Saturday, November 30, 2019
Umpqua Bank Analysis
Umpqua Bank is a private financial holding company based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Its headquarters are located at Umpqua Bank Plaza in Portland. The bank engages in the commercial as well as retail banking. It also engages in the business of retail brokerage services.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Umpqua Bank Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The bankââ¬â¢s client services division offers financial services as well as products to individual customers. It has several holdings where it offers its customers personal checking as well as saving accounts, various insurance policies, unit investment trusts plus mutual funds. It also offers business checking as well as saving accounts. In addition the bank offers certificates of deposits as market accounts. Umpqua Bank is a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation which has existed since 1953 (Umpqua Bank, 2011). It was first established in Canyo nville, Oregon, by a group of people who engaged in the timber-logging business whose aim was to create an institution where they could cash their payroll checks. It was then named as South Umpqua State Bank and located at the Masonic Lodge. In 1972, the bank moved its headquarters to Roseburg, Oregon. The bank continued to expand; however, it took a major turn a major turn in 1994 when Ray Davis took over as President and CEO. Davis launched a new strategy as well as direction for the company (Umpqua Bank, 2011). He shortened the name to Umpqua Bank. By then, the company had total assets worth $150 million (Umpqua Bank, 2011). In 1995, the company launched its first retail-oriented flagship store at its headquarters in Roseburg. A year later, the bank established four new stores in Lane County to offer unique customer experience. In 1998, Umpqua Bank went public through initial public offering and was listed at NASDAQ OMX Stock Exchange. The following year, the bank became Umpqua H oldings Corporation and acquired Strand Atkinson Williams York brokerage firm.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In 2000, the bank company formed its first merger with Valley of the Rogue Bank. In 2003, it opened up a store in Portlandââ¬â¢s Pearl District and World Greatest Bank University to offer bank-related courses. In 2004, the Bank expanded into California by acquiring Humboldt Bank Holding Company subsidiaries. In 2006, Umpqua opens a new store in Portland and also acquires Western Sierra Bancorp to become the largest community Bank in Sacramento region (Umpqua Bank, 2011). It opened a state-of-the-art technology in Portlandââ¬â¢s Southwest waterfront in 2007 to offer new customer experience. It also acquired Vintage Bank in Napa, CA, the same year. In 2008, the company partnered with Energy Trust Oregon to establish GreenStreet Lending to small business at low -interest rates. In 2009, its eco-banking division began ways to make the company environmentally friendly (Umpqua Bank, 2011). In January 2009, Umpqua took over the deposits of Vancouver Bank from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (Kish, 2011). A year later, January 2010, the bank also took control of deposits of Seattle Evergreen Bank which had been closed by the Washington Department of Financial Institutions. In February the same year, the bank took over the deposits of Tacoma Bank from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Two months later, it reached an agreement with its owner, Rainier Pacific Bank, to purchase it from the FDIC (Kish, 2011). The company has three Board of Directors; Peggy Fowler, Luis Machuca and Hilliard Terry. Umpqua Bank is headed by Ray Davis, who is the President And CEO. Under him are Duff Greg, Vice President, Ken Vogt, Vice President, Craig Fair, Vice President Finance, Beth Fox, Vice President Technical Systems, Joe Plummer, V ice President, Network Engineer and Security, Angela Machado, Vice President, Business Development Officer, Dave Nelson, Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer, Ron Piatt, Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer, Donna Huntsman, Senior Vice President-Private, Rick Calero, Executive Vice President of Community Banking, Kelly Johnson, Executive Vice President-Asset Management, Sheryl Stanley, Assistant Vice President Accounting, Ross Blanchard Assistant Vice President Systems, Ric Carey, Executive Vice President of Store experience and Sales and Rich Sauter, Director Ebanking.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Umpqua Bank Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The next level executives are branch and division managers, system and credit analysts as well as auditors. Umpqua Holdings Corporations has an asset value of $8,324.6 million. The bankââ¬â¢s total trading assets as per the second quarter of 2010-11 fiscal year remained constant at $3 million while intangible assets also remained at $696 million during the whole period. Other assets were valued at $1179 million at the end of the second quarter having increased from $1624 million. Thus, at the close of the second quarter of the trading period, the bankââ¬â¢s asset value was $11460 million. Umpqua Bankââ¬â¢s return on assets over the last trailing twelve months was valued at 0.4% while asset turnover was 0.04% (Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). Umpqua Bankââ¬â¢s total deposits at the end of the second quarter were $9146 million as compared to last yearââ¬â¢s total which was $9434 million at the close of that period (Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). Its short-term debts were $257 million at the close of the second quarter while its long-term debts stood at $184 million. At the same time, its net loans were $6397 millions. The bankââ¬â¢s total liabilities were $9785 million as compared to what was registered at the end of last trading period which was $10026 millions while its total equity increased from $1643 million to $1674 million ((Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). At the end of the second quarter, the company had acquired a net margin of 9.5% in the trailing 12 months with a financial leverage of 6.8%. Its return on equity in the trailing 12 months was 2.9% (Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). For more than 3 years, Umpqua Bank has faced non-stop credit quality problem which resulted from the recently experienced global recession. This has created losses in the previous financial years, 2007-2009. The bank is almost overcoming the loan problems.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It had to increase its lending rates to help it reduce its loan losses. However, the major problem that the bank faces now is how to maintain its credit quality as well as how to improve its declining loans. The bankââ¬â¢s Chief Executive reports that the companyââ¬â¢s total loans decreased from $1.7 billion in 2009 to $1.6 billion in 2010 (Manning, 2011). The second quarter financial statement also show that the net loans declined from USD 6419 million in December 2010 to USD 6397 million in June 2011 (Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). The increase in the number of banks applying for bankruptcy in the region presents a great opportunity for expansion to the bank in already established markets. Umpqua has remained stronger in the region in the face of the bad loans as well as losses. The bankââ¬â¢s Chief Executive, Ray Davies, reports that FDIC has approached them thrice to buy deposits of failed banks (Manning, 2011). It has already purchased Tacoma Bank while Vancouver Bank plus Seattle Evergreen Bank still remain under its control though not yet purchased. Besides, with the introduction of Bassel III, several other banks may fail to meet the capital requirements. This will also present an opportunity to make acquisitions and to expand. The Commercial industry trends bound to affect Umpqua Bank The adoption of Bassel III is likely to affect the bankââ¬â¢s future business. Umpqua Bank may face problems in meeting Bassel IIIââ¬â¢s capital requirements. According to the Morningstar Equity Research (2011) Bassel III is an international agreement whose aim is to standardize certain banking safety requirements throughout the world. Bassel III will require banks to hold additional capital. It will place standards on the quality as well as quantity of capital required on banks. This means that banks will have to preserve Tier 1 common capital ratios so as to be able to absorb loan losses. Tier 1 capital will rise from the current 6% to 10.5% (Mornin gstar Equity Research, 2011). Bassel III will also eliminate some items like deferred tax assets from the core capital. Again the minimum common equity will increase from the current 2% to 7% (Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). Again, the Bassel III is yet to announce the definition of Systematically Important Financial Institution (SIFI). Companies classified as SIFI will be expected to hold additional not-yet-determined capital. This will have a significant impact on individual financial institutionââ¬â¢s competitive advantage as they will have to acquire additional capital. Such move is likely to have a significant impact on Umpqua Bank should it fall under the SIFIs as it may affect the bankââ¬â¢s competitive position in the US. Since the banks merger with Valley of the Rogue Bank in 2000, the bank has expanded its market share to lead other financial institutions in Jackson County. By the end of June this year, the companyââ¬â¢s deposits were measured at $456.5million which translated into 16.7% of the nationââ¬â¢s banking deposits (Stiles, 2011). The bank has been able to edge out other companies which were ahead of it in the market such as Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase. Umpqua Bank has grown over the years to accumulate more than $8 billion in assets. When Ray Davies took over in 1994 as the companyââ¬â¢s CEO and President, the bank had only $150 million in assets (Tweel, 2008), however, it has grown over the years to reach $8.325 billion. In addition, Umpqua Bank has made significant expansions across Oregon, San Francisco, and Seattle among other regions. Currently, the bank boasts of over 180 branches (Davis, 2010). In May this year, Umpqua Bank was ranked top by the 2011 US Retail Banking Satisfaction Study for offering the best customer services (satisfaction). It was ranked highest in customer satisfaction (J. D. Power and Associates, 2011). Umpqua Bankââ¬â¢s attempts to leverage its credit quality and loan losses by increasing the lending rates have not worked well for the bank. Although it came up with the GreenStreet Lending program for small business, it did not implement other mechanisms which would encourage large businesses to acquire loans from the bank, and this has been the reason behind its falling loans. Umpqua Bank has been able to achieve stability and growth in the market and still continues to expand through acquisitions. However, it has to implement strategies which will allow it maintain its strength in the market as regards loans. Reference List Davis, R. (2010). Umpqua notes. Web. J. D. Power and Associates. (2011). Umpqua Bank ranked highest in the Northwest for customers satisfaction. Web. Kish, M. (2011). Umpqua profits climb, beat estimates. Portland Business Journal. Web. Manning, J. (2011). Umpqua Bank back in the black, says problem in the past. Web. Morningstar Equity Research. (2011). Umpqua Holdings Corporation UMPQ. Portland: Morningstar. Stiles, G. (2011). Umpqua Bank is ag ain no. 1 in local deposits. Web. Tweel, C. A. (2008). Leading for growth: Assessing the growth impact of Umpqua Bankââ¬â¢s cultural makeover. North Carolina Banking Institute, 12: 307-419. Umpqua Bank. (2011). Our roots: An interactive history timeline. Web. This essay on Umpqua Bank Analysis was written and submitted by user Otto Skinner to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Men vs. Women essays
Men vs. Women essays Women are obviously very different from men. The opposite sexes attract to eachother, but do they really understand I think that men and women can come to an understanding over time. If two people are really connected and are willing to make their relationship work, then they can begin to learn eachother's habits as well as their wants and desires without even asking. Still, there's always those little tricks that we women do to our men, hoping that they'll get the hint as to what we're asking without shouting out the real thing behind the hint. Men seem to like people to be frank with the points or questions a person is trying to make or ask. They don't like to beat around the bush to get the big picture, they just want to know it. to avoid confusion. Women like to tell their stories entirely and like to involve details when they're speaking. Men don't really care about those details that women appreciate. (they need to learn!) Women have very different explanatory styles than men, but I think that some men are able to come around and adapt to a woman's way of speaking and thinking. Women are very deep. Men don't understand why women are so emotional at times, and I don't understand myself some at times. (I'm later able to figure out why, though) For instance: My boyfriend and I have been going out for almost two years :) and I love him to pieces. Over this time, we have argued plenty of times and come to understandings of eachother. When we fight, of course, we argue and yell sometimes, but then after the venting is over, we think about went on, and talk about our feelings until we both understand eachother's views. Now that we know what sets eachother off, life is easier and sweeter for both of us. I know all of his little hints and gnats, and he knows most of mine. (too mysterious, I guess)Women are complicated to men as men are to women. I think we're weirded out by eachother somet...
Friday, November 22, 2019
Chapter 8 : A Single Man With A Dog Essay -- Dog, Pet, A Great Way to Ca
THESE MOMENTS WHERE HE ACTUALLY LOOKS RELAXED People wear masks most of the time, meaning that they would rather play pretend or have a straight face in front of the world, instead of being themselves. So, you can agree with us, that it is most of the time difficult to give an honest judgment about these people. On the other hand, for dog owners (again), their dogs make them look like the ââ¬Å"Kings of coolâ⬠, because, well, a dog doesnââ¬â¢t need to impress anyone, and by being his loyal companion, this kind of attitude will contaminate his owner. So, dog owners are more relaxed. And why shouldnââ¬â¢t they be? When you walk a dog, you are going to end up running, petting him, talking to him etc. Now, who has a straight face while doing all that? Nobody. And as said, most of the time, pet owners look so relaxed that itââ¬â¢s easy to approach them and talk to them. Another thing that you should remember is that a dog is his ownerââ¬â¢s pride (just like a son or a daughter can be), so for the sake of this special bonding this owner has no choices but to look relaxed. Weââ¬â¢ve explained why dog owners are so relaxed, contrary to others, we will now focus on what we see when they are around their dogs. So, how are these single guys behaving, when they are around their pets in public, or around the house. The first words that come to mind are ââ¬Å"sillyâ⬠and ââ¬Å"happyâ⬠. Pet lovers play, cheer, burst into laughter when they are around their dogs. Itââ¬â¢s almost like seeing a little boy playing with his best friend. And itââ¬â¢s not surprising, dogs are amazing and they do amazing things. They can wake you up in the morning when you are late (considering that they know your routine), they can pick up your mail at the door or the nes on his head and of course a big smile. Most people who have been dog owners for a long time would tell you that expressions are important in your day to day life for dogs. They feel your pain, joys, moodiness, but still, they remain loyal. So, not only does the dogââ¬â¢s attitude puts them in a good mood instantly (so they smile more often). Dogs are almost like mood meters, one look at them and they remind you that life is more than these silly arguments with your peers. Donââ¬â¢t they say that smiling is a great way to fight depression, and in turn, live a happier life? Knowing that you have a better attitude outside of your home thanks to your dog, you will attract more people, like friends and of course people who would love to go on a date with you. And like most people say, smiles and great moods are contagious, so single men along with their dogs, win it again.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Researching Tourism and Hospitality Operations Essay
Researching Tourism and Hospitality Operations - Essay Example In 2007, Isadore Sharp sought an exit from this long-term investment, selling the multi-national Four Seasons properties to Kingdom Holding, owned by Al-Waleed bin Talal from Saudi Arabia and Cascade Investments, controlled by the software and technology guru Bill Gates. Upon taking this business private, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts were able to internalise international expansion efforts, redevelop the business model, and restructure financial governance of the business without undo pressures from international investors in the stock market. However, this acquisition of Four Seasons in 2007 came at a time just prior to the global recession occurring between 2008 and 2010, which radically changed the predictability and revenue growth opportunities for this luxury hospitality business. The businessââ¬â¢ long-term profitability has been impacted by a series of government-imposed austerity packages in European nations, reforms in the banking sector in Asian and North American cou ntries, and changes to consumer sentiment about luxury travel and tourism and its correlation to their personal finance availability. Hence, the economic and social conditions in the luxury tourism sector suddenly changed, creating a new set of pressures on Four Seasons to sustain its existing business model whilst still considering redevelopment of its long-standing brand to better service the contemporary consumer in the post-20th Century tourism sector. This report examines the macro- and micro-level factors impacting many dimensions of the Four Seasons value chain, its strategic focus for long-term sustainable growth, and marketing in a very saturated and dynamically competitive international hospitality sector. The report further examines the marketing prowess of Four Seasons, the businessââ¬â¢ current and long-term operational strategies, and the characteristics of consumer behaviour that impact Four Seasonsââ¬â¢ service ideology, and cost structures impacting profitabil ity with this business. 2.0 Macro and Micro Analysis of the Industry To better understand the performance and productivity of the current Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts business model, it is necessary to examine the macro- and micro-level factors that impact sustainability of competitive advantage influenced by industry conditions. 2.1 PESTLE Analysis POLITICAL The influence of political factors for Four Seasons is disparate, due to the dynamics of being a multi-national business with presence in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia. In Asia, the hospitality sector has significant difficulties sustaining hospitality-centric operations without the direct support of government. For instance, in India, the government imposes substantial taxation on luxury hotels, which raises the costs of operations and increases prices along local supply chain networks. It is even difficult to establish strategic alliances or joint ventures with major tourism airline carriers in many Asian count ries where Four Seasons operates, thus impacting co-branding strategy opportunities and the ability to create periodic promotional incentives to entice more consumer interest in bookings due to the government influence and government-imposed costs. However, in some countries, such as Canada (Four Seasons is headquartered in Ontario, Canada) and Europe, governments provide incentives for consumers to engage in shopping with guarantees that they can reclaim the
Monday, November 18, 2019
APPLICATION PAPER Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words
APPLICATION - Term Paper Example As a tradition, the two leading political parties; the Democratic and the Republican Parties select the best candidate to represent their party (4- Impression Management, Haun 50). In the primaries of each of the political parties, potential candidates file for nomination and they canvass for votes by telling leaders of the party why they are capable of winning power in the national elections (5- Compliance Gaining Strategies, Haun 64). In order to ensure the best results in the general presidential elections, the parties select the best candidate to represent them (6- Uncertainty Reduction, Haun 23). In doing this, a lot of checks are done on each candidate to verify and validate his or her claims of eligibility for the Presidency as well as acceptability to the voters (7- Fidelity Checks, Haun 69). After successfully convincing the leaders of the respective parties (8- Evidence Test, Haun 69), they are chosen as the Presidential aspirants to represent the two major political parties in America. The Presidential candidates are presented to the American electorates by the parties. The candidates are required to present a positive image about themselves and their parties (9- Impression Management Theory, Haun 50). In order to examine the promises made by each of the candidates, most presidential elections are marked by various presidential debates. In these debates, the presidential candidates tell the American people what they would do if they are voted into power. This provides a platform for informing electorates about the kind of leader who will fill the White House over the next four years. Presidential debates provide a strong insight into the policies that either parties have for the people and influences the way people think about the candidates (10- Perception, Haun 68). This year, the two contenders for the US Presidency, President Barack Obama and Senator Mitt Romney
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Zen Buddhism Essay Example for Free
Zen Buddhism Essay Buddhism has grown from the flowing of a single man in his path to nirvana to a religion that spans the globe and has shaped many cultures. This paper will first present the history of Buddhism and the life of the man known as Buddha. Then, the fundamental teachings of Buddhism will be discussed. Finally, the unique aspects of Zen Buddhism will be examined. History of Buddhism and Life of Buddha Although the truths are ultimately unknown, Michael Molloy, in Experiencing the Worldââ¬â¢s Religions (2013), presented the details of the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the man who would come to be known as Buddha. Around 500 B.C.E., Siddhartha was born to a prince of the Shakya tribe in modern day Nepal. Siddharthaââ¬â¢s mother died a week after childbirth, leaving him in the care of a father whom, on the advice of a sage, ensured Siddhartha would leave an extremely sheltered but pleasant life. Upon Siddharthaââ¬â¢s first excursion into the world, he witnessed suffering and was so moved by it that he left home and went in search of a path to enlightenment. After attempting to gain insight through asceticism, Siddhartha rejected this way as inadequate and sought a path based on moderation instead. Legend speaks of Siddhartha meditating under a tree now knows as a Bodhi tree, resolved to not leave until he had reached the understanding that he sought. At dawn, Siddhartha achieved nirvana or enlightenment and became known as Buddha. Buddhism is a rejection of the Hindu gods, Vedic priesthood, and rituals. Fundamental Teachings of Buddhism Among Buddhaââ¬â¢s teachings are three primary concepts: The Three Marks of Reality, The Four Noble Truths, and The Noble Eightfold Path. The Three Marks of Reality à Buddha taught that all reality bore three characteristics; Change, No Permanent Identity, and Suffering (Molloy, 2013). Change is the idea that all of reality, every facet and as a whole, is in constant flux, and turmoil. No permanent identity is the belief that all of reality, both living and non-living, has a permanent aspect; that no soul or spirit exists that resists the changes of time. The last mark of reality is suffering, the concept that, because reality is ever changing, all contentment most pass and bring misery in its wake. The Four Noble Truths The first truth is that to live is to suffer, meaning that in every stage of life, change will occur and that change will bring suffering and discontent. The second truth is that suffering comes from desire. This truth states that desire, in all of its aspects, binds mankind to illusions that reality will disprove and replace with suffering. The third truth is that to end suffering, one must end desire; that suffering will not cease when all desires are met, only when all desires are extinguished. Lastly, the fourth truth taught by Buddha is that release from suffering is possible and can be attained by following the noble eightfold path (Molloy, 2013). T he Noble Eightfold Path According to Molloy (2013), the Noble Eightfold Path is a set of eight practices, taught by Buddha, to allow the follower to ââ¬Å"to face life objectively, to live kindly, and to cultivate inner peaceâ⬠(pg. 134). The first part of the Path is Right Understanding, to recognize and understand the 3 marks of reality. The second part is Right Intention, maintaining a purity of thought and motives, untainted by desires and emotions. The third part of the path is Right Speech, the understanding that what if said can cause harm and that lies, exaggerations, and harsh words must be avoided. The fourth, Right Action, is to remember that there is already enough suffering in the world and that the actions of the follow should not contribute to that pain, even to animals. The fifth part is Right Work that oneââ¬â¢s work does not cause additional suffering, even to oneââ¬â¢s self. The sixth, Right Effort, is the understanding that, while maintaining moderation in oneââ¬â¢s life, steps to improve should be taken when they can. The seventh step is Right Meditation that the follower uses meditation to examine theà depths of reality. Finally, the last part is the Right Contemplation, actively striving to obtain states of blissful inner peace in oneââ¬â¢s life. Buddha did not teach that the eight steps were like a ladder, taken one after another, but all at the same times, to lead his followers closer to the state of nirvana. Zen Buddhism As the school of Mahayana developed, and traveled to China, it experienced pushback from its complex rituals and ceremonies. This pushback led to the forming of the school of Chan, with a simplification of Buddhist life and focus on singular meditation. As the school of Chan traveled to Japan, it further blended and developed into Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism developed it simplicity by examining the meditation and enlightenment of Buddha directly, and the teaching if Buddha that ritual does not directly lead to enlightenment. Zen has blended with Japanese society, and culture, influencing thought, art, and expression. Because of the influence of Zen Buddhism, Japanese arts have developed around the ideals of simplicity, practicality, and emptiness. An example of the ideals of Zen Buddhism can be found in the practice of the koan. A koan is a question that cannot be easily answered with logic, meditated on and answered in a way that demonstrated the understanding of the principle lesson of the koan, rather than explaining it (Molloy, 2013). Conclusion The paper has examined the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the man known as Buddha. Also, the Buddhaââ¬â¢s teachings concerning reality and achieving inner peace have been described. Finally, the uniqueness of the school of Zen Buddhism has been explained. Reference Molloy, M. (2013). Experiencing the worldââ¬â¢s religions: Tradition, challenge, and change (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Inc..
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Megachurches and Theologies of Consumption :: Religion Christian
Last weekend, while attending Lexington, KYââ¬â¢s Southland Christian Church, I received an invitation to attend a ââ¬Å"Poor Manââ¬â¢s After-Tax Dinner.â⬠Located on a 115-acre plot that occupies a stretch of the rapidly disappearing farmland between Lexington and Jessamine County, Southland will host the gala, which includes a catered meal and a performance by the Dale Adams Band. On the churchââ¬â¢s website, an announcement for the event asks, ââ¬Å"Did you have to pay when you filed taxes? This monthââ¬â¢s Gathering is designed to help you to forget your IRS woes.â⬠[1] The After-Tax Dinner will minister to those still reeling from the April 15th deadline, and, with any luck, it will foster solidarity among Southlandââ¬â¢s flock, the majority of whom are members of the tax bracket whose wallets ache most severely after just having rendered unto Caesar the money that belongs to him. Southland Christian Church, one of several worship centers in the United States that has earned the moniker ââ¬Å"Six Flags over Jesus,â⬠is Lexingtonââ¬â¢s largest megachurch. With a weekly attendance of 8,000 people and an operating budget that supports a staff of over eighty members, Southland far exceeds most U.S. congregations in terms of financial resources and social clout. In recent years, popular and scholarly studies have attempted to situate the megachurch movement within a broad cultural context. Although the majority of these analyses dispute the precise definition of a megachurch, most distinguish these multiplex sanctuaries from smaller worship communities by using the same criteriaââ¬âi.e. weekly attendance, campus acreage, annual budget, etc.ââ¬âthat megachurches themselves draw on to represent their own success. [2] However, the essence of a megachurch is not its large buildings, but rather the theology of consumption that informs it s programming.[3] In this way, a megachurch ethos has infiltrated even the smallest congregations in the United States and has helped to solidify Christianityââ¬â¢s inextricable connection to consumer capitalism. To those who see megachurches as symptomatic of a flawed Christianity, market-minded church growth confounds one of the faithââ¬â¢s oldest dualities, the contradiction of living in the world without conforming to its ways, as Paul puts it in Romans 12. Megachurches at once reject ââ¬Å"the worldâ⬠and participate in it by seeking to win the lost and wow the consumer at the same time.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Assignment Mulally Essay
Assignment # 3 ââ¬â ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢ Alan Mulally, CEO, Ford Motor company ââ¬Å" Leadership and organizational behavior- BUS 520 Abstract Leadership is guiding people towards productive results to achieve the goals of the organization. An effective leader has the ability to motivate and influence others. The following sources of power represent the engine of influence that they use effectively and ethically to achieve their goals, however, true leaders are supposed to make the employees work hard by giving their efforts and making sure that the goals and the mission of the organization are achieved. To be effective every leader should have the following competencies: Vision, Integrity, Honesty and Values Releasing Potential and Energy. The content of this paper is to outline the roles of leadership and how it affects organizational performance. It then discusses the role of Allan Mulallyââ¬â¢s, CEO of Ford Motor Company, and leadership style. The paper also presents how mulally decision to set a goal has increased the companyââ¬â¢s performance and mentioning how Allan Mulallyââ¬â¢s openness has gained him trust and helped him to reach his goal. Alan Mulally moved to Ford in 2006. He had worked at Boeing since 1969. He had been chief engineer for development of the 777, and was later Vice President of Engineering for commercial aircraft. Mulally had no sales experience, and he wasnââ¬â¢t a ââ¬Å"Detroit car man, ââ¬Å"Much less a car man at all. He sold his Lexus after moving to Dearborn. Whatââ¬â¢s most impressive is Mulallyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"results orientedâ⬠leadership style. His management is crisp and authoritative, although he defers to the firmââ¬â¢s design experts on the minutiae of the product lines. But on the big questions of the companyââ¬â¢s past mistakes and where itââ¬â¢s headed, Mulalley made key decisions that placed Ford in good stead. When mulally testified before Congress in December 2008, along with GMââ¬â¢s Rick Wagoner and Chryslerââ¬â¢s Robert Nardelli, he announced that Ford would be able to survive the recession without a bailout. In 2006, Alan Mulally became the CEO of Ford. At the time, the company was relying heavily on their truck revenue and had several other lines that were not properly supported to earn the best revenue. Some of Mulallyââ¬â¢s first decisions were to sell off some of their sub brands, namely Jaguar and Land Rover, and focus more on the small car lines that are becoming more popular with consumers. With a focus on the small cars, this would allow for the company to benefit from economies of scale and increase the profits from selling those cars. He also took out a $23 billion loan to help avoid needing the bailouts that would come 2 years later. Mulally threw away the politics involved in the vice president structure, forcing the weekly leadership meeting to be more about the success of the company than the squabbles of those leading it. He insisted that the vice presidents actually admit to their problems so they can be handled; having operations be labeled either green for going well, yellow for caution, and red for problems. The vice presidents were apprehensive of this at first, afraid to admit their problems and failures, but Mulally made it apparent he wanted to know these issues to resolve them, instead of to sweep them under the rug or assign blame. Finally, Mulally put forth a new mind set for the company; One Ford, involving a One Team, One Plan, One Goal setup. One Team focused on uniting the individual group in Ford into one cohesive team, each member helping out other members, no matter what project they are on or division they are in. One Plan was about restructuring to operate profitably, accelerate development to get new products that customers would want to buy out sooner, finance the plan, and work together as a team. Finally, One Goal was all about developing an exciting viable Ford with profitable growth. Mulally have a more hands on approach to leadership. He wants to know exactly where the company is and how they were going to get someplace better. This is shown with his color coded operations technique with the vice president meetings. His answers to problems werenââ¬â¢t just to shrug them off and go back to the status but rather how to proceed from where those problems brought them. Alan Mulally demonstrated organizational innovation; he used different methods of production and administration. Conveying his ideas and leadership, mulally exhibited his innovation that comprised the ideas from outside Ford in conjunction with those ideas from within Ford Motor Company. The message he portrays involvesà planning initiation, execution, selection, and implementation of the objectives to achieve the goals set forth by his administration The success of an innovation is connected to a market forecast of customer needs and wants as well as effective management of the innovationà process. Concentrating on a fewer products to produce with a lot of improvement and service innovation involving the introduction of a new service that meet the customersââ¬â¢ expectations. He has high regard for executive management and maintains open communication. Mulally has an agenda to serve and satisfy not only customers, but employees as well, increase market share, increase profits, and communication is at the top. Alan Mulally has a proven effective leadership style. He is persistent with innovativeà processes that address issues within the organization to ensure successful development. His management responsibilities include reducing the risk; managing the customer interface; training and managing staff performance; and engaging Fordââ¬â¢s executive team. Highlighting how successful his tactic can be Mulally has insured his reputation as one of industryââ¬â¢s great leaders; it is well worth paying attention to what he says and learn from his leadership skills. Any successful leader has to know the plan, and areas that need special attention. There are challenging times to be a leader whether it is a cultural crisis, financial crisis, or environmental crisis, but, if one can learn from the experience of a leader such as Alan Mulally, an organization will do just fine and be one of the respected models to follow and learn from.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Staff Development Teaching for Preventing Falls in the Elderly Long Term Care Facilities
In the United States, unintentional falls are the most common cause of nonfatal injuries for people older than 65 years. Up to 32 percent of community individuals over the age of 65 fall each year. Females fall more frequently than man in this age group, especially due to the fact that most female elderlies have bone weakness such as osteoporosis, which makes the fall to cause fatal injuries sometimes. Fall related injuries are the most common cause of accidental death in those over the age of 65. Approximately 40 fall related deaths per 100,000 people per year.Thus, fall are a growing public health problem that need to be addressed. Patient would not only suffer from such fall but the facility goes through hardships as well to deal with the patient. Fall related death rate in elderly group has been increasing in USA. Recently, falling has been occurring a lot in the long-term facilities. Falling has the highest rate of incident in the long-term facility because most of the patients are elderly. Falls can cause serious injuries and accidental death. In order to prevent falls in the elderly is very important.There are several different approaches to deal with predispose factors for elderly type of injury. I am going to reviews the major risk fators of falls and how to prevention for elderly populations living in long term care facilities. The effective falls intervention programs should take a multifaceted approach.Assess the staff for ability of learning and understandingI explained the background of important fall precaution to our licensed nurses and CNAs, the ones who gives care to the patients with ADL most closely. The Staff members, Licensed Nurses, and CNAs have different nationalities with different language. Licensed Nurses are 70% LVN and 30% RN. The experience in the healthcare facility for most of them is at least 3month. Because 90% of staff can fully understand in English, it is not necessary for the educational materials to be in other languages than English. The learners already are familiar with this topic because they already have had experiences in long-term facilities.How to educate and when is the best time for as much as possible participated in service. In order to prevent further falls, fall precaution presentations will be held during the weekdays in the conference room. Staffs can come in 30 minutes before or after the shift change, and spend an hour on this topic. First, I will show some fall cases through video, so I can induce the staffââ¬â¢s interest in this subject through visualization. Even though the staffs are well aware of the fall incidents, it is not easy to keep an eye on every patient 24/7, which can be frustrating and tiring to the staffs. However, I can explain how much this is important and tell them to try to understand and do the best. I will be identifying what risk factors or what kind of patient has high risks of falling using a current published brochure and video.What is the cost effect of a fall?Fall related injuries among elderly are associated with economic costs, which is much greater than the cost to implement a fall prevention program. In the long-term care facilities, even with an interdisciplinary team with physicians, nurses, social worker, physical therapy and administrators, fall prevention is still difficult because there is no way of knowing when one of the patients is going to fall. That is why it is crucial to educate staffs and patients to help reduce these barriers over time. Fall-related injuries account up to 15 percent of re-hospitalizations in the first month after the discharge from hospital. Falls carry staggering economic costs. Annual acute-care costs related to falls are estimated at $1.08 billion and long-term care costs at $4.9 billion.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, medical costs related to falls totaled more than $19 billion in 2007ââ¬â$179 million for fatal falls and $19 billion for nonfatal fall-rela ted injuries. By 2020, the annual direct and indirect cost of fall injuries is expected to reach $54.9 billion. While falls have a tremendous impact on the patients, they also directly affect a healthcare organizationââ¬â¢s cost per case and length of stay. Injuries from falls lead to a 61% increase in patient-care costs. Nearly every nurse can recall an incident in which a patient fell or nearly fell. As patients continue to age and present with increasing vulnerability and comorbidities, their potentialà for harm increases.Predisposing factorsMulti-factorial Medications: Lots of medications such as benzodiazepine, tricyclic antidepressant, selective serotonin uptake inhibitors, and trazadone should be identified as high risk for fall. Most elderly long term care residents are reffered to as ââ¬Å"polypharmacyâ⬠which is high risk for fall. Education (reorientation): fall prevention programs should be reoriented as much as possible call to increase safety awareness and r educes the fear of falling. Environment: frequently check environment that is very important. Web areas, clutter, poor lighting, and other environmental factors can reduce the risk of falling in nursing home.How to prevent fall1. After completed fall assessment upon admission, initiate fall precaution as soon as possible. Before appropriate technology and equipment can be chosen to help prevent falls, the patientââ¬â¢s fall risk, functional readiness, and mobility must be assessed. Most of patients consider for high risk for fall. Post-fall assessment is important because a lot of incidents are related to fracture, which is a serious matter. Fall prevention interventions should be assigned that are appropriate for individual based on the result of fall risk assessment2. Educate patients about predisposing and precipitating factors. This supports them to understand and enable them to do multi-disciplinary approaching. It should be built on initial risk screening results and involv e not just nurses but an interdisciplinary team of physicians, pharmacists, and physical and occupational therapists.3. Educate about basic knowledge of medication to CNA who is closely giving care than others.Essential implementation of safety caring in long term care facility1. Transfers: Patients rise from a sitting position to a partial stand to keep the center of gravity relatively low. Transfer the patient to the stronger side with the wheelchair at approximately 45-degree angle from the bed. If patients are unable to bear weight through the lower extremities due to weakness, place one end of the transfer board under the patient between theà buttocks and back of the thigh, then place the other end in the seat. Have the patient push up with the arms while slightly lifting the buttocks and slowly moving toward the wheelchair.2. Get belts: during transfer, obtain a standing position, turn and sit onto another surface or stand and walk to a new location, then turn and sit onto a new surface. The belt is better choice than the alternative placing one arm under the patientââ¬â¢s arm for the lift and holding onto the patientââ¬â¢s clothing or gown, which can injure the arm or shoulder, but care individual need to basic training from PT/OT personal.3. Bed and toileting safety: height- adjustable beds, safety rails, and raised toilet seats can reduce fall. To promote safety when the patients stands or for transfers, raise the bed. Otherwise, a weak patient who tries to stand could fall. Transfers onto and off a toilet, fix raised toilet seats and safety rails on either side of the toilet are needed. Patients can hold onto these to steady themselves when transitioning from a standing to a sitting position, and to push off from while standing after toileting. If the patient is unable to safely ambulate with assistance to the bathroom, provide a bedside commode.4. Mobility devices: mobility devices such as canes, walkers, and wheelchair mobility should be ma de sure that it has been evaluated and deemed approporiate and in a good working order. If it isnââ¬â¢t proper working contact a physical therapist for further evaluation. All mobility devices should be adjusted to the patientââ¬â¢s height and other characteristics as appropriate.5. Walkers: Nurse can walk next to the patient as the patient ambulates. Walker with seat must lock the brakes when ready to sit or transfer and complete the activity. Patients who become dizzy from nauseas or orthostatic can easily turn and sit on the seat without falling. This arrangement is much safer than having another staff member trail behind with a wheelchair and lower the patient to the wheelchair seat if patient becomes fatigued or dizzy or loses balance.6. Wheelchairs: individualized wheelchair prescriptions must be customized to each patient because the standard wheelchair does not work for all patients. For example, a dementia patient with memory deficits cannot be expected to remember to lock the wheelchair.What to do for caring for high risk fall patient1. Visual check every 2hours or more often 2. Keep bed in low position all the time 3. Lock wheels, call light, water pitcher, urinal in easy to reach. 4. Provide well lit path 5. Check shoes ; check well fitting, floppy shoes or loose clothing 6. Keep room clutter free, floor dry ad not slippery 7. Check bed, wheelchair alarm, or bedside mattress as ordered 8. Promptly answer for need help with call bell systemEvaluationVerify the education and providing data is effective or not. Throughout this education program, it is important to find a way to help nursing staff deal with issue of patient fall. Staff members recognize how vital it is to be aware of the possibility of fall during care. This program provides gaining more confidence to staff in their abilities to work with care. Even though falls canââ¬â¢t be prevented 100%, applications of fall prevention educations will create a safer, healthier, and happier place for both patients and staffs.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
These Ones vs. Those Ones
These Ones vs. Those Ones These Ones vs. Those Ones These Ones vs. Those Ones By Maeve Maddox A reader questions the use of the phrase ââ¬Å"these onesâ⬠: I was wondering about a manner of speech I have been hearing or reading and that seems not right to my ears: it is ââ¬Å"these onesâ⬠as in the following:à ââ¬Å"If You Liked This Video, Youll LOVE These Onesâ⬠à Isnââ¬â¢t the phrase complete with just ââ¬Å"theseâ⬠. I keep hearing or seeing this construction and it sounds really bad to my ear; is it just me? The construction is not new, although it seems to be more popular now than in the past. The Ngram Viewer shows the phrase ââ¬Å"these onesâ⬠in moderate use from 1800 to the 1960s, when it begins a precipitate rise on the graph. Like the reader, I find ââ¬Å"these onesâ⬠- and ââ¬Å"those onesâ⬠- jarring. If I found either in a paper given me to correct, I would cross out ones in an instant. However, I canââ¬â¢t find a specific grammatical rule against it. Paul Brians (Common Errors In English Usage) proscribes it: By itself, thereââ¬â¢s nothing wrong with the word ââ¬Å"onesâ⬠as a plural: ââ¬Å"surrounded by her loved ones.â⬠However, ââ¬Å"this oneâ⬠should not be pluralized to ââ¬Å"these ones.â⬠Just say ââ¬Å"these.â⬠The same pattern applies to ââ¬Å"those.â⬠None of my other style guides reference the usage, and numerous online discussions defend it. An article at the Visual Thesaurus cites statistics from The British National Corpus and the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) to show that British speakers say ââ¬Å"these onesâ⬠five and a half times more often than speakers of American English. Nevertheless, in American usage, ââ¬Å"these onesâ⬠is regarded as dialect and not standard usage. The problem is not that ones is being used as a plural or that these governs ones. For example, the following phrases are standard: I want the red ones. You always take the best ones. You take these small ones, and Iââ¬â¢ll take those big ones. So why does ââ¬Å"these small onesâ⬠pass with speakers who would not accept ââ¬Å"these onesâ⬠? The reason may lie with the proximity of these to ones. With ââ¬Å"these red ones,â⬠the presence of the adjective red signals the brain that these is an adjective. When no other adjective intervenes between these and ones, the listener interprets these as a pronoun, in which case, ones is redundant. Because they are jarring to many speakers, the constructions ââ¬Å"these onesâ⬠and ââ¬Å"those onesâ⬠are best avoided in formal contexts, particularly in writing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Handy Expressions About HandsYay, Hooray, Woo-hoo and Other Acclamations10 Types of Hyphenation Errors
Monday, November 4, 2019
The Profitability of Advertising on Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
The Profitability of Advertising on Media - Essay Example Putting an advert on radio will also depend on the radio station used, time, and the length of the advert. For WHOU FM the prices of putting a 30 seconds advert during the morning hours is 50$ per advert. The price is relatively highly due to the fact that most people in the US usually listen to the radio during the morning hours as they drive or ride to their places of work. Therefore, a company is likely to get more audience during this period of time as opposed to other periods during the day such as mid morning and afternoon (Katz 123). However, it should be noted that the rates get high again during the evening because his is the time when people are riding back to their homes, thus getting a chance of listening to the radio again.Prices of magazines depend on whether on is using a national magazine or local ones. The type of readers also affects the pricing. For a company to put an advert on VOGUE, they will have to pay $250,000 if they want a full-page advert. The price is hig h because of the fact that VOGUE is a national magazine. Furthermore, VOGUE is a womenââ¬â¢s fashion magazine meaning that many women are likely to read it. However, the type of product or service being advertised will highly determine whether advertising on this magazine will be worth the cost. This is because this magazine will only be read by women who are interested in knowing what things are happening in the world of fashion (Peitz and Valletti 952). An automobile advert might be out of place for this magazine.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Theatre Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1
Theatre Critique - Essay Example The paper describes the music and the story which blended well together and it did not seem at any point that the music was juxtaposed forcefully within the play. Also the director was able to develop a strong coordination between the actors when no one was impressed with the acting skills of Tommy DeVito and Bob Gaudio since they seemed out of character at different points of the play. This, however, did not majorly impact the pleasurable experience. The paper emphasizes the attention that the director of the play had seemed to put a lot of effort within the play with his focus on detail. It seemed that the director had meticulously planned each part of play and the different part coordinated well in the final piece. In conclusion, the paper says that Jersey Boys is a play worth watching, especially when one wants to develop an understanding of the way successful plays are created. The most remarkable part of the play was the way the different elements of the theatre worked in synergy with each other. The actors completely understood the time era in which they were acting and this was evident in the way they developed stereotypical models of that era. From the lighting to the costumes, the play came together as a convincing performance. Each actor seemed to have a certain musical signature which helped bring out the character of that actor. This was particularly important in a musical play and for me, this attributed to the success of the play. In plays revolving around music, the audience comes to appreciate the music along with the acting. The director also seemed to have a good knowledge of the musical instruments of the pop era and used them sparingly throughout out the play, thus, developing the mood of the music as well as the era.
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