Millays View on Death as Depicted in Renascence :: Millay Renascence Essays

Millay's View on Death as Depicted in Renascence As Edna St. Vincent Millay begins her second paragraph of Renascence, she describes herself as joyous of her coming death. Millay has been telling the reader of her frustration and anguish as she lies on the ground burdened by the sin of her life. She cries out in sheer pain, "Ah, awful weight!" She actually describes herself as "craving" death. The dying experience was becoming so painful for Millay, that she just wanted the process to be finished. The second paragraph welcomes Millay into her eternity and in turn she becomes relaxed and satisfied about her passing from life. Millay takes on a very difficult task of not only describing the final stage of death as a joyous thing, but also attempting to persuade her audience into believing the same thing. Millay is associating death with happiness. This unlikely comparison allows the reader to become relaxed about the hardships the author was facing in the earlier passages of the poem. As the earth gave way and Millay sank softly and perfectly six feet under the ground, the reader celebrates as if a runner was finally crossing the finish line. Comparing death to a successful situation is an unusual way of looking at the end of life. Yet, this view of death is a positive outlook and is quite wonderful as opposed to other literary views of death such as "death: the gatekeeper of hell who has conquered the Earth." Millay makes the reader believe that the sinking earth is more of a pair of open hands waiting to hold the weary soul of man. Death is a chance of catching up on that sleep that you never quite caught up on. Another image that Millay gives the reader is that of a mother embracing her child. Mother Earth welcomes home her tired child and allows him to rest his head upon her soft breast. She runs her hands through his hair and lays them on his brow as to cool him off. She whispers her tired child to sleep through the sweet and friendly sound of rain. Through persuading the audience to believe that death is a wonderful and relaxing thing, she takes on a very difficult task. A common thought of the end of life is that it is a ceasing of all things good.

Role of communication and interactions with individuals who have dementia Essay

1. How do individuals with dementia communicate through their behaviour (1.1) Persons with dementia may communicate through behaviours such as: †¢Repetition of actions or questions, this may communicate anxiety over memory loss, boredom from inactivity, to seek reassurance, picking at clothing due to anxiety. †¢Aggression, this may communicate depression, an inability to rationalise, impaired judgment, feeling embarrassed and fearful of humiliation, frustration that they are unable to remember what they are meant to be doing or that others do not understand their need to accomplish tasks that they feel to be important. Can find no other way to express themselves. †¢Pacing or walking, this may communicate a desire to visit a certain place or person. Although the individual may have forgotten who or where. They may be bored and attempting to use up energy, uncomfortable from sitting, confusion about what they are meant to be doing or where they are, to enter in to past routines of behaviour that once served an important purpose that the individual feels they need to accomplish. †¢Becoming suspicious of others, this may communicate that the individual is experiencing memory loss and is having difficulty recognizing familiar faces †¢Pointing and vocalizing to communicate their intentions as the individual loses the use and understanding of their vocabulary 2. How you as a carer can misinterpret communication (1.2) †¢Not being attentive and missing behavioural communications such as picking at items, failing to make eye contact or being out of the persons view, not creating an environment conducive to communication (adequate lighting, low background noise levels etc) †¢Not allowing the individual time to process information before continuing the conversation. †¢Misunderstanding the intention behind a given response as the individual may mean one thing but say another. †¢Individuals in a support team may fail to record information and communicate with one another when they have identified a need for a behaviour and the correct response to that need. i.e., the individual may pace because they are anxious remembering a forgotten routine (the need to catch the bus so they are not late for work). †¢Asking open rather than closed questions requiring a yes or no answer. Making communication difficult. 3. Explain the importance of effective communication with individuals with dementia (1.3) We all communicate to express needs and share information. In order for these needs to be met there must be someone open to receive information and a receptive environment in order for information to be shared effectively. As a person with dementia already has a compromised ability to communicate, communication needs to be effective and understood or the client may not understand what is being done to them, where they are being taking. It is important that for effective communication to take place the care giver: †¢Creates an environment that supports effective communication oAdjust lighting so you can be seen and you can in tern see, adjust lighting, close curtains if excessively sunny etc. Reduce the distraction of background noises Approach communication when there is reduced or no distracting activity in the surrounding environment oTry to make the individual’s environment comfortable in terms of temperature, seating arrangements, attempting to meet baser needs, food, drink, toileting. †¢Presents themself in a way that supports communication: Position yourself in a way that enables eye contact to be made (but not to invade personal space or intimidate) oBe aware of your non-verbal bodily communication, allow the individual to see your body language as they will be more receptive to this than speech, ensure your body language is in keeping with your intentions to avoid mixed messages †¢Speech: oRemain positive and present information in an enjoyable and pleasurable manner but avoid patronising oWhen assisting with tasks attempt to offer direction by decompiling tasks to their fundamental components rather then assuming the individual will recall how to carry out complex activities i.e. putting on shoes. Redirect the topic of conversation or activity if the individual becomes distressed rather then arguing your point oAssume that the individual can understand what you are saying. If they are present while other conversations are taking place, be respectful and show dignity by not discussing them in their presence oAttempt to retain as much of the persons autonomy as is possible by offering choices, i.e. food, clothes, activity. However keep choices simple, in the present and not abstract. Asses the individual’s ability to choose; as the illness progresses, simple choices can become overwhelming and may need to be revised. †¢Assisting with activities: Do not boss the individual; allow them time to attempt tasks at their own pace. If people feel that they are being controlled they may resort to aggression or withdraw. oUse hand over hand techniques as opposed to carrying out tasks for individuals. Praise efforts and avoid highlighting errors. 4. Describe how 3 different forms of dementia can affect the way an individual communicates. (1.4) Vascular Dementia: †¢Caused by a series of small strokes, Vascular dementia can compromise understanding of language, memory and ability to follow instructions. Early symptoms may include slurring of speech (affecting the individuals ability to verbally express), dizziness (affecting concentration), short term memory (affecting the ability to take in new information, adjust to new situations, settings and people). More dominant symptoms affect a person’s control over bladder and bowel movements compromising the ability to communicate these baser needs, ability to process information and abstract thought affecting a person’s independence and autonomy. Dementia Pugilistica: †¢Brought upon by a repetition of concussions, the dementia commonly effects a decline in mental abilities, lack of concentration (affecting a person’s ability to hold a conversation, process information, attention to tasks). Personality disorders including psychomotor retardation (a slowing-down of thought and a reduction of physical movements affecting processing skills, learning new information, recalling learnt information and ability to  complete tasks), exacerbation of aggression, suspiciousness (effecting trust in relationships and inclusiveness), loquacity (becoming talkative). Huntington’s Disease: †¢A neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination and leads to cognitive decline and psychiatric issues. Some of the symptoms and their effect on communication could be: Motor dysfunction, jerky, random, and uncontrollable movements may affect both the individual’s confidence in their ability to communicate and their ability to express and gesticulate. Slowed saccadic eye movements (quick, simultaneous movements of both eyes in the same direction) may affect the individual’s ability to make or maintain eye contact affecting attention, ability to read both facial and bodily expression. Rigidity, writhing motions or abnormal posturing would affect the individual’s ability to express themselves through body language. Abnormal facial expression, difficulties chewing, swallowing and speaking would affect both use of the spoken language and accurately conveying emotion and intent through facial expression. oSleep disturbances would leave the individual feeling tired, affecting concentration, temperament, attention and emotional state Ability to correctly initiate appropriate actions and to inhibit inappropriate actions could affect the individual’s ability to gesticulate creating, misunderstandings and possible offence. Impairment in the range of short-term memory and deficits to long-term memory may affect the individual’s ability to retain information required to hold conversations in context, identity of others, what’s their relationship, what are their intentions. 5/6. Give 3 examples of how you have positively interacted with clients with Dementia and explain how these positive interactions contribute to their wellbeing. (2.1)(2.2) Although I do have experience of interacting with people who have dementia, this was at a time when I was not a support or care worker. As I used to be a cook in a large care home, I interacted frequently with persons with dementia; I will use those experiences along with the information I have learnt as a result of this unit to answer questions 5 and 6. Example one: †¢As I would go about my work in the kitchen at the nursing home, there was a lady resident who would often stand at the kitchen door and would mutter to herself and occasionally look at me and say short sentences that to me made no sense as I did not know the content. Despite not knowing much about dementia, I felt comfortable in this lady’s company and felt that she was also comfortable with standing and chatting at the door: her stance, demeanour, tone and facial expression supported this. I would always speak to her in a calm, clear pleasant manner; as this was not only polite but reflected how she spoke in my presence. I’d greet her when she came to the kitchen door and ask how she was, I would tell her about what I was doing as a running commentary (cooking, chopping, baking etc). Although she never appeared to directly interact with me I sensed that standing in a kitchen and chatting were both familiar and comforting for her, as she would spend frequent part s of her day doing this. I felt it important to accommodate her presence and interact on her terms (not pushing for answers), using common politeness and manners, offering information as a framework for my conversation. I believe this allowed her to feel comfortable in the social situation while lacking social skills. Example 2: 3: †¢The only part of my job role that required me to assist individuals with daily living tasks was serving, describing and presenting their meals to them. I would assist the support staff in serving meals as dinner was a busy time. One gentleman in particular would often become distressed when his meal was presented to him; the nurse requested that when I write the meal choices on the menu board I present this particular individual with physical representations of the food for him to be better informed and have clearer expectations. Although it was not my place to help the patients make choices, the gentlemen when presented with the food items did take an interest in them and I presented him with his meal accordingly. Although the instances of anxiety still remained around dinner time they did however significantly decrease. I now know that the food items were used as objects of reference and I believe it would have been of greater benefit to all residents if they received a comb ination of a written menu, objects of reference, photographic or pictorial representations of meal choices  according to their individual abilities around choice making. I also believe that with the information gained in this unit, in hindsight the gentlemen in question would have benefited from a smaller range of choice, 2 items as opposed to 4. 7. Why is it important to involve clients with dementia in a range of activities, give three examples of how you have done this. (2.3) As stated in questions 5 and 6, I have no experience in supporting people with dementia. For the purposes of this question I will give three examples of activity that could be considered essential for most people. Humans are occupational and social beings, physically and mentally built to interact with their environments. Therefore activity would not only be a natural pursuit for all people, but, for individuals with dementia who are losing the ability to interact with the world around them, the use of activity would allow them both structure and purpose for interaction: linking familiar experiences of the past to the unfamiliar experience of the present. Example1 †¢Supporting individual with their morning ablutions. This task would have taken place for almost every morning of the individual’s lives, with guided and prompted support the individual may benefit from a sense of pride in appearance that would have been culturally important for members of the older generation. The support worker could reinforce the activity and the individual’s attention to task by complimenting them on their appearance. There may be a range of ways in which the client chooses to cleanse themselves; shower, bathing, or it may be appropriate for individuals of a certain generation to wash at a hand basin. The act of washing may hold some religious significance for the individual (Muslims are required to be clean when handling and reading the Qur’an) allowing them the benefits of their religious convictions. Example 2 †¢Accessing social occasions (tea at a village hall). The individual may  benefit from time spent away from their home in the company of others from a familiar cultural generation. Socialising may combat isolation, loneliness, feelings of despair, suicidal thoughts, offer the individual an opportunity to positively experience their identity. Example 3 †¢Accessing reminiscing sessions. This activity may immerse the individual in an environment filled with remnants of their formative years; familiar objects, smells, clothing etc; creating a sense of identity and safety, stimulating the mind and senses in a bid to prolong their cognitive abilities, believes that are supported by the Orientation Approach. 8. Compare reality Orientation Approaches to Validation Approaches. (2.4) The validation approach attempts to offer extremely disorientated individuals (predominantly the elderly at the end of their lives) an opportunity to express what are believed to be unresolved feelings and offers the care giver an insight in to the underlying meaningful reasons for what may be perceived as odd behaviours. The care giver attempts to empathise with the individual’s behaviours, mannerisms and expressions, presenting themselves in a non-confrontational and non-judgemental way; engendering trust and acceptance. Thus allowing the individual to communicate as they are able, rather than as they should. Unlike the validation approach, which attempts to enter the world of the disorientated individual, the orientation approach attempts to focus the individual’s perceptions in the real world. Using prompts such as calendars, clocks, current magazines or newspapers, menu boards, staff boards to orientate them in to the time and place that they currently occupy. It is thought that continual, repetitive reminders will keep the patient stimulated and lead to an increase in orientation. However, I have found through researching this topic that some care givers and providers have adapted the orientation approach (which advocates the present time) by creating and orientating individuals to the particular reality or time that they may be experiencing. 9. List the physical and mental health needs that may need to be considered when communicating with some one with dementia. (3.1) Physical needs: †¢Effects of stroke ( multiple TIAs bringing about vascular dementia) oParalysis on ether side of the body †¢Problems with vision †¢Speech and language problems †¢Memory loss †¢Muscle spasticity †¢Tremors †¢Incontinence †¢Disruptions in sleep patterns †¢Unable to remain settled, pacing †¢Loss of hearing and or tinnitus †¢Loss or increase of physical sensation, touch, sight, smell. †¢Ability to accurately form facial expressions Mental health needs †¢Depression †¢Sense of agency †¢Loss of hope, experiencing despair †¢Lack in recognition of familiar people or places resulting in possible suspicion †¢Experiencing frustration †¢Heightened sense of anxiety †¢Aggressive behaviour †¢Feeling fearful †¢Short and long term memory loss †¢Becoming withdrawn 10: Describe how a sensory impairment of someone with dementia can affect their communication skills (3.2) Visual impairment: †¢The individual may not be able to accurately gauge a person’s body language or facial expressions, minimising the amount of information they receive. The interpretation of light fall on objects and surroundings may be distorted resulting in confusion and anxiety. †¢Heightened sense of smell (Hyperosmia), this may affect how an individual smells both people and places around them, they may find bodily odours, perfumes, deodorants, and cleaning products offensive, reminiscent and confusing; affecting the individual’s tolerance of these smells and ability to concentrate on tasks such as communication. †¢Loss of proprioception (body’s internal sensory network of muscle and movement), this may affect an individual’s ability to express body language or gesticulate. †¢Taste, an individual may cease to communicate their desire, choice, interest in food if eating has become a displeasurable or confusing experience due to a change in their taste. †¢Change in the sense of touch, a heightened or dampened sense of touch may result in individuals recoiling from another touching them to show reassurance or gain attention as the sensory information received may relay pain, discomfort or not register at all. †¢A change in sensory input of any of the senses may be distressing and confusing for the individual, affecting their concentration, perception and desire to communicate. 11. Describe how an environment can have an affect on a client with dementia (3.3) A change in mental faculties, cognition, memory and mental health in a person with dementia coupled with an array of sensory impairments may affect the individual’s perception of their environment in the following ways: †¢The smell of the environment may distress individuals due to Hyperosmia. †¢A loss of vision may alter the perception of visual stimuli, bright light from a window or light bulb may wash out the visual field, shadows may create the illusion of people or objects, a change in depth perception may alter a person’s ability to gauge depth of furniture. †¢Reactions to the alterations in visual perceptions may be interpreted with fear, confusion, anxiety as objects may appear different to what they are, or the individual is unable to correctly identify or comprehend their purpose †¢The environment can be arranged to effect positive change, the dà ©cor and items can be chosen to  resemble familiar surroundings from a time or era that the individual is remembering. The Orientation Approach fills the environment with informative and stimulating objects (present time frame): large clock, calendar, staff board, meal board, current literature. 12. Describe how your behaviour and that of other carers can have an affect on a client with dementia (3.4) The care giver needs to consider the way they speak: whether it is positive or negative, does it show that you are attentive and caring, if a carer rushes their speech or does not allow the client time to respond, it may convey a lack of respect and that they don’t want to be there. The messages that the carer’s body language communicates must not be at odds with their verbal content; this may create confusion and appear as insincerity. The carer must be focussed on the needs of the client, not becoming distracted by personal discussions with other carers; at all times the chosen language must be that of the clients while in their presence. Interpersonal staff conversations conducted while staff are delivering care show a lack of respect and compassion, the client may not feel that they have a right to talk if they are not involved or may become distressed about the content of conversation and feel a need to become involved. Clients may feel that they can assist with a staff member’s personal problems, offering money or possessions, accepting gratuity is both unethical and would be in contravention of the code of conduct. This may be interpreted by clients as payment for preferential services or as theft: after a client having forgotten there offering discovers their money or possessions gone. Carers need to remain professional and stick to their roles as described in their job descriptions; if the client should request services that are in contravention of their role, the carer should politely decline the request and seek support/advice from their manager if they feel it necessary. 13. Describe how the use of language can hinder positive interactions and communications. (3.5) Clients with dementia will be experiencing a deterioration in their  cognition, attention, memory, producing and understanding language, learning, reasoning, problem solving. It is therefore necessary that the carer not only use their language and communication skills appropriately but they also recognise deficit in the client’s abilities and change their approach accordingly. The client’s deterioration in cognition will result in a struggle to comprehend both spoken and written language; if a client does not understand information they are more likely to withdraw and accept their confusion with feelings of embarrassment and ineptitude rather than seeking clarification. The carer should be attentive to the client’s communication needs; noticing if they are struggling to understand, offering the information in a more appropriate way. The carer should always adapt their vocabulary to that of the clients; considering the use of slang, euphemism, colloquialism, all owing time to process and respond, realising that the clients may have lost the ability to ask questions and seek clarification.

Protestant Reformation Essay

In the early sixteenth century, Western Europe’s religious face was dominated by the Roman Catholic faith. The Catholic Church was the sole athority power of day to day values, and before long, conflicting social and political issues began to shake the foundation of the corrupt Catholic Church. Moreover, Western Catholics began to realize the corrupt nature of the Church; as the selling of indulgences was challenged by Martin Luther’s 95 Theses, the hierarchal nature of the Church was displayed via blatant acts of simony, and the concept was purgatory was outwardly questioned. Ultimately, as westerners caught wind of the aforementioned doings, an attempt to reform the Catholic Church began brewing: the Protestant Reformation. This Reformation ultimately led to several significant social and political consequences. On one note, the Reformation led to the once-all Catholic western Europeans being separated into several demographics: Catholic Christianty, Protestant Christianty, and Orthodox. As a result, the belief of the founder Jesus Christ was magnified, as well as the belief of the Bible as a doctrine of salvation (in the Protestant faith). Consequently, the popularity of the Bible led to it being printed in vernacular rather than Latin, and thus the Bible began to appeal to a larger audience rather than solely the wealthy and educated. This accessiblity to the lower class revealed the teachings of faith to a previously uninformed demographic. Also, Protestantism had created a new, highly individual spirituality. Survival and salvation depended upon inner faith and self-disclipline, thus a larger emphasis was made on personal commitments and values. As the teachings of the Bible were made more widely availible, the aforementioned notions became more widely available. With this newfound knowledge, and with the economic power of the church now lessened, there came a growth of induvidual liberty. These newfound attitudes and economic turn-around consequently reflected principes of, and led to, capitalism. On another hand, another consequence of the Reformation was many dispays of intolerance. More specifically, King Phillip II of Spain and Bloody Maryof England actively persecuted Protestants. Also, with the Reformation leaving the Church’s power teetering, several Rulers were empowered against the Church. Henry VII, for example, nullified the Pope’s powers, and in turn the Rulers of Europe had the power to rule their countries however they wished, from square one. This, ultimately, gave rise to the notion of nationalism, which gave rise to the growth of the modern state. Conclusively, the effects of the Protestant Reformation were very much significant. Starting in the hands of Martin Luther, the reform not only tore apart the religious unity of Europe at the time, but also contributed to induvidual attitudes and values, the growth of nationalism and the modern state, but also shined a light on the path to a capitalistic society.

Biophysical Interactions on the Reef

Ecosystems At Risk Reefs are important ecosystems as the are home to an immense amount of biodiversity and are essential in the cycle of life The Role of the Atmosphere Many reefs are located in the cyclone zone due to the necessary conditions they require to grow. For as long as reefs have existed they have been shaped by cyclones and intense storms. The severity of the storms and cyclones is determined by the length and intensity of the storms, which determines how much damage will be inflicted onto the reefs. The cyclones and storms generate large waves and strong winds, which do most of the damage to the reefs.The waves have the power to rip apart soft coral and chip and damage the harder coral. Sometimes cyclones may result in large amounts of the reefs systems being buried by sediment. Reefs are very delicate and need very precise conditions to live and grow, the amount of rain that is associated with intense low systems can flood the reef with fresh water and reduce the salini ty levels. During the storms the turbidly of the water also increases so the sunlight cannot reach the coral reducing its ability to produce food.Tropical cyclone Larry (2006) showed that reefs could benefit from storms. The waves that were produced by Larry removed sediment that had accumulated and reduce the water temperature to the ideal level. The Role of the Lithosphere The role of the lithosphere in forming and transforming the reef ecosystem is very important. The reefs build themselves, this works because when the coral dies it produces limestone which the new coral grows on. The limestone is also weathered down and redistributed to other parts of the ecosystem to create a range of other landforms.Through the production of limestone coral reefs are able to withstand the erosive power of waves. Overtime individual corals will of course die but this will allow the growth of new coral on the stable limestone structures the leave behind. Sediment is also an important influence o n the reef. Sediment such as sand and mud can cloud the water creating high turbidity. High levels of turbidity can reduce the suns ability to penetrate the water and thus effecting zooxanthellae’s photosynthesis. Coral reefs may also be smothered by sediment especially were the possibility of high runoff is likely.This is why in monsoonal areas and areas with high precipitation levels there are not many fringing reefs as they would struggle to cope with the change in salinity levels from the fresh water and the sediment increasing the turbidity levels. The Role of the Hydrosphere Coral reefs grow best in high wave energy areas. Reefs are very effective at interfering with wave energy. The structure of the reef is such that the seaward part of the reef absorbs much of the energy leaving an area of calm water behind it.The amount of water that flows across the reefs is so enormous that it is measured in cubic kilometres. The flow of the currents is very important to the reef e cosystem. When the currents flow in a direction that they bring warm waters, high saline levels and high levels of nutrition that is a huge contributor to the biodiversity that makes the reefs so important and unique. The Role of the Biosphere There are more then 330 species of coral that can be found in any one reef. The coral is a living animal called Polyps.Polyps are primitive organisms that consist of little more then a digestive sac and an out skeleton made from limestone. The Polyps feed by pulling food into its mouth through tentacles. Within the polyps lives an alga called zooxanthellae, the algae produces sugars and oxygen through photosynthesis. The polyps provide shelter for the algae and in return receive nutrients and the alga is also what gives the coral the distinct colours. Each coral reef begins as a single polyp, which reproduces itself to create a colony.Apart from coral reefs are highly diverse systems made up of thousands of species. The amount of nutrients cre ated by the plants and algae on the reef is several times that made in the open ocean. Because of the high levels of nutrients available on the reef there are thousands of fish species that feed on the nutrients produced and even the coral. Due to the abundance of fish some top order predators such as sharks and dolphins come to the reef. There are many different species living on reefs that work to keep the balance of life on the reef.

The organisational change of a packaged manufacturing company of Essay

The organisational change of a packaged manufacturing company of Australia named Amcor - Essay Example The paper tells that in present day’s dynamic and competitive business context, organisations need to adjust with the fluctuating environmental situations by constantly introducing changes so that they can stay competitive and cost-effective. Substantial transformations take place when an organisation carry out changes, for instance, apply new technology, develop union, make acquisition, reduce tasks, reorganise operations, or introduce new programs. Organisational changes are generally encouraged by a requirement to maintain or develop organisations’ efficiency. The efficiency relates to the organisations’ capability to utilise resources competently, to accomplish immediate objectives as well as to embrace the prerequisite to changing business condition. Thus, organisational changes help organisations to stay competent for longer period of time. According to Ackerman, there are three kinds of organisational change which are developmental change, transitional cha nge and transformational change. Developmental change refers to the change for augmenting and developing the present situation of an organisation. It often emphasises on developing the abilities and the procedures. The transitional change denotes shifting from present condition to anticipated condition where provisional shift happens over an organised time period. The transformational change is fundamental in nature and necessitates an alteration in expectations on the part of organisation and the employees. (Ramanathan, 2009). Organisational Development Organisational development is a procedure and activity which helps to bring transformations and accomplish greater efficiencies such as augmented financial performance, improved customer satisfaction and better employee participation among others. The focus of organisational development is to assess the present functioning of organisation and accomplish the objectives by increasing the ability. Organisational change is a wider conce ption than organisational development and can be used in managing the organisational transformation (Cummings & Worley, 2008). The nature of change in Amcor is developmental change because it had applied change across numerous locations, divisions and business units in order to develop the safety measures and improve the performance through reduction of time and cost. Amcor had used the constant improvement approach of change which empowers the employees to lead towards alteration from bottom-up stage. The strategic objective of change for Amcor is to maintain accountability in packaging experience (Manufacturing Skills, 2007). Context and Background Amcor is a manufacturing organisation based in Melbourne (Australia), which produces varieties of plastic, string, copper and glass wrapping products and delivers packaging oriented services. Its business has spread in 24 nations and almost half of the income is derived from outside of Australia. It is known as one of the most significa nt organisations on the basis of market capitalisation, sales and profit in the international market (Charles Sturt University, 2011). With the increased competition in the global market, Amcor had faced the challenges of high raw material price and the need for improving customer and market competences. These aspects had resulted in the requirement of organisational change in Amcor. Amcor operates in a progressively competitive business environment where only the fittest and capable organisation can survive and prosper. Thus, in order to survive in the market, Amcor had transformed the organisational culture and behaviour by implementing lean manufacturing in their

The Relevance of Strategic Management Accounting Essay

The Relevance of Strategic Management Accounting - Essay Example Strategic management can be defined as the process of analyzing various initiatives taken by an organization, involving the resources available to them and performance within their external environments. This is in a bid to realize the mission and vision of the company and its objectives through developing modes of approach that will allow the organization to realize these aspects of its business (Friedl, Hans-Ulrich, & Burkhard, 2005). Management accounting can be described as the use of various accounting information by managers of an organization to assist them in making proper decisions in situations that they may be faced with. Therefore, strategic management accounting can be considered to be a combination of these two ideas whereby management accounting is used to enhance the strategic decision making that takes place in an organization, in a bid to increase the chances of success in a business (Mulcaster, 2009). ... The management processes that take place here deal with handling the organization as a whole, including the various enterprises that it may be involved with. Corporate strategic management accounting involves the handling of all businesses to ensure that there is no enterprise that may be causing the organization to suffer a loss (Friedl, Hans-Ulrich, & Burkhard, 2005). This level of management accounting is handled by the top brass of the organization, and decisions are made by top officials within the organization, such as members of the board of directors with assistance of advisors familiar with the situation that they are facing. Business strategic management accounting – This level of strategic management accounting deals with businesses belonging to an organization on a personal level. This is to say that it handles the management (Mulcaster, 2009) of the various businesses that an organization may be involved with according to the particular needs and situations that t he business may be faced with. This level of strategic management accounting is also handled by top level management, but in this case management is of that particular business such as the company CEO and heads of departments (Armstrong & Greene, 2007). This level of management allows the organization to concentrate on their various enterprises in a manner that allows them to address the various problems that they may face on a one-on-one level that allows the involved parties to figure out the proper solutions needed to take care of the complications that may have arisen (Clinton & Van der Merwe, 2006). This is an essential practice in any organization as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and thus all the enterprises of an

E-commerce Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

E-commerce Operations Management - Essay Example Since the first trimester of 2001 when the US e-commerce sales were $7931 million the overall sales increase by 242% six years later for a total $27,092 million online sales in the 1st quarter of 2007 (Plunkett Research, 2007). The largest retail firm in the world, Wal-Mart, caught on to this trend early and set up an internal and external ecommerce business infrastructure. This paper discusses e-commerce solution for customers and for internal business transaction by showcasing the capabilities of the multinational firm Wal-Mart Corporation. An electronic platform that allows business to interact with each other is a business to business network (B2B). A business to business application or e-biz is the exchange of products, information and services among business entities through electronic medium to achieve ecommerce transactions (Searchcio, 2001). The early emphasis of e-commerce was targeting business to customer transaction which has grown tremendously, but B2B have surprisingly become on the biggest forces driving the world ecommerce growth. B2B is a way to achieve significant savings in supply chain activities such as purchases and sales of product and services to other business partners. One of the simplest ways for other businesses to gain entrance into B2B networks is by utilizing the company home page as a portal for users to access a secured system to perform B2B transactions. Walt-Mart decided five years ago to convert their information system into a full B2B network to achieve greater efficiency in their relationships with suppliers and other vendors. The move was rapidly accepted by the business who are involve in business with Wal-Mart which enabled Wal-Mart to perform B2B transaction within a one year time span with 98% of its vendors (Zimmerman, 2003). Wal-Mart created its B2B application with the assistance of a software company called Coty. This firm provided the retail giant with the assistance