Application of psychological theories at the Queens Hospital

Abstract This report analyses the application of psychological theories at the Queens Hospital where I was on placement as a Health Care Assistant. Health psychology takes into consideration the context of individuals’ lives, beliefs, behaviours and other risk factors in order to achieve the desired objectives, which in this case is to provide the best ways of attending to the patients. The hospital uses the biopsychosocial model, psychoanalytical and the task oriented approaches in offering psychological care to the patients. All the three approaches emphasise the idea of ensuring that the patient is the centre of all actions in order to engage them as much as possible in the treatment process. Introduction Picano (2009, p. 44) suggests that in the past the medical practitioners regarded psychology and other social sciences as unimportant soft sciences in the medical profession. However this notion slowly changed as scholars started linking psychology to the well being of both physical and mental health. This paper explores the linkage between psychological theory and practice at the Queens Hospital. I worked as a health care assistant and was a vital part of the team that supported the medical staff and patients in wards and departments throughout the hospital. I had direct links to both the patients and the medical staff and as such I was able to observe the interactions between the patients and other medical staff. As the first point of contact for many patients and members of the public, healthcare assistants need to be well-presented and confident with good interpersonal skills. Some of the tasks are unpleasant and needs flexibility to able to help patients with their personal care without getting embarrassed and making sure they are comfortable. Achieving this requires application of psychological theories into practice in order to be able to offer the best care to the patients in medical settings. Psychological theories Segal & Hersen (2010, p. 47) define psychology as the study of human behavior, emotions and thought processes. Psychological theories if well applied contribute greatly to understanding other people and developing functional relationships. Robins (2007, p. 28) suggests that health psychology is the application of these psychological theories and research in the promotion of evidenced based health. Nevid (2009, p. 33) claims that health psychology takes into consideration the context of individuals’ lives, beliefs, behaviours and other risk factors in order to achieve the desired objectives, which in this case is to provide the best ways of attending to the patients. It is for this reason that it is important for all healthcare personnel to have some psychological knowledge so that they can know how to attend to the patients in the best possible way. The patients come from varied social and cultural backgrounds valuing certain behaviours and beliefs over others. Walker (2007, p . 36) claims that this may place more risk or less risk of illness than the others. In this case therefore, some sociological knowledge is equally essential to the healthcare practitioners. In the same way, some knowledge of biomedical sciences is critical in the comprehension of the link between physiological and psychological process (Hefferon & Boniwell, 2011, p. 67). Therefore, psychology complements these other disciplines in making important contributions to the well being of the patients. Psychology is important to health and social care because health care professionals spend most of their time interacting with the patients. An important aspect of their job is to encourage and promote the well being of the patients and those around them. Before going further into the discussion, it is important to first define the meaning of health in order to be able to bring out the importance of psychology to the discipline clearly. Irwin & Rippe, (2008, p. 18) define health as a state of complete social, physical and mental well being and not just the absence of infirmity or disease. This is an important goal to health care professionals working in health and social care and it is the reason why they need the knowledge and skills to help them work toward their achievement. Psychological theories and research contributes to the improvement of health and social care through appreciation of other people’s feelings in order to offer them individualised care. Patterson & Lipschitz (2008, p. 44) claim that health care is among the most complicated services because it faces the challenge of client diversity and need variability. Patients come to the hospital with different needs caused by many different diseases; some of them adhere to the requirements of behavioural change while others don’t. In addition to this, some patients do not even finish taking the prescribed drugs which makes the treatment process more difficult for the doctors and nurses. In addit ion to this it also faces huge pressure from other factors because the whole process occurs around beds and wards. The health care professionals operate in an abstract world and are faced by both psychological and social forces guiding them from the point of admitting the patients to administration of treatment. They attend to patients with different psychological needs and as such must be well equipped with psychological theories in order to attend to them in the best possible ways. Patterson & Lipschitz (2008, p. 24) assert that while all health care issues have their own controversies and debates, at times moments of transient consensus often occur. This stems from the fact that the role of patients in medical settings have gradually changed along environmental and social lines in the western society over the years. The major changes include aspects like consistent erosion of the previously perceived omnipotence of physicians, increase acceleration of information exchange, and in creased awareness of the rights of the patients. Greenberg (2007, p. 22) suggests that the prevalent situation in most hospitals today is the partnership model that is acceptable to both the providers and the patients. These patients no longer play passive roles as recipients of medical procedures but are actively involved in deciding the clinical decisions affecting them. Ninivaggi (2010, p. 17) asserts that this new arrangement raises ethical issues in the determination of best interests and delegation of authority to the relevant personnel to pursue them. Psychology seeks to understand and explain why people behave in certain ways both as individuals and in groups. It does not only seek to understand and predict behaviour but also looks into ways of changing them in order to improve the quality of life. This is closely linked to what the medical practitioners do as they also seek to understand the behaviour of the patients, treat them and then direct them on healthy living practi ces. Medical practitioners often employ psychological theories in the dispensation of their duties because medical care has its foundations in psychology, sociology and biology (Marini, Glover-Graf, & Millington, 2012, p. 30). Theory provides the medical personnel with the framework and goals for assessment, diagnosis and intervention. For instance the nurses working at the hospital focused on the aspects of care that are holistic in nature for more effective judgment of different patient situations and conditions. The goals of care helped the nurses by providing a checklist by which the services that they provide are measured against. In deed Walker (2007, p. 65) says that theory is an effective tool that renders practice more efficient through comparing the outcomes against the set goals and then providing mechanisms for rectifying problems as soon as they are detected. Application of psychological theories at the hospital As a health care assistant I was many times faced with the challenge of choosing the appropriate theory or set of theories to apply in any given circumstances. This was not an easy decision because I realised that selection of only one theory in a certain circumstance would have placed restrictions on practice and probably led to inefficiencies. It is for this reason that I relied heavily on theory adoption where I took a theory and then altered it to suit the situation where I was applying it and in other cases I had to use it alongside another one. I learned that most of the patients were going through intense stress as a result of their illnesses. Some of the patients adjusted well to their new conditions whereas others developed some form of psychological disorders secondary to their physical diseases especially for those that were unable to do basic things like going to the toilet and bathing. In addition to this, some patients also showed physical symptoms for which there is no significant medical explanations and most of them were as a result of unrecognised psychological problems. I was able to learn from the nurses and other hospital staff as I realised that they were applying psychological theories in dealing with the stressed patients. They used the biopsychosocial model to explain to me the reasons why the patients were stressed. This was a very resourceful tool in the assessment of psychological stress among the patients in the hospital. The model included both environmental parameters and personal processes of perception and being able to cope with the different stress factors at the hospital. Greenberg (2007, p. 30) claims that the effects of stress have a positive correlation to coping. Coping in this case as defined by the Lazarus theory is constantly changing both cognitive and behavioural efforts to manage the existent taxing demands of the internal or external environment (Pickren & Rutherford, 2010, p. 52). The doctors and nurses encouraged dialogue with the patients because they considered it an important aspect in the management of psychological and psychiatric elements of physical ill health. Greenberg (2009, p. 67) suggests that this relationship is beneficial to both the medical team and the patients. It is very important for patients particularly for those with serious physical and psychological problems to have a more personal relationship with the nurses and doctors in order to create and sustain a therapeutic relationship for better health care delivery (Sitzman & Eichelberger, 2011, p. 94). This will be helpful for the health care personnel to identify the patients that need psychological treatment in good time and offer immediate attention to help them cope with the mental problems. The doctor patient relationship is explained by two other approaches which are the psychoanalytical and the task oriented approaches (Bekerian & Levey 2012, p. 31). All the approaches emphasise the idea of ensuring that the pati ent is the centre of all actions in order to engage them as much as possible in the treatment process. Greenberg (2007, p. 32) says that these approaches demand that for an effective treatment to be achieved there has to be an efficient partnership and information sharing between the patients and the doctors. Nevid (2012, p. 89) says that the information has to flow both ways in order to improve the clinical outcomes through cognitive (knowledge), behavioural (adherence to advice) and affective (satisfaction). Indeed the application of psychological theories at the hospital was beyond what I had imagined it will be at first. I observed that the patients were mostly able to recall more information when they were satisfied. The non cooperative patients seemed to remember less information and the hospital staff in most cases had to offer them specialised care. Good communication was also maintained among the clinicians to ensure that the information flowing to the patients was consiste nt in order to eliminate any possibility of conflicting information reaching the patients. This was important because any conflicting information would have left the patients wondering who to believe and this would have even made things worse for them. Conclusion Application of psychological theories in medical settings is an important aspect of the treatment process because the patients need to be attended to psychology as well. As indicated in the paper some patients find it difficult to cope with their new conditions in the hospital and go to the extent of developing mental disorders as a result. This is the reason why the hospital made use of psychological theories in understanding their behaviour and condition in order to be able to attend to them efficiently. This is a big lesson that I learned from my placement at the Queens Hospital and I will apply it once I start working in the hospital. I am now aware of the fact that ignoring the psychological needs of the patients places them at an increased risk of developing psychological disorders and as such will always apply psychological theories in communicating with them in order to know how they feel and the best possible ways of attending to them.ReferencesBekerian, D. A., & Levey, A. B . (2012). Applied psychology: Putting theory into practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Greenberg, T. M. C. (2007). The psychological impact of acute and chronic illness: A practical guide for primary care physicians. New York: Springer. Greenberg, T. M. C. (2009). Psychodynamic perspectives on aging and illness. Dordrech: Springer. Hefferon, K., & Boniwell, I. (2011). Positive psychology: Theory, research and applications. Maidenhead, Berkshire, England: Open University Press. Irwin, R. S., & Rippe, J. M. (2008). Irwin and Rippe’s intensive care medicine. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Marini, I., Glover-Graf, N. M., & Millington, M. J. (2012). Psychosocial aspects of disability: Insider perspectives and counseling strategies. New York: Springer Pub. Nevid, J. S. (2009). Psychology: Concepts and applications. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. Nevid, J. S. (2012). Essentials of psychology: Concepts and applications. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Ninivaggi, F. J. (2010). Envy theory: Perspectives on the psychology of envy. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Patterson, J. A., & Lipschitz, I. N. (2008). Psychological counseling research focus. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Picano, E. (2009). Stress echocardiography: [CD-ROM included]. Berlin: Springer. Pickren, W. E., & Rutherford, A. (2010). A history of modern psychology in context. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley. Robins, R. W. (2007). Handbook of research methods in personality psychology. New York: Guilford. Segal, D. L., & Hersen, M. (2010). Diagnostic interviewing. New York: Springer. Sitzman, K., & Eichelberger, L. W. (2011). Understanding the work of nurse theorists: A creative beginning. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Walker, J. (2007). Psychology for nurses and the caring professions. Maidenhead, Berkshire: Open University Press

Emotions and memory Essay

In our everyday life, we rely on our memory to fully function. We either have to recall something so trivial such as where we left our keys, or we need to remember names of college classmates that we have not seen for a very long time. Given this fact, we ask, what exactly is memory, what are the processes involved in this cognitive function, and what are the factors that affect our memory? Memory is said to be the process and means by which we retain information and later on retrieve that same information from storage when we need it in the present (Bjorklund, Schneider, & Hernandez Blasi, 2003; Crowder, 1976; Tulving & Craik, 2000). When we experience something, we do not entirely store all the information in our memory. Studies show that there are different techniques that aid in adequate memory retention. There are also several dynamic theories about memory being a storage space for all our past experiences which involve sensory and informative data. Furthermore, there are also various processes through which we could access, recall, remember, or recognize these data in our memory. Although there are extensive research studies about memory and its processes, it is interesting to look at some factors that aid or hinder memory recall and retention. One of these factors which are given particular interest and attention is the role of emotion on our memory. There are instances when we recall a part of our memory in vivid clarity as if it is reenacted in our minds and retrieved in full detail. This is what we call flashbulb memory (Brown & Kulik, 1977). The reason behind this phenomenon is that the event that happened could be so emotionally powerful that it became strongly retained in our memory. In the event that you experience something that has a very strong emotional impact, you tend to remember the details more clearly and when you need to retrieve that certain information, you would be able to easily recall it accurately (Bohannon, 1988). This could manifest in both the explicit and implicit memory, with the former requiring the person to deliberately pull out the memory from storage and put it out in consciousness, and the latter being an automatic response to the emotional trigger. To further illustrate the capacity of affect to influence memory, a study was made by Heuer and Reisberg in 1990 which showed that materials which show more emotion than similar ones with less emotional impact are more likely to be stored in one’s memory and could be therefore retrieved easily in general and in detail as well (Christianson, 1992). Furthermore, it was also found that the mood or emotion where we were in when a specific situation happened would most likely serve as a retrieval cue when we experience the same mood in the present (Baddeley, 1989). For an instance, when we experience a certain situation when we are in a state of sadness, we would most likely remember the memory of the same experience when we are placed in the same emotional state. This is called the memory-dependent memory effects (Christianson, 1992). Biologically-speaking, the interaction between memory and affect could be attributed to certain processes in various parts of the brain. Brain processes involved in the evaluation of rewards and punishments are directly related to affect in the sense that it depends upon the emotional impact of a certain situation to be determined if it is a form of a compensation or a penalty (Rolls, 2000). Because of this, it could be inferred that since emotion influences memory processes, data-driven information and past situations are stored in our memory in the basis of a reward-punishment system. Essentially, when a certain event, person, place, or thing is categorized as something rewarding, it could be more easily encoded and retrieved. This categorization and selection happens in the amygdala, which is the center of emotional processing, and the data that get to pass through and be encoded encompass the mechanism in the hippocampus, which is on the other hand related to memory. Emotions disinhibit the barrier that the CA3 hippocampal area creates and so the data inputs could then proceed to the prefrontal cerebral cortex to be stored in memory (Neugebauer, et al. , 1999). It is also found in the study by Fast, et al. (1999) that the amygdaloid complex is primarily responsible with the emotional mechanism which affects memory retrieval. Subjects who have lesions in the amygdalo-hippocampal area do not only suffer from amnesia, but they also show significant impairments in memory process related with emotional arousal. The reason behind this is that the AC organizes the information that are encoded, stored, and retrieved in our memory. Another effect that emotion has on memory is what is called by Christianson (1992) as resource allocation effects, which is the impairment of the memory processing when a person experience an extreme or negative emotion or mood during encoding or retrieval. In this case, the person might find it difficult to access his/her memory of a certain situation, person, thing, or place because it has become a somewhat traumatic experience and the emotion that goes with it blocks the memory process. There are also some contradicting views that affect could not facilitate the retrieval or encoding of memory information. Some studies say that experiencing a negative emotion, for an instance, could prevent the person from remembering the details of a certain situation or event. This is the reason why most researchers focus on the determinants and factors which would tell what specific kind of data or information does emotion facilitate or impede. Although most of the existing studies focus on the effects of emotion on the memory processes, there are also some minor studies which show that memories of past experiences affect the present mood or emotional state of a person (Christianson, 1992). Though this angle is not yet looked at more closely by researchers, we most of the time experience this feeling, which we sometimes call nostalgia. Because memory and emotion are such complex topics when studied on their own, it is a more complicated feat to research on the interaction of the two concepts and their effect on each other. However, a lot of studies are being made in order to understand better these two psychological phenomena when they intertwine in their processes and how they affect the human psyche. References Baddeley, A. D. (1989). The psychology of remembering and forgetting. In T. Butler (Ed. ) Memory: History, culture and the mind. London: Basil Blackwell. Bjorklund, D. F. , Schneider, W., & Hernandez Blasi, C. (2003). Memory. In L. Nadel (Ed. ), Encyclopedia of cognitive science, 2, p. 1059-1065. Nature Publishing Group. Bohannon, J. (1988). Flashbulb memories for the space shuttle disaster: A tale of two theories. Cognition, 29(2), p. 179-196. Brown, R. & Kulik, J. (1977). Flashbulb memories. Cognition, 5, p. 73-99. Christianson, S. (1992). The handbook of emotion and memory: research and theory. Crowder, R. G. (1976). Principles of learning and memory. Erlbaum. Fast, K. , Fujiwara, E. , Grubich, C. , Markowitsch, H. J. , & Herrmann, M. (1999). Role of the amygdala in emotional memory. Memory and Emotion. p. 430. Neugebauer, A. , Calabrese, P. , Schmieder, K. , Harders, A. , Ferri, D. & Gehlen, W. (1999). Memory and emotion processing in healthy subjects, focal brain-damaged and patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Memory and Emotion. p. 113. Rolls, E. T. (2000). Precis of the brain and emotion. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 23. p. 177-191. Sternberg, R. J. (2006). Cognitive psychology. Singapore: Thomson Wadsworth. Tulving, E. , & Craik, F. I. M. (Eds. ) (2000). The Oxford handbook of memory. New York: Oxford University Press.

Assessing and Changing Organizational Culture

This report aims at critically analyzing the purpose of NAB, its mission for 2016 and the corporate social responsibilities it carries out. The report further examines the organization culture enshrined in this bank and a further evaluation of the suitability of the organization culture adopted. NAB’s main purpose is to provide banking services to the Australian businesses. It provides banking services in the whole of Australia in different sectors including health, government, agribusiness and community banking. This purpose is aimed at making NAB the best banking institution in Australia and New Zealand. The institution maintains its reputation in the banking sector through the formation of the NAB group of companies. The NAB group of companies are found in Australia New Zealand, Asia, Europe and the USA. Their main functions are geared towards ensuring efficiency in the provision of banking and other financial services. Some of their functions are as follows. First, the NAB group of companies work to connect daily with millions of customers across Asia Australia New Zealand and the USA. They offer credit facilities and financial services to both retailers and whole sellers in these countries. Secondly, NAB group of companies, offer private banking to individuals. Individuals can open personal accounts in its branches and enjoy the financial services, (NAB, 2016). In addition to this, Nab group of companies also provide institutional financials services to both public and private institutions. Third, provide wholesale banking services. This is majorly practiced by NAB situated in the US. They also provide treasury activities and institutional banking services. The NAB group of companies provides consistent financial advice to its customers. They offer financial consultancy services to the customers whenever they visit their offices. NAB’s mission for 2016 is to become the best financial services provider in Australia-US, New Zealand, and Asia. A mission statement should be clear and understandable, (Salem, 2008, p. 25). This mission make a difference by its core values of honesty, teamwork and integrity in providing financial services, (NAB, 2016). It plans to achieve this mission by maintaining a strong balance sheet, improving the customer satisfaction and experience and maintaining good performance in its New Zealand and Australian businesses. NAB has developed profit-oriented goals that have enabled it to win the trust of many customers. These goals have also made NAB to be preferred by many organizations both private and public. Many organizations now create accounts with NAB. Some of the ways used by NAB to achieve these goals are as follows. First, Creation of NAB Flik. NAB Flik is a mobile application that has been developed by this bank to enable its customers to request and send money easily. It makes the whole process of requesting for money and sending money simple, (NAB, 2016). This application can be used to send money to any inhabitant of Australia.   Secondly, sending money to a Facebook friend. People can now send money to Facebook friends. This is social media banking, (Senadheera, 2011).By using the NAB Flik, a customer can send money to another’s Facebook account. Someone does not need to know an account number to send money. This makes it more convenient. Third, Internet banking. In the global ma rket, internet banking is a major trend. NAB has widely ventured in internet banking making it easier to send and receive funds. It is also easier, quicker and cost-effective to operate. NAB consists of NAB group of companies which are located in Australia, Asia, Europe and the USA and New Zealand. The Nab group in austral connects several customers across the wholesale and retail business, (NAB, 2016). They also conduct both private banking and institutional banking services. The Group of companies is geographically spread to tap more customers. They also make it easy to access the branches for any financial assistance needed by customers. According to (Tallon, 2007, p. 225), the general environment refers to a range of external factors that influence the performance of an organization. The organization does not always have direct control over these external factors. Some of these factors include technology, economic conditions, demography political forces and legal factors. The main general environment element attributable to National Australia Bank is technology. Technology is the application of science in the business sector. It mainly involves using scientific equipment’s in executing transactions and customer service, in the financial sector, (Tallon, 2007, p. 227). There has been a rapid advancement in technology in the field of business and banks should make attempts to keep up with this advancement. Some of the issues associated with technology include internet marketing, internet banking, increased cybercrimes, mobile banking and increased awareness. Technological advancements have resulted in increased competition both in the banking sector and the business world as a whole.   NAB has tried to embrace technology through the development of technologically sensitive financial services, (NAB, 2016). Some of these services have been enabled by NAB Flik and internet marketing. NAB Flik has encouraged mobile banking improving the efficiency of customer delivery. Internet banking has also simplified the banking process by making it easy to create accounts and conduct transactions through the internet, (AbuShanab, 2007, p. 95). However, some major technological trends have currently emerged. These trends must be taken into consideration by this bank for it to remain competitive. Some of these trends are as follows. Competition is a major factor associated with technology. A company must, therefore, embrace technology to remain competitive. Going by the improvement in technology the technological giants like Google, Facebook Amazon and Apple could invest into the banking sector and outdo most of the banks since they have a good customer base. Most of the consumers use Google apple and amazon, (Au, 2008, p. 160). This improvement has been executed by Apple which has launched the Apple pay. According to Kracheel, 2014, p. 18)), Apple pay is a mobile payment developed by Apple Company, in its attempt to get into the financial sector. Other companies such as Samsung have also promised to follow suit. Soon Facebook Twitter and Amazon will also get into the financial sector. It is only Barclays bank which has invested into this internet banking service by developing its wallet called Pingit. According to, Bhatti (2015), digital banks are banks whose services are mainly offered through the internet. The emergence of digital banks may challenge most existing banks like NAB since they may have the ability to mobilize more customers to have an account with them.In the UK, the likes of Mondo, Atom Sterling, and Tandem, offer alternative financial services that may exert a lot of pressure on the existing banks. NAB is also not an exception as it has to compete effectively to maintain its profits and expand globally. In 2015, blockchains made tremendous profits through the offering of its bitcoin crypto currencies. This can continue to grow to make it make more profits in subsequent years. This makes it a major competitor of banks. Many banks have also launched investigations on how they can make use of these Block chain applications in their business, (Bornholdt, 2014, p. 1403). NAB is also not an exception to this it needs to venture into these applications to continue operating profitably. Wearable applications are applications installed on wearable items. Some wearable items include digital watches and bangles. Many banks have tested wearable applications on smart watches. Apple Company has also launched the Apple Watch which is a smart watch that can support most banking apps, (Kracheel, 2014, p. 19). These are new digital channels that would make banks evolve more in their operations and increase their profitability. If most banks install these apps, then NAB may have a difficult time keeping up with other banks. NAB should, therefore, take these technological improvements into account and adjust to them accordingly. Going digital is a major step in improving profitability in business. The world has technologically advanced in business, (Martins, 2014, p. 3). Therefore, this bank should stay informed about the current developments in the financial sector. It should also make use of the Bit chain applications such as unit coins to increase its profits. Globalization is a major trend associated with technology. Since most technology giants like Apple are investing in the financial sector, there is a great possibility that they may out-compete most of the banks. NAB should, therefore, expand its services to other continents apart from Australia and Asia. It should also develop operations in Africa and China. Staying informed is a major determinant of success. This can be done through consistent environmental evaluation. Environmental scanning is a systematic evaluation of the environment to obtain a better understanding of the major stakeholders in the environment. Nab should constantly practice environmental analysis to identify major technological changes and adapt to them timely. There are smart watches that support banking apps. One of these watches was developed by Apple Company. The bank should adopt these wearable apps to increase the efficiency of its services. Specific environment entails suppliers, customers, competitors and industry regulations that are specific and unique to an entity, and directly impacts on how the entity conducts its business. These factors always affect the organization directly. An organization should, therefore, formulate proper ways of dealing with these factors. Competition is the major critical factor affecting National Australia Bank. Competitors can be potential or current. Current competitors are individuals and organizations which offer the same products or services like those offered by a specific organization, (Drake, 2006, p. 1448). On the other hand, potential competitors are people or organizations that have the capability of offering the same products or services being offered by a certain organization. An organization should, therefore, be aware of its current and potential competitors to operate efficiently, Drake, 2006, p. 1448). In the banking sector, especially in Australia, competition is a major determinant of profitability. NAB should, therefore, be aware of its key competitors and make proper adjustments to be more competitive. Some impacts competition may have on this bank are discussed below; Banks are developing more complicated competition strategies. Some major on internet banking while others venture in developing more branches and increasing global operations as a major weapon for competition. Most banks are growing global, by expanding their branches worldwide. However, NAB has been slow in executing branch expansions. It has not expanded into some continents like Africa. Shortly, there may be more competition that may make this bank unable to enter into new markets and expand its operations. Expansion of services is a major tool used by most organizations to gain competition. Some organizations such as Apple are now expanding into the financial sector, (Rodriguez, 2015, p. 311). Samsung has also made attempts to enter the financial market to provide financial services. New entries into the market may deprive this bank of some potential customers. Some customers may also migrate from NAB to new financial service providers entering the market. Foreign Banks are entering into Foreign Deposit Markets. NAB has not properly expanded its operations globally. Globalization is a key factor in determining competition. Since many foreign banks are now investing in online deposit services, they may out compete for this bank as this bank has not developed a good background in foreign online deposits market. Competitive Forces may cause Decline in Net Interest Margin. Development of several banks operating in Australia Asia and Europe makes it difficult for this bank to obtain a competitive advantage. Some banks have also lowered their interests on loans and mortgages. This has made some customers migrate from NAB to other banks to enjoy the low-interest rates. In the near feature, NAB may also be forced to decrease its interest margins to maintain its customers. This may lead the bank into financial crisis. Entry of non-banking Companies into Financial Sector. Some non-banking companies such as Apple have now started offering financial services. Apple is a well-established company with a good customer based, (Kim, 2015, p. 527). NAB may, therefore, experience stiff competition from such companies that may lead to a decrease in its profitability. To develop customer preference, a company should use more customer friendly procedures. Customer friendly procedures are processes which maximize customers’ interests, (Moroko, 2008, p. 170). NAB should incorporate procedures that would simplify transactions and make transacting with the bank cheaper as compared to other banks. This may enable it to develop customer loyalty. When customers feel satisfied with the services of a company, they will try to stick to the company. Customer satisfaction is achieved by the company through offering proper services to the customers, practicing integrity and being honest with the customers, (Rauben, 2008, p. 91). NAB can use this strategy to gain a competitive advantage over other banks. NAB should do a continuous environmental evaluation to identify its competitors and make proper adjustments. Environmental scanning enables an organization to understand better the environmental variables influencing its operations, Khan, 2009, p. 346). This activity is, therefore, more appropriate to the bank in its attempt to identify its competitors. The bank should carry out a SWOT analysis. This would enable it identify the threats to its proper operation and act on them. SWOT analysis enables organizations to identify the opportunities in the environment and act on them, (Mangel, 2007, p. 22221). The bank will, therefore, be able to determine its major opportunities and act on them through this analysis. Practice corporate social responsibility Caring for the community is a major determinant of success of an organization. A company that conducts this activity develops trust from the community in the long run, (Dhawliwal, 2011, p. 61). NAB should, therefore, practice corporate social responsibility to develop trust among the community members and obtain more customers. There are two major approaches to ethics and social responsibility. Some companies adopt egoism, whereby they only practice corporate social responsibility if it maximizes the profits of the entity, (Ryan, 2016, p. 25). However, NAB has always adopted utilitarianism approach to ethics and social responsibility. It has always ensured the welfare of its customers and the community as a whole is taken care of. This approach advocates for maximization of moral good of the community. It states that a decision or activity should result in maximum good to the society. (Ping, 2007, p. 14). NAB has always adopted this approach to ethics by carrying out the following corporate social responsibility activities; The company encourages its staff members to conduct volunteer activities. It promotes this by offering its employees with two days volunteer to leave, NAB, 2016). In their volunteer activities, the staff members extend assistance to the poor and elderly in Australia. The bank supports the ovarian research foundation in its work of detecting and control of ovarian cancer. It does this by giving cash donations and resources for conducting anti-cancer campaigns. NAB conducts several activities that aim at improving the lives of the community members in Australia. It provides cash donations to groups and offers financial literacy training to members of the community, (NAB, 2016). This has helped to promote a positive relationship between this bank and the members of the community. The NAB staff are key volunteers in environmental conservation and prevention of pollution. They volunteer to clean the environment and stop any signs of environmental pollution, (NAB, 2016). For example, the staff members are allowed to self-nominate as environment ambassadors and work to make difference in their working environment as a whole. It conducts Charity Partner Programs The most current example of this program is based in Ireland. The program brings together staff members investors and other financiers to contribute towards charity. Some of the charity contributions are aimed at supporting cancer treatment and prevention of child abuse and cruelty. Organization culture refers to the values and beliefs that drive the operations of an organization. These values determine the way the organization operates. (Gregory, 2009, p. 674). The best organization for me to work in should have the following principals. First, openness and honesty. A good organization culture for me to work in should embrace openness and honesty. Issues should be discussed openly to promote confidence in the organization. (Glisson, 2007, p. 740). Honesty is also a vital aspect of an organization culture since it promotes trust in the organization. Secondly, teamwork and collaboration. I would like to work in an organization that embraces teamwork and collaboration. The staff members should help each other in times of problems. This promotes efficiency in executing tasks in the organization. Third, Respect and fairness. I would like to work in an organization where I am respected. My rights and values should be taken into consideration. Human rights should be given priority when designing organization culture. (Ardchvili, 2009, p. 450). The organization should also be able to embrace my personality and treatment with respect. Fourth, Simplicity, speed and efficient fulfillment of promises. This is a major value I would consider before joining an organization. Promised rewards should be given in time, my salaries or wages should not be delayed without proper reasons. This is because compensation is a major determinant of motivation. NAB has a clearly outlined organization culture, based on honesty and openness, fairness, simplicity, speed teamwork and efficient execution of promises. These values are exactly what I would look for before joining any organization. Honesty and inclusive are major requirements of a good culture, (Christensen, 2007). Going by these values, I believe that I can fit in this organization. According to Atiku (2016, p. 26), a proper organization culture is one that encourages inclusive, honesty and teamwork. These characteristics are all embraced by NAB. Nab is, therefore, a good organization, which respects the rights of its employees in the workplace and ensures that each employee is treated unique according to personalities held. National Australia Bank is a bank with a clear purpose and mission. It also conducts socially responsible activities as embraced by its culture of support and respect to the community. NAB is, therefore, a good bank for me to work with since it is aligned with my career objectives and specifications of my organization culture of interest. However, the company is still faced with competition as the critical factor. The NAB profit margins have reduced due to loss of customers to its major competitors. Therefore, this report recommends that the bank should adopt the competition strategies being used by the rival companies. Abushanab, E. & Pearson, J.M., (2007). Internet Banking In Jordan: The Unified Theory of Acceptance & Use of Technology (Utaut) Perspective. Journal of Systems & Information Technology, 9(1), Pp.78-97. Ardichvili, A., Mitchell, J.A. & Jondle, D., (2009). Characteristics of Ethical Business Cultures. Journal of Business Ethics, 85(4), Pp.445-451. Atiku, S.O. & Fields, Z., 2016. The Relationship between Entrepreneurial Culture & Sustainable Competitive Advantage in the Banking Sector. Journal of Economics & Behavioral Studies, 8(2), Pp.26-39. Au, Y.A. & Kauffman, R.J., (2008). The Economics of Mobile Payments: Understanding Stakeholder Issues For an Emerging Financial Technology Application. Electronic Commerce Research & Applications, 7(2), Pp.141-164. Bhatti, T., (2015). Exploring Factors Influencing the Adoption of Mobile Commerce. The Journal of Internet Banking & Commerce, 2007. Bornholdt, S. & Sneppen, K., (2014). Do Bitcoins Make The World Go Round? On The Dynamics Of Competing Crypto-Currencies. Arxiv Preprint Arxiv: 1403.6378. Christensen, T., Là ¦greid, P., Roness, P.G. And Rà ¸vik, K.A., (2007). Organization Theory & the Public Sector: Instrument, Culture & Myth. Routledge. Dhaliwal, D.S., Li, O.Z., Tsang, A. & Yang, Y.G., (2011). Voluntary Nonfinancial Disclosure & the Cost of Equity Capital: The Initiation of Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting. The Accounting Review, 86(1), Pp.59-100. Drake, L., Hall, M.J. & Simper, R., (2006). The Impact Of Macroeconomic & Regulatory Factors On Bank Efficiency: A Non-Parametric Analysis of Hong Kong’s Banking System. Journal of Banking & Finance, 30(5), Pp.1443-1466. Glisson, C., (2007). Assessing & Changing Organizational Culture & Climate for Effective Services. Research on Social Work Practice, 17(6), Pp.736-747. Gregory, B.T., Harris, S.G., Armenakis, A.A. & Shook, C.L., (2009). Organizational Culture & Effectiveness: A Study of Values, Attitudes, & Organizational Outcomes. Journal of Business Research, 62(7), Pp.673-679. Khan, H.U.Z., Halabi, A.K. & Samy, M., (2009). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Reporting: A Study of Selected Banking Companies in Bangladesh. Social Responsibility Journal, 5(3), Pp.344-357. Kim, K.J. & Shin, D.H., (2015). An Acceptance Model for Smart Watches: Implications for the Adoption of Future Wearable Technology. Internet Research, 25(4), Pp.527-541. Kracheel, M., Bronzi, W. & Kazemi, H., (2014). A Wearable Revolution: Is the Smartwatch The Next Small Big Thing? It One Magazine 2014, 7(December), Pp.18-19. Martins, C., Oliveira, T. & Popovi?, A., (2014). Understanding the Internet Banking Adoption: A Unified Theory of Acceptance & Use of Technology & Perceived Risk Application. International Journal of Information Management, 34(1), Pp.1-13. Mengel, M., Sis, B. & Halloran, P.F., (2007). SWOT Analysis of Banff: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats of the International Banff Consensus Process & Classification System for Renal Allograft Pathology. American Journal of Transplantation, 7(10), Pp.2221-2226. Moroko, L. & Uncles, M.D., (2008). Characteristics of Successful Employer Brands. Journal of Brand Management, 16(3), Pp.160-175. NAB. (2016). National Australia Bank at a Glance. Web Retrieved From Https://Www.Nationalaustraliabank.Com/Content/Dam/Nabglobal/Images/Blog/En/Nabnews/Nab%20at%20a%20glance_2016_En.Pdf NAB. (2016) Mission Statement of National Australia Bank. Web Retrieved From Http://Www.Examplesof.Com/Mission-Statements/National-Australia-Bank.Html Ping, L., (2007). Utilitarianism Orientation in Contemporary College Students [J]. Higher Education (Research & Evaluation), 4, P.014. Raubenheimer, K., (2008). 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Does knowledge affect attitudes and perceived risks of HIV infection Essay

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Assessing Traditional Arguments about God's Existence Essay

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Analysis and design of concrete pavements Research Paper

Analysis and design of concrete pavements - Research Paper Example Concrete pavements are durable surfaces that are laid down on roads and walkways primarily to sustain vehicular or foot traffic. Throughout the history, Concrete has always been as one of the most durable, cheap and reliable materials for conventional pavements found in the highways, streets, airports as well as residential and business parking areas. This is particularly attributed to the various properties of Concrete such as workability, strength and durability. For example, apart from offering the best riding surface, concrete is also widely believed to be economical, durable and sustainable solution for most surfaces (Shackel, 2008) Generally, there are currently two main methods of making concrete pavements namely the slip form and the fixed form paving. In the slipform paving method, machine usually rides on the treads over a particular area to be paved before fresh concrete is deposited on the paved surface. Next, a paving machine is then used to spread, screed and consolidate the concrete into a continuous operation. On the other hand, fixed-form paving involves setting and aligning stationary metal forms on solid foundation and then rigidly staking them. Concrete is then spread using a mechanical spreader before it is consolidated, finished and cured. After putting the finish to the concrete pavements, joints are should be created in order to help control cracking as well as to provide a system of relief for the potential concrete expansion due to moisture or temperature changes. In most cases, joints are usually created by sawing. Lastly, the surface is then textured before the concrete is completely dry in order to provide some form of skid resistance. Thickness of concrete pavements should be designed such that the stress and strains developed is less than allow able measurements gotten from prior performance information. The design of the pavement must keep moisture out of the sub base, capping, and subgrade

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