Saturday, December 28, 2019

Intercultural Marriage Essay example - 1030 Words

Caroline Hwang made the point in her essay quot;The Good Daughterquot; that as a first generation American her parents expected her to marry a Korean man. Hwang decided to only date the non-Korean men which she knew she could quot;stay clearheaded about† so she could fulfill her parent’s wishes and bear children that looked Korean. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the essay â€Å"Your Place is Emptyquot; by Anne Tyler the decision to marry within cultural boundaries was not made. Hassan (a young doctor who took up practice in America) decided to marry Elizabeth (a very American girl). Hassan’s mother decides to take a trip to America and stay as a house guest. The cultural gap between Mrs. Ardavi and Elizabeth as mother-in-law and†¦show more content†¦This caused minor difficulties while doing laundry. Mrs. Ardavi had to used a special rack which she ran under water in the shower (because Elizabeth assembled it) to do her laundry. Hilary is another matter altogether. Hilary is only three years old and doesn’t understand why her grandmother acts so differently. At most times she doesn’t even seem to care. Though she is not Muslim or full blooded Iranian Mrs. Ardavi still had no problem treating Hilary as if she was Iranian and a part of the family. Hilary seemed to be the largest commonality between the women. The scene in which Hilary seemed to bring the women closer the most is when Mrs. Ardavi first arrives and asks to see her. The smells â€Å"of milk and rubber, and talcum powder, smells she would know anywhere. Even in the half-light from the hallway, she could tell that Hilary was beautiful. She had black, tumbling hair, long black lashes, and a skin of a tone they called wheat-colored, lighter than Hassan’s.† In this part Mrs. Ardavi shows that Hilary is not part of any real category yet, not Christian or Muslim so she may be considered an innocent still. The issue of Hilaryà ¢â‚¬â„¢s status as being clean or unclean is just not discussed. Hilary was also the main subject of some of the disagreements between Elizabeth and Mrs. Ardavi. The methods of child rearing that Elizabeth used on Hilary were at times quite different from those which Mrs. Ardavi had at one point used on her own sons or sometimes suggested.Show MoreRelatedEmpirical Research For Treatment Of Intercultural Marriage856 Words   |  4 PagesEmpirical Research for treatment of Intercultural Marriage According to Hsu (2001), intercultural marriage is â€Å"marriage formed by partners with relatively diverse cultural backgrounds† (p.225). This is prominently seen through the film, in which Toula, a Grecian-American marries Ian Miller, a Caucasian- American. This film depicts the conflict that surrounds this union prior to marriage, such as planning the wedding, navigating the cultural differences and gaining parental approval for the unionRead MoreIntercultural Marriage Is Not Just A Union Between Two Cultures827 Words   |  4 PagesIn addition to these basic problems, another major issue ascends about religion. Intercultural marriage is not just a union between two cultures, but also of two religions. Many a times, marriages face a breakup or divorce just because the two are not able to unite in terms of their respective religions. In such a situation, one partner either endure their own religion or change their preferences for the other. But, then they might have quarre ls on religious matters when it comes to family or forRead More The Effect of Cultural Difference on Intercultural Marriage Essay1240 Words   |  5 PagesThe Effect of Cultural Difference on Intercultural Marriage As the world integrates, more and more people are leaving their mother lands to visit, study and work overseas. Young people now have more opportunities to meet prospective partners from other cultures than they had in the past. â€Å"The number of intercultural couples is increasing worldwide.† (Klein, par.3) Many intercultural couples claim that their relationships do not differentiate from monoculture relationships at first. PassionateRead MoreDevelopmental Model Of Intercultural Sensitivity1225 Words   |  5 Pages Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity is a creation of Milton J. Bennett and is used as a basis to describe the responses of individuals to cultural diversity. In both corporate and academic settings, he noticed that people normally challenged cultural diversity in some anticipated methods as they gained knowledge of becoming more experienced intercultural communicators. Using ideas from constructivism and cognitive psychology, he structuredRead MoreAn Introduction to Intercultural Communication29172 Words   |  117 PagesIntroduction to Intercultural Communication Intercultural communication is of importance to international businesses as it examines how people from different cultures, beliefs and religions come together to work and communicate with each other. Demands for intercultural communication skills are increasing as more and more businesses go global or international. They realize that there are barriers and limitations when entering a foreign territory. Without the help of intercultural communicationRead MoreGlobal Awareness : Global And Cultural Perspectives With Social, Political, Cultural, And Environmental Components1105 Words   |  5 Pagesown cultural boundaries. Experiencing cultures outside our accepted norms help foster understanding and awareness of the need for global sensitivity, especially in a society where cultures increasingly blend. An increase in biracial and bicultural marriages, partnerships, and interactions gives even more reason to teach the next generation the importance of cross cultural acceptance. Tolerance of other cultures in close proximity, or even across the globe, is essential as we enter an era with fewerRead MoreEssay about Intercultural Communication1561 Words   |  7 Pages(1990), the defi nition of â€Å"intercultural marriage† is explained as the marriage between partners from different racial, ethnic, national or religious backgrounds. Now intercultural marriage becomes a trend and receives a massive notice, which explains why it appears as frequent topic on several magazines, news, documentaries†¦ Many couples now are more interesting in this topic and also can have better advices in this field than they were 30 years ago, when intercultural marriage was such an unfamiliarRead MoreExploring Gottman Method Therapy And Cognitive Behavioral Individual Therapy1483 Words   |  6 Pagesof both theories, one can integrate and adapt case conceptualization to meet the needs of diverse clients. For this paper, I will be examining the diversity within couples and families through the lens of intercultural marriage. Biever, Bobele and North (1998) stated that the term intercultural represents a broader range of cultural variables on which couples differ, in par ticular differences within race, ethnicity and/or religion. For this paper, the specific diversity emphasis is with two clientsRead MoreCross Culture Of Cross Cultural Marriage1299 Words   |  6 PagesCross-cultural marriage is a marriage composed of two culturally diverse individual who independently posses distinct national cultures. Cheung (2005) stated that it is generally accepted in long-term marriage literature that the five â€Å"C† are important elements that contribute to long-term marital satisfaction. The five Cs are commitment, caring, communication, conflict and compromise, and contract which refers to the marital partners’ implicit and explicit expectations of each other and their marriages. NowadaysRead MoreA Good Education807 Words   |  4 Pagescomes to Education and Interventions that are used to Promote Positive Change in Families, I feel that the coursework that best prepared me for this consisted of EPSY 5323: Parent and Family Education as w ell as EPSY 5423: Marriage and Relationship Education. In the Marriage and Relationship Education course, it was required that we evaluate ourselves and fellow classmates teaching at the very beginning and end of the semester. This proved to be incredibly helpful because it allowed me to see how

Friday, December 20, 2019

Analysis Of James Joyce s A Portrait Of An Artist As A...

James Joyce and H.G. Wells had different styles of writing and relied on different forms of narration. H.G. Wells was direct and focused on the external environment or situation. He did not give much insight on the thoughts or internal struggle of his characters, while James Joyce did. Joyce supplied his characters with a greater level of internal comprehension than Wells did and was able to provide more human like characters. This difference is especially seen in H.G Well’s Tono-Bungay and James Joyce’s A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man. They do share their views on the lifestyle of religious people, but there is a difference in their style of writing their respective novels and the reality they attempt to portray. They contrast in how they convey emotional moments, they portray violence in different lights, and their view toward youth. In Tono-Bungay one sees that his style of writing is autobiographical. He attempted to produce his novel by taking inspiration of his own life. This is seen in the opening pages of the novel when he is explaining the purpose of Tono-Bungay, â€Å"I warn you this book is going to be something of an agglomeration. I want to trace my social trajectory (and my uncle’s) as the main line of my story, but as this is my first novel and almost certainly my last, I want to get in, too, all sorts of things that struck me, things that amused me and impressions I got—even although they don’t minister directly to my narrative at all†¦I’ve given, I see, anShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of James Joyce s Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man2299 Words   |  10 Pagescontrol by the Catholic Church provided structure and stability in their lives, for others it was a source of major struggle and inner conflict. James Joyce found the Catholic Church’s power to be both overwhelming and repressive. In his Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, we see his inner struggle portrayed through the main character Stephen Dedalus. Like Joyce, Stephen struggles throughout his childhood and adolescence with the rigidity and severity of the Catholic Church. Initially, Stephen blindlyRead MoreAnalysis Of James Joyce s Portrait Of An Artist As A Young Man2639 Words   |  11 Pagesof the nature of God. James Joyce s Portrait of An Artist as a Young Man is a narration of the transition from childhood to adulthood of the protagonist, Stephen Dedalus, who grows up in a Catholic society and family life in Ireland. Because of the nature of his church s role in his life, Stephen faces internal conflict regarding his own thoughts and beliefs about the nature of God. After many trials and tribulations with his faith life, Stephen realizes that the church s unequivocal teachingsRead MoreAnalysis Of James Joyce s A Portrait Of An Artist As A Young Man Essay1953 Words   |  8 PagesJames Joyce and H.G. Welles had different styles of writing and relied on different forms of narration. H.G. Wells was direct and focused on the external environment or situation. He did not give much insight on the thoughts or internal struggle of his characters, while James Joyce did. Joyce supplied his characters with a greater level of internal comprehension than Wells did and was able to provide more human like characters. This difference is especially seen in H.G Well’s Tono-Bungay and JamesRead More The Key Elements of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Essay1853 Words   |  8 PagesKey Elements of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   James Joyces A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man provides an introspective exploration of an Irish Catholic upbringing. To provide the reader with a proper interpretation, Joyce permeates the story with vivid imagery and a variety of linguistic devices. This paper will provide an in-depth of analysis of the work by examining its key elements. The central theme of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is Stephen DedalusRead MoreSmugging in the Square: Homosexuality as a Literary Device in James Joyces A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man.3689 Words   |  15 PagesWhat can be said of the menacing literary masterpiece that is A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is that the gender issues Joyce so surreptitiously weaves into Stephan Dedalus’s character create sizable obstacles for the reader to overcome. Joyce expertly composes a feminine backdrop in which he can mold Stephan to inexplicably become innately homosexual. As Laurie Teal points out â€Å"†¦ Joyce plays with gender inversion as a uniquely powerful tool of characterization.†(63) Stephan’s constant conflictRead More Paralysis in Dubliners Essay2290 Words   |  10 PagesIn his letters, Joyce himself has said that Dubliners was meant â€Å"to betray the soul of that hemiplegia or paralysis which many consider a city† (55). The paralysis he was talking about is the paralysis of action. The characters in Dubliners exemplify paralysis of action in their inability to escape their lives. In another of Joyce’s writings, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Joyce writes of Ireland: â€Å"When the soul of a man is born in this country there are nets flung at it to holdRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 Pagesnovel is sometimes used interchangeably with Bildungsroman, but its use is usually wider and less technical. The birth of the Bildungsroman is normally dated to the publication of Wilhelm Meister s Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang Goethe in 1795–96,[8] or, sometimes, to Christoph Martin Wieland s Geschichte des Agathon of 1767.[9] Although the Bildungsroman arose in Germany, it has had extensive influence first in Europe and later throughout the world. Thomas Carlyle translated Goethe’s novelRead MoreEssay on Georg Lukacs, quot;the Ideology of Modernismquot;7555 Words   |  31 PagesUnion. In order to champion realism, and specifically an ideologically charged realism, as the only good way to write, Lukacs had to set himself in opposition to the literary movement that had superseded realism in the West, modernism (writers like James Joyce, William Faulkner, Robert Musil, and so on). This essay is his attempt to distinguish the two absolutely, in favor of course of realism. Basically, for Lukacs (and for the Soviet Union), modernism is the last desperate cry of a dying economicRead MoreCleanth Brookss Essay Irony as a Principle of Structure9125 Words   |  37 PagesMarx’s economic theories as such: we shall confine our discussion to their methodological premises and implications. It will in any case be obvious to the reader that the present writer upholds the validity of their content. Secondly, a detailed analysis of Rosa Luxemburg’s thought is necessary because its seminal discoveries no less than its errors have had a decisive influence on the theories of Marxists outside Russia, above all in Germany. To some extent this influence persists to this day. ForRead MorePlace8569 Words   |  35 PagesThey looked so beautiful for me (in their old age and single blessedness), and the kitchen smelled like fresh flowers. The other kitchen I can remember is the kitchen of my grandmother in a far remote place, along the Pacific Ocean. My grandmother s kitchen is a big kitchen built of wood. Imagine how old houses looked. There was firewood, big cooking utensils, as if they re always serving 100 people everyday. There were sacks of rice piled on top of the other. Chickens were roaming in the backyard

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Secret Recipe free essay sample

This report is done under the subject of HBM222 Marketing Planning, a report on marketing plan for Secret recipe. Marketing plan included information and background about Secret recipe, the process of strategy marketing, consisted of a target markets and a marketing mix. It’s also included time-related details such as expected costs and revenues for the strategy. . In this report, there were 6 main sections or parts. The first part was introduction and situation analysis, provided some background about Secret recipe and contained an appropriate analysis of Secret Recipe including the SWOT analysis, macro environment analysis, and industry environment, critical success factors (CSF) and so on. The second part was Secret Recipe marketing objectives. This section provided an outline of Secret Recipe mission and objectives. The corporate objective of Secret Recipe is to provide to have annual turnover between 15%-20%. Cash flow is to be positive every year. Other issues are corporate financial objectives, corporate non financial objectives gap analysis and rationales. The third part, we identified and analyzed possible strategic choices or options that, typically, involve a selection of particular target markets and segment markets into 3 segments, which are fun, family and health. Besides, we have proposed 1 new segment, convenience segment. Then we developed the major marketing mix components, the 4Ps (products, promotion, price, place). Generally, the strategy also included a positioning statement and described the desired image that the marketing mix will be designed to elaborate and reinforce. We recommended new products development in the existing segments and also the new segments. The new products in this strategic marketing plan is not only to change and satisfy the needs of the consumers but also to achieve the company’s mission of targeting long term profit and sales by providing high quality and healthy food products to the consumers. In the fourth section, we provided yearly budget form year 2005 to 2008. Specific budget are provided for major items of costs, such as manufacturing, promotion, raw material and services. For the fifth section, we provided monthly plan for the year 2009. We applied Product Life Cycle for the estimated time when the actions needed to be started and completed. We also included who will in charge of each time frame in each implementation plan for each product segment. Finally, in the last part of this report, we have identified whether planned activities are being accomplished successfully, and whether financial and other objectives, such as some market share, new product, performances are being achieved. In 1997, Secret Recipe was officially launched as a household lifestyle cafe. Nowadays Secret Recipe has effectively establish its brand name in the international market which range to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, China and Philippines by the good quality of its cakes, fusion food and distinctive service. Secret recipe is a largest cafe chain in Malaysia with Halal certification awarded by Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM), Secret Recipe is committed to continue to adhere to the standards of preparation of all food in the restaurant in accordance to the regulatory guidelines. Customers can always enjoy in confidence from more than 20 types of fusion food, 40 cake creations and pastries, with a flavorful range of ice cream and beverages offered in all Secret Recipe outlets. Secret Recipe promises to give the best satisfaction to all its valuable customers. StatesNo. of outlets Kuala Lumpur46 Selangor48 Perak5 Penang9 Johor11 Melaka 4 Negeri Sembilan5 Kelantan2 Kedah5 Pahang 3 Sabah 2 Sarawak2 Terengganu1 Currently, Secret Recipe has 143 outlets and they hope to open more than 160 outlets of Secret Recipe throughout the Asia. In the past 5 years, Secret Recipe has registered an impressive double-digit growth. In a short period of ten years, Secret Recipe has experienced a rapid growth of over 150 cafes throughout the region. Secret Recipe has earned numerous accolades every year for its performance. Secret Recipe continuously strives to surpass its own accomplishments and to be recognized as a leader in the industry. 2. 1. 2 Nature of Markets 2. 1. 3 Secret’s Recipe Products There are some major products of Secret Recipe. The table below illustrates the brands under each Product Line. Width of Product Mix Depth of Product LineKids’ MenuFusion Menu Food Kid’s burger, Kid’s Fish and Chips, Kkid’s Spaghetti Bolognese. Japanese Soba, Roasted Chicken with Turmeric Sauce, Prawn Macaroni with Cheese, Pan-grilled Dory with Lobster Sauce, Thai Style Fried Rice, Tom Yum Spaghetti, Irish Lamb Stew, Curry Seafood Laksa, Thai Style Noodles, Spaghetti Meatballs, Lasagna (Pasta), Fish and Chips, Caribbean Style Seabass (Fish and Lamb), Grilled Black Pepper Chicken, Grilled Mushroom Chicken. Width of Product Mix Depth of Product LineHealthy MenuBrowniesChocolate cakes and CreamCheese Cakes Hi-fibre cream cheese, Sugar free moist chocolate, Trans fat free peach cream. Garden Salad, Vegetarian SobaApple cheese slice, Brownies walnut, Carrot slice, Prune slice, Super supreme. Black forest, Chocolate chip walnut, Chocolate fudge, Chocolate indulgence, Chocolate strawberry, Mango delight, Moist chocolate cake, Tiramisu, White chocolate macadamia. Apple crumble cheese, baked cheese, Blueberry cheese, Cappuccino cheese, Caramel cream cheese, Cheese choc, chocolate cheese, Classic cheese, Espresso cheese, Lemon cheese, Marble cheese, New York cheese, Oreo cheese, Raspberry cheese, Yogurt cheese. Width of Product Mix Depth of Product LineBeverages Orange Juice, Green Apple juice, Cappuccino, Espresso Macchiato, Mocha, Cafe latte, Pepsi, 7-up, Organic Tea, Secret Recipe sky juice, Ice lemon tea, 2. 1. 4 Competitors Nowadays, Secret Recipe is an international lifestyle cafe that provides many choices in beverages, meals and desserts to its customers. There are few potential competitors that could affect the business of Secret Recipe. Secret Recipe’s major competitors in Kuching are Starbucks and The Junk which is almost provides same products. However, Secret Recipe has its own power compares to another lifestyle cafes in Sarawak since others do not provide wide range of products as Secret Recipe does. 2. 1. 5 Customers Customers of Secret Recipe could enjoy its delicious cakes by directly approaching the nearest Secret Recipe cafe. Moreover, the member of Secret Card owners can enjoy the discount privilege that is provided by Secret Recipe. There are four group of consumer, and these are shown in the table below: SegmentDemographic ProfileCore EssenceProducts Fun LeisureKids, teenagersKids and teenagers are fond of ice-cream, cake and junk food. Kids’ meal, side order such as French fries, Cheese Cakes, Brownies, Orange Juice, Green Apple Juice, Soft Drink, Coffee beverages. Health Health-conscious customers, aged customersSociety concern more on health issues nowadays. Vegetarian Soba, Garden Salad, Hi Fibre Cream Cheese, Trans Fat Free Peach Cream Cake, Sugar Free Moist Chocolate. FamilyFamilies with childrenFamily can enjoy leisure time together while having their meals. Fish and Chips, Pasta, Thai Style Noodles, Grilled Black Pepper, Chicken soup, and other fusion food. 2. 2 Macro Environment Analysis . 2. 1 Political and Legal As Secret Recipe is expanding internationally, trade restrictions, tariffs, tax policies and employment laws that related to their business countries have influence upon Secret Recipe. For instance, tax policies will affect on the cost of the raw materials in making their products. As Malaysia is a Muslim country, Secret Recipe has a legal regulation of Halal Certification by Jabatan Kemaju an Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) which ensures that all meals and beverages are safe to be consumed by Muslim people. 2. 2. 2 Economic Economic is getting well and stable in Malaysia since economic crisis and Malaysian people tend to spend more in their meals and drinks. Malaysias unemployment rate fell sharply from 3. 4% in the June quarter to 3. 1% in the third stanza which considered as low. As Malaysia has stable economy, it can ensure the business will not be affected. However, the inflation rate and consumer price index will influence the cost of the raw materials which may be increase. The risk should be taking into account to avoid losing. This is because raw material is one of the factors that will influence the industry. 2. 2. Social-cultural The social and cultural influences on business vary from country to country. Social factors include the demographic and cultural aspects of the external environment. These factors affect customers’ needs and the size of the potential market. In Malaysia, many employees avoid to cook by themselves. They tend to have their meals outside as it could save their tim e. It is very common for us to see people spending their time with colleagues, friends or even with family for meals. This is the culture of Malaysians since years ago and has proven that those people have higher standard of living. As a result Secret Recipe is the best choice for them, as different consumers could have different kind of needs and wants at the same time and place which is Secret Recipe. The consumer spending pattern is changing as more and more people are going to cafe instead of going to local food stall (known as â€Å"kopitiam†) especially for teenagers. They would like to spend more to have higher quality of foods and drinks in comfortable environment. However, there is large amount of market share having a piece of cake or food and drink in the open air food stall (known as â€Å"kopitiam†) as it is cheaper compared to restaurant or cafe. As a result, majority of people who are going to Secret Recipe is the middle or high status society adults. 2. 2. 4 Technological As Secret Recipe is an international cafe that operated in many countries in Asia, it needs high technology to have their information flow and share among each outlet. Moreover, the information gathered also need to be analyzed before presented to the manager by using computer technology. Another technology such as electronic mixer is used to make sure the ingredients for baking cake and pastries are mixed well in a correct timing. As well as Wincool Refrigerator (WCR) that is used by Secret Recipe is to allow Secret Recipe to offer the highest standard quality products by keeping the raw materials and cakes fresh. Nuova Simonelli’s blender also helps in blending coffee or fruits. Moreover its computerized baking oven and electric stove also allow the company to create unique computerized curved in baking and cooking which make the cakes, pastries and foods taste greats. With the helps of those different kind of machines, and of course its own secret recipe, it will be able to standardize their products especially cakes to customers all over their cafes. . 2. 5 Natural environment including Ecological Factors Concerning about health issue, Secret Recipe proudly invites consumers to its restaurant as it serve healthy yet yummy dishes, beverages and desserts. It makes sure that all products are safe to be consumed by anyone at any ages. Moreover, Secret Recipe also maintains the nutrition of their products ’ balance. This can be transparently seen from their main dishes, Pan-Grilled Dory with Lobster Sauce. Fish are loaded with omega-3 for children and if you are pregnant, for your unborn child. However, as global warming is getting concern, Secret Recipe participates in giving consideration towards environment. The take-away cake is wrapped nicely with a cardboard box. It is very safe for environment as it is recyclable. 2. 3. Industry Environment 2. 3. 1 Market Industry Review 2. 3. 1. 1 Current Market Status Comparing to another food outlets like The Junk and Starbucks that are currently available in Sarawak, Secret Recipe can be considered as unique cafe. It provides numerous of menu, from local to international dishes as well as desserts such as cakes, pies, brownies which it is well-known of. This kind of condition describes how wide its target market is. Generally, Secret Recipe’s market is targeted to white-collar which has medium to higher income. However, today’s teenager seemed not to be very concern on how much is needed to spend on what they are consuming. This is good news for cafe like Secret Recipe as the price of menus are not longer become the obstacle. Moreover, this condition will result in wider market for this industry. 2. 3. 1. 2 Forecasting Future Market Condition The chart above is about the GDP of Malaysia from year 2001 to 2006. In 2001 and 2003 Malaysia GDP had expansion. During 2004 small contraction was happened, however, in the early 2005 it starts to increase. This condition tells that the economy growth in Malaysia is relatively stable; it increase and remain stable, though when contraction was happened it was followed by the expansion of increase in the GDP growth. Overall, we can conclude that the economy growth in Malaysia is constant which mean to say that future market condition will not really affected as the economy growth was not fluctuating. As the result, Secret Recipe’s future market will not be affected by the changes of economy growth. Technology advance is one of Secret Recipe’s successful keys to be granted by numerous of awards. However, technology also could lower the barrier of industry as advance machines are affordable by Competitors. This will enable them to come out with better method and taste of cakes in short period of time. Providentially, Secret Recipe always comes out with effective and efficient strategic to satisfy their customers, for example by improving its kitchen technology. As well as welcomed and served by friendly staffs with great smiles, also one of the keys.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Report on Hazard Management

Question: Write about theReport on Hazard Management. Answer: Introduction Beyond petroleum formerly known as British petroleum is multinational oil and Gas Company founded in the year 1909 and it is headquartered in London. It is one of the largest energy companies in the world with around 79,800 employees operating in 70 countries (BP, 2017). Beyond Petroleum have various brand in the portfolio which includes its standard BP products such as transport fuels, chemicals and alternative sources of energy. Castrol motor oil being the other product brand was acquired by BP in the year 2002 whose products are sold in over 150 countries. The third one brand Aral, apart from being the traditional automotive fuel supplier they have diversified in providing quality food in their onsite cafes Petit Bistros in Germany and is the third largest fast food retailer after McDonalds and burger king. They have also opened their convenience stores at select gas stations under the brand name of ampm and Wild bean caf situated at various BP connect stations which provides quic k snacks and beverage services to their customers (BP, 2017). Like their name Beyond Petroleum they have come a long way by just being an energy company to an emerging winner in the fast food caf chains. They aim to deliver excellent customer service by being a value driven organization. Their core values includes: Safety of their workforce and environment, Respect the world in which operates by complying with the laws and regulations and practicing ethical standards, Excellence in management operations, Courage in achieving the best and the last one being working as a team to achieve organizational goals (BP, 2017). Workplace Accidents at BP They have tried their best to be the sustainable energy organization but still the company has witnessed the maximum number of workplace hazards and disaster in the history. To name a few incidents are: In the year 2005 there was an explosion in the Texas City refinery of BP which killed15 men and injuring around 180 workers. This was considered as one of the worst accidents in the history of US. It was the third largest refinery in the US. The reason that caused such major blowout was a hydrocarbon vapor was ignited due to the overflow of fuel from the blow down stack and later the cloud was exploded (The Telegraph, 2012). Occupation safety and health and administration, US initiated a National Emphasis program which aims to check the safety culture of all the oil refineries after the Texas refinery incidence. During investigation it was found out that there have been certain compliance issues on the part of BP for which BP imposed a $3 million penalty for that violation. The failure to learn from past hazards and accidents has claimed many human lives and there can be no compensation for such damages (OSHA, 2010). During investigation it was found out that that the workers were not removed from the refinery unit at the time of starting and closing of the refinery which was very dangerous. The second major accident rather a disaster was happened on April 20, 2010 in the Mexico oil gulf. It was considered as one of the biggest disaster in the history. British Petroleum to extract crude oil from the beds of Gulf of Mexico leased an oil rig from the Transocean (Ingersoll, Reavis Locke, 2012). There was an explosion on the oil platform which resulted into the spilling of around 4.9 million barrel of oil in the sea. This explosion risked the lives of 126 workers which were present on board and among these 126, 11 died on the spot and 17 were seriously injured. This disaster was not something which cannot be prevented, there were many loopholes found in the safety system of BP which contributed in the disaster. The third instance happened at the Pinon gas compression station owned by BP (Rodenbaugh Benjamin, 2012). The reason for the blast was a pressurized device which was exploded during a routine maintenance operation on a pipeline. Due this Unfortunate accident one worker lost his life and two workers were seriously injured. Beyond petroleum safety culture has been critically questioned. There are only few incidences listed here but they have a long list of such safety related incidences which not only cost the organization financially but also cost human lives (McNulty, 2007).. Causes of Workplace Accidents Workplace accidents do not happen unplanned. There are several factors which contribute to the occurrences of such accidents. It may not be possible to avoid such disasters or accidents but the damage can be minimized by taking necessary safety actions and promoting a strong safety culture in the organization. The main reason which can be held responsible for any accident is the negligence on the part of the authority and failure to address identified safety issues at the workplace. There are reasons which can be identified as the main causes of any workplace hazards. Human error: It has been seen in most of the situations that accidents occur due to the negligence of individuals. Both of the explosion occurred at the oil refineries of BP would have been avoided or at least damage could have been minimized. The explosion at Gulf of Mexico can be seen as a clear example. During a safety check conducted, there were around 390 maintenance issues identified which were not corrected. It was also found out that the safety device was not working and the officials and technicians had a fair idea about this and a 450 ton hydraulic device which was responsible for preventing oil spilling out from the drill hole was not working. Such human error rather violations can cost human lives and severe environmental damage. Human negligence and mistakes can be identified and avoided. There should be safety awareness in every individual working in the organization. Attention and action towards the problem at the right time can help to prevent future accidents. Safety issues should be seen as a priority and should be fixed immediately (HSE, 2005). Safety training: It is the responsibility of the employer to provide workplace training to the employees. The chemical industry in which the beyond petroleum operates is very vulnerable and prone to many risks and hazards. In order to deal with any accidents, the workers have to understand and identify the possible factors contributing in a severe workplace accident. The workers should be trained to mitigate such life hazards. Offshore drilling is a very complex and dangerous process. It involves risks such as explosion, poison gas, slipping and tripping and falling from heights, Electrocution etc. The people working at the work station should be trained to prevent and cope with such situation. When there was an explosion at both of the refineries the workers were not trained and prepared and therefore they were not able to take any steps to prevent the blowout. It is often seen in many organization that profits have been kept at priority and there is no investment in safety procedur e and on board training of the workers to deal with such hazards (The Huffington Post, 2011). Maintenance issues- Maintenance refers to the timely reviewing the workplace structure, equipment and machines. Authorities are responsible to undertake maintenance work on a frequent basis so as to provide any future accidents at workplace and to ensure safety of the workers. During the explosion there were maintenance issues which needed to be fixed but were completely ignored by the authority. Also as earlier stated that the safety device was not working was a long known fact to the management but still they didnt took any necessary action (The guardian, 2014). At the Texas City refinery explosion issues like broken alarms which didnt even rung at the time of fire. These are the basic issues which could have been addressed so that at least timely action could have been taken to minimize the damage. Sometimes small issues lead to big problems. It is the duty of the management to conduct a timely audit and immediately solve issues. Regular maintenance helps to eliminate workplace ha zards. It is not to be treated as just a statutory requirement but rather a responsibility of the employer to provide a safe workplace to their employees. Cost- In most of the organization even today the profit generation is seen as the ultimate motive. They take various steps to avoid any unnecessary expenditure. In many organization maintaining safety culture and to train the employees is considered as a waste of money and employers are not willing to spend on the safety of their employees, Individuals working at the workstation do not have the sufficient knowledge about the mitigation plan to be followed at the time of any accidents. The focus is kept on increasing the production but one thing should be kept in mind that it is not to be done against the lives of the workers. In the above three cases mentioned, two of them lacked the basic emergency equipment such as safety device and fire alarms were not working and it was in the knowledge of the management. To save a few dollars on the account of maintenance this resulted into a disaster and it caused much more after the explosions in terms of fines and penalties imposed on the vio lation of safety regulations. Effect of Workplace Accidents on Organization and Stakeholders Stakeholders are the people who get affected by the operations of the business. Business is the agent of the society and all the business operations should be carried out in keeping in the mind the best interest of the stakeholder, Stakeholders include shareholders, investors, customers and environment etc. Maintaining a healthy relationship with the stakeholders is the key to ensure the sustainability of the business in the long run. The direct impact of the activities of the business is reflected on its stakeholder (Steiner, 2012). In todays world the reason why organizations are more inclined towards practicing ethical business practices and fulfilling corporate social responsibility because they want to be identifies as the value driven organization, When any hazard or accidents occur in an organization, their safety culture and their business practices comes into scrutiny and it adversely affect the image of the shareholders. Financial cost: It is indeed a known fact that all business operates in order to earn competitive profits and outperform their competitors. Organization try to avoid and minimize their variable and fixed costs in order to save extra for the business. When there is any workplace hazard apart from the human life there is a huge financial loss to the organization. Insurance claims, compensations and penalties levy a huge financial burden on the shoulders of the organization. After the Texas city oil refinery explosion it was found out that OSHA imposed a fine of US$21 million but BP agreed to pay US$13 million for the damage (OSHA, 2012). In the oil rig disaster of 2010 the total damages were at the large scale but they paid around $1.1 billion to everyone who suffered due to this oil spill (Krauss, 2014). Apart from all of this there are several cases of claims are filed and are still pending. In order to avoid such huge losses it is very important the organization should follow hazard management techniques at workplace. Apart from bearing a huge financial loss due to their unsafe business practices and careless safety behavior, the another most important issues which was faced by the BP was the productivity of employees. The productivity of employees reduced drastically as there were many physical injuries along with mental trauma. As a result employees were not able to work in the right state of mind. The absenteeism rate was very because individuals working on the oil rigs and gas plants were severely injured and took time to recover. The employee turnover was also very high during that period because of the continuous accidents and disaster happening back to back within very less time gaps like three of their major accidents occurred in 2005, 2010 and 2012. As result BP was considered as one of the unsafe organizations to work for. Employers are the backbone of any organization, the true picture of organization culture is represented by the employees. High absenteeism rate and high turnover rate will give wrong reflection of organizations management practices. Effect on stakeholders- Employees are the first stakeholders of the organization, They ensure the smooth operations of the organization. In all the disasters occurred on the sites of BP there were around 27 workers who lost their lives. The other stakeholder of BP is environment, releasing poisonous gases in the air and spilling of crude oil in the gulf have adversely affected the habitats and the damage cannot be compensated. Talking about the other stakeholders which are the shareholders of the company are the real owners of the organization. They invest money and bear risk just to get a fair return of their value invested. Due to the oil spill tragedy the share prices of BP fell down by 55% from $59.48 to just $27 in June 2010. As a result many shareholders and investors lost their interest in investing money as a result shares were traded off to withdraw the money. The major impact company had was loosing their brand image, reputation and goodwill in the society. It has taken BP several years to rebuild their lost image in front of its stakeholders. Recommendations Hazards and accidents cannot be foreseen but they can be prevented and the damage can be minimized by maintaining a strong safety culture in the organization. The organization BP should try to maintain an informed culture in which every worker working on the oil rig should review their safety performance and accordingly make safety policies but the safety policies should be flexible enough to be effective in situation of an emergency (Keil, 2017). Safety leadership should also be promoted, a safety health inspector should be hired and should remain available on the site and continuously review the machinery and immediately fix any issues arising out of safety checks (Safe work Australia, 2017).The workers should be given a drill on the safety procedures to be followed in case of any emergency. Proper personal protective equipment should be provided to each and every individual and it should also be checked by the safety professionals. As it was mentioned that the safety alarms were n ot working should be checked on a frequent basis, at times such small thongs can prevent major accidents. Also regular audits by health organizations both government and private are to be hired in order to give an unbiased view about the safety culture of the organization. The duty of top level mangers is to make effective safety policies to prevent future hazards and allocate a budget for the implementation of safety policies but the main task lies in the hands of front line managers who are actually working on the oil refineries. Awareness about the safe behavior should be generated among them. A safe work culture, a hazard free workstation not only be feasible to the employer financially in the long run but it will also boost the morale of the employees because they will feel safe in the working environment and hence directly increasing the productivity. When the productivity of employees will be increased it will result into the efficiency in the output of the organization as a result investors will be interested in investing as the company is growing and achieving profits, A strong safety culture will not only ensure a safe workplace but also help the organization to be sustainable in the long run. References Barab, J. (2010). Testimony of Jordan Barab Deputy Assistant secretary for the Occupational safety and health administration. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=TESTIMONIESp_id=1182 on 14 February 2017. BP, (2017). BP at a glance. Beyond Petroleum. Retrieved from https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/bp-at-a-glance.html on 14 February 2017. BP, (2017). Our brands. Beyond Petroleum. Retrieved from https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/our-brands.html on 14 February 2017. BP, (2017). Our values. Beyond Petroleum. Retrieved from https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/people-and-values/our-values.html on 14 February 2017. HSE. (2005). Human factors in the management of major accident hazards. Retrieved from https://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/topics/toolkitintro.pdf on 14 February 2017. Ingersoll, C., Reavis, C. Locke, M.R. (2012). BP and the Deepwater Horizon Disaster of 2010. Retrieved from https://mitsloan.mit.edu/LearningEdge/CaseDocs/10%20110%20BP%20Deepwater%20Horizon%20Locke.Review.pdf on 14 February 2017. Krauss, C. (2014). Halliburton to Pay $1.1 Billion to Settle Damages in Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/03/business/energy-environment/halliburton-to-pay-1-1-billion-to-settle-damages-in-gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill.html?_r=0 on 14 February 2017. McNulty, S. (2007). BP safety culture under attack. Retrieved from https://www.ft.com/content/93ab6d7c-d65a-11db-99b7-000b5df10621 on 14 February 2017.( OSHA. (2012). BP Texas City Violations and Settlement Agreements. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/dep/bp/bp.html on 14 February 2017. Rodenbaugh, D. Benjamin, S. (2012). Blast at BP station kills 1, hurts 2. The Durango Herald. Retrieved from https://durangoherald.com/articles/40598-blast-at-bp-station-kills-1-hurts-2 on 14 February 2017. Steiner, J. F. (2012). Business, government, and society: a managerial perspective. New York: McGrawHill Irwin. The guardian. (2014). Investigation into 2010 BP oil spill finds failures, poor testing and ongoing risks. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/05/bp-deepwater-horizon-spill-report-failures-risks on 14 February 2017. The Huffington Post. (2011). Regulatory Flaws, Repeated Violations Put Oil Refinery Workers at Risk. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/refinery-regulation_n_829005.html on 14 February 2017. The keil centre (2017) Safety culture model. The keil centre, Australia. Retrieved from https://www.keilcentre.co.uk/products-services/safe-people/safety-culture/safety-culture-maturity-model/ on 14 February 2017. The Telegraph, (2012). A history of BP's US disasters. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/9680589/A-history-of-BPs-US-disasters.html on 14 February 2017. Safe work Australia. (2017). Leadership and culture. Retrieved from https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/australian-strategy/action-areas/leadership-culture/pages/leadership-and-culture on 14 February 2017.