis of Marks and Spencer Plc Marks and Spencer (MS) is one of Britains oldest and best known retailers of clothing, foods, home ware. MS employ more than 60,000 people worldwide, operate more than 450 stores in 30 countries, and serve tens of millions of customers every week. The company was first established by Michael Marks and Tom Spencer. Marks had immigrated to England in 1882 after fleeing anti-Semitic persecution in Russian Poland. Here he began to eke out a living selling goods on a stall in Leeds town market. Due to his lack of English he made a sign to go on his stall that read Dont ask the price, its a penny. His stall was so successful that by 1890 he had stalls in five cities across the country. Tom Spencer, joined Marks, in 1894. This partnership signified the advent of MS as we know it today. By the turn of the century the company had expanded to 36 branches nationwide. Following the deaths of Marks and Spencer, the running of the company fell into the hands of Marks 28-year-old son Simon. It was he that led MS to break with time-honoured British retailing traditionby eliminating wholesalers and establishing direct links with manufacturers. The company continued to grow and in 1926 it became a PLC. Two years later it launched its now famous St Michael brand and in 1931 in a drive to concentrate on goods that had rapid turnover it introduced food departments into stores. During World War II approximately half of the companys stores were damaged or destroyed in air raids. However the business rebuilt and in 1964 Simon Marks handed over the running of it to his brother-in-law Israel Sieff. In the subsequent decade MS began to expand abroad in North America and later Europe. Sieffs son, Marcus Sieff became chairman in 1972. He was replaced by Derek Rayner 12 years later. Rayner became the first chairman to be hired from outside the Marks family. During Rayners tenure as chairman MS expanded into financial services by launching their own charge card. Rayner retired in 1991 and CEO Richard Greenbury took charge. In the 1990s MS began to rapidly expand across Europe and into Asia, opening stores in Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary and Spain. In 1999 following growing criticism of Greenburys failure to expand the business fast enough and embrace new ideas he was succeeded by, Peter Salsbury. In that same year continued poor sales led Marks and Spencer to cut 700 jobs, close its 38 stores in Canada and part company with its clothing supplier of 30 years, William Baird. Following this continued poor performance the company, was subject to an unsuccessful takeover bid by Phillip Green of the Arcadia group. In response to this MS appointed Belgian Luc Vandevelde as CEO. The following spring MS announced a recovery plan to rescue the struggling chain, which involved selling off the majority of its global operations. Consequently, unhappy with the companys direction and its departure from older values, Marks and Spencer board members Sir David Sieff (the last remaining founder member), Sir Ralph Robins and Sir Michael Perry left the board in July 2001. Within a year and a half of Vandeveldes appointment profits began rising, but although at the time Vandevelde was credited with a revival, it proved to be short-lived, because by 2004 sales had fallen again and the brand had lost some of its credibility. In light of this it was felt drastic changes were needed and in May 2004 Stuart Rose, formerly head of Arcadia, was named CEO. Since his appointment Rose has instituted change programmes within the organisation and given it new strategic direction. The effects of these changes are already beginning to be seen and MS is showing clear signs of recovery. However it is too early to say whether this improvement is sustainable. MS was set up and run by a family for a long part of its history, its values and culture derived from that. For many years it was viewed as being very patriarchal and inward looking. The perception people had of the company up until the 1980s was of quality, affordability and reliability, embodied in the St Michael brand. During this time leadership of the business was very strong but inward focused. However, recent changes in the market place have presented a great challenge to the company which it is still addressing. PERCEPTION According to Huczynski and Buchanan it is our perception of reality that shapes and directs our behaviour, not some objective understanding of it. Marks and Spencers corporate objectives are incorporated in its mission statement. This outlines what the business is and what it should be. Mission statements set out in writing what the firm wants to achieve and often include information on the values of the business. MS outlines its core business as clothing and Food. Its financial objectives is to deliver shareholder value in terms of increase returns, but also in terms of increase sales and market share in retailing. It beliefs and values are outlined as Our customers continue to see Marks Spencer as the place to shop for special food, produced to exacting standards. MS also sees its workforce as an important part of its plan and also considers modernising its stores as a key corporate objective. Vision: The standard against which all others are measured Mission: Making aspirational quality accessible to all Values: Quality, value, service, innovation and trust MS also outlines its corporate social responsibility in its mission statement and considers the needs of other stakeholders too. Customer Perception Once established, from the customers point of view, MS was considered the epitome of quality, affordability and reliability which reached its apogee in the 50s and 60s when customers used to scramble to acquire MSs reproductions of catwalk fashion. MSs clothes lines became so popular that in the 50s limits were set on production as everyone wanted the affordable stylish Paris inspired 1950s glamour. This perception changed during the 90s. As ever increasing choice was available on the high street and a growing number of competitors emerged as rivals in MSs core markets. Retailers such as Top Shop, Warehouse and Gap offered more fashionable designs and labels, whereas others such as Next and Debenhams offered better value. Even food chains such as Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsburys began to encroach on MSs market share in the prepared food markets. In light of this people began to view the company as out-dated and old fashioned. This negative perception of the company is just now beginnin g to be counteracted for reasons which I will detail later in discussing leadership. Employee Perception From the stand point of employees MS was viewed as an employer of choice in the mid-20th century. People felt secure in their employment and viewed a career in MS as highly desirable. In the post-war period the company imposed a more explicit human relations policy. As Marcus Sieff, the incumbent chairman at the time, put it the chief executive has a duty to treat his employees as he would like to be treated himself, to do as he would be done by. This image was reinforced by the way MS treated its staff, stores were furnished with good staff canteens, rest rooms, medical and dental care, hairdressers, chiropodists, clean toilets and good training facilities. By the 1980s and 90s it had stopped being viewed as a viable career path and became characterised as dead-end job. This was reflected in the pay, management and promotional structures in place at the time. This is something subsequent CEOs have had to address. The Market A companys branding and marketing strategies are important tools in shaping the perception of it in the marketplace. Here, MS has never conformed to the norm s and actually created a virtue out of not advertising. Instead, MS relied until the 90s on word-of-mouth to promote the companys brand and image. This strategy is very cost-effective and renowned for being extremely powerful in influencing customer behaviour. As a recent study shows word-of-mouth is now the number one most-trusted source of product information on a global scale, with advertising a distant second. Seventy per cent of consumers across the globe trust friends, family, or other people first when searching for information or ideas on products to buy. MSs decision not to enter into mainstream advertising has reinforced its image of being a household name so famous, that like Rolls Royce it did not need to advertise since the quality of its goods and services were undisputed. The St Michaels brand was also very powerful with its connotations of religion which brings to mind values such as honesty, loyalty and devotion. Therefore a big departure came for MS around the turn of the century when they decided to launch one of the biggest advertising campaigns in retail with the slogan Your MS, embodied by well known models and celebrities from different ages such as Twiggy, Jodie Kidd, Shirley Bassey. This has been hugely successful and has the effect of putting the company firmly back in the hands of the public, giving them a sense of ownership and a stake in its success. CULTURE This is the set of beliefs and attitudes of both employees and management that helps to influence decision making and behaviour with in the organisation. The simple way of explaining culture is the way the things are done in a business. According to Huczynski and Buchanan an organizations culture focuses on the values, beliefs and meanings used by its members to grasp how its uniqueness originates, evolves and operates. Edgar Schein makes the distinction between three levels of culture within an organisation distinguished by their visibility to and accessibility by individuals, surface manifestations of culture, organisational values and basic assumptions. Organisational culture and values: The views of the original founder as modified by the companys current senior management In the case of MS we can see that the original culture derived from the founders and the founders family. In a sense you can say that they were family values, with an overtone of religion, let us not forget that St Michael is the champion of the Jews and that Michael Marks was a Jew. Culture in the early days was based on quick turnover, honesty, hard work and no frills attached. These values evolved into the companys culture which became paternalistic, an approach is commonly associated with family run businesses. The repercussions of this culture are such that if you are not in the family you cannot rise to the top. This has an effect all the way through the company right down to the employees on the shop floor. From the mid-19th century family organisations had the strongest sense of culture, one based on loyalty, paternalism and community. However in the 1960s, post war restructuring concentrated on capital mobility, acquisitions and mergers. The old forms of identification tended to break down and anyone who spoke of solidarity or loyalty was seen as archaic. With rapid organisational growth it became very difficult for firms to maintain the family touch. So by the turn of the 21st century Marks and Spencer had become vulnerable to hostile takeovers with its ever falling share prices and low profit margins. The inward looking culture of the company and the absence of strong leadership were blamed for its poor performance. Stuart Roses vision after he was given the position of CEO was to revert back to old values and simplify a culture which had become too confused and confusing. The type of culture of Marks and Spencer is a customer driven culture. Customer driven culture is where every where in the business makes a real effort to improve customer service, market research, employing right people, and training. The business is trying to up date the technology e- commerce. It also has a positive culture where staff and workers communicate well. They also regard change as opportunity than not a treat. I also found they are dynamic, this where a business is always looking to change the way they work. Always looking for new ideas. The way I have noticed this is by changing the displays to make it appeal more to customers. LEADERSHIP According to Huczynski and Buchanan leadership is the process of influencing the activities of an organized group in its efforts toward goal-setting and goal achievement. They go on to mention that leadership appears to be a critical determinant of organizational effectiveness. It is useful to distinguish between leadership and management. These two concepts are sometimes seen as synonymous as leadership is seen as one component of the management role. However, other commentators on the subject make clear distinctions between the two. Leaders are portrayed as someone who develops drives new initiatives, [whereas] managers achieve stability. Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus make the point that managers do things right, while leaders do the right thing. Due to the complex nature of this topic a great effort has been made to distinguish the qualities that make a successful leader. This line of research has been greatly influenced by the great man theory. This argued that leaders reach positions of influence from which they dominate and direct the lives of others by force of personality. In MSs history, men such as, Sir Marcus Sieff could be seen to fall into the great man category. Leadership in the early years was very much in the hands of the family and based on traditional family values. It was strong but essentially inward looking. By the late 90s when MS was in trouble there was a need for a change of leadership. Nowadays a more distributive form of leadership is required. One which creates a vision of a possible future that allows [the leader] and others to see more clearly the steps to take, building on personal capacities and strengths. Examples of these types of leader would be Luc Vandevelde and Stuart Rose. Under Vandeveldes leadership a recovery plan was put in place based on getting the company closer to its customers and returning the company to its core strengths. Recovery was based around focusing on the UK, selling only their own brand and retaking command of their supply chain. His vision was to return Marks and Spencers to its reputation for quality, value, service and innovation. Once articulated, the vision is shared through events designed to disseminate it. Thus we have Vandeveldes address to the shareholders and Stuart Roses mass motivational training for all of staff. They use catch phrases to describe and share what is already happening and to encourage others .In the advertising campaign Your MS Rose is embodying the key values and beliefs on which the newly revived MS is based. In differentiating the customer base and appealing to different sectors through sub-branding such as Per Una by Sir George Davis for the younger customer and Limited Edition for the more style conscious older customer, whilst maintaining the offering of high quality standard basics to everyone MS is becoming more competitive with other high street retailers. Also the advent of the Simply Food stores accentuates one of MSs traditional and continuing strengths- its food offerings. Management styles and culture The management style is the pattern of behaviour that he or she shows in carry out a management role over a period of time the most common management styles, are as follows: Autocratic Consultative Democratic Autocratic Autocratic management style is one where the manager is used to giving instructions like telling people what to do rather than asking them for their options. The manager is the only person contributing to the decision- making process. This style of management is more typical of UK management between 1970s and 1980s, although you are sure to find it today. A number of managers who started up with this approach find it difficult or impossible to change their ways. They are used to holding on power and do not understand how the process of empowerment might work. The result of this style is that members of the group often dissatisfied with the leader. This results in little cohesion, the need for high levels of supervision, and poor levels of motivation amongst employees. Consultative Consultative managers are ones who seek to consult other people before making a decision. Alternatively, they will seek to consult people before implementing a decision. This type of manager wants to draw on more sources of opinion him or herself. The consultative manager will have listening skills and also the ability to create the right sorts of channels to consult other people. In an organisation with a culture of consultation, there will be a series of mechanisms (e.g. newsletters, team briefing, suggestions boxes, etc.) that make it possible to get the feel of the concerns of other people involved in the decision- making, as well as to draw on their expertise. Democratic This is a third type of management style is the democratic one, which involves empowerment. This gives individuals and team responsibility to make decisions, usually within the framework. The team is then held responsible for the decisions that it chooses to make. The manager with this style will feel comfortable allow others to make decisions. The democratic manager will also have to have a good overall understanding of decisions being made, and will want regular feed back on results. However, they will be confidants that empower individuals and teams will use the responsibility given to them wisely. The management style of Marks and Spencer is consultative so this would mean, that leader consults with other before decision is made. There will be a group influence in the final decision; even through it is made by the leader. For example the marketing department, about weather to launch a new range of products may consider first than rushing straight into launching the products. The decisions are all taken in to account. The business of Marks and Spencer sometimes might use a mixture of Management Styles for example Marks and Spencer is consultative, the business might also be using democratic management style. Laissez-faire- This is where people are allowed to do what they feel correct, this is usually associated with medium status (e.g. Managing director Marketing Director) probably because they are experts in their field so they know what their doing. Marks and Spencer have a variety of management styles they often give a choice to the management but it depends upon where they are on the hierarchical scale. Those higher on the scale are autocratic and tell staff what to do, from the production line to the logistical designers. Those managers without managers below them are the ones which have to use an autocratic style because those below them have no knowledge on the field, while those around the middle are permitted to adopt a laissez-faire attitude to management, they are high enough in the company and have enough knowledge to use the style properly and to its maximum potential but the shareholders always have a eye on what there doing with any big decisions having a democratic vote on the item.

The levels of organizational change readiness

The levels of organizational change readiness This chapter will show my devised framework of the transformation change model to assess the level of readiness for change at AFH,across departments and units; to answer the major and minor research questions; and to achieve the research objective. The devised framework will be examined and evaluated by the use of its different variables in this paper. This chapter will illustrate the research problem, sampling method, propositions and data analysis method. 3.2 Problem Statement Senior management decided to introduce new equipment into all departments across the hospital. This has been a major change project that started in 2007. The main advantages of this change include a reduction in the rate of human error and an increase in the production of patient reports. Despite the positive impact this change would have on the ways of working in the hospital, employees had not been informed of any change prior to it being introduced, and were therefore not ready to accept the new ways of working. Reasons for this lack of acceptance will be discussed later in this paper, including: No communication between senior management and their staff. (Kotter, 2007). Training not being made available to all staff. (Lehman et al, 2002). People resisting change due to both lack of ability and knowledge, and their competing commitment of the big assumptions they will have made regarding the change process. (Kegan and Lahey, 2001). Weak management style, for example, not involving employees in the decision-making process. (Garvin and Roberto, 2001). Weak leadership style such as not clearly explaining the new vision that would come from the change (Garvin and Roberto, 2001). The level of readiness for change at AFH will be assessed and evaluated by applying the change readiness model from the literature so that the organization can achieve its goal of a completing a successful transformation process. In addition, AFH is undergoing further organizational change replacing existing managers with new managers and a new structure, based on the decision of the Ministry of Defense Headquarters in 2010. This change has been implemented in the administration department at AFH as well as across other departments and units. Some of the departments have increased in size and other departments have had to raise staffing levels due to the increased number of patients each year. Goals of the Armed Forces Hospital (AFH): To gain competitive advantage through improving the quality of work-flow by meeting the patients needs through the use of highly specialized and up-to date equipment; to ensure the accuracy of results and to decrease the rate of human error; to produce an increased level of patient results more efficiently. 3.3 Research Objective: The main objective of the thesis is to study the level of organizational change readiness in different departments of the hospital. Creating an acceptance for the need to implement change in the different departments of the hospital will result in the organization achieving its goal of improving the quality of work to treat more patients in less time. which in turn will lead to greater patient and employee satisfaction. To make useful recommendations. To learn more about readiness for change at AFH. 3.4 Conceptual Framework The devised framework is a combination of the Transformational Change Model, John P. Kotter (2007) and the Model of Change Program, Simpson (2002). The conceptual framework has six factors that affect the level of readiness for change in our case study organization (AFH) in Kuwait. We will be using both qualitative (semi-structured interviews) and quantitative (surveys) methods of research to collect our data. Staff Empowerment Leadership Skills Communication Computer availability internet access Adequate qualified staff Adequate Budget Adequate space for each employee Teamwork Vision Organizational Resources Readiness for organizational change Figure 3.1 Conceptual Framework 3.4.1 Dependent Variable of the Model as the following Ready for Organizational Change Judge and Douglas (2009) have defined employee readiness for change as the extent to which an individual or individuals are cognitively and emotionally inclined to accept, embrace and adopt a particular plan to purposefully alter the status-quo. (Judge and Douglas, 2009, P. 637). Arlbjorn et al (2006) have defined change readiness in an organization that the participant gains an understanding of the need to make change in the organization and display a willingness to take part in the change. (Arlbjorn et al, 2006, P. 129). He refers to the importance of staff involvement in the whole journey of the change process (Arlbjorn et al, 2006). He also refers to the importance of organizational alignment where employees from different departments of the organization participate in the change process and discuss shared problems and issues during group exercises. (Arlbjorn et al, 2006, P. 133). An organization that involves its employees at all levels and which has organizational alignment during the change process has an adequate level of organization readiness for change. Our research will assess the organizational readiness for change through a survey of 20 questions to assess employees overall readiness for change, and 26 interviews to find the effect and the relation of the 6 different independent variables of our model on the organizational readiness for change. 3.4.2 Independent Variables of the Model as the following Empowerment: Organizations are currently facing tough competition in a turbulent external environment. In order to ensure their survival they need to have sustained competitive advantage perceived benefits and advantages over their competitors. Competitive advantage provides an organization with the ability to increase the value of the company for its stakeholders. There is a need to transform the way they function by moving away from the traditional hierarchal and bureaucratic model of organization to the delegation of responsibilities to employees and giving more accountability further down the hierarchy to the first-line employees (Beer et al, 1990). This is done by encouraging employees to make more independent decisions at work without the need to constantly refer to their supervisors. Menon (2001) defined employee empowerment as the transfer of organizational power, energizing followers through leadership, enhancing self-efficacy through reducing powerlessness and increasing intrinsic task motivation (Menon, 2001, P. 154). Empowerment has been used to donate the act of empowering others and also to describe the internal process of the individual being empowered i.e. psychological empowerment. Empowerment means the delegating of responsibilities to other employees in decision making that will not only motivate them but make them more innovative towards the new change project which will increase job autonomy and cause job enrichment (Menon, 2001, P. 155). A good leader always empowers their staff in order to perform their work and make independent decisions. Leadership: Leadership is a relationship through which one person influences the behavior or actions of other people (Crossman, 2007, P. 514). Another definition is the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of goals (Robbins, 2005, P. 332). Burns (1978) has characterized transformational leadership through the following characteristics: Changes the status-quo Able to transform the organization Based on creativity and innovation Purpose to engender commitment of the leader and the staff as well to the change process In a successful transformational process we need to acknowledge the importance of leadership skills, such as effective communication, delegation of responsibilities to other employees and commitment. Modern change theories have emphasized both the importance of and the role of a strategic change leader in an organization who enhances the participation and cooperation of their colleagues in the decision-making process. This is unlike the traditional change theories where the emphasis was on the manager for the day to day operation of the business (Almaraz, 1994). In addition there is a need to have senior management support and commitment towards the change process to create the required level of readiness in an organization. In a successful transformation process it is important to establish a change project by having competent employees and by having participative leaders that encourage specialised training for their staff rather than directive managers to acquire change (Arlbjorn et al, 2006). A change leader must know the process of transformation and know how to create and communicate a clear change message to employees. This message determines the nature of the change and shows how employees react differently to the transformation process (Armenakis and Harris. 2002). Change leaders must also know how to answer any questions or concerns staff have regarding the need for change in a proper, convincing way. They must be able to provide tangible evidence to gain the support of their employees and their commitment to the change process (Armenakis and Harris. 2002). Communication: Communication in an organization is the most effective source of learning and developing any transformation process. Regular meetings, conferences and educational programs can all facilitate learning and increase the competency levels of staffing in order to reach the organizational goal of having a successful transformation and adequate level of readiness for change (Beer et al, 1990). A change leader must communicate the change message to employees on a regular basis. They must know how to introduce them to, and convince them of the new change vision through regular meetings to discuss work-related issues, the new change plan and strategies on how to achieve it. Email is an effective communication tool using the internet to send out the most recent and updated information. Use of an organizations intranet is another communication tool where reports can be circulated to employees on a regular basis. A skilled leader must establish a simple plan for change very early on in the change process that ensures employee acceptance, resulting in favourable outcomes and ensures employee involvement in the change process (Garvin and Roberto, 2005). Having regular meetings ensures and enhances active participation from employees in the change process. Teleconferences of live presentations is another way of communicating the change vision and message to employees. Such a teleconference presentation is called readiness speech and so managers and their staff must use the change message component framework to guide the content of the speech. The change concept should be established by a need that is easily understood and circulated among the employees of an organization (Armenakis and Harris. 2002, P. 176). A change leader manager must know how to introduce and regularly communicate the new change vision and the change message with employees through different communication channels such as meetings, speeches and newsletters. Kotter (2007). Leadership by example in different organizational departments/units is highly appreciated. A change leader must walk the talk that is consistent with the organization goal in the workplace and provide support and commitment to the transformation process. Additionally a manager with an open management style provides staff with the opportunity of open discussion and criticism which will be of benefit to both employees as well as the organization. Vision: Leadership vision is designed to mobilize an organization towards the attainment of some future state that is expressed in terms that generate enthusiasm (Armenakis and Harris. 2002). It is important to have a new change vision in the organization and to find strategies to achieve it. Vision is to gain insight into the purpose and objectives with the organization vision whether it is (differentiation, responsiveness and cost-optimization) (Arlbjorn et al, 2006, P. 133). In order to reach an organizational target it is important to develop a shared visionof how to organize and manage for competitiveness (Beer et al, 1990, P. 162). A change leader manager must define and communicate the new change vision to employees and encourage everyone to work towards achieving this vision. The new change vision should define new roles and responsibilities and coordinate the flow of information and work across independent functions at all levels of the organization. There is a need to have strategies to show everyone how to achieve the organizations goals, as well as how to achieve and accomplish the vision. For example, having a simple vision set out in a five year plan that is easy to understand, that is communicated by different stakeholders within the organization e.g. employees, clients and management, and clearly states how to reach the goals and clarifies the direction of the organization. Having a simple vision that is easily communicated and understood by the organization staff within 5 minutes or less is a useful rule of thumb (Kotter, 2007). A successful leader must know how to achieve and accomplish the organizations goals by recognizing obstacles and removing them to overcome different forms of resistance to change such as: Enhancing and increasing employee knowledge and competencies by providing training courses, lectures and workshops on a regular basis to overcome resistance to change. Change and improve organization structure by improving staff performance appraisals to be able to assess change that is consistent with staff interests and develop a staff compensation system to achieve success in the transformation process. Know how to deal with the more rigid management who are against organization development. In brief, leader managers need to treat their staff fairly, delegate accountable responsibilities, provide credibility and motivate them to become involved in the new change project. Teamwork: A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable (Katzenba ch, 1993). A team is a formal primary group of co-acting individuals who are dedicated and committed toward a common purpose to achieve the organizational goals. It is important to have collaborative, dedicated and cohesive teamwork after the establishment of the change plan as this will ensure the continuing and the accomplishing of the change plan. It will build the sense of employees ownership towards the change project to enhance their support and responsibilities towards the transformation process ((Armenakis and Harris. 2002). In order to have effective teamwork throughout the departments and across the different organizational departments, senior management must enhance employees active participation which is involving employees in activities that are designed to have them learn directly and enjoy the implementation of new issues to add value that is consistent with both employees and organization goals. This will provide opportunities to demonstrate and understand the change message and build the confidence and trust in their managers, supervisors and team based approach taken by their executives (Armenakis and Harris. 2002). In brief, teamwork without strong line leader managers will never achieve the success of the change process, and efforts without powerful guiding teams can make minor progress but will soon stop the change progress (Kotter, 2007, P. 7). Organizational Resources: Having different and adequate organizational resources is an important factor to successfully create readiness in an organization. Change requires adequate resources in various forms such as: competent employees, availability of computers and internet access and covering budget, and requires staff commitment to see the change process through to completion. Employees also need to see support of the change process from their departments (Armenakis and Harris. 2002). Organizational change might be highly desirable but unreachable due to the lack of the following resources: (Lehman et al, 2002) Open budget: in order to support and enhance the change project an organization must have a dedicated budget supported by senior management. This should be spent on having the right offices, furniture and equipment such as computers i.e. components of a healthy working environment, and spent on different specialised training courses, lectures and workshops on a regular basis to facilitate learning and to increase and develop the knowledge, skills and performance of employees (Lehman et al, 2002). Adequate and qualified staffing: an organization should have enough skilled employees to do the required job and must encourage learning to adopt the new ways of working in the transformation process. This is done by increasing the knowledge and competency levels of staff by having regular training courses, presentations and workshops to cope with change and to serve the increased number of patients at the hospital to serve more patients in less time. Providing adequate space/employees: it is important to have the right number of employees in each department section to ensure effective and efficient work-flow and to ensure monitoring and observing of the work process. Computer availability and internet access: an organization must ensure the availability of access to computers, to certain programs and e-communication between management and their staff via e-mails within departments and across departments to exchange useful information and share up to date knowledge regarding the change process. Having e-communication via e-mails and e-conferences is considered to be an effective and professional communication method. In brief, an organization that provides a dedicated budget, reported higher levels of staffing, adequate space and a healthy working environment with more I.T. resources, and that is open to effective communication will be more open to change than those organizations than those that do not. 3.4.3 Major Research Questions: To what extent are the different departments at the AFH ready for change? 3.4.4 Minor Research Questions: 1. Is the level of communication adequate in the different departments of AFH? 2. Is the level of empowerment adequate in the different departments of AFH? 3. Is the level of organizational resources appropriate in the different departments of AFH? 4. Is the level of leadership adequate in the different departments of AFH? 5. Is there a well known vision or strategic objective to the different departments of AFH? 6. Is the level of teamwork satisfactory in the different departments of AFH? 3.4.5 Propositions 1. It is proposed that management do not encourage open communication with their employees as they have seen no benefit from it during several meetings. 2. It is proposed that management do not consult other employees in the decision making process. 3. It is proposed that supervisors are unable to address issues from their staff due to low morale and a low work ethic. 4. It is proposed that management rarely communicate the new change vision during meetings, presentations or through the staff newsletters. 5. It is proposed that there is limited staff accountability and empowerment in the different AFH departments and units. The decision-making power is limited to management only. 6. It is proposed that there is are no risk taking as it is considered costly to both the organization and employees themselves. 7. It is proposed that employees did not receive the necessary training courses to improve their level of competence and readiness for change. 8. It is proposed that internet access is limited to those in more senior positions. 9. It is proposed that management did not fully involve their staff in the work produced. Only verbal guidance was given from behind their desks, showing lack of leadership by example. 10. It is proposed that management listened to employee suggestions and complaints but did not act on or implement them. 11. It is proposed that employees were not informed of the new change vision. 12. It is proposed that management in the different hospital departments did not develop strategies to meet the organization vision. 13. It is proposed that employees are not aware of teamwork. 14. It is proposed that employees lack the sense of ownership towards the change process. Relationship of the Minor Research Questions to the Proposition: Research minor questions Propositions Is the level of communication adequate in the different departments of AFH? 1. It is proposed that management do not encourage open communication with their employees because they have seen no benefit from it during several meetings. 2. It is proposed that management do not consult other employees before taking their decisions. 3. It is proposed that supervisors are unable to address issues from their staff due to low morale and a low work ethic. 4. It is proposed that management rarely communicate the new change vision during meetings, presentations or through staff newsletters. Is the level of empowerment adequate in the different departments of AFH? 5. It is proposed that there is limited staff accountability and empowerment in the different AFH department/unit. The decision-making power is limited to the management only. 6. It is proposed that there is no risk taking as it is considered costly to both the organization and employees themselves. Is the level of organizational resources adequate the different departments of AFH? 7. It is proposed that employees did not receive the necessary training courses to improve their level of competence and readiness for change. 8. It is proposed that internet access is limited to those in higher positions only. Is the level of leadership adequate in the different departments of AFH? 9. It is proposed that managers did not fully involve their staff in the work produced. Only verbal guidance was given from behind their desks, showing lack of leadership by example. 10. It is proposed that management listened to employee suggestions and complaints but did not act on them. Is there a well known vision or strategic objective to the different departments of AFH? 11. It is proposed that employees were not informed of the new change vision. 12. It is proposed that management in the different hospital departments did not develop strategies to meet the organization vision. Is the level of teamwork adequate in the different departments of AFH? 13. It is proposed that employees are not aware of teamwork. 14. It is proposed that employees lack the sense of ownership towards the change process. 3.5 Research Design: There are steps the researcher must follow to answer the research questions such as data collection, sampling, and analysis of interviews and the questionnaire. in order to be able as a researcher to examine the elements of the conceptual framework and how they impact the organizational readiness of change at AFH and to show how these elements can add value to the purpose of the research. We chose to use the qualitative and quantitative (see Appendix A) method and analysis of the data collected from my personal observations and from in-depth interviews as the rigid statistical analysis from quantitative data lacks creativity from the researchers perspective. By contrast, analysis of qualitative data deals with words and human expressions that will enrich the research paper with fewer standardized procedures and allows more creativity from the researcher. The research will be based on using semi-structured interviews with a sample of 26 interviewees. The interview questions are based on the literature and the devised model of transformational process to assess the organizations level of readiness for change. Each interview will last between 8-28 minutes. As mentioned by Sanders et al (2007) either unstructured interviews or semi-structured interviews should be used for exploratory research. As a researcher I decided to use a semi-structured interview as it provides more flexibility and convenience during data collection, as well as allowing deeper exploration of data from the answers given that would add value and credibility to the researcher itself. The research results will be supplemented by the quantitative research method, using a mini survey on a sample of 50 to measure the readiness for change level at AFH. 3.5.1 Research Sampling Methods: Sampling of 26 interviews from different departments / units, different hierarchal positions ranging from managers to front line employees with different working experiences, and different nationalities, to gain feedback on the implementation of the new change project, the establishment of new departments / units, the increase in number of employees, and restructuring of departments to assess the level of readiness towards the major change project / renewal program and new equipment . Mini survey sampling 50 employees (see Appendix B) to measure the readiness for change level at AFH. Interview Questions: For managers For employees 1. Do you encourage your staff to take independent decisions in work related issues? 1. Did your manager encourage you to take independent decisions in work related issues? 2. Did you involve your staff in the new change vision? 3. Did you know/hear about the new change vision? 2. Did your manager mention to you the new change vision? What was it? 3. Did you know/hear about the new change vision? 4. As a manager do you encourage team-work? 5. Did your staff have a sense of ownership for their project? 4. Did your manager encourage you to work as a team? 5. Did you have any sense of ownership towards the new change project? 6. How often do you meet with your staff to discuss work related issues? 6. Did your manager ask you to attend meetings? 7. Did your manager use any speeches or information boards to inform you about new work issues? 8. How often does your manager communicate with you on work related issues? 7. Can you answer your staff on reasons for the need for change? What do you say? 8. Do you encourage open-criticism when you meet with your staff? 9. Do you listen to your staff when making decisions (individualism, collectivism) 10. What do you do in order to convince people regarding change? 9. Did you ask your manager why change is needed? What did they say? 10. Did your manager encourage you to criticize their working style to improve the quality of work? 11. Did your manager listen to you when you gave your opinion on work related issues? 12. What do you learn from your manager (leadership by example)? 11. Do you attend any special training courses/lectures nationally and/or internationally? 12. Is there is any dedicated budget for training courses? 13. How often do you attend training courses/lectures/workshops? Organizational Change Readiness Assessment (Survey) -3=strongly disagree +1=slightly agree -2=disagree +2=agree -1=slightly disagree +3=strongly agree 0=not sure/dont knowIndicate your level of agreement with each statement using the following scale: Organizational Support: Level of agreement 1. The organizations visions are truly a shared vision in that employees at all levels understand, value, and work toward accomplishing this vision through their daily work. 2. Decision making and authority are decentralized (there are multiple levels of decision makers throughout the organization-decision making is not centralized at the top). 3. Employees have, in the past, actively participated in organizational decision making, goal setting, and organizational change initiatives. 4. Employee ideas and suggestions for improving their work and the organization are listened to. 5. Employees view the organizations training and development programmes as effective and supportive of change-driven training needs. 6. The organization is effective at setting and achieving measurable performance goals and targets. 7. The organization effectively uses multiple communication channels to routinely and effectively communicate with employees. Cultural: Level of agreement 8. Real teamwork and collaboration exist within and between organizational works unit/departments. 9. There is a high level of trust between leaders and employees. 10. Employees generally feel encouraged to innovate, offer ideas and take risks. 11. People here generally feel that they personally responsible for their own success. Change Environment: Level of agreement 12. The proposed change and its effects on all organizational dimensions (e.g., structure, strategy, processes, workflow, systems, etc.) are clearly defined and understood by those leading the change. 13. When the change is completed, we will be able to gauge our success with the change effort (there are clear measures to evaluate the change results). 14. The organization has successfully implemented change initiatives in the past. 15. The reason or the why of the coming change can easily be translated into tangible evidence that will get the attention of employees. Employee Attitudes: Level of agreement 16. Employees feel a sense of urgency- a felt need -for change. 17. Employees have a high level of job engagement (job engagement reflects employee commitment to their jobs and the organization). 18. Employees feel able to make decisions and act independently concerning their daily work. 19. Innovators and risk takers exist at all levels of the organization. 20. Employees have confidence in their managers ability to successfully guide them through the change. Readiness component Score Organizational support Cultural Change environment Employee attitudes Total overall change readiness

Sunday, August 4, 2019

hamlet: sanity vs insanity Essay example -- essays research papers

As stated by Ms. Turk, â€Å"If a person in a rational state of mind decides to act crazy, to abuse the people around him regardless of whether he loves those people or hates them, and to give free expression to all his antisocial thoughts, when he starts to carry out those actions, its it possible to say at what point the stops pretending and starts actually being crazy?†. In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the way others interpret Hamlet’s behavior is different from the way Hamlet views himself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hamlet is in a situation where his sanity is turning into insanity. He is like one of those people who tell so many lies that they start believing their own lies. Hamlet’s acting is so vivid to him that, unconsciously, his state of mind has become irrational. He is turning against everyone in order to follow the orders of revenge from his father’s ghost. In order to do so, he is finding any possible way to bring out the guilt in everyone due to his father’s murder. In Act III, scene ii, Hamlet has written parts for players to put on a show for Claudius in order for him to bring out the guilt within Claudius. The play doesn’t affect Claudius until it is revealed that Lucianus, the kings nephew, is the one that kills the king. Claudius then cries out due to the fear of Hamlet killing him. Also, in this scene, Hamlet admired Horatio’s level-headedness and calmness because those are some qualities that Hamlet lacks. Hamlet tries to b reak his mother down in Act ...

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Mary Renaults The Last of the Wine Essay -- Mary Renault Last Wine Gr

Mary Renault's The Last of the Wine The Last of the Wine, written by Mary Renault and published by Pantheon Books in 1956, is a classical novel that is both historically informative and entertaining. It is a recreation of classical Greece during the Peloponnesian War, when Pericles was the leader of the city of Athens. The story is being told in the first person narrative by Alexas, an Athenian soldier who survives the war. He reflects on his childhood, his experiences as a soldier, and his society's reaction to the ravages of the Peloponnesian war. This was a time when the Spartans had the city of Athens under siege. They burned the surrounding farms, cutting off the food supply of the Athenians who sought refuge inside the city. Alexas recalls the hardships the Athenians faced and their gallant efforts to protect their city from Spartan invasion. The main themes in this book are war, power, heroism, love, loyalty and growth. We are given further insight into the classical Greek society as Alexas reminisces about his family life, his training as an athlete, the Olympic Games, his homosexual relationship with his mentor Lysis, and his encounters with Socrates the Philosopher. The main characters seem dogged by guilt, loneliness or failure, often the failure to love. The book ends on a triumphant note, with the Athenians defeating the Spartans, and liberating their city from the corrupt politicians. Mary Renault is an award-winning novelist who writes imaginative historical fiction. Her literary works center on the social, cultural and political ambiance of pre-classical, classical, and Hellenistic Greece. Renault "is mainly concerned with deepening and reconstructing myths for the purpose of describing contemporary prob... ...leader to create a vision for our youths and our society at large. We are to examine our political institutions to see if they serve the interest of the people. I can vouch for the authenticity of the information in this book. It is historically correct and can be corroborated by the textbook currently being used in my history class. The Last of the Wine makes delightful reading and will appeal to readers of all interests. Written in a style and language that is easily understood and appreciated, it bristles with excitement, adventure and heroic exploits. With all the foregoing in mind, I strongly recommend this book as a literary masterpiece. Works Cited ILandon, C. Burns Jr., "Mary Renault" in Gunton, Sharon R, ed., Contemporanry Literature Criticism. Twaynes Publishers Inc, 1969, 394-397. 2 Renault, Mary. The Last of the Wine Pantheon Rooks, 1956.

Friday, August 2, 2019

Personal Trainer, Inc. Essay

Background You are enjoying your job as a student intern at Personal Trainer. Last week, Susan asked you to help her plan the new information system project. Susan knows that you have completed several information systems courses at the local college, and that you have studied project management tools and techniques. Specifically, she wants you to get ready for the next set of systems development tasks, which will be requirements modeling for the new system. Yesterday, Susan called you into her office to discuss the specific tasks she wants you to perform. After meeting with Susan, you sit down and review your notes. She wants you to treat the set of tasks as a project, and to use project management skills to plan the tasks. Here is what she suggested to you as a work breakdown structure, including the duration she estimated for each task: First, you need to meet with fitness center managers at other Personal Trainer locations (10 days). After these meetings, you can conduct a series of interviews (8 days). When the interviews are complete, two tasks can begin at the same time: you can review company records (2 days) and observe business operations (7 days). When you have reviewed the records and observed business operations, you can analyze the BumbleBee accounting software (3 days) and study a sample of sales and billing transactions (1 day). You are excited about the opportunity to practice your skills, and you start to work on the following list. Personal Trainer, Inc. Fact-Finding Summary A typical center has 300-500 members, with two membership levels: full and limited. Full members have access to all activities. Limited members are restricted to activities they have selected, but they can participate in other activities by paying a usage fee. All members have charge privileges. Charges for merchandise and services are recorded on a charge slip, which is signed by the member. At the end of each day, cash sales and charges are entered into the BumbleBee accounting software, which runs on a computer workstation at each location. Daily cash receipts are deposited in a local bank and credited to the corporate Personal Trainer account. The BumbleBee program produces a daily activity report with a listing of all sales transactions. At the end of the month, the local manager uses BumbleBee to transmit an accounts receivable summary to the Personal Trainer headquarters in Chicago, where member statements are prepared and mailed. Members mail their payments to the Personal Trainer headquarters, where the payment is applied to the member account. The BumbleBee program stores basic member information, but does not include information about member preferences, activities, and history. Currently, the BumbleBee program produces one local report (the daily activity report) and three reports that are prepared at the headquarters location: a monthly member sales report, an exception report for inactive members and late payers, and a quarterly profit-and-loss report that shows a breakdown of revenue and costs for each separate activity. Assignments 1. List the system requirements, with examples for each category. Review the information that Susan gathered, and assume that she will add her own ideas to achieve more effective outputs, inputs, processes, performance, and controls. The system requirements for the new Personal Trainer system can be identified by careful analysis of the fact-finding summary on page 184. The summary contains a number of â€Å"must† statements, and various items on the â€Å"wish list† that were suggested by local managers and staff members. Students should be able to identify, classify, and enumerate these items. Sample suggestions for outputs, inputs, processes, performance, and controls might include the following: Outputs: Report on delinquent payments, more frequent reports on trends and profitability, computerized activity and wellness log, more detailed exception reports, what-if scenarios that managers can use to plan promotions and discounts Inputs: More information about member preferences, activities and history, method to obtain member suggestions and e-mail messages Dr. Rafael Nieves Page 4 Processes: Automated process to scan key chain IDs or credit cards, process to manage part-time instructors and staff Performance: New design for sales slips, better information on members Controls: Standardized coding system to be used company wide, better  reconciliation of data, and creation of audit trails 2. Are there scalability issues that Susan should consider? What are they? Scalability refers to a system’s ability to handle increased business volume and transactions in the future. Because it will have a longer useful life, a scalable system offers a better return on the initial investment. To evaluate scalability, Susan will need information about projected future volume for all outputs, inputs, and processes. For example, she would need to know the estimated number of customers, transaction volume, peak periods, number and types of data items required for each transaction, and the method of accessing and updating customer files. 3. If Susan wants to conduct a survey of current or prospective members to obtain their input, what type of sampling should she use? Why? Students might suggest a stratified sample of former members and prospective members. It is relatively easy to identify former members from Personal Trainer’s records, but it might be more difficult to identify prospective members. Several options are available. Personal Trainer might request survey input from members who have recommended friends in the past. Were the new members happy, and did they remain as members? Why or why not? This might be quite valuable input in predicting future membership results.  Also, perhaps the company has a list of people who have requested information about Personal Trainer in the past, but never signed up for a class. That group might be an interesting sample. Finally, former students might be an interesting group to survey. 4. Draw an FDD that shows the main operations described in the fact statement. The fact-finding summary on page 184 identifies many of Personal Trainer’s activities, functions, and processes. Answers will vary based on different perceptions of Personal Trainer’s main operations.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Medea shows that seeking revenge undermines any hope of justice Essay

The brutal course of revenge which Medea exacts on Jason may suggest that in the pursuit of revenge, one render any prospect of attaining justice to be void. However in an indirect way, Medea’s course of revenge which implicates the lives of innocents, exerts a punishment on her. Ultimately, the fact that Medea is not directly subjected to a punishment for her extreme course of her revenge is attributable to her ancestry – she is the grand-daughter of the Sun-God. This nullifies any suggestion that seeking revenge overthrows the likelihood of justice, as Medea’s divine circumstances are an anomaly. Thereby, this outcome of her ploy of revenge is not representative of the outcome which an identical course of revenge would yield for an ordinary citizen in Ancient Greece. On a superficial and simplistic level, the success of Medea’s course of revenge suggests that justice has been attained, as we witness the rightful downfall of Jason. Jason’s betrayal of Medea in the form of his abandonment, results in the breaking of the oath he pledged to Medea and the Gods. Thus, in adherence to the notion of divine justice, that the Gods will exact justice on those who commit unnatural deeds, Jason deserves a calamitous punishment for the breaking of this oath to the Gods and Medea, who â€Å"never did him wrong†. Through achieving revenge on Jason in the most effective manner possible, via murdering their children and his wife, Medea inflicts this just punishment on Jason. However, on a more profound level, Medea’s immoderate course of revenge instills within the audience a sense that her course of revenge has been essentially counter-productive to achieving true justice. In her pursuit of revenge, Medea murders her innocent children, indicating that she has committed an indisputably barbaric injustice, while seeking to exert justice on Jason. To a lesser extent, this also applies to Glauce and Creon. Although they have been involved in Jason’s abandonment of Medea through implicitly condoning it, Medea’s murder of these two is also unwarranted and unjustifiable. Yet, despite committing these gross injustices, the play concludes without any direct form of divine justice being exerted on Medea. To the contrary, Medea receives assistance in fleeing Corinth. To a certain extent justice is indirectly inflicted on Medea for her excessive course of revenge, pertaining particularly to the murders of her children. It noticeable intensifies Medea’s plight, suggesting that a punishment is derived on Medea. Prior to committing these barbaric deeds, Medea recognises that they will cause her to â€Å"endure guilt, however horrible.† Medea’s desire for the continued presence of her children shows that she maintains a compassionate nature towards her children, affirming that Medea’s murder of her children will be to the detriment of her enduring quality of life. This is confirmed by Medea’s complete agreement with Jason’s view that the murders of their children cause Medea â€Å"to suffer too, my loss is yours [Medea’s] no less. â€Å"Medea’s association with the gods by her ancestry, refutes the widespread applicability of the notion that revenge cannot succeed in terms of forming true justice. Medea is the grand-daughter of the Sun-God. This is shown most emphatically in the manner in which Medea murders Glauce. Medea perpetrates the murder of Glauce through engulfing her in flames. Similarly, she exhibits an affiliation with the god Zeus, and the god of the underworld, â€Å"Queen Hecate †¦ my chosen accomplish.† This affiliation is pivotal to why a punishment is not directly exerted on Medea by the gods for the injustices she commits whilst perpetrating her ploy for revenge on Jason. Thus, informing us that for an ordinary citizen in Ancient Greece, such an unscathed outcome would not be possible. It forces us to realise that the outcome of Medea does not conclusively show that seeking revenge through immoderate means leads to a failure to achieve true justice. In many ways, Medea’s departure from Corinth within a chariot provided by the Gods, despite the callous deeds she has committed in exacting revenge on Jason, suggests that the pursuit of revenge occurs at the expense of the formation of genuine justice. However, we must be cautious to accept this misguided suggestion, due to Medea’s rare circumstance of divine attributes, which enables her to be vindicated by the Gods for her merciless deeds perpetrated whilst exerting justice on Jason. References:Euripides, Medea