Effects Of Incarceration On The Correctional System

Effectiveness Of Incarceration By: Kyle McManigal Kyle McManigal Mr. Brian Burke February 18, 2013 English 101 Effectiveness of Imprisonment A person who is incarcerated is being held in confinement in an institution, usually because he is suspected of, or convicted of committing a crime (Edwards). The rates of incarceration are rising every year, which causes many questions concerning the effects that incarceration has on criminals. There’s an argument that imprisonment does not do most criminals any good, and that they simply receive a slap on the hand before returning to society to commit more crimes. They gain the information and contacts of other inmates, which just ensures the law breaker to continue his path. The†¦show more content†¦There’s another group of institutions that don’t seem to have any effect on any offender, whether first time, or repeat. These facilities tend to be the more lenient ones. Where cable is widely distributed, the food is slightly better, and the facility better maintained with air conditioning and single man showers. These jails have what you call regulars. People who don’t mind a couple nights in Jail, or they have become institutionalized and don’t see another option. These sorts of Jails breed criminals. It allows inmates to socialize between other inmates, make contacts, and get more knowledgeable about gangs, and possibly crimes (Keith). Many of these Jails are called Hardening Posts (Krestev). The population go in as criminals, and come out of what are call â€Å"Super Criminals†. These convicts tend to commit more severe crimes, and the trend is not good with the chance of them returning back to prison. Many politicians use this as an argument to cause heavier sentences, and to fight for life in prison. However, this causes the law breaker to feel isolated, and will force him to become institutionalized, and when he is actually released, he/she is more susceptible to extremely violent crimes, which many surveys have specifically named Rape and

Essay on Euthanasia Should Be Legal - 2042 Words

Euthanasia has been an ongoing debate for many years. Everyone has an opinion on why euthanasia should or should not be allowed but, it is as simple as having the choice to die with dignity. If a patient wishes to end his or her life before a disease takes away their quality of life, then the patient should have the option of euthanasia. Although, American society considers euthanasia to be morally wrong euthanasia should be considered respecting a loved one’s wishes. To understand euthanasia, it is important to know the rights humans have at the end of life, that there are acts of passive euthanasia already in practice, and the beneficial aspects. Death is a personal experience and to ensure loved one’s wishes, there has to be the†¦show more content†¦The patient is married, a father of four, and has 12 grandchildren. He is a strong and outgoing individual. His quality of life consisted on being able to do things on his own such as fishing, deer hunting, carpentry; he was mechanical, cut synthetic materials down to sale at the local scrap yard, and spending time with his family. In his younger days, before the decline in health, he was even more ambitious. The patient and his kin were devastated with the diagnosis of lung cancer, but the reality of the near end, was overwhelming when they had learned that the cancer had spread. The patient had been complaining of abdominal pain for several weeks. The few tests that were taken showed nothing in the beginning, but the patient develops jaundice, returns to doctor for more tests. One evening the patient tells his wife that he is not feeling well, worse than before , so the couple goes to the local ER to be checked. This was just the start of the turmoil to be endured. After the ER physician requested the results of the last test ordered for jaundice, and assessed the patient, the patient was transported to a larger hospital two hours away. The tests revealed there were tumors and blood pressure was dangerously low from chemical imbalances. Once the patient reached theShow MoreRelatedEuthanasia Should Not Be Legal1683 Words   |  7 PagesEuthanasia is derived from the Greek, â€Å"eu† meaning good, and â€Å"thanatos† translating to death, together the word makes â€Å"good death†. A person who is terminally ill often goes through excruciating pain and suffering. Ultimately, the right to euthanize a terminally ill patient should be legal across the nation because that person doesn’t see an end to their anguish, so they wish to turn to euthanasia. Euthanasia frees the patient’s body and mind, lets them die with dignity, and their loved ones don’tRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal? Essay1449 Words   |  6 Pages Euthanasia: The Right to Die Euthanasia is a concept that has been around for a very long time. It has been practiced since ancient Greece. We all have different opinions towards it; some of us might be for it and others against it. In most parts of the world Euthanasia is illegal. Many countries have denied the right to euthanasia, but is that fair and ethical? It is the painless killing of a patient’s agony from an incurable and painful disease. Euthanasia should be legal. SomeoneRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal?1387 Words   |  6 Pagesunexpectedly† (Wpadmin). This shows that many people show aversion towards euthanasia and would not want themselves to be euthanized. Euthanasia occurs when someone is suffering from a painful or incurable disease and they prefer to die. It is done by taking them off of life support or not giving them essential supplies to live such as food, medications, oxygen, and more. There are countless debates of whether or not euthanasia should be legal, and whethe r or not it benefits people. Some countries allow itRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal?1061 Words   |  5 PagesDetermining Euthanasia Millions of precious lives have been deliberately taken throughout the world due to the new Euthanasia Law. Euthanasia is the practicing of assisted suicide, due to terminally ill patients or depression. The practicing has just been legalized September 2015, and will be put into effect in California January 1 2016. Although, it is still being argued if adolescents should have the right fro this and if it’s morally correct all together. Euthanasia should be illegalRead MoreEuthanasia Should Not Be Legal1520 Words   |  7 Pages Euthanasia or commonly known as Physician-Assisted Suicide is defined as the painless killing of a patient who is suffering from an incurable and painful disease or is in an irreversible coma. It is an act that speeds up death. Some people consider euthanasia to be a mercy killing and others consider it to be murder. This practice is illegal in most countries. In the United States, however, six states have legalized physician-assisted suicide even though most states, 44 to be more specific, haveRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal?1919 Words   |  8 Pages Euthanasia is a widely debated topic of the 21st century. Many places have legalized it, others refuse to even talk about the subject. However, more and more people are wanting their right to die to be recognized while others fight back against that right. A lot has to go into the backing and thinking about euthanasia, beginning with the different types that there are. After that, you would have to look at both sides to analyze why it would be a good practice to have, or a bad one. ManyRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal?1311 Words   |  6 Pageshave used euthanasia, or physician assisted suicide. They used it with the purpose of releasing their soul and the pain that they could not endure any longer. Euthanasia is a process provided by the medical system today that involves active and passive euthanasia. Physician assisted suicide is spreading across the world, and people are using it legally. In the U.S, euthanasia has been legalized in some states so people are trying t o take advantage of it. Many people have used euthanasia so they wouldRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal?1360 Words   |  6 PagesOwadara Adedamola ENG 101 Prof. Skeen 24 November 2015 Legalizing Euthanasia â€Å"Euthanasia is defined as conduct that brings about an easy and painless death for persons suffering from an incurable or painful disease or condition† (Muckart, et al 259). Euthanasia, also dying with dignity, is the practice of the termination of a terminally ill person s life in order to relieve them of their suffering. Euthanasia is one of today’s most controversial health issues with debates on people’s rightRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal?2146 Words   |  9 PagesWho should be in charge of ending your life? Understanding euthanasia in its entirety can only be met when one knows the various forms it can take. They include passive, active, voluntary, and involuntary. Passive euthanasia refers to the practice of medical practitioners refraining from providing treatment in turn, allowing death. Active euthanasia, on the other hand, involves the deliberate killing of a person, using medical skills and knowledge as an instrument (Sheldon). The primary concern inRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal?1183 Words   |  5 PagesThe word euthanasia is defined as good death, but this meaning cannot be taken literally without analyzing its underlying implications (Vaughn 595). The primary issues that must be raised when discussing euthanasia are differentiating between active and passive forms, analyzing the values that people place on their life and realizing that euthanasia is beneficial. Euthanasia provides a means for patients who are in agony to be relieved of their condition while ensuring that doctors follow appropriate

Film Review The Movie Oslo - 1716 Words

Process Paper One: Oslo, August 31st The film I chose to watch and review was a 2011 Norwegian film titled Oslo, August 31st. The film dealt with addiction, relapse and suffering. I chose this film primarily for two reasons: First, it was listed on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) as a film that explores drug use, suffering and suicide (co-occurring disorders). Secondly, I selected it because it is a Foreign / Norwegian film. I am a huge Art-house and European films fan and was thrilled that film was available on Netflix. The film’s screenplay was written and directed by veteran Norwegian cinematographer Joachim Trier. The film stars Norwegian actor Anders Lies and was filmed entirely in and around Olso. Trier described his film as a loose adaptation of a 1930’s French novel Le feu follet (â€Å"Will’o the Whisp†) by Pierre La Rochelle. La Rochelle’s novel was about a young man ravaged by a life of hard living and addiction. Suicidal thoughts permeate both the novel and film. These topics are as relevant as ever. Oslo, August 31st was screened at both the Cannes and Sundance film festivals in 2012. The film has received overwhelmingly positive reviews. In the film, our protagonist is â€Å"Anders† (same name as the actor), a 32 year old Norwegian man living in Oslo. During the first few moments we learn Anders is a recovering heroin addict and has been living in an in-patient residential facility in the outskirts of Oslo for approximately ten months. AlthoughShow MoreRelatedThe Effectiveness of U.S. and Scandinavian Penal and Prisons Systems3045 Words   |  13 PagesKrayen and Banijens). One such labor camp is Bastà ¸y Prison or Bastà ¸y fengsel, (which sometimes is ironically called â€Å"Devils Island† based off of a movie featuring the prison’s background as a strict corrections institute for youths). Bastà ¸y is largest low-security prison in Norway and is surprisingly cozy. The prison is located on Bastà ¸y island in the Oslo Fiord, in the Horten municipality. In addition to the prison functions, Bastà ¸y has a shop, library, information office, health services, church,Read MoreSerbia and Kosovo: From Myth to Genocide Essay2939 Words   |  12 Pagesdifferent nationalistic movements and their main features in the different republics with attention devoted to analyzing the use of media and other aspects which had impact on nationalism. The paper concludes with a summary of the findings and a general review of the current political situation in the four republics in question and their path towards democratization. The study is based on the works of two groups of authors who have significantly contributed to the topic which is subject to our researchRead MoreEssay on Georg Lukacs, quot;the Ideology of Modernismquot;7555 Words   |  31 Pages720). 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Furthermore, the service sector in the period 1990-2001 was accounting for more than half of the employment in most countries under WTO review (Measuring Trade in Services, 2006). The service globalization has been driven by for example decreasing barriers to trade and the advancements of technology (Winstead and Patterson 1998). According to Almega, a Swedish umbrella organization for theRead MoreAmazon Strategy15987 Words   |  64 Pagessee Appendix 4. 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Critical Thinking Assignment Essay Sample free essay sample

Janet thinks that pupil parking is a job on campus. There are non plenty infinites to suit the increasing Numberss of pupils. and many have search for more than 20 proceedingss before happening a infinite. Use the problem-solving stairss to come up with the best solution. Complete the six critical believing stairss to job resolution and LABEL each measure to make a solution to this job. 1. Identify the Problem- non plenty parking for pupils on campus. 2. Generate Possible Solutions to Problem- public transit systems like school coachs. siting bikes or walking to school. advancing more carpooling. construct more parking infinites or parking deck for pupils. 3. Critically evaluate each Possible Solution-public transit systems like school coachs: good for environment ( less pollution ) . free. economical. siting bikes or walking to school: good for environment. We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Thinking Assignment Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page good for physical wellness. non ever possible to sit or walk to school ( distance ) . cost efficient. clip devouring. advancing more carpooling: good for environment. doing more friends. cost efficient. non ever dependable. non ever available with your agenda. construct more parking infinites or parking deck for pupils: dearly-won to school. non ever financess available to construct parking tonss or decks. non as ecofriendly or be efficient but much more accessible and practical for pupils. 4. Select and Implement your Solution- Raising the financess necessary to construct a parking deck for pupils. Sing that pupils will non hold to seek for up to 20 proceedingss to happen a parking infinite before category. less rough on environment since edifice up and non out ; duplicate the parking infinites compared to level parking batch. 5. Measure your Solution- Building the parking deck for the pupils was the best solution to the job. I believe it was the school that created the job for the pupils in the first topographic point and it should be the school who takes the actions necessary to rectify the jobs for the pupils. There is a parking base on balls pupils are able to purchase for a twelvemonth of parking or 6 months of parking or you can take to pay $ 2. 50 each clip you use the parking deck. That manner the school is able to gain some of the money that was borrowed to construct the deck back. therefore the solution is a win-win. 6. Reassess your Solution- The solution of constructing a parking deck for the pupils is still the best possible solution to the job. Not everyone is able to walk or bicycle to school or can afford to purchase a bike or scooter to utilize merely to acquire to or from school and the school benefits in the terminal.

Discussion about Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Fast Food Restaurant Cas

Question: Discuss about the Kentucky Fried Chicken Fast Food Restaurant. Answer: Introduction KFC or Kentucky Fried Chicken which is a fast food restaurant mainly specializes in fried chicken and the company has its headquarter at Louisville, Kentucky in United States. It is considered to be the second largest fast food restaurant chain in terms of sales after McDonalds operating globally in 115 countries though its 18000 outlets across the globe (KFC, 2016). The company operates in order to cater to the specific tastes and preferences of its customers and thus emphasizes upon facilitating its customers with high quality products and services. In this context, the operations of the company is supported by highly skilled and experienced employee base responsible for delivering efficiency in both its backstage and frontstage operations. From the analysis of the fast food restaurant operations, I observed the fact that the operations are generally divided into front of the house and back of the house operations. Where in back of the house operations, the areas involved include the purchasing of the materials, the receiving, and storage, issuing preparation of the food, service, sanitation, dishwashing, budgeting, accounting and control, the front of the house of the operations can be related to the individuals and the operations that directly interact with the customers in the dining space. Analyzing the front of the house of the operations at KFC, I became aware of the fact that the managers tend to play a major role. They emphasize upon forecasting the number of guests to be expected on a particular day and communicate the message to the kitchen. This is done by analyzing the arrival of the guests on that particular day in the previous year taking into consideration the factors like the weather conditions, day of the week, events or holidays and others (Greasley, 2008). I observed that the tables are generally 24 to 30 inches square and are placed at equal distance from each other and the tables are also capable of accommodating six people when they are spread open. Once the tables are laid and restaurant is set, the front staff members get involved in quick service meeting and then get into actions. When the guests or the customers enter the restaurant they are greeted by the hosts and they are shown the way to the table. The menus are handed over to the guests and t hey also have the provision of displaying the menus with price on the display screen. Very often, the customers are asked to wait for few minutes so the orders can be spaced out to prevent the kitchen from getting over slammed. The customers are also helped with the menus by the server, offers if any are also explained and their queries are answered. After clearly explaining the menus, the customers allowed the space to decide their menu. Once the customers decide their menu they visit the counter where they place the order and are facilitated with the receipt of the amount that they have to pay for the order placed. After that the order is taken which is again sent to the kitchen and appropiate cutlery is checked for each of the customers and the spoons are added or removed as required. The order once ready is then handed over the customers in a tray. The customers receive the tray and enjoy their menu on their preferred table. Once the customers are done with their food, they are approached by the staff members within the store and are often facilitated with the survey leaflets to collect their valuable feedbacks about their experience within the restaurant outlet (Iredell, 2007). Moreover, from the analysis, I came across that in this overall operation, the managers emphasize upon ensuring the fact that everything is functioning smoothly and are ready to help the staff members and guests in every way possible. On the other hand, I also emphasized upon analyzing the back of the house of operations of KFC. The analysis revealed the fact that the kitchen proves to be the center of production and thus needs to be run properly in order to offer good quality food and presentation so that it can be meet the goals of costing. The chefs are responsible for checking the inventory at the close to ensure sufficient quantities of food for the expected visitors. The suppliers are provided the orders one day before so that the materials get delivered. The prep cooks are assigned with their responsibilities and task the day before and the chef tends to ensure that all the menus are prepared as per the standardized recipes and entire line is ready for the service. During the service delivery, the manager acts as a caller that facilitates in controlling the ordering and expediting of the plates at the pass (Weng et al., 2016). Once the service has been delivered, the food is put away and the cleanup part is done, the par stocks are checked for the next service, orders are made and schedules of production are made and thus it acts as a never ending process. With the passage of time, I have observed that the competition in the fast food restaurant industry has increased with various players like KFC, McDonalds, Subway, Starbucks and thus it becomes important on the part of the fast food restaurants chain like KFC to not only strive towards ensuring operational efficiency, but also take into consideration the aspects like service encounter which is the main aspect that is looked upon by the customers while evaluating a service. Again if the customers are satisfied with the service encounter then it tends to have a positive significant impact on the business profitability through repeat purchases and positive word of mouth marketing. Thus, I can emphasize upon the fact that fast food restaurant should be proactive in their approach to design strategies that are capable of leading the business towards sustainable competitive advantage. Again the service encounter can be looked upon as an area where the promises made by the business are eith er kept or broken and at times it can also be referred to as the real time marketing efforts that are capable of offering high level customer satisfaction and gain customer loyalty (Zeithaml Bitner, 2008). The service encounters also facilitate the customers with the reasons and grounds to develop their perception or opinion towards the business in context to the service quality. Thus, in conclusion, I would like to focus upon the point that with each service encounter, the business has opportunity to enhance the overall satisfaction on the part of the customers. Moreover, in this context I tend to emphasize that where service encounters tend to portray the image the businesses like KFC as a quality service provider, it becomes important that the managers play a major and active role in delivering quality services. Taking into consideration the front stage operations, the managers are responsible to train to the staff members so that they acquire required skills to handle the customers and ensure efficiency in their operations (Drucker and Maciariello, 2008). Moreover, the managers are also responsible for assisting the staff members together with the customers in order to ensure the fact that operational functions are carried out in a smooth manner. They also have the roles and responsibilities of analyzing the external and internal environment to develop strategies so that the business can be led to new heights ahead of the competitors. Conclusion Thus from the above discussions, I would like to derive that a fast food restaurant is characterized with back stage and front stage operations where the managers tend to play a major role in ensuring enhanced service encounters leading to improved overall customer satisfaction. References Drucker, P. and Maciariello, J. (2008).Management. New York, NY: Collins. Greasley, A. (2008).Operations management. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications. Iredell, A. (2007). Control in Food Service Operations.Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 4(3), pp.39-45. KFC. (2016).About - KFC: WHAT MADE us GREAT IS STILL WHAT MAKES US GREAT. [online] Available at: https://www.kfc.com/about [Accessed 13 Sep. 2016]. Weng, S., Gotcher, D. and Kuo, C. (2016). Lining up for quick serviceThe business impact of express lines on fast-food restaurant operations.Journal of Foodservice Business Research, pp.1-17. Zeithaml, V.A., Bitner M.J, (2008) Service Marketing, 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill, New York.

Writing Antigone Essay Topics

Writing Antigone Essay TopicsThere are many different Antigone essay topics, and each of them is dedicated to a specific historical figure. You can read as much about a topic as you like, and it will have been written about by a real person who has had experience writing about it. However, you don't have to make the effort to research these topics.You can simply find free Antigone essay topics online. In fact, I have done this before. It was actually easier than looking for historical figure essay topics for me. I just had to go to my search engine and type in Antigone essay topics to see what kind of results I was going to get.I should mention that you should not assume that free Antigone essay topics are going to be well written. If you want your essay to be unique, you need to spend some time in the first instance finding some good topics that have been written about. It's a very good idea to find yourself some good quality sources and work out some way of linking these.You will t hen need to get hold of some original article text, and then edit it, but you should not write the article yourself. Instead, you can hire a ghost writer or even an article ghost.This will help you get your article into shape much quicker and will ensure that you have the quality you require in the final piece. You'll need to search out some article text samples, and then you can send your ghost writer of the text and get it edited down.This can then be sent off to the ghost writer, and they will then get the text edited and get it re-copy pasted into a fresh article. This should give you the text that you require for your Antigone essay.Make sure you spend a lot of time on researching your Antigone essay topics. You don't want to have any problems with getting them to publish, so it is essential that you take the time to find as many quality ones as possible.In addition, if you have children, then you should take extra care in researching your Antigone essay topics. You don't want any problems with your children discovering your text that might harm them.

Organisational Culture Jc Penney free essay sample

Do you think JC Penney was justified in appointing Mike Ullman, an outsider, as CEO instead of Vanessa Castagna, considering that Castagna was instrumental in turning around JC Penney in the early 2000s? Soon afterwards, Castagna left the company. What are the pros and cons of â€Å"bringing in an outsider† and promoting from within†? Discuss too the impact of such decisions on the morale of the employees. JC Penney is a mid range chain of American department stores, which was first started by James Cash Penney 1902, when he was offered a one third partnership in a new store with Guy Johnson and Thomas Callahan called The Golden Rule. The store was a dry goods and clothing store in Kemmerer, Wyoming and from here the chain spread rapidly throughout the United States changing its name to JC Penney in 1913 when James Penney took a greater ownership of the chain. At about this time several partners met at Salt Lake City to draft â€Å"The Penney Idea†, a set of business principles that were to guide the business from then on. We will write a custom essay sample on Organisational Culture Jc Penney or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Wikipedia. com viewed 9th September 2007. Over the years the chain of the department stores continued to grow through a system where the managers put equity into their stores giving them more control over what was sold. As a result the merchandising system was decentralised while all its competitors had a more centralised system allowing them to know what was in stock at any one time, what was moving and what was not; and to be able to advertise on a national basis. With the intense competition found in the retail sector in the late 1990s, JC Penney began to find its place in the market was under pressure and profits began to decline. At this stage it made the new appointments of Allen Questrom as the CEO and Vanessa Castagna as the new COO. Castagna came to JC Penneys with a great deal of merchandising experience gained from other retail chain stores. With this experience she helped Questrom turn around JCP by centralising the buying system, decreasing the number of lines sold, closing down non performing outlets and re-imaging the lines sold to the customers.This plus the selling of a number of the company’s other interests left it in a very good financial position avoiding what looked like possible disaster. These changes brought JCP into line with its competitors and in doing this Castagna showed excellent management skills. The share market also approved, as can been seen with shares rising from about $20 when she joined the company in 1999 to over $40 when she quit in March 2005, as can be seen in Diagram1. Diagram 1 http://investing. businessweek. com/research/stocks/charts/charts. sp? symbol=JCP viewed 9th September 2007. Even though Castagna showed great management skills she did not necessarily show the vision or leadership skills that were necessary to take JCP the next step further were it could attract, train and keep good staff as well as present a new image that would excite and attract new customers and ensure old customers kept coming back. Kotter (1996, pg 25) stated, â€Å"Management is a set of processes that can keep a complicated system of people and technology running smoothly.The most important aspects of management include planning, budgeting, organising, staffing, controlling, and problem solving. Leadership is a set of processes that creates organisations in the first place or adapts them to significantly changing circumstances. Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles. † When Myron E. Ullman joined JC Penney as Chairman and CEO late in 2004 he found that the company had maintained a rigid old world culture that discouraged new recruits and stifled creative thinking.Morale amongst employees was high, but only because the company had just avoided disaster and Ullman felt to increase morale and retain quality staff the culture within the organisation had to change dramatically. He had a vision to take the company to the industry leadership level through the â€Å"Long Term Plan† which has been updated over the last couple of years and can be summarised as follows: Annual Report (2006, Pg 4) †¢Develop strong enduring relationships with customers †¢Inspir e customers with our merchandise and services †¢Being the preferred choice for a retail career Establish JCP as the growth leader in the retail industry Unlike Castagna, Ullman has displayed high cognitive leadership abilities allowing him to see the underlying problems within JCP and act on them with innovative ideas. Of the five factors that make up Cognitive Intelligence, he shows high levels in all of them. †¢Experienced in retail industry. Gathered information about JCP before acting †¢Creativity was shown through in range of cultural change initiatives †¢Recognised when people are engaged with work they relate better to customers †¢Showed farsightedness through the â€Å"Long Term Plan† Putting 164 hrs into Retail Academy showed openness Ullman has proven that he is Strategic Leader as shown by Daft (2005, Pg 510-53). †¢His Mission was simple and it was to take the company to the Industry Leadership Level. This gave the organisation something to aim at for the future, established a standard of excellence and it reflected high ideals. †¢The Mission is in the form of the â€Å"Long Term Plan†. It defines the JCP’s character, core values, remains mostly constant over a five year period and provides a basis for creating the Mission. The strategy formulation is the cultural change initiatives that were required to build a customer focused culture. It was unfortunate that Castagna resigned from her position as the COO only some months after Ullman began in his role, as together, when considering their abilities, they would have made a very good team. However in light of the leadership skills and abilities that Ullman brought to JCP, it was a gamble that was worth the risk that the board took. Stone (2005, pg 192) lists the following advantages and disadvantages of promoting from within or outside an organisation: From OutsideAdvantages †¢Pool of Talent is bigger †¢New insights, skills and know-how can be introduced into the organisation †¢It is sometimes cheaper and easier hire employees †¢Outside employees are not members of existing cliques Disadvantages †¢Attracting and selecting new employees is more difficult †¢New employee adjustment and orientation takes longer †¢Morale may suffer among existing employees who have been passed over †¢Incumbent’s performance or personality is below what was expected or is acceptable From WithinAdvantages †¢Have knowledge of candidate’s strengths and weaknesses †¢Candidate already knows the organisation †¢Employee morale and motivation are enhanced †¢Return on investment in training and development is enhanced †¢Can generate a succession of promotions †¢Organisation needs to hire only entry level candidates Disadvantages †¢Employees may promoted beyond their level of competence †¢Employee infighting for promotions can affect morale †¢Inbreeding can stifle creativity and innovation †¢System can become bureaucratic Excellent training and development programs become necessary One would only image the impact on morale when the head on an organisation was sourced from outside the group and then to find the COO, whom it was widely expected to have taken on this role, to offer her resignation and leave. The mood at JCP which was quite high because of the recent turn aroun d in financial fortunes would dissipated very quickly. However the low morale that had resulted would have turned around once the cultural initiatives that were implemented started showing positive effects. Some analysts consider that culture change is driven from the top, whereas, others say that it is the system that drives change, not top management. Give your comments with reasons. DuBrin, Dalglish and Miller (2006, Pg. 429-30) define organisational culture, in three components: †¢The Artefact Level This includes the physical layout of the premises, the terminology, the signs, rituals and stories of the organisation. In the case of JC Penney, this would include such things as the expectation to always dress formally, the ban on decorating and personalising cubicles and the addressing of managers in a formal manner. The Value Level This is the individual’s sense of what ought to be, as distinct from what is. These are statements made about the organisation, what it does, and how it does it, which reflect the culture. The Penney Idea is an example of this, the document espousing values such as being agreeable, moral leadership, thriftiness and the need for employees to conduct themselves in a particular way both on the job and at home. †¢The Underlying Set of Assumptions These assumptions develop when values become so entrenched they are taken f or granted and are assumed to be unchangeable. After being in existence for over one hundred years JCP had entrenched values that would take concerted efforts to change. DuBrin, Dalglish and Miller (2006, Pg. 430) also identify four ways in which the organisational culture can be influenced: †¢The beliefs and values of the organisations founder. James C Penney bought his first shop in 1902, was the CEO until 1917 and remained as the Chairman of the Board until 1946 and after that as the Honorary Chairman until his death in 1971, Wikipedia. com viewed 9th September 2007.With this long connection and the organisation bearing his name it is easy to understand why the organisational culture had not changed and was one that reflected his ideals and that of a bygone era. †¢The social norms of the country in which the organisation first developed. According to the Annual Report 2006, Pg. 9, JCP has 1,026 stores in the USA and a further 7 stores in Puerto Rico. The South American influence can be seen in lines of clothing developed that are specifically aimed at the Hispanic population. Requirement to adapt to external pressures and the need to survive. In the case of JCP, changes in the culture began to come about from the near financial collapse in the late 1990s and the plummeting value of its shares on the stock market as can be seen on Diagram 1. It was first essential that the organisations procedures where brought up to industry standards. This was done by Questrom and Castagna and later in order to make JCP to an industry leader Ullman and team brought about significant changes in an attempt to completely revamp the culture. Internal Integration and problems with it. In 1922, the President of JCP Earl C. Sams was apparently critical of the informality of staff calling each other by their first names as he believed that it did not show enough dignity and respect. Although nothing was conveyed to the employees of JCP, they began the formal tradition of addressing each other by their surnames. Limerick and Cunnington (1993, Pg. 184) also states that, â€Å"We also do not assume that the founder or the CEO of an organisation has the unilateral control over culture.On the contrary, a host of individuals and interest groups are normally trying to shape the culture according to their vision or interests. But we do assert that CEOs in general, and founders in particular, form a very powerful, if not dominant, influence on corporate culture. † It can be seen James Penney had left a long lasting influence over the culture of the organisation, with his death in 1971, there was the opportunity for the CEO to change the culture, providing it was done in a careful and considerate manner in order for it to be taken seriously and not o offend employees. When Myron Ullman was appointed chairman and CEO, rather than make large encompassing changes he listened to employees, gathered ideas and spoke to other people who had been through the same process, and little by little he started making changes that had positive effects to the culture. The effect of these changes filtered through to the value placed on the company by the share market (which can be seen in Diagram 1), with shares rising from $40 per share at the time he took over as CEO to about $65 per share as 9th September 2007. Wha t are the lessons to be learned from the JC Penney culture change initiatives? What do you see as the key components in its having achieved it goals, at least in the near term? How can JC Penney keep the momentum of change rolling in its favour in the future? When Myron Ullman first joined JC Penney he wanted to create a customer focused culture and in trying to do so he came across significant opposition due to the ingrained culture that was very formal and rigid going back over one hundred years.Once having assessed JCP’s culture and being mindful on how it prided itself on its corporate tradition, Ullman set about making symbolic changes: He also started in-house training programs, which were not the norm in the retail industry due to the high turnover rates. The argument was that if training was provided employees would be more willing to invest their careers with JCP and as a result it would be a cure to the retention problem of high staff turnover. The programs were: †¢The Retail Program, which was like an intense graduate school on retail, strategy and team development for their managers.In these training groups it was reinforced that the members were the future of the organisation and it was also believed that the well trained managers helped train their subordinates. †¢The graduates of these programs would in turn take courses titles â€Å"Leading a Store† Another type of initiative that was introduced by Ullman was the repositioning of its brand, the first in its 105 year history, with the slogan â€Å"Every Day Matters† with all its employees trained in the new initiatives.The lessons learned from the culture change initiatives were, that although resistance by employees was met, if management were committed to and persisted with meaningful changes over the long term the culture can change and employees will become more positive in regard to positions which in turn should flow through to customers. The positive results to the initiatives can be seen in: †¢The second survey of employees which showed an increase job satisfaction from 67 per cent in 2005 up to 73 per cent in 2006. The increased ability to attract graduates from the best professional retail schools. The bottom line increased with Operating Profit going from $1,275mill in 2004 to $1,631mill in 2005 up to $1,922mill in 2006, Annual Report (2006, Pg 20). The key components in JCP having achieved its goal to date, has been having an effective leader and team who have: †¢Been patient so as to ensure that they listen, learn and understand the problems and issues that the organisation faces. To surround themselves with capable and trustworthy people who are able to perform their roles to the level that is required †¢While keeping a focus on what is trying to be achieved, making small but significant changes within the working environment to ensure improvement in job satisfaction. †¢Ensuring employees are equipped to perform their roles eg ongoing training. Daft (2005, Pg 564-69) gives a number techniques to maintain a healthy culture that could be used to maintain the momentum of change.They are: †¢Ceremonies, they are special events which are for the benefit of an audience, they reinforce specific values, create bonds and celebrate achievements. Eg. Celebrate certain milestones or achieving targets. †¢Stories which are repeated frequently and shared amongst employees, they can illustrate and reinforce important cultural values. The story can be factual or fictional and relate to JCP’s motto â€Å"Every Day Matters† †¢Symbols, can be an object, act, or event and convey cultural values. An example of this is the replacement of art with photos of employees and pictures of certain organisational sites on the corporate office walls. Specialised Language. The use of slogans or sayings can express key corporate values such as the â€Å"Every Day Matters† slogan. †¢Selection and Socialisation. Ensuring the right people are hired is essential then they must be socialised by instilling good values, high self esteem and confidence. †¢Daily Action. Leaders must signal and support important cultural values through daily actions. Employees learn what is valued most in a company by watching what attitudes and behaviours leaders pay attention to and reward, how they act in organisational crises and how their own behaviour match the companies values.