Ebonics - 979 Words

Ebonics, which stands for Ebony + Phonics is a new term that Linguistics use to describe Black Dialect or Black English or many of the other names that it has been given for more that 350 years.. has been in the news recently but it is definitely not a new topic. brbrEbonics is a language that is a combination of proper English and a combination of African languages. Because of this combination a pattern was formed on how certain words are said such as this and that, would be pronounced dis and dat. In all words the Th. sound sounded like a D. There was also another pattern formed such as, no tense indicated in the verb, no r sound and no consonant pairs. These are just some of the many patterns that were created when†¦show more content†¦in the way,brI dont expect to staybrMuch longer herebrRun to JesusNshun the dangerbrI dont expect to staybrMuch longer here.briUnknown/ibrbrThis is one of the spiritual song during slavery. It is not written in Ebonics but when the slaves s ong the song their masters still had no idea what the were talking about. Masters figured that their slaves didnt know left from right and called their language gibberish. The Masters didnt realize that this song meant that the slaves were going to escape to a free state and get away from all the dangers and the pain they suffered during slavery.brbrThis proves that Ebonics has been around for many years and will be around for a long time. This was a language that was forced upon people. It then passed from generation to generation. Ebonics has improved from the early 1600s to now but some of the improper English still stands today. This tells where Ebonics originated from.brbrbBibliogaphy/bbrliFisher, Julene E Dont Be a Geek; Learn How Black English Has Enriched The Language The Salt Lake Tribune MSN Internet (1996) p1brliLee, Felicia R Lingering Conflict in the Schools: Black Dialect vs. Standard Speech, The New York Times. MSN Internet (1994)brliLewis, Brian C. Black English: It s History and Its Role in the Education Of Our Children The ThreeTwelve Group MSN InternetShow MoreRelatedThe African Vernacular English1850 Words   |  7 Pages Ya’ll be thinkin’ ebonics be messin’ wit Standard English, but it be enrichin’ it in a lotta ways. If you did not quite understand the first sentence, here is a â€Å"proper† translation; many people believe that African-American English negatively affects Standard English, but it actually enriches it in various ways. Black English, Ebonics, ghetto talk, slang, and Black Vernacular are all different words or phrases used to describe the African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) language. There are certainRead MoreAfrican American Vernacular English (Aave)1503 Words   |  7 PagesPsychologist Robert Williams coined the term Ebonics in 1973. He combined the words ebony and phonics to create Ebonics, black speech sounds. In Ebonics: The True Language of Black Folks, he asserts Ebonics as the â€Å"linguistic and paralinguistic features which on a concentric continuum represent the communicative competence of the West African, Caribbean, and United States† (Williams 24). However, over time Ebonics gained a negative connotation. Ebonics is associated with slang, marginal and deficientRead MoreReflection Of Ebonics1741 Words   |  7 Pagesoutsiders. In my life, Ebonics had revealed an unique aspect of how my parents and distant relatives influenced my understanding of the Afrocentric dialect of the English language. In addition, it revealed how I communicate to my family and friends and the distinction of my reading between Ebonics and Old English during my high school years. Not to mention, for those who may not know what Ebonics is, Ebonics was the first dialect of the English language by African- Americans. Ebonics also known as AfricanRead More Ebonics Essay852 Words   |  4 PagesEbonics Ebonics, which stands for Ebony + Phonics is a new term that Linguistics use to describe Black Dialect or Black English or many of the other names that it has been given for more than 350 years. Ebonics is a language that is a combination of proper English and a combination of African languages. This combination pattern was formed on how certain words are pronounced such as, this and that, would be pronounced dis and dat in Ebonics. In most Ebonics words with the Th. soundRead MoreEssay about ebonics1044 Words   |  5 Pages Ebonics means black speech (a blend of the words ebony black and phonics sounds). The phrase was created in 1973 by a group of black scholars who disliked the negative connotations of terms like Nonstandard Negro English that had been coined in the 1960s when the first modern large-scale linguistic studies of African American speech communities began. However, the term Ebonics never caught on amongst linguists, much less among the general public. That all changed with the Ebonics controversyRead MoreWhat is Ebonics? Essay1197 Words   |  5 Pagesthe socially acceptable or proper form of language. Even though blacks willing learned English, the African-American community language has always been distinctive, and only for blacks to embrace and understand. The Black American English known as Ebonics became a topic of controversy in 1996, and is still debated as a critical language for African-Americans. Who says the only language in America should be English and why is it important for African-Americans to have their own language? National identityRead More Ebonics In Schools Essay1071 Words   |  5 Pages Ebonics in Schools Many black individuals have played their part in Americas history. Has the Oakland School gone too far by wanting to teach a black slang language in school. In this paper, you will see the peoples, teachers, and the students opinion as well as the Senate. A lot of people are speaking out on the subject, especially actors. Arsenio Hall replied to reporters â€Å"When I heard somebody from Oakland say the word genetic, on TV, I ran into the kitchen so I didnt have to be mad at anybodyRead More Ebonics Essay example615 Words   |  3 Pages Ebonics The other day I was talking on the subject of Ebonics. I feel Ebonics should be a language. I mean black adolescents that are seen as stupid and non-educated mostly use it. The talk compelled me to do some extensive studying on the subject. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ebonics is the new academicianamp;#8217;s jargon or buzzword for what we used to call amp;#8220;Black English.; Ebonics comes from the root word Ebony that means black or dark. So since Ebonics is considered Black EnglishRead MoreEssay about Ebonics3741 Words   |  15 PagesEbonics INTRODUCTION The main topic of this paper is the USA, and I have chosen to concentrate on a fairly new issue, the language know as Ebonics. There have always been changes in the English language. This is how the language came about and evolved from standard British English to American English. During the last few years, as the world has become more sensitive to the rights of minorities, women, animals, etc. a new form of changes has taken place. These changes have becomeRead More Is Ebonics a Language? Essay example918 Words   |  4 Pages Ebonics Is (or Is Not) a Language nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Before getting into any great detail concerning the complexity of what language is and its relationship with the term Ebonics, Ebonics must first be defined. It is considered to be best described as â€Å"black speech† and therefore can be referred to as an â€Å"undefined language.† Many consider language to be a spoken tongue belonging to a nationality of people, so in general, and for the sake of clarity in this work, language is a general

Analysis Of The Movie Temple Grandin - 903 Words

During class, the teacher showed us two movies during the course of the semester revealing the lives of two important people and their significance of their actions.. The first movie was â€Å"Temple Grandin†, which told a story of a young woman who suffered repeated setbacks from her autism throughout the entirety of her life. Mostly, ridiculed by her peers and even in her male dominated profession, Animal Agriculture. Grandin remain persistent in achieving her goals and eventually overcame her oppositions one by one. Similarly, â€Å"Invictus† follows the familiar theme of rising against adversary with Nelson Mandela sworn into office after the disintegration of the South Africa’s apartheid, the nation suffers low morale and division among each other. The Springboks, the national rugby team suffers criticism among the African, due to the colors representing the history of apartheid. Mandela embraced the Rugby team and encourage them to win the 1995 World Cup in order to unify the entire nation, with support of the president and the South African people the team eventually won the Cup and achieve unification. Overall, I believe â€Å"Temple Grandin† delivered the better picture than â€Å"Invictus† due to the use of flashbacks at moments to illustrate the story, accuracy in depicting the character, and suspense at certain parts of the film enhance my perspective. First, the use of flashbacks in â€Å"Temple Grandin† helped create a level of atmosphere dealing with the troubled history of especiallyShow MoreRelatedMovie Analysis : Temple Grandin993 Words   |  4 Pagesfor why either the movie Temple Grandin or Inviticus are worthy of these awards. The first award that I will be voting on is Best Picture. First I want to talk a little about the movie Temple Grandin, this movie is about a woman with autism, and the movie portrays her struggles and accomplishments throughout the film. The movie begins when Temple’s mother Eustacia refused the diagnosis of autism given to her daughter that she is to be put in an institution for others like Temple. Eustacia insteadRead MoreMovie Analysis : Temple Grandin932 Words   |  4 Pages Temple Grandin is a film that relies heavily on mise en scene to show audiences the amazing way into which those with autism can see the world and perceive and then solve problems they are faced with on a d aily basis. The filmmakers cleverly use mise en scene to help communicate the central theme of the film of being different, not less. It gives viewers a way to relate to Temple, to see and understand what her world is like. They are able to spend the length of the film in her shoes and learnRead MoreAnalysis Of Temple Grandin, An Autistic Woman1217 Words   |  5 PagesIn the movie Temple Grandin, an autistic woman, who overcame the limitations imposed on her by her condition earned a PH.D and an expert in the field of animal agriculture. She did not speak until the age of four, she was also sensitive to sound and touch, and had difficulty throughout high school, mostly dealing with people and the social part of life. She is most widely known for creating her â€Å"hug box,† recognized today as a way of relieving stress and anxiety in autistic children. Temple is alsoRead MoreIn Recent Years, The Prevalence Of Autism Spectrum Disorder1357 Words   |  6 Pagesrights moveme nt (Ward 1999). One of the well-known self-advocates for ASD is Temple Grandin. Dr. Grandin stresses the importance of using an individual’s strength instead of focusing on what they can’t do. For example, Grandin designed facilities that half the cattle in the United States are handled in today (2012). Another self-advocate is Owen Suskind. Owen’s story is portrayed in the movie Life, Animated. As shown in the movie, Owen also shares his story in conferences and speeches with people so theyRead More Autism in the Media Essay2151 Words   |  9 PagesCards (1993), and Molly (1999). I here examine these three films, each with an autistic main character, to evaluate the image of autism presented to the public and to discuss how that image has changed in the last fifteen years. However, before an analysis of the films, I will briefly overview autism as it is currently diagnosed and treated.    Autism is the label given to a set of behaviors summarized by the International Classification of Disease ICD-10 Handbook as1: 1. ImpairmentRead MoreGump Notes Essay7299 Words   |  30 Pagesfavorites. The dissociation between his apparent IQ and incredible intellectual achievements and his behavioral autistic tendencies are, so far, ignored and his cognitive features are misread as Intellectual Developmental disability. In the movie, Forest Gump, the character played by Tom Hanks fines remarkable inner strength to overcome life’s never ending problems and tragedies. In spite of limited abilities, Forest conquers every obstacles life throws at him and becomes a success.

Effective Business Communication Accordingâ€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Effective Business Communication According? Answer: Introduction According to Robles, (2012) communication plays a very crucial role in the development of any MNC. While working in different countries, companies have to face various issues that affect its growth and also affect the brand name. This report has been prepared to resolve the various internal and external communication issues faced by an Australian MNC. Examples of communication channels used by other MNCs have also been considered so that proper strategies can be prepared. Good practices Communication channels used by other MNCs Communication has a significant role in the success of any business as researched by Stubbe, (2015). By considering this factor, there are various global companies all around the world which has adopted different ways to communicate with internal as well as external stakeholders. Apple Inc. is one of the biggest MNCs in the world which has its business in different countries. Shaganaa, (2014) added that company follows different kinds of strategies to communicate with its internal as well as external stakeholders. The company has created an online forum where employees can raise their voice, ideas as well as concerns. It allows the managers to focus their direction on points raised by employees. The company also holds monthly meetings with its stakeholders which help them to get a one-on-one experience with management where all the information regarding brand is discussed. Monthly newsletters are also published by Apple to help employees to get insight on directions of Apple Inc. It also allows them to inform employees about recent changes that are taking place in the company. Random audits are conducted to ensure that supply chain of a company is working effectively. Programs are organized for suppliers where good suppliers are appreciated, and all the issues are resolved which are faced by both parties as studied by Muema, (2012). Amazon is also one of the most popular and biggest MNCs in the world. Brown, (2012) provided information that CEO of Amazon believes that communication culture of the company should be friendly but intense so that it can allow employees to generate ideas and improve the experiences of customers. The company uses the latest communication channel like Slack to bridge the gap between CEO and front line employees (BETTS, 2015). Jeff Bezos provides complete company information via push notification and also appreciate the efforts of employees from time to time. Other than that, employee engagement surveys are also popular tools which are used by Amazon in order to track the attitude of employees. Recently as per Venkatesh, (2013), company has also introduced a real time cloud based platform called as Glint which allows them to understand employee engagement surveys and provide an interactive dashboard to raise different issues. The data then is compared with industry benchmarks, and chang es are made accordingly. According to Grunig, (2013) Tesco is one of the biggest retailers in the world which handles the various communication issues very effectively. It uses different types of internal and external channels to communicate with all its clients, and it has helped them to gain lots of success. Internal communication channels used by Tesco are a phone, emails, club cards, notices and reports. All these channels have proved to be effective and have allowed Tesco to provide timely information to employees. Our Tesco, (2017) added for external communication, that the company uses website, Tesco cards, video conferencing, social media, a television advertisement. All these channels allow the company to reach its potential customers and convey the products and services in a creative manner. In order to collect feedback from customers, the company provides feedback form to its customers and collects in then and there so that their real time experience can be noticed. Future Strategies Timely communication to all staff and clients One of the biggest issues that organization is facing in communicating to all its staff and clients is time and efficiency. There are several ways by which organization can cope up with this issue. One of the ways that MNC can include is organizing an open meeting with internal staffs as it will allow the leaders and managers to communicate their passion and the ways in which work has to be done in organization (Adrian, 2012). These meetings will allow managers as well as employees to hear and understand what leaders want to communicate and will also provide the opportunity to the employees to provide the feedback to upper management. These meetings can be organized in every branch of the company in all countries on a regular basis. However, if the board of directors wants to communicate anything to all the 8000 employees across nations, everyone can be connected via video conferencing. It will allow the directors to convey the aim and objective of organization and what is expected o ut of the employees. Other ways in which timely communication can be made with employees, as well as clients, can be via e-mails. Technology has made everyone advanced, and every person carry Smartphone with access to the internet that can use to check e-mails anytime (Keyton, 2012). Managers can send the emails to employees and clients anytime in case of emergency or if any message has to be conveyed. As soon as the e-mail is received, actions can be taken to resolve the issues. There are different team messaging applications also that are developed by various people, and these can be used in companies to convey messages to each other. One of the applications for team communication is called as Slack that is used by Starbucks in order to pass on the messages to all the employees directly. With this application, Starbucks has been able to be in touch with all the employees at any time, and it has solved various issues in minutes. MNC in Australia can also use this application to be in touch with employees at any time. It can also be used to communicate with clients so that proper supplies can be maintained and issues between parties can be resolved (Barbour, 2014). All these communications should be made on the regular basis so that regular issues can be solved and work can be done with proper efficiencies. Timely communication should also be done if any new achievement is done by the company or during the time of implementing new strategies. It will keep all the employees as well as clients to sync with the way in which Australian MNC is working. Communication with front line employees Front line employees are those who are the most important part of the organization as they directly deal with customers and are also involved in making of products. From the case study, it was analyzed that there has been a communication break from the top employees to the front line employees and vice versa (Rajhans, 2012). It has really affected the brand positioning of Australian MNC in the market as leaders are not able to communicate their vision to these people and also these employees are not able to provide the feedback that customers provide towards the organization. There are various ways in which this communication break can be resolved by conducting wise department wise meetings on a regular basis by managers and on a monthly basis by top management. Regular meetings with managers will allow them to convey the updated objectives of the company or if any new products or services that have been added which needed to be introduced to customers. Issues that front line employe es face while dealing with clients and employees can also be effectively communicated in these meetings. Managers will be able to motivate these employees and can push them to work hard (Loewy, 2012). Top management can communicate with all these employees all together via video conferencing in every nation that organization is situated in. Top management can convey their message to the employees and give them the ideas about new changes that company has incorporated or will be going to incorporate in the near future. Employees can communicate their feedbacks to managers which can be passed on to the board, and all the big issues can be discussed in these video conferencing meetings. Other than that, mobile applications are also great ways that can be used by top management to convey their vision to front line employees (Hashim, 2013). More than 85% of employees use smart phones and activating mobile first communication strategies can be very fruitful. Push notifications via mobile application will allow front line employees to know about new information any place and time. Top managers will also be able to connect all their 8000 employees altogether without any hassle. Feedback from clients regarding products and services Customers are the biggest clients of Australian MNC, and their feedback is very important for the improvement of products and services offered. One of the best ways that this can be incorporated and communication channel can be strengthened is by providing live chat support. It will allow the company to get closer to its entire client and most of the issues will be solved quickly. This live chat support can be made proactive, and feedbacks can be generated easily. Another way is by providing dedicated feedback form on the website of the company which can include all the relevant questions related to feedback (Zhu, 2017). This is one of the best ways to get in touch with and understand the positioning of the company in their mindset. Some important and regular customers can be called on the regular basis, and the main advantage that company will get is the first-hand feedback. Hearing the voice of customers will also help in judging the satisfaction levels of clients. This particular method is very effort sensitive and can be reserved for high sensitive clients. New trends in collecting the surveys are social media, and it can be actively used to not only be in touch with the customers but also to understand their issues and solve them then and there. However, social media can also create a negative image for the company as rumours spread much faster and for that communication channels on this medium should be very fast (Castells, 2013). Other than customers, suppliers are also very important clients, and their feedbacks are also important in order to improve the products and services of Australian MNC. The first thing that company can do is the creation of strategic supplier councils which consist senior members from supplier team and senior managers from the side of Australian MNC. The main purpose of this council is to listen to the key supplier's concerns, ideas in order to solve strategic planning issues. Another way is to install supplier evaluation software as it will allow the MNC to solicit the feedbacks and ideas of these people (Coombs, 2014). This software will help the suppliers to provide the changes that can be done to improve the supply chain and make delivery better. Issues around local language From the case study, it was analyzed that one of the biggest issues that are faced by Australian MNC is with the local language as these people are not able to communicate with some employees, suppliers and customers. Although the common language used in English still the issues with dialect still persist. There are many strategies that can be implemented by MNC to handle this issue like the use of plain language (LaBrie, 2015). Use of large and complicated words might create understanding and miscommunication issues which can offend some customers. Another way are to search for reliable translation services in terms of qualified translator or service that can fulfil needs of the company. However, the proper check has to be done before employing a translator by doing proper education check, etc. Employees can also be provided with training sessions so that they can understand the in and outs of the products and services they are selling. It will allow them to communicate with customers in their own dialect and manner (Grunig, 2013). Visual methods can also be used as they can be a lot more effective the telling. Pictures and diagrams can be used in explaining the complicated concepts which will allow employers and customers to understand it in much better manner. Cross cultural issues in different contexts Cross cultural communication can be defined as ways in which people from being different cultural background communicate with each other and also in the manner they endeavour to communicate across cultures. Australian MNC works in the different parts of the world in a different culture. It faces various cross cultural issues which are very important to be solved for the proper functioning of the company (Pettersson, 2013). One of the ways in which it can be handled is by keeping an open mind by understanding the ways in which people comprehend, communicate and make decisions across different types of backgrounds. It might be difficult to interpret all types of behaviour but still, significance can be made on this concept. The main aim of the company should be to understand and accept the differences in terms of a multicultural team and the ways in which they can be used to analyze the situation and make decisions. Other than that, organizational awareness can also be created by providing diversity training to all employees as it will allow MNC to make employees culturally mindful and adaptable while talking to people with different backgrounds (Harris, 2016). Outings and fun activities with all the employees can also be arranged by MNC as it will bring the employees with different background come closer and work in proper harmony. Promoting open communication can also be a boon to the company as it will allow employees to share their concerns and misconducts happened with them effectively. Fostering strong relationships with employees will also make the communication in company better with proper responses with everyone. Digital literacy and use of social media From the case study, it was analyzed that, Australian MNC works in the country like Nigeria and Oman where the digital literacy is very limited. Only 10-20% of the customers are aware of the use of social media channels. In these situations, reaching out to people becomes very difficult. The company in order to reach people can use the facilities of hotline numbers where all the queries and order can be handled (Schullery, 2013). Advertising can be done by providing advertising advertisements in television, newspapers, etc. Some big events can also be sponsored so that people can know about the Australian MNC and the products they sell. Various help centres can also be established in different parts of the country where people can reach and resolve all their issues while viewing new products. The trend of social media in the field of communication is increasing day by day, and it is one of the best methods that can allow Australian MNC to reach millions of customers worldwide with very low cost. Some of the popular social media channels are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. On Facebook, the company can create different posts about its products and services and share it in most creative manner. The post will reach a large number of people instantly, and people who are interested can directly connect with MNC. Various issues faced by people can also be resolved on social media by responding to people complaint (Michaelides, 2015). Twitter is another medium which is highly professionals and mostly used by companies to share some important news and events in limited words. This medium can also be used by Australian MNC to share the launch of its new products and services. Conclusion From the report, it can be analyzed that Australian MNC can easily solve its internal and external communication issues very easily by using various strategies. For the internal and timely communications, video conferencing, a messaging application like Slack, regular meetings with managers can be used as it will allow the company to know the responses of employees and their feedbacks. The company will also be able to share the information about company effectively. For external communication, the company can use feedback forums, develop online chat support, social media, and committees with suppliers, etc. to convey and receive the issues and news. References BETTS, C., (2015). A lesson from Amazon: Make sure your CEOs not out of touch with frontline staff. [Online]. Available through: https://venturebeat.com/2015/08/23/a-lesson-from-amazon-make-sure-your-ceos-not-out-of-touch-with-frontline-staff/. [Accessed on 1 September 2017]. Our Tesco., (2017). How We Communicate Together. [Online]. Available through: htt.ps://www.ourtesco.com/how-we-communicate-together/. [Accessed on 1 September 2017]. Shaganaa, S., (2014). Apple Internal CommunicationsStrategy. [Online]. Available through: https://shaganaas.wordpress.com/2014/05/02/apples-internal-communications-strategy/. [Accessed on 1 September 2017]. Books and Journals Adrian, A., (2012). Assessing Organizational Communication: Strategic Communication Audits. Guilford Press. Argenti, P., (2015).Corporate communication. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Barbour, J., (2014). Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes. Cengage Learning. Bisel, R., (2010). A communicative ontology of organization? A description, history, and critique of CCO theories for organization science.Management Communication Quarterly.24(1). Brown, T., 2012. Change communication: the impact on satisfaction with alternative workplace strategies.Facilities.30(3/4). pp.135-151. Castells, M., (2013).Communication power. OUP Oxford. Coombs, W., (2014).Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing, and responding. Sage Publications. Cornelissen, J., (2017).Corporate communication: A guide to theory and practice. Sage. Grunig, J., (2013).Excellence in public relations and communication management. Routledge. Harris, R., (2016). New organisations and new workplaces: Implications for workplace design and management. Journal of Corporate Real Estate. 18(1). pp.4-16. Hashim, J., (2013). Communicating and sharing working relationships with older employees. Journal of Communication Management. 17(2). pp.100-121. Keyton, J., (2012). Communication and Organizational Culture: A Key to Understanding Work Experiences. SAGE. LaBrie, R., (2015). Unified communications as an enabler of workplace redesign. Measuring Business Excellence. 19(1). pp.81-91. Loewy, D., 2012.Essentials of business communication. Cengage Learning. Michaelides, G., (2015). Workplace design: Conceptualizing and measuring workplace characteristics for motivation. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance. 2(3). pp.224-243. Muema, T., (2012). Effects of Poor Communication in an Organization: Case of Kenya Seed Company. GRIN Verlag. Pettersson, K., 2013. Analyzing effective communication in mathematics group work: The role of visual mediators and technical terms.Educational Studies in Mathematics. 82(3). pp.497-514. Rajhans, K., 2012. Effective organizational communication: A key to employee motivation and performance.Interscience Management Review. 2(2). pp.81-85. Robles, M., 2012. Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in todays workplace.Business Communication Quarterly.75(4). pp.453-465. Schullery, N.M., 2013. Workplace engagement and generational differences in values.Business Communication Quarterly.76(2). pp.252-265. Stubbe, M., 2015.Power and politeness in the workplace: A sociolinguistic analysis of talk at work. Routledge. Venkatesh, V., 2013. Explaining employee job performance: The role of online and offline workplace communication networks.Mis Quarterly.37(3). Zhu, Y., (2017). Lets work out: communication in workplace wellness programs. International Journal of Workplace Health Management. 10(2). pp.101-115.

Human Resource Management A study on Aksa - Turkey

Question: Employee engagement is a key element of talent management: engaged employees feel positive about their job and identify with the organization (Robinson et al., 2004) and are less likely to leave (Harter et al., 2002). Critically analyze different factors which promote employee engagement within an organization. Answer: Abstract In current business scenario of the world all business organizations are practicing human recourse policies to achieve a sustainable business growth which is very important in this competitive environment. In this practice of human resource employee engagement is becoming very important to run their business. Practice of employee engagement provides many advantages to the company which helps in smooth business process as well as help to reduce the running cost. The performance of the company depends on the employees and employees perform well when the culture of the organization is good. The Department of human resource balances this process by many initiatives within the organization. Employee engagement is one of that process which helps to satisfy the employees social need in their work place. Leaders or managers are being trained to learn how to engage employees in every process of the organizational development. Engaging all the employees in their respective areas one can achiev e the highest performance. Employees are treated in such a way that everyone is equally important to the organization so the contribution of every employee is also important. This kind of activity incorporate a sense of self esteem which drive the motivational force of the employee to perform better for the organization (Citehr.com, 2015). Introduction Aksa Chemical is the worlds largest acrylic fiber producer having a non stop operation in seven days in aweek and 24 hours a day based in Turkey. They are consisting of huge work force combining their manufacturing and marketing department. To manage this huge work force the human resource department has to be very strong in their actions. The human resource department of Aksa chemical is structured in such a way that they can monitor employee performance in each department. Within many initiative of human resource department they have emphasized on the employee engagement program so that all the employees remain satisfied in their work place. To run this initiative of the employee engagement human resource department aims to increase safety and work environment in their work place and production process. Healthy and safety is the first priority for the Aksa chemical in their business process. To engage their employees human resource department of Aksa chemical conduct frequent train ing programs which are being held in every six months. It is mandatory for almost all the employees to take training which helps to motivate them as well as increase their performance quality. The policy of their training is to improve skills and knowledge to ensure the adaption of new technology. Another employee engagement program is 360 degree where individual development program are carried by the professional consultants to evaluate individuals. In this program employees can evaluate themselves in term of performance and behavior. This kind of program motivates employees to develop their own skills for their carrier success as well as the success of the company. Another objective of employee engagement program is to retain employees. Employee retention not only increases the performance of the company it also helps to reduce the cost of operating business (Aksa.com, 2015). Literature review Employee engagement is an upcoming field where the HR managers are required to put more attention. In an era of rapid globalization and fluctuating economies coupled with intense competition and changing needs of the consumers, the companies need to push its performance levels by reducing costs, improving their quality, enhancing its productivity and brining in innovative products quickly (Brajer-Marczak, 2014). The employees are the ones who will help the organization to achieve its goals. Thus it is important for the companies to keep their employees motivated and provide them job satisfaction as it will increase their productivity. They also need to ensure that they make the employee feel a valuable part of the organization by providing them with challenging tasks and breaking the monotony of work. It is important for the organization to align the personal goals of the employees with the organizational goals. Engaged employee are highly satisfied with their jobs and they walk an e xtra mile to make the organization competitive with respect to its competitors. There are various benefits that an organization receives by engaging its employees. Engagement provides a psychological satisfaction to the employees. Engaged employee yields higher productivity and they most of the time outperforms those who are not engaged. This happens because they get motivated and become flexible and gains the ability to take quick decision to solve small problems at work (Bridger, 2014). Engaged employee understand the strategies adopted by the company and contribute effectively towards the achievement of goals. They also become loyal to the company and this reduces the turnover rate of employee. All this can help the organization to reduce its operating income; a reduced level of absenteeism, fewer accidents takes place. There are many models, which can be applied by the organization to unlock the full potential of the employees (GagneÃÅ' , 2014). One such model is Sirotas three factor model. This model states that the engagement among employees can be attained through the fulfillment of three key engagement factors. They are: Achievement: When an employee is given a task which is challenging and he perceives it important for the organization, this creates a sense of achievement when he completes the job (Thompson, Lemmon and Walter, 2015). The feeling of pride is instilled in him when he is appropriately recognized for his efforts. This motivates him to continue to strive for better results in future. Camaraderie: This means providing a healthy working environment to the employees. The organization must create a work culture which is warm, cooperative and interesting. The environment must stimulate a sense of harmony among co-workers and it should crate mutual trust for each other (Hsieh and Wang, 2014). This will create sense of belongingness among employees. When an employee feel wanted, he automatically becomes more productive. Equity: The organization must ensure to prevent any kind of discrimination at the workplace. They should follow internal as well as external equity principle (Sharon, 2014). Internal equity means all employees should be provided the basic amenities at workplace and external means that they should get the pay as per the market standards. Maslows hierarchy of needs Maslows hierarchy of needs essentially deals with the hierarchy that is formed in a pyramid. There are different levels analyzed with the use of self-actualization process at the top. At the base of the model, the needs start from the physiological perspective. Physiological needs- These are the basis needs in any organization. This also includes the basic need like that of food, water, air that is crucial for the sustenance of person. Similarly, Harzing and Pinnington, (2010) put forward in any organization the employees also have the specific need like the worth of the job, the perspective of money and other important aspects that is important for the employee. It is the basic attraction the, employees have towards the organization in order to stay back or sustain. Safety needs- The needs are part of the safety and the security process that is important in any persons life. This also includes the analysis of violence, post traumatic and other experience that might be the problem of the individual. Armstrong and Taylor (2014) mentions the security can be based on personal level of security, financial, health and security against illness. The safety needs in case of the employees in an organization deals with the sense of security that they have within the organization. The importance of salary is crucial along with the attachment to the team, the working hours, the environment of work and such other factors. Love and belonging- This is the attachment people have towards the family or any other group. This includes the friendship, family and intimacy. It is the sense of belonging that makes a person feel attach to the family or society. Similarly, in case of an organization it is important to note that there has to be a belonging to the organization. This is the motivation that the employees have from the organization. They feel the integrity towards the organization with the help of the belonging aspect (CHUANG and Liao, 2010). Esteem- This is the self-analysis along with the confidence helps in driving the ideas of freedom, interdependence, and self-confidence. In case of the esteem it is the personal level respect that individuals have being a part of society. Similarly, Bindl and Parker (2010) opine in case of an organization the respect and the treatment of the employees play a key role. They feel engaged to the process and interact cohesively when they receive the respect that they deserve. Self actualization- This is the potentiality that, people have in personal life in order to accomplish themselves. It is the usual drive and the desire that people have in their life. In case of an organization, it is the urge of the employees to reach a particular position. This helps in generating their own potentiality to reach a point (Wollard and Shuck, 2011). Self transcendence- This is the perspective that transcends the ides of self to divinity and spirituality. This is more than motivation the urge to reach a particular position in the company (Coetzee and De Villiers, 2010). This is the idea of being self sufficient along with the idea of overpowering the performance of self. This perspective also includes the idea to inspire and motivate others. Maslows hierarchy of needs (employee engagement) (Source: Scancapture.co.uk, 2015) Motivational Factor for the Employee There are various motivational factors for the employees of the organization, which the organization can give to its employees. The motivational factor always helps the organization to motivate its employees to work hard or in accurate way for the organization. The Motivational factors for the employees are as follows: The Reward system for the employees of the organization always motivates the employees to work harder for the organization. The reward system can be in terms of monetary reward, or giving additional rewards. The monetary rewards is the best reward for the employees, because the main motive is to earn money for all the workers who work in the organization (Finne, 2015). The leadership quality can also be the motivational factors for the employees of the organization, as the employees always want to work under the good leader. So the good leadership style may engage the workers to do work for the organization (Scott Scott, 2015). Recommendation The human recourse is the most important resources for any organization. The proper utilization of the human resources makes the organization to run faster and smoother. The organization should use its human resources very accurately, so that it can help the organization to make progress in the future. There are some recommendations for the organization to make the proper utilization of the human resources: The organization can arrange for the training and development program for the employees of the organization, so that the employees of the organization can know work in a better way and the employees can also achieved the target for the organization, which also helps the company for its success. The organizational changes can also help the employees of the organization, changes in terms of technology, process of working or method of working. The technological changes can help the employees to work faster and easier. The appraisal system of the organization can also help the organization, to make the workers work more properly. The appraisal system motivates the employees of the organization to work hard for the organization. Conclusion The project tells about the employees engagement for the organization. In this project, we can see that the organization wants to utilize the human resources in a proper way, so that the organization can achieved the targets of the company. The proper utilization of human resources is the main focus for every organization, as the ultimate use of human resources can help the company to progress their work. The in the literature review of the project we also discuss about the Maslows hierarchy theory, and Siro task three factor model which tells us about the basic need of the employees of the organization and how the motivational factor help the organization for the utilization of the employees. References Aksa.com, (2015).Management Systems Policy - CORPORATE - Management Systems Policy - AKSA. [online] Available at: https://www.aksa.com/en/corporate/management-systems-policy/management-systems-policy/i-287. Citehr.com, (2015).Employee Engagement Activities Bpo Personnel Fun. [online] Available at: https://www.citehr.com/63008-employee-engagement-activities-bpo-personnel-fun.html. Finne, M. (2015). Implementation of motivational interviewing. Physiotherapy, 101, e383-e384. doi:10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.605 Scott, D., Scott, S. (2015). Leadership for quality university teaching: How bottom-up academic insights can inform top-down leadership. Educational Management Administration Leadership. doi:10.1177/1741143214549970 Brajer-Marczak, R. (2014). Employee engagement in continuous improvement of processes.Management, 18(2). Bridger, E. (2014).Employee engagement. London: Kogan Page. GagneÃÅ' , M. (n.d.).The Oxford handbook of work engagement, motivation, and self-determination theory. Hsieh, C. and Wang, D. (2014). Authentic Leadership Influences Employee Work Engagement through Employee Perception and Trust.Academy of Management Proceedings, 2014(1), pp.14624-14624. Sharon, T. (2014). The Relationship between Employee Engagement as a Human Resource Management Practice and Employee Organisational Commitment.Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. Thompson, K., Lemmon, G. and Walter, T. (2015). Employee Engagement and Positive Psychological Capital.Organizational Dynamics. Harzing, A. W., and Pinnington, A. (Eds.). (2010).International human resource management. Sage. Armstrong, M., and Taylor, S. (2014).Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers. CHUANG, C. H., and Liao, H. U. I. (2010). Strategic human resource management in service context: Taking care of business by taking care of employees and customers.Personnel Psychology,63(1), 153-196. Bindl, U. K., and Parker, S. K. (2010). 32 Feeling good and performing well? Psychological engagement and positive behaviors at work.Handbook of employee engagement: Perspectives, issues, research and practice, 385. Wollard, K. K., and Shuck, B. (2011). Antecedents to employee engagement a structured review of the Literature.Advances in Developing Human Resources,13(4), 429-446. Coetzee, M., and De Villiers, M. (2010). Sources of job stress, work engagement and career orientations of employees in a South African financial institution.Southern African Business Review,14(1), 27-58. Scancapture.co.uk, (2015). [online] Available at: https://www.scancapture.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Maslows-Hierarchy-of-Needs-resized1.png [Accessed 17 Jun. 2015].

Philippine Century Hence Essay Sample free essay sample

The Philippines a Century Hence is an essay written by our national hero Jose Rizal and it tells the hereafter of the state within a hundred old ages. In this essay. published in La Solidaridad. it starts analysing the assorted causes of the jobs suffered by the Filipino people. One of those jobs is the Spain’s execution of her military policies. because of such Torahs the poorness here in our state became rampant than of all time. And the household as a unit of society was neglected. and overall. in every facet of life of the Filipino was retarded. Next is the devastation of the Filipino civilization. the native Filipino civilization. because of this. the Filipinos started losing assurance in their yesteryear and their heritage. became dubious of their present life style. and finally lost hope in the hereafter and the saving of their race. The Spanish colonisers are the 1 with the most powerful forces and they influenced the civilization of silence among the indigens. We will write a custom essay sample on Philippine Century Hence Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Because of the usage of force. the Filipinos learned to subject themselves to the will of the aliens. Finally. the indigens realized that such subjugation in their society by foreign colonisers must no longer be tolerated. One inquiry Rizal raises in this essay is whether or non Spain can so forestall the advancement of the Philippines. maintaining the people uneducated and nescient had failed. Keeping he people impoverished besides came to no help. Spain. therefore. had no agencies to halt the advancement of the state. What needs to make is to alter colonial policies so that they are in maintaining with the demands of the Philippine society and to the lifting patriotism of the people. What Rizal had envisioned in his essay came true. In 1898. the Americans wrestled with Spain to win the Philippines. and finally took over the state. Theirs was a reign of democracy and autonomy. Five decennaries after Rizal’s decease. the Philippines gained her long-awaited independency. This was in fulfilment of what he had written in his essay: â€Å"History does non enter in its annals any permanent domination by one people over another. of different races. of diverse uses and imposts. of opposite and divergent thoughts. One of the two had to give and yield. †

Free Essays on Variations Of The Word Love

love are used in the commercial industry. It also shows how the â€Å"vacancies† are filled in with enough of the hearts and lace to be sold. Even though the vacancies are filled with such trivial and meaningless shows of the emotion love, a few of us latch onto the existence of the idea of love and even wait for it to hit us in the face. Nevertheless, as described by Ms. Atwood, the waiting deafens us. â€Å"Then there’s two of us. This word is far too short for us, it has only four letters, too sparse to fill those deep bare vacuums between the stars that press on us with their deafness.† (21-27) She tells us in this quote that even though there is an â€Å"us†, the word love is much... Free Essays on Variations Of The Word Love Free Essays on Variations Of The Word Love Poetry Explication of â€Å"Variations on the word Love† by Margaret Atwood Margaret Atwood’s poem â€Å"Variations on the word Love† is her own cynical views on the word love itself and how it is used too frequently, which has resulted in it becoming almost of no value. The author, who is also the speaker, is articulating the significance of how the word love has become adulterated, trivialized and commercialized. Ms. Atwood is attempting to show how, in her opinion; the word love has reached a point where it has lost its impact and true meaning. Love itself is described as a powerful emotion for another person manifesting itself in deep affection, devotion or sexual desire often occurring suddenly and without warning. As human beings, we require love to be in our lives and are happier when we feel it ourselves. Ms. Atwood's simple â€Å"poem† becomes so complex as it shows her opinion coming across as distain of the manner of which it is now used. â€Å"It’s the right size for those warm blanks in speech, for those red heart-shaped vacancies on the page that look nothing like real hearts. Add lace and you can sell it. (Margaret Atwood â€Å"Variations on the word love† 2-7) It is in this quote that shows the speakers view on how the words love are used in the commercial industry. It also shows how the â€Å"vacancies† are filled in with enough of the hearts and lace to be sold. Even though the vacancies are filled with such trivial and meaningless shows of the emotion love, a few of us latch onto the existence of the idea of love and even wait for it to hit us in the face. Nevertheless, as described by Ms. Atwood, the waiting deafens us. â€Å"Then there’s two of us. This word is far too short for us, it has only four letters, too sparse to fill those deep bare vacuums between the stars that press on us with their deafness.† (21-27) She tells us in this quote that even though there is an â€Å"us†, the word love is much...

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 5

Project Management - Essay Example Further, a project is highly resource intensive. In this context, a project life cycle denotes a logical sequence of activities that are employed to realize all goals and objectives associated with the project. Irrespective of the complexity or scope of the project, it must undergo several sequential stages during its lifetime. The project life cycle comprises four main stages (Kerzner, 2009): The planning phase primarily comprises the decomposition of the project into simpler tasks or segments that can be achieved individually with an adequate amount of interaction and coordination amongst them. For the purpose of the above question, the roles and activities of a project manager will be discussed within the last two stages of the project life cycle namely the implementation and completion phases. Haynes (2003) believes that the primary consideration for the project manager in this phase is to ensure that all major activities are executed correctly besides verifying whether proper control and monitoring is in place over all such activities. The implementation stage is the point where the planned solution is brought into existence to realize the specific requirements outlined under the problems being solved or purposes being realized. For example, in the case of systems and product development, an elaborate design identifying and accommodating all the major requirements is developed. The convergence between this design and the actual product being developed is evaluated through testing, constructing prototypes and by gathering reviews from major stakeholders. During the latter stages of this phase, there is a heavy effort among members of the project organization to begin planning for final activities like production, testing, maintenance and support. These subsequent activities also require considerable planning on a constant basis to take account of ongoing changes to the final outcomes and the supporting environment. Some of the

Deaf culture. This paper contains answers for three questions about Assignment

Deaf culture. This paper contains answers for three questions about Deaf Again Book - Assignment Example Moreover, he does not need to speak openly or wear a hearing aid because they could easily communicate, because they were also Deaf. They understand that sign language is an optimum way to communicate with him; therefore, he does not struggle when he communicates with them. As for his hearing grandparents, the experience is opposite as he has to read their lips, speak plainly, wear a hearing aid, and act as a hearing individual; a process that is quite challenging for him. The second difference was their perspective toward deafness. His Deaf grandparents view deafness as a cultural difference between them and hearing individuals. They were very proud of being Deaf. They do not consider themselves as a disabled or consider deafness as something that needs fixing. On the other hand, his hearing grandparents were viewing deafness as a disability and something that needs to be fixed. Therefore, they reject the use of sign language and encourage him to use speech in his communication. In addition, they often felt sorry for him; as they try to improve his speaking skills. The last difference was the Dinner Table Syndrome. Anytime her visits his Deaf grandparents, he does not feel the isolated and enjoys sharing stories, joking, and all kinds of conversation with them via sign language. In contrast, when he visits his hearing grandparents, he feels left out at the dinner table, because he cannot participate freely as the talk, share their stories, and joke through spoken language. The author indicates that there is a critical period for language acquisition for Deaf children; which is usually during the first five years of age. He pointed out that the Deaf parents must focus on sign language accessibility during this period of the Deaf child’s life by allowing their child to interact with his/her Deaf peers and involve in Deaf community activities. He explained that early exposure to sign language during

No more excuses, Hollywood needs to hire more female directors Research Paper

No more excuses, Hollywood needs to hire more female directors - Research Paper Example Sexism in Hollywood is real and such unacceptable situation for female film directors persists partially because the society at large is reluctant to take measures in order to address the problem and fix it once and for all. A young film director Lexi Alexander is not the only one who might think that Hollywood needs to put lame excuses aside and finally start hiring more female film directors. However, she is obviously one of few in film industry, who has courage to admit that the problem of gender inequality in Hollywood is not solved today just because the troubleshooting has been sabotaged at the highest level for years. There is no need to unmask conspiracy in here but it is utterly important to understand that the problem of sexism in Hollywood cannot be solved if it is only talked about with no real practical steps being taken to change the situation for better. And the first step for those, who have a enough enthusiasm to eliminate gender-based discriminatory practices, might be tapping out and acknowledging the fact that the main problem within the context of gender inequality in Hollywood is... indifference. As a matter of fact, male film directors are satisfied with the way it is right now in Hollywood, even if nobody articulates that. Those who are in charge of major Hollywood filmmaking companies are not interested in changing the existing status quo either because they are sexists themselves, who consciously encroach on female directors legitimate rights, or they are unaware of the problem and believe that there is just not enough female film directors in movie-making industry. Those who are unwilling to fix the problem of gender inequality within the framework of film industry often say that there are not enough female film directors to choose from and women are just not interested in directing the way

Analysis of Healthcare in California

Analysis of Healthcare in California By Team Bluefish: Brenda Benavides Liyang Hayworth Janelle Moulder Jesse Phillips Timothy Weigand Melecia Wright Introduction In recent years, United States healthcare expenditure focused on expanding health care coverage and increasing access to medical services. For example, the state of California has been grappling with the burden of cardio-metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Though billions of dollars are spent annually to treat these lifestyle diseases, the prevalence of both obesity and diabetes is still on the rise (Meng, Pickett, Babey, Davis, Goldstein, 2014; Mirzadehgan, Harrison, DiSogra, 2004). While access to basic health services is critical to maintaining health status, it is important to also acknowledge and capitalize on the roles of social, economic and/or environmental determinants contexts within which people live as they hold tremendous potential to positively influence health status. The objective of this Issues Summary is to address the current status of health care spending in California and demonstrate how an emphasis on the underlying social, economic, and environmental determinants of health may reduce financial hardship for the state while managing its most problematic chronic diseases more effectively in the long term. Background History Although health care spending in California is high, quality of care for individuals is low. Quality of care remains low because approximately 20% of California’s population is uninsured, and the majority of these individuals avoids seeing a doctor until emergency care is required (Helfand, 2011; â€Å"Emergency as normal†, 2002). This reliance on emergency care, which should act as a safety net and not a patient’s primary source of health care, leads to steep health care costs. Healthcare spending in California has come under scrutiny since the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010. In that year’s general elections alone, two health care spending measures were approved for the ballot. Proposition 45 would force health insurance companies to be more transparent about rate hikes and increase accountability through mandated review of requested rate changes. The other, Proposition 46, was meant to increase accountability from healthcare providers. The measure specifically required random drug testing for doctors and that those found to be impaired would face disciplinary action from the California Medical Board. Proposition 46 also proposed an increased cap on pain and suffering damages from medical negligence lawsuits. These propositions encourage increased vigilance from doctors with the aim of ultimately improving the quality of the services administered. However popular, neither of these propositions capitalized on t he potential for decreasing direct healthcare expenditures while increasing quality of care. With the increased financial cost of cardio-metabolic disease, Californians have recognized the strain that chronic disease such as diabetes and obesity-related illnesses put on the state’s health care system, as evidenced by recent policies such as Senate Bill 1000, which outlines the potential consequences of soda consumption and subsequently reduce its demand (â€Å"Warning Labels on Sugary Drinks†). Providing health education and more affordable preventative care services to vulnerable populations can significantly reduce the burden of chronic disease and its related healthcare costs. Current Status In 2011, nearly one-third of hospitalizations among Californians age 35 and older were related to diabetes; interestingly, only 8.4% of California adults had diabetes (Meng et al., 2014). According to the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) in 2009, 22.7% of California adults were obese based on their body mass index (Cook et al., 2013). Obesity is strongly associated with the incidence of chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and hypertension (Cook et al., 2013). The rising prevalence of obesity and diabetes in the United States is of particular concern among low income and minority populations (Melius, 2013). Researchers have shown that income is negatively associated with adolescent obesity: youth from low-income families were more likely to be obese than their higher income counterparts (Babey, Hastert, Wolstein, Diamant, 2010). This inverse correlation suggests that a successful intervention against obesity and its related diseases should address the conditions that drive differential behaviour and nutritional patterns in people of various socioeconomic strata (Melius, 2013). One such intervention is the proposed â€Å"soda tax† that will be on the ballot in Berkeley and San Francisco in this November’s general election. Evidence suggests that when prices of sugary drinks increase, â€Å"consumers, including low-income consumers, [make] more nutritious purchases† (Varney, 2014). The â€Å"soda tax† is estimate d to â€Å"prevent 240,000 cases of diabetes per year† according to Dr. Bibbins-Domingo, a professor of medicine at UCSF, who co-authored a study on the tax (Cook, 2014). In addition, the tax revenue generated by this measure may be utilized for programs focused on childhood nutrition (Cook, 2014). While taxes on unhealthy foods may be highly controversial, California may consider adopting other strategies that target nutritional choices and low-income populations throughout the state. Differential factors in the physical environment are also an issue. For instance, low income diets and neighbourhoods are characterized by low intake of vegetables and high consumption of fast food due to the lack of supermarkets in low-income neighborhoods (Melius, 2013). Additionally, access to public parks and other sites of recreation encourage increased physical activity, which can influence the development of obesity and diabetes (Melius, 2013). However, public parks are more likely to be absent or in a state of disrepair in low-income neighborhoods, due to limited funding or resources. Zoning regulations and incentives programs can be effective ways to produce changes in the physical environment. Finally, home environments that do not encourage healthy eating habits from an early age or encourage regular physical activity contribute to the development of obesity-related conditions (Meng et al., 2014). However, healthy eating habits and a healthy, active lifestyle is a learned behavior, which requires adequate health education, particularly early in life. Diabetes and obesity, and their comorbid conditions are expected to continue to increase in prevalence. It is absolutely essential to address the underlying factors contributing to obesity-related illnesses. With the current state of health care expenditures for acute care of largely preventable conditions, it is imperative that California consider measures that will maximize health status within the confines of a tight state health care budget (Meng et al., 2014; Helfand, 2011). These measures must include increasing access to preventative care or early intervention in the care of chronic disease. Recommendations Pandemic obesity and diabetes in the state of California and across the nation is a call to action to develop prevention strategies, rather than solely focusing and relying on providing primary health care. Both lack of physical activity and poor diet (high carbohydrate, high fat, and low fiber intake) increase the risk of developing obesity and diabetes. As such, our proposed policies are 1) establishing amicable environments encouraging physical activities 2) promoting healthy and nutritious dietary intake at a young age and 3) providing access to affordable preventive health care. The proposed policies intend to modify underlying causal determinants of disease and therefore improve the health of the general population and reduce health care related costs. Recent surveys and research on California’s population have shown that diabetes and obesity will continue to be of significant concern for the health status of the state’s population in coming years. While creating an environment where people can exercise and engage in regular physical activity and ensuring access to affordable health care are important steps to take in order to manage these diseases, we recommend prioritizing social policies aimed at improving nutrition and lifestyle choices. Californians are receptive towards policies that address social determinants of health, including early childhood nutrition, and these policies can have a tremendous impact on health outcomes in the long term at a lower cost than would be required of policies that simply increase health care services. Two policies recently approved in California that address social determinants of health are Senate Bill 402 and Assembly Bill 290. Senate Bill 402 was enacted in 2013 and requires that all hospitals with a prenatal unit adopt an infant-feeding policy that is equivalent to â€Å"Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding† (De Leà ³n, Pavley, 2013). It was adopted to manage obesity in California by addressing early life nutrition, supported by evidence that â€Å"early infant-feeding practices can affect later growth and development, particularly with regard to obesity† (De Leà ³n, Pavley, 2013). Assembly Bill 290 also aims to prevent obesity by ensuring that child care centers have an employee with â€Å"at least one hour of childhood nutrition training† as part of an already required health and safety training (California Senate, 2013). The bill targets child care centers because child care participation is at an all-time high, so they are a great space to reach a l arge number of youth at an age when â€Å"lifelong nutrition habits are formed† (California Senate, 2013). These policies have great potential to stem obesity and its associated chronic diseases and reduce healthcare costs in the future. In order to achieve our goals to positively influence health status in California, we recommend enlisting public health practitioners more frequently in the policy making process. With their background in health, social and economic determinants, and fluency in interpreting data from academically-driven research, public health practitioners are an untapped resource for policymakers. In fostering this collaboration between public health providers and our state policymakers, we will effectively bridge the data gap and provide the opportunity to maximize health status, while minimizing health care expenditures. The collaboration would promote active assessment of the impact of policy change, which can increase recognition of social determinants of health and of inter-sectoral responsibility for health (Oxford, 2013). References Author Unknown (Jun 2002). Emergency as normal. The Economist. Retrieved from  http://www.economist.com/node/1168001 Author Unknown. (n.d.). Warning Labels on Sugary Drinks. California Center for Public Health  Advocacy. Retrieved from  http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/resources/warninglabel/WarningLabel_PressKit_FINAL.pdf Babey, S., Hastert, T., Wolstein, J., Diamant, A. (Nov 2010). Income disparities in obesity trends  among California adolescents. American Journal of Public Health, 100(11):2149-55. Retrieved from  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2951974/ Babey, S., Wolstein, J., Krumholz, S., Robertson, B., Diamant, A. (Mar 2013). Health Policy  Brief: Physical Activity, Park Access and Park Use among California Adolescents. UCLA Center for Health Policy. Research. Retrieved from  http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/Documents/PDF/parkaccesspb-mar2013.pdf California Senate. (2013). AB 290 (Alejo), Child day care: childhood nutrition training.  Retrieved from  http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_02510300/ab_290_bill_20131011_chaptered.pdf Cook, C. (Oct 2014). Big Soda’s false populism. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from  http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-1028-cook-soda-tax-poor-people-20141028-story.html Cook, S.N., Giddings, B.M., Parikh-Patel, A., Kizer, K.W., Kwong, S.L., Bates, J.H., Snipes,  K.P. (Dec 2013). Obesity-Linked Cancers: A California Status Report, 1988-2009. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health, California Cancer Registry. Retrieved from  http://www.ccrcal.org/pdf/Reports/CA_California1988-2009_Obesity_v6.pdf DeLeon, Pavley (2013). Senate Bill No. 402: Breastfeeding. California Senate. Retrieved from  http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/sen/sb_0401-0450/sb_402_bill_20130220_introduced.htm Diamant, A., Babey, S., Wolstein, J., Jones, M. (Aug 2010) . Health Policy Research Brief   Obesity and Diabetes: Two Growing Epidemics in California. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Retrieved from  http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/Documents/PDF/Obesity%20and%20Diabetes%20Two%20Growing%20Epidemics%20in%20California.pdf Helfand, Duke (Dec 2011). California’s healthcare spending per person among lowest in U.S.  Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2011/dec/07/business/la-fi-california-health-spending-20111208 Kelin, L., Ming, M. (Sep 2013). Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Leisure-time Physical  Activity in California: Patterns and Mechanisms. Race and Social Problems, 5(3):147-156. Retrieved from  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3779616/ Meng, Y.Y., Pickett, M., Babey, S., Davis, A., and Goldstein, H. (May 2014). Diabetes Tied to a  Third of California Hospital Stays, Driving Health Care Costs Higher. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Retrieved from  http://publichealthadvocacy.org/_PDFs/1in3/DiabetesHospitalStudy_PolicyBrief_FINAL.pdf Melius J. (2013). Overweight and Obesity in Minority Children and Implications for Family and  Community Social Work. Social Work in Public Health, 28:2, 119-128, DOI:  10.1080/19371918.2011.560821 Mirzadehgan, P., Harrison, G.G., DiSogra, C. (Dec 2004). Health Policy Fact Sheet: Nearly  One in Five California Adults Obese and Most Still Gaining Weight. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Retrieved from  http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/Documents/PDF/Nearly%20One%20in%20Five%20California%20Adults%20Obese%20and%20Most%20Still%20Gaining%20Weight.pdf Varney, S. (Oct 2014). Soda-makers Try To Take Fizz Out Of Bay Area Tax Campaigns. NPR.  Retrieved from  http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/10/27/359325115/soda-makers-try-to-take-fizz-out-of-bay-area-tax-campaigns 1

How To Lead A Revolution :: essays research papers

How to Lead a Successful Revolution Profile For a Successful Leader   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are a lot of traits that a person must posses to become a successful leader. The examples I am about to present to you are just a hand full of the important traits. The first trait a group should look for in a revolutionary leader would have to be a strong military background, if you are going to war u must have a general of some capacity leading your forces into battle. The second most important trait that a strong leader must have is a good education, back then a good education was knowledge of literature and the ability to read. The ability to read would have given your leader a great advantage, your leader could have read a history book and he would have known what mistakes to avoid. The third most important trait is your leaders ability to command a large amount of people. If you have a leader who cannot control his own army than a defeat is inevitable. Also your leader must want to improve the well being and living conditions for all of his followers. And lastly he must be influential, he must posses the ability to sway the minds of skeptics who do not believe in him or the cause. Being influential has another benefit to it also, an influential person will leave behind people that will carry out your leaders plans in the untimely event of your leader being killed or exiled. A leader who seems to posses a great number of the qualities stated in the above paragraph is Toussaunt L’Ouverture. A self-educated former slave, who led a slave uprising in French-occupied Haiti. When the uprising began he was nearly 50 years old his intelligence of military skills soon earned him the position of leader. He learned about Napoleons struggles in Europe and he decided then was the time to act. In 1798 Toussaint had achieved his goals and he started on the rebuilding of a war-torn nation. He won support of French Planters by offering them generous terms, he tried to heal rifts between classes by opening a government to whites and mulattoes and also Africans, he set out to improve agriculture, expand trade and give Haiti a constitution. When he was exiled more Haitian leaders followed in his footsteps and in 1820 they were a free nation, the only non-slave nation in the Western Hemisphere at that time.

Stefan Thomke

9-603-022 REV: OCTOBER 28, 2002 STEFAN THOMKE Bank of America (A) The banking industry is ripe for innovation. We need to grow through value creation and excellent service that is appreciated by customers as opposed to price alone. — Milton Jones, president, Georgia Banking Group â€Å"I wonder if we’re being ‘overrewarded’! † exclaimed Warren Butler to Amy Brady, the executive responsible for Bank of America’s Innovation & Development (I&D) Team in Atlanta, Georgia.As an executive in the consumer bank’s quality and productivity group, Butler led innovation and process change in Brady’s group, which was responsible for testing new product and service concepts for the th bank’s branches. In the company’s elegant 55 floor conference room on a day in May 2002, the two prepared for a team meeting on an important strategic decision that would affect how experimentation would be done in the I&D Market. Seeds of change wer e in the air at Bank of America.Indeed, earlier in the day, Butler had escorted an astonished visitor, a European banking executive, on a tour of some two dozen real-life â€Å"laboratories† in Atlanta. Each was a fully operating banking branch, yet in every location new product and service concepts were being tested continuously. Experiments included â€Å"virtual tellers,† video monitors displaying financial and investment news, computer stations uploading images of personal checks, and â€Å"hosting stations. † (See Exhibit 1 for a selection of experiments carried out in a single branch. Currently, the I&D team had 25 bank branches in Atlanta in its experimentation portfolio. Senior management, however, had now offered them additional branches across the country that could expand experimentation capacity by nearly 50%. This offer appeared a vindication of the I&D Market project, which had been launched as an experiment itself only two years earlier. This rewa rd posed some tough questions. Would increasing the size of its innovation laboratories aid or inhibit the group’s ability to develop new product and services? What would be the effect on the group itself?The issue of whether it was a dedicated research and development (R&D) operation or not had yet to be resolved. And, finally, what kinds of expectations would be placed on the group if its size were to increase so dramatically? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Professor Stefan Thomke and Research Associate Ashok Nimgade prepared this case. HBS cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management.Copyright  © 2002 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. hbsp. harvard. edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. 603-022 Bank of America (A) Bank of America: A Pioneer in BankingMany innovative banks have gone out of business, often because they deviated from the â€Å"best practices† followed by most. — Rick Parsons, executive vice president, Strategic Projects When Bank of America was formed in 1998 through a merger between California-based Bank of America and NationsBank of North Carolina, it could be proud of a long and rich history that spanned more than 150 years. Under its last CEO, the colorful but controversial Hugh McColl, the company had gone on a three-decade-long acquisition binge that resulted in a truly nationwide bank.In the fitting end to an era of hunting, McColl left his last annual meeting wearing cowboy boots and jeans on his way to a turkey shoot in Texas. Toward the end of the 20th century, Bank of America was the second-largest national bank with nearly 4,500 banking centers in 21 states, more than any other financial services company and with most of them in the high-growth belts of the South and the West Coast (see Exhibit 2 for a map of the bank’s regional market share). In the United States, the bank served 27 million households and two million businesses and processed more checks per day than the Federal Reserve System.Globally, it boasted over 140,000 employees across 190 nations, over $8 billion in annual revenues, $360 billion in deposits, and some $600 billion in assets (see Exhibit 3 for key financial data). Yet, increasing competition ensured that Bank of America could not rest on its laurels. Like many of its successful peers, its growth had been driven by cost reduction a nd consolidation. From 1985 until 2000, the number of U. S. banks had dwindled from around 14,000 to about 7,000. These still large numbers—especially when compared with there being only six major banks in Canada— reflected the highly competitive nature of the U.S. banking industry as well as its regional focus. Driving consolidation had been a realization that while service was local, products were national. Despite this realization, however, banks continued viewing financial services as commodities, and this bottom-line orientation did not make for an industry rife with innovation. In the estimation of Butler, a senior vice president and industry veteran, â€Å"People’s expectations for banks are very low; in fact, they’re used to being treated badly by banks. To meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive environment, Bank of America had started decentralizing its national operations and encouraged branch managers to undertake more responsibili ties. According to reengineering expert Michael Hammer, however, the era of acquisitions had left the bank with â€Å"the loopiest organizational structure I’d ever seen†Ã¢â‚¬â€organized partly by customer, partly by geography, and partly by product (see Exhibit 4 for a section of the bank’s organization). As CEO Kenneth Lewis put it, â€Å"We’d talk about customer satisfaction, then go out and buy that next bank. 1 For the new century, however, things would change. Fortune magazine observed: The hunter will become a farmer. â€Å"Organic growth† is the strategy, reduced earnings volatility and greater profitability the goals. The plan is to make more money from essentially the same customers by selling more services. In the huge Consumer & Commercial bank, which generated 65% of earnings, that means getting a bigger â€Å"share of wallet† by encouraging 1 T. A. Stewart, â€Å"BA: Where the Money Is,† Fortune, September 3, 2001. 2 B ank of America (A) 03-022 consumers to consolidate their banking and—the Holy Grail—bring their portfolios over from Fidelity and Merrill Lynch. 2 Few banks, however, had formal efforts under way that would generate the continuous stream of new products and services needed to grow organically. Only in recent years did banks start filing for patent applications. When innovation occurred, it did so only in specific areas: the Fifth/Third Bank in Ohio, for instance, innovated on the cost side, while Washington Mutual (WAMU) innovated on the service side.Many large banks had pockets of innovation that quite often simply remained that— pockets. WAMU, one of the more innovative U. S. banks, had aggressively started opening traditional as well as experimental branches, sometimes directly across the street from Bank of America’s I&D Market branches. Taking a cue from retailers such as department stores as well as coffee retailer Starbucks, WAMU started its Occasi o pilot program. A concierge at the front entrance and several casually dressed roving sales representatives carrying mobile handheld computer devices answered customer questions.Several strategically placed teller stations replaced the traditional monolithic teller counter. Play areas for children also provided parents more time for banking. The first five Occasio branches opened in Las Vegas in April 2000, and customers opened checking accounts at twice the rate of regular branches. 3 For most banks, however, little sense of urgency existed. The State of Innovation in Banking Our banking branches haven’t really changed much in the last hundred years. If Jesse James brought his gang here, he’d still know where to go for the cash. Al Groover, senior process design consultant and I&D Team design lead One of the first actions Lewis took when becoming CEO was to consult several outside executives in areas from e-commerce to process management on what they considered to be â€Å"best management practice. † â€Å"Process and competence will win,† insisted Lewis, who also announced a Six Sigma quality program to reduce errors and streamline processes. In his focus on operational excellence, Lewis tried to rectify a situation that, according to a leading financial consultant, could be best described as â€Å"banks are very good at being mediocre at a lot of different things. 4 Innovation, too, would require a revolution. That banks traditionally downplayed product and service development was reflected by a near universal lack of R&D departments. The comforting, stolid shadow of the three-piece-suited banker, after all, still loomed over most large banks. New products and services in the banking industry, if and when they came, generally arose from marketing departments, which lacked the formal processes, methodologies, and resource commitments that companies in many other industries took for granted.In fact, even inspired senior executive s with sufficient initiative could, through relatively informal channels, bring their own ideas to test markets. Although banks had IT departments, these primarily supported ongoing infrastructure changes in technology and software. 2 Ibid. 3 WAMM Web site at . 4 T. A. Stewart, â€Å"BA: Where the Money Is,† Fortune, September 3, 2001. 3 603-022 Bank of America (A) In the late 1990s, however, several converging forces led Bank of America to launch its formalized system for product and service development, the I&D Team.First, along with other industries, the bank began appreciating the value of continuous experimentation and testing in its efforts to grow through innovation. Second, Internet fever had nurtured a spirit of innovation everywhere, including the banking world. Third, banks began realizing that value creation had to be based on the voice of the customer to grow revenue and deepen customer relationships. Bank of America initially viewed the emerging Internet as a wa y to overcome geography. This led to a strategy of moving customers out of branches.As a result, according to Butler, â€Å"Sometimes we were downright rude in our attempts to get people out of our branches. But eventually we realized that people like dealing with people and therefore branches were our strongest base. † Frank Petrilli, president of TD Waterhouse, the country’s second-largest discount brokerage, also acknowledged that â€Å"branches are a crucial customer acquisition tool which solicits 30% to 50% of our clients through the 160 offices in the U. S. The branches are continuous advertising outlets, allowing us to spend only $58 per new account, compared with our online competitors that have cost up to $250. 5 The question then became how to change the role of the branches to balance customers’ needs for a human touch with the bank’s desire for cost-efficient, high-technology-based transaction platforms. The strategists at Bank of America re alized that such a balance could not be found overnight; nor, in a world of changing technologies, could solutions ever prove permanent. A dynamic test bed for experimenting with new banking concepts had to be found. The Innovation & Development Team VisionThe Innovation and Development Market is a test bed for creative ideas to increase customer satisfaction and grow revenues. — Amy Brady, senior vice president, I&D Team executive Every day, Bank of America processed 3. 8 million transactions—including more checks than the entire Federal Reserve System. A typical noncommercial customer entered a branch every nine days and used an ATM nearly three times a week. 6 Thus, even a 99. 9% success rate would still mushroom into over one million mistakes a year and expose consumers to problems ranging anywhere from paycheck deposit errors to bill mispayments.It was feared, therefore, that â€Å"experiment† and â€Å"mistakes† would be considered synonymous. Yet i f consumers wanted Swiss-watch precision for their money, they also craved Mediterranean warmth for their service experiences. At about the same time that WAMU was taking a page from successful retailers to create more inviting bank branches, so too was Bank of America thinking about how to experiment with the human dimension of its bank branches as well as the human-technology interfaces.To reduce risks of large-scale failure, the bank confined its experimentation to a set of bank branches eventually called the â€Å"I&D Market. † In the controlled environment of these laboratory branches, routine transactions could be handled efficiently while customers’ wishes for a good experience could be studied and experimented with. The bank could explore myriad questions: Could people’s waiting time in line be made more tolerable? Was there even a need for lines? Could technology-inexperienced customers relate well to American Banker, October 7, 1999. 6 T. A. Stewart, à ¢â‚¬Å"BA: Where the Money Is,† Fortune, September 3, 2001. 4 Bank of America (A) 603-022 using keyboards and other devices? How best could staff members coach customers about Internet banking options? The goal was to boost customer and staff satisfaction at bank branches, which would ideally boost revenue growth within a given customer base while secondarily lowering staff turnover. The original idea for the I&D Market came from different sources, including several senior executives. Proceeding with the Innovation & Development Market project was a no brainer,† according to Rick Parsons, one such executive. â€Å"What was trickier were issues such as execution and budgeting of the project. For execution-level leadership, we assigned Amy Brady, Rob Johnson, and Warren Butler, all managers with good track records of getting results on a day-to-day basis. † The team sought to establish a process whereby ideas could be generated, collated, and queued up for systematic , objective evaluation (see Exhibit 5 for its product and service innovation process).For the few ideas that made it through this â€Å"filter,† experiments would be designed and planned for the I&D Market branches. Successful experiments—determined on the basis of consumer satisfaction or revenue growth—could then be recommended to senior management for a national rollout To set up the new system for innovation, little upfront financial investment was required, as many team members worked part time on the project. Soon, however, the team grew to roughly a dozen managers, who often worked evenings and weekends.The 2001 budget allocation was $11 million, of which only $6. 3 million was spent on the team’s experiments. Management considered this allocation generous, even for a company with $8 billion in revenues. The company’s senior leadership resisted any attempts to carve out a â€Å"president-level† special budget for the innovation and pr ocess change team, arguing that, instead of enabling it to become another cost center, the group’s funding should be tied directly to the performance of the 25 I&D banking centers.These branches also â€Å"brought their own checkbook† and paid for part of the experiments themselves. Intensive initial debates had centered on whether the new group should operate as a stand-alone R&D center. Those in favor argued that a specific budget for new products and service development would protect the team from the day-to-day responsibilities of running a bank. Without such protection, the risk always existed that short-term market pressure would stifle long-term thinking and opportunities.It would also prevent comparisons between new concepts and mature products or even help prevent premature testing in live conditions. Thus, products and services under development could incubate properly without risking premature termination. After all, no automobile company would want a custom er to walk up to one of its dealers and drive away with an untested prototype car. And finally, creating an R&D group charged to tinker allowed for much more organizational focus on innovation rather than a group that was supposed to also show operating results.Many executives, however, felt that a separate R&D center would run the risk of becoming â€Å"too hypothetical and impractical. † Some feared that results from the I&D Market might then not prove duplicable elsewhere. Marrying experiments with real-world banking facilities would thus decrease cycle time for rollout. As Jones reflected on the thinking of the bank’s senior leadership: â€Å"We were really looking at being able to execute fast—so making a separate R&D center is harder. Furthermore, ideas in some R&D centers never get a chance to see the light of day. But the issue of dual operating and innovation responsibility was hardly settled. As one employee in a feedback seminar put it succinctly, â €Å"We are building a plane as we are flying it. † Indeed, the issue was still up in the air in May 2002. 5 603-022 Bank of America (A) The Vision at Work: Atlanta’s I&D Market Branches For a variety of reasons, Bank of America settled on Atlanta as the site for its I&D Market. The bank branches here boasted the most advanced communications infrastructure, with T1 and broadband communication lines installed.Atlanta also represented a â€Å"stable† market, with the bank’s last major acquisition there in 1996. Finally, Atlanta lay a stone’s throw from the bank’s national headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. Of its 200 branches in Atlanta, Bank of America initially gave 20 to the I&D Team. This hardly proved an imposition on the Mid-South Banking Group. The locations generally came from richer neighborhoods where customers were more computer literate and interested in a wider range of services.The I&D Team also replaced the conventional à ¢â‚¬Å"one size fits all† mentality with three different types of branches configured to satisfy varying customer needs: â€Å"express centers,† where consumers could quickly perform routine transactions; â€Å"financial centers,† where consumers could access more complex technologies and more highly trained associates for a wider range of services; and â€Å"traditional centers,† which provided conventional banking services, albeit with enhanced processes and technologies (see Exhibit 6 for a brief description of the banking centers).The Atlanta I&D Market included 5 express centers, 5 financial centers, and 15 traditional centers. The group unveiled its first remodeled branch—a financial center—in the posh Buckhead section of Atlanta at a cost of about $1 million, for mostly technology. The other branches were remodeled to one of the three branch types and reopened shortly thereafter. Customers entering any financial center were greeted by a host at the door—an idea taken from department and clothing stores. Customers no longer needed to sign in to see bank officers.At freestanding low kiosks, associates stood ready to perform transactions such as opening accounts, creating loans, retrieving copies of old checks, or, in some instances, even selling stocks and mutual funds. None of these associates had private offices. Customers could visit an â€Å"investment bar† with computers where, once online, they could bank, check personal portfolios, or just surf the Internet. Customers waiting for tellers could pass the few minutes in line watching television news monitors above the tellers’ desks or observing electronic stock tickers running along another wall.Some branches featured â€Å"investment centers† where customers, sipping complimentary coffee, could lounge on couches reading magazines, newspapers, or financial journals or hook up their personal computers. All these nontraditional items w ere, in fact, experiments. The flat-panel monitors above the tellers, for instance, represented part of the â€Å"Transaction Zone Media† experiment (detailed in a later section); the instant retrieval of old checks comprised the â€Å"ImageView† experiment; the investment centers and complimentary coffee, too, came under experimental scrutiny.All branches closely monitored customer reactions to these innovations through a variety of means, including customer satisfaction surveys and statistics on such factors as revenue growth, deposit growth, and number of services used by each customer. Prior to introducing these experiments into the I&D Market branches, the team actually rehearsed how the activity should occur. So, in a â€Å"prototype center† in Charlotte, North Carolina, people acted out how the host would behave as he or she handed off customers to specialists.They choreographed how a bank associate (not a specialist) might spend only 30 minutes with a cu stomer to set up a mortgage. To maximize the fidelity of these prototype rehearsals, actual specialists mimicked the intervening steps. When all the kinks were worked out in this rehearsal process, the experiment was launched in the â€Å"living laboratory. † The Walt Disney Company designed and taught them a â€Å"Bank of America Spirit† program—demonstrated in theme parks and taught through seminars as a service approach to other industries—which was a principal motivator of the team. 6 Bank of America (A) 603-022The staff at local branches put the â€Å"Bank of America Spirit† into action in different ways. They got to know their customers better, more personally. And the results were impressive. Bank teller Kemaly Jacques recalled: â€Å"One customer had been boycotting our branch for the past three months because of poor service; now he swears he won’t go anywhere else. † The host, a key figure who guided customers as they entere d the branch toward appropriate services, became a great success story, though at the outset the role confused some customers, particularly those with complex transactions. â€Å"Where do I sign in? many would ask. Host Kilah Willingham, who had worked her way up the organization from teller to loan officer, described the host’s role as follows: I spend up to five minutes probing customer needs. I also intercept people going toward the old-fashioned tellers and usher them toward our innovative stations [where â€Å"experimental† technologies were offered]. A lot of customers are wary of technological change, for instance, of having the camera on them at the virtual personal banker station. My role is to make them comfortable here. I like not knowing what’s coming up next; it keeps me on my toes.During the early months, however, planning and running experiments tied up tellers and associates in meetings for almost 30%-50% of their time (later this would drop to about 25%). On one occasion, a fill-in teller, providing temporary coverage during one of the meetings, mistakenly gave a customer a â€Å"dye pack,† a fake wad of dollar notes meant for use only during robberies. As the customer walked out, the wad started smoking in his pocket and exploded. The Bank of America Spirit, however, persevered. Hosts and tellers emerging from the meeting showed their service experiments to firemen arriving at the scene. â€Å"This is so cool! cried out one fireman before opening an account. Experimentation, Learning, and Measurement At the end of the day, the most critical aspect of experimentation and learning is measurement. Measurements will defend you if done right; otherwise they will inhibit you. — Milton Jones, president, Georgia Banking Group Of the many difficulties the team faced, one of the thorniest was resolving â€Å"how to† questions: how to gauge success of a concept, how to prioritize which concepts would be tested , how to run several experiments at once, and how to avoid the novelty factor itself from altering the experimental outcome.Moreover, according to Butler: â€Å"While we were building R&D capabilities, those controlling the purse strings thought we were doing just a one-time experiment. † Thus, the problem list included one last addition: how to defend the I&D Market itself from budget cuts. The team selected concepts to be tested on the basis of available funding, business fit, and business case. To some extent, just continuing with the evaluation process served as a natural filter for ideas. But with many ideas and concepts that needed formal testing, according to team managers Joann Donlan and Mark Lewis, â€Å"Even top-priority experiments need prioritization. As a result, the team started assigning priorities (high, medium, or low) based on the assumed impact to customers, and Brady and Butler made the final decisions about which product or service concepts to actually test. By May 2002, more than 200 new ideas had been generated, of which 40 made it to testing, 36 were successfully implemented and measured, and 20 were recommended or had been already rolled out nationally. Only four experiments eventually failed—and one of these became a â€Å"redefined† concept. 7 603-022 Bank of America (A)Central to the team’s innovation process was how quickly people could learn from experiments, and measurements played an important role. The group amassed considerable experience and mastery of the subtle factors that affected learning. High-fidelity experiments The team sought to ensure that its experiments mirrored reality, or possessed high â€Å"fidelity. † Concepts that worked only inside their branches, after all, had little value to senior management interested in the scale effect of national rollouts. But high fidelity also meant high cost and commitment, which was hard to justify when ideas were at an early stage.Sometimes , low-fidelity tests using small focus groups gave the team an alternative during the very early stages of idea assessment. Experiments requiring minimal human intervention, such as news monitors over the teller’s counter, for instance, would likely work just as well in regular branches as in I&D Market branches. But not all innovations might transfer perfectly in the course of a nationwide rollout. For instance, would staff in a regular branch provide the handholding and attention required to initiate technophobes to a virtual teller?In such cases, the insistence by upper management that experimentation occur in a live banking situation helped ensure high fidelity and confidence in the team’s learning. Minimize the effect of noise Isolating the effect of a particular experiment on a bank branch’s performance meant being clear on what that effect was in itself, minus â€Å"noise† factors. Such noise could arise from a variety of sources such as seasonal p erformance fluctuations and changing market or even weather conditions. To minimize the effect of noise on learning, the team made heavy use of two techniques, repetition of trials and experimental controls.First, repeating the same experiment at one branch or running it simultaneously at different branches averaged out the effect of noise and thus reduced the possibility of obscuring the changes that teams were interested in observing and measuring. It would also ensure that success of a given concept would not rely on factors unique to a given branch. Second, pairing up two similar branches, one with an experiment (the â€Å"intervention†) and the other running under normal conditions (the â€Å"control†), enabled the team to attribute differences between the branches primarily to the intervention itself.It could draw on controls from the I&D Market, or even from other branches in Atlanta or nearby regions such as North Carolina. The best controls, however, were like ly the very same I&D Market branches themselves in a before-and-after type of experiment; if properly done, this would help factor out the so-called Hawthorne effect. The Hawthorne effect referred to the implications of actually participating in an experiment and how that might affect its outcome. The team was aware this was possible, given the direct and indirect pressure on staff to perform. Willingham acknowledged, â€Å"We are spoiled.We get special corporate shirts, we get parties; every quarter we have special ‘let’s talk’ sessions. We associates can even contact the regional manager if we need. Other associates envy us. So we had better do well. † Rapid feedback The cycle time for any given experiment carried out by the I&D Team was specified at 90 days. This did not include a preliminary â€Å"washout† period of a couple of weeks during which the novelty for both staff and customers hopefully subsided. Obviously, shorter turnaround time for feedback would help experimenters learn and prepare modified experiments more rapidly.Occasionally, it became quickly evident after the first few days if a concept would flop or succeed. Only rarely, however, did the team remove flops prematurely. On one occasion the team canceled a mortgage loan program after just a 30-day trial, primarily because getting credit approvals took far too long. The early termination allowed for quicker revision of this experiment, leading to a successful mortgage program. Increase experimentation capacity The number of experiments a single branch could run depended on available floor space and personnel, among other things.Less capacity would force the team to cram more experiments into one branch. If no capacity remained, the team could be forced to 8 Bank of America (A) 603-022 do things sequentially, which, in turn, would slow the entire concept-evaluation process. If the team succumbed to the understandable temptation of cramming too many experimen ts in a single branch, it would be hard to analyze the contribution of each individual experiment—another signal-to-noise problem. A single branch might have as many as 15 active experiments running at any given time.If customers loved an experiment, however, it was left in the branch even after the 90-day trial period. This being the real world, after all, the branches could not simply pull the plug on something customers had grown to relish. Measurement team leader Scott Arcure admitted, â€Å"We often worry about changing too many chemicals in the mix and wonder about which one made it explode. As bankers, we’re not experts at this type of measurement. † The team planned to bring in a statistics expert to help sort out the effects of multiple variables.One of the bank’s outside research partners suggested moving to an entirely different market for further experiments. But the group was focused on its Atlanta market. With the customer satisfaction perce ntage higher than in traditional bank branches, some felt that capacity still remained for assessing additional experiments. In any case, Arcure warned that â€Å"the Hawthorne effect would spike again in any new bank branch. † The biggest problem with experimenting in a real-world laboratory was balancing innovation with a need for bottom-line success.Pursuing radical innovations would allow the team to explore entirely new possibilities; an incrementalist approach, however, allowed for improving current banking processes. Successful radical innovations would bring glory to the team. But home runs came at the cost of strikeouts. With its future not ensured, the team could simply not take outrageous chances. Many tests thus ended up validating ideas that were likely to succeed. Team members readily acknowledged such to be the case for host stations Transaction Zone Media and Bank of America Spirit.According to Teri Gann, a former regional executive, â€Å"Interestingly, and not surprisingly, many of our successes, such as the host station, have been simple and low cost. † The biggest impact so far came from Bank of America Spirit—technologically, a nonrevolutionary program transplanted wholesale from Disney. While the original vision called for a 30% failure rate, the actual rate in the first year hovered close to 10%. Butler commented, â€Å"We’re trying to sell ourselves to the bank. If we have too many failures, we just won’t be accepted.Currently, we may have failure within concepts, but not failure in concepts. † â€Å"We might tweak a process, but everything conforms to the status quo,† observed Wells Stanwick, Bank of America manager of channel strategy. â€Å"Could we try out a more radical concept such as providing branch offices similar to attorney offices in large office buildings for wealthy customers? † Deborah McAdams, banking center manager, agreed: â€Å"Let’s do something really i nnovative, such as trying out loan machines similar to automatic teller machines like they do in Japan.When I mention this, some people aren’t sure if I am joking. † Concepts that appeared intuitively obvious did not always prove so in reality. Such was the case for innovation and for financial payback. Team leaders wondered if a â€Å"breakthrough† product should be measured through its degree of innovation or through financial payback or both. According to Brady, â€Å"Our metric should be how an innovation affects the bottom line two years out, rather than looking for instant feedback [through customer satisfaction]. † Problems with assessing innovation soon surfaced.What might appear radical to one person, for instance a â€Å"mobile teller† to a technophobe, might prove less radical from a purely technical standpoint. Nor did the innovation team take financial performance into account, largely because of an anticipated lag of 18 months to 2 yea rs in going from concept to rollout beyond Atlanta. The I&D Market, instead, would settle on the proxy measure of consumer satisfaction. Many team members recognized the shortcomings of their measurement process. Gann stated, â€Å"I believe we’re doing the wrong thing by measuring the I&D Market staff on productivity, not innovation. But, she added, More learning comes from more radical experiments 9 603-022 Bank of America (A) â€Å"You can’t chase two rabbits at the same time. † Some team members pointed to WAMU as a possible benchmark, for it was â€Å"a competitor willing to change and willing to raise the bar. † The Transaction Zone Media Experiment A good example of the bank’s new innovation process at work was the Transaction Zone Media (TZM) experiment. Internal researchers, who â€Å"intercepted† some 1,000 customers at bank lines, noted that after about three minutes the gap between actual and perceived wait time rose exponential ly.Two focus groups with sales associates and a formal analysis by the Gallup organization provided further corroboration—and the TZM experiment was born. The team speculated, based on published psychology literature, that â€Å"entertaining† clients through television monitors above the lobby tellers would reduce perceived wait times by at least 15%. The team chose one enhanced â€Å"traditional center† for the TZM experiment and another one as a control branch so it could maximize learning from the experiment. In the summer of 2001, the team installed monitors set to the Atlanta-based news station CNN over teller booths in the branch.The team then waited for a week’s washout period to allow the novelty to wear off before measuring results for the subsequent two weeks. Results from the TZM-equipped branch showed that the number of people who overestimated their actual wait times dropped from 32% to 15%. During the same period, none of the other branches reported drops of this magnitude. In fact, the control branch saw an increase in over-estimated wait times from 15%–26% (see Exhibit 7 for results from the experiment). Though these were encouraging results, the team still had to prove to senior management that TZM could positively affect the corporate bottom line.To do so, the team relied on a model that used the easily measurable â€Å"customer satisfaction index† (based on a 30-question survey) as a proxy for future revenue growth. Prior studies indicated that every one-point improvement in a customer satisfaction index corresponded to $1. 40 in added annual revenue per household from increased customer purchases and retention. A banking center (branch) with a customer base of 10,000 households would thus increase its annual revenues by $28,000 should the index increase by just two points.Percentages generally ranged in the mid-80s in Atlanta’s I&D Market and in the high 70s to low 80s nationally. The team me asured an overall 1. 7% increase after installation of the TZM monitors. Sufficiently encouraged, it entered a second phase, to study and optimize the impact of more varied programming, advertising, and sound speaker parameters. While the benefits of the TZM program were laudable, the team now had to consider whether they outweighed the costs. Studies indicated that it would cost some $22,000 to install the special TV monitors at each I&D Market branch.For a national rollout, the estimated economies of scale would bring costs down to about $10,000 per site. Incentive and Compensation Issues: Tellers Do Not Like Change Another thorny â€Å"how to† issue the team faced was how to motivate its staff. Could—and should—the performance of employees who were part of continuous experimentation be measured and rewarded conventionally? At the Atlanta branches, Bank of America tellers earned about $20,000 a year; annual turnover averaged about 50%. The next step up from te ller was sales associate; people in this job helped 10 Bank of America (A) 603-022 ustomers start up savings or checking accounts, fill out mortgage applications, notarize documents, and entice customers with new services. At I&D Market branches, some associates could serve as hosts—making many decisions without bringing in the branch manager. Some 30%–50% of associates’ compensation derived from performance bonuses based on a decade-old point system that used sales quotas—where points varied according to product, customer satisfaction, local market demographics, as well as managerial discretion. Given this system, associates were tempted to ignore customers’ actual needs. For instance, they would encourage customers to open up a checking account, which yields one point, rather than a savings account, which yields none,† said an internal financial consultant. For the first several months, the I&D Market maintained the conventional incentive s cheme. The sales associates seemed to relish the additional pressure. But it soon became apparent that they would have to spend as much as a quarter of their time in special training sessions, not to mention â€Å"alternate† time working as hosts, an experiment that yielded no bonus points.The staff, thus, began feeling disadvantaged by their rewards as hosts, since they faced the same monthly quota of points despite having less time with customers as part of an actual selling activity. For some, however, being part of the experiment proved reward in itself. â€Å"I would not go back to my old job,† said one associate who looked forward to working every morning. â€Å"It would be like stepping several years back in terms of technology and service. † Annual â€Å"Bank of America Spirit† motivational sessions with vibrant music and motivational speakers reinforced this sense of exclusivity.Yet cracks in the prevailing incentive scheme began showing. â€Å" Let’s be realistic,† one sales associate admitted, â€Å"you can’t be happy all day long; sometimes you have to fake it. † In January 2001, senior management switched associates in all 25 branches to fixed-incentive compensation. Most of them welcomed the change, which added to the feeling of being special. It also represented a commitment from top management to the experimentation process. But not all staff thrived under the new fixed incentives.One executive complained that â€Å"those in the I&D Market branches now thought they didn’t have to chin to the same level as others. † Another manager had to reassign an associate â€Å"since that person now sat passively at a desk; the team mentality of working for the customer proved foreign to her. † With all the attention and resources dedicated to the I&D Team, some senior executives echoed a growing impatience that it was time â€Å"to pay the piper. † Resentment from personnel in other conventional branches might also have fueled this feeling.The group already enjoyed more resources than other branches, and there was a fear that different incentive schemes would remove them further from the daily realities of banking. There was also uncertainty whether the concepts tested in prototype form would work nationally because of different market conditions. As Allen Jones, a regional executive, pointed out, â€Å"If a test is successful only under fixed-incentive schemes, then we can’t roll it out elsewhere. † With growing discomfort, senior management switched the staff back to the old point-based incentive system after just a six-month trial.Not surprisingly, with this about-face the behavior of the staff reverted as well. Hosts, for instance, became reluctant to send customers over to insurance agents because they got no points for such referrals. On two occasions, in fact, supervisors witnessed a host undertake entire transactions just to make his points quota rather than direct customers to associates. The about-face also led one staff member to question Brady about senior management’s commitment to the I&D Market vision. What concerned Brady and Butler the most, however, was the impact of incentives on the learning and quality of in-branch experiments. 1 603-022 Bank of America (A) First-Year Performance I see the following challenges for the I&D Market: ownership, evaluation, and continued support in a changing environment. The solution is to highlight successes, have a good batting average, rapid experimentation cycles, and maintain awareness at senior management level. — Milton Jones, president, Georgia Banking Group By traditional banking measures, the I&D Market performance appeared less than stellar. Overall deposit growth in 2001 stood at just 0. 5%, compared with 3. 7% growth in other Atlanta branches.In terms of revenue, however, I&D branches did about 10% better than traditional branches. Some ex periments proved quite effective; for instance, a â€Å"loan solutions† experiment generated an extra $700,000 in the first quarter in all 15 participating I&D branches combined. With all additional costs factored in, however, the I&D Market was not, at least on a pilot scale, a winning proposition. The team therefore wondered about how senior management would react to its performance in an environment where many programs throughout the bank were being axed.Were comparisons with traditional benchmarks fair, given its mission of being the bank’s product and service development laboratory? Despite just a slight rise in customer volume, many associates observed a larger spike in customer satisfaction, with some customers now coming from longer distances just to bank at the new branches. Another promising trend not captured by traditional measures involved personnel turnover. Except for an initial turnover spike, annual teller turnover had dropped from 50% over the past th ree years to 28%.In the last quarter of 2001, annualized teller turnover had dropped to as low as 20%, but it was unclear how much of this stemmed from employment uncertainties in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. At the same time, some senior executives viewed the I&D Market as the crown jewels of the Atlanta branches. The bank offered tours of its gleaming prototype facilities to customers, Bank of America executives, visitors from other industries, and even competing banks. â€Å"Everyone’s eyes are on us,† admitted Allen Jones. â€Å"Just last week, one of the bank’s top executives visited us. In 2001 the I&D Team received an additional five branches as part of a corporate reorganization that would increase each regional manager’s branch portfolio. While these measures increased operating budgets, they did not boost the research budget for experimentation and testing. Brady and Butler wondered how to deal with the unexpect ed â€Å"reward. † Some people even suggested leaving these five new branches untouched to serve as additional experimental controls. Ultimately, the five branches joined the ongoing experimental portfolio, bringing the total to 25. The new branches added much-needed experimentation capacity.Operationally, however, taking on additional branches stretched the team’s efforts thin, since it required staff retraining and the setup of additional experiments, let alone all the minor logistics of managing branches that literally involved running among them all day long. With the potential drag of these branches on overall portfolio performance, the team also worried about increased corporate pressure for positive results. A Vote of Confidence? â€Å"We had a good first year,† Brady said as the last of the small group took their seats at the conference table overlooking downtown Atlanta. [The year] 2001 was our year to prove the I&D Team vision; 2002 is our year to grow up. At the end of this year I will have to restate our case, but 12 Bank of America (A) 603-022 hopefully to double funding. † The I&D Team had been one of the few projects to survive companywide cuts, albeit with a smaller budget. â€Å"We still make a small profit in our branches,† Brady added, â€Å"and potentially, this could cover our salaries, but it is too early to say. † Next, Brady explained how the bank’s senior leadership had offered the group yet another â€Å"reward† of additional branches across the country.These branches could expand experimentation capacity by some 40%–60% and take the strain off the 25 branches that were piling up so many experiments. But only about half the team responded to the news with smiles—just as Brady and Butler had expected. The team had debated almost since inception the use of external control branches from North Carolina or even other Mid-Atlantic or East Coast regions. Some felt that geo graphy did not matter in this Internet age, as long as demographics, customer profiles, and size of banking centers were comparable.Others, such as Stanwick, disagreed: â€Å"The prospect of using, say, North Carolina branches as controls for our Atlanta Innovation and Development Market scares me to death. † Those in favor of taking on the new branches pointed to the limited experimentation capacity and the increasing testing backlog. In 2002 alone, 26 new experiments were added to about 25 on-going tests carried over from 2001, bringing the number of active experiments to more than 50 (see Exhibit 8a for the group’s growing idea pipeline).They argued that more experimentation capacity allowed for faster evaluation of ideas through the running of more tests simultaneously and reduced feedback times because of potentially lower capacity utilization (see Exhibit 8b). Alternatively, the bank could run fewer simultaneous experiments and obtain cleaner and more reliable re sults. They further noted that the team by now had gained much experience in running experiments. In any case, it took the same time to design concepts for one center as for 10.Having a larger portfolio of branches might also make scale-up and national rollout of successful concepts easier and quicker. By making a big splash within the corporation, the I&D Team could win greater prominence. Because the offered branches were underperfomers, the team would look good in case of turnarounds but lose little if these new branches failed. Those against taking on the additional branches argued that the current 25 branches (or even fewer) in the portfolio were optimal. Taking on five branches within Atlanta had been difficult enough.Ten additional branches would be difficult to manage even if they were all in Atlanta. How much harder would it be for Atlanta managers, who were already stretched thin, to simply march into another branch and say, â€Å"Hi, we’re here to test. † Sp ecifically, some pointed out that associates in other states such as California appeared more individual than team oriented. Experience had also shown that associates would need to spend a quarter of their time undergoing additional training. In Atlanta, increased demands on tellers and associates had led to an initial rise in turnover (before eventually declining).Who could predict teller and associate turnover in a different geographic area? Some executives further noted that a larger I&D Market would increase the drag on the balance sheet, potentially stifling innovation. Too large a market might also confuse customers using more than one branch. Brady and Butler jotted down the rapidly flying ideas. Soon they would formulate a recommendation to the bank’s senior leadership about whether to accept new branches into its experimentation portfolio. One thing that stuck in both their minds was, ironically, â€Å"failure. In particular, the need for failure so as to generate m ore learning. Failures had been few and far between so far—indeed, the last failure was that of a mortgage loan experiment whose post-mortem analyses indicated â€Å"red tape† as the cause, that is, too much paperwork at the back end. Hardly a â€Å"revolutionary† experiment, thought Brady; hardly something—even if it had worked—remarkable. For both Brady and Butler, the words of their superior, Jones, an enthusiastic champion of their efforts, rang loud: â€Å"So far, most of our experiments have been successful.Perhaps we don’t fail often enough. † 13 603-022 -14- Exhibit 1 Examples of Selected Experiments in Atlanta’s Buckhead Financial Center Media Wall Main Stock Ticker Assisted Work Station Self-Service Internet Tool Host Station Source: Bank of America. 603-022 -15- Exhibit 2 Bank of America’s Regional Deposit Market Position and Share (consumer and commercial banking) Source: Bank of America Web site, . Deposits are as of June 2001. 603-022 Bank of America (A) Exhibit 3 Selected Financials and Operating Data (dollars in millions, except per-share data)Bank of America Year Cost of goods sold Selling and administrative expenses Research and development expenses ROA ROE Market value Total interest income Total interest expenses Net interest income Provision for loan losses Net interest income after provision for loan losses Other Income Salaries, occupancy, and equipment Depreciation Total other expenses Pre-tax income Income taxes Income before extraordinary Items & discontinued operations Earnings per share basic from operations Earnings per share diluted from operations 2001 22,290 12,718 n. a. 1. 14 98,158 38,293 18,003 20,290 4,287 16,003 8,564 12,718 1,732 14,450 10,117 3,325 6,792 4. 8 4. 71 2000 27,351 12,255 n. a. 1. 2 15. 8 74,025 43,258 24,816 18,442 2,535 15,907 9,920 12,255 1,784 14,039 11,788 4,271 7,517 4. 77 4. 72 1999 20,906 12,281 n. a. 1. 2 17. 8 84,179 37,588 19,086 18,237 1,820 16,417 9,996 12,281 1,917 14,198 12,215 4,333 7,882 4. 77 4. 68 Source: Compustat. 16 603-022 -17- Exhibit 4 Section of Bank of America’s Organizational Chart Ken Lewis Chairman and CEO Consumer/ Commercial Bank Banking Center Channel Commercial ChannelSmall Business Banking Channel Premier Channel MiddleMarket Treasury Management Quality & Productivity (Milton Jones) Consumer & Commercial Bank Credit Processing Mid-South Banking Group Banking Center Channel Support Liability Risk Management Network Strategy / Location Planning Innovation & Development (Amy Brady) (Warren Butler) Source: Bank of America. 603-022 Bank of America (A) Exhibit 5 The I&D Market’s Product and Service Innovation Process and Activities 2. Planning & Design 5. Recommend 1. Idea Conception The Innovation Process 3.Implement 4. Test ! Accepts, implements, and tests ideas and concepts (â€Å"experiments†) ! Optimizes speed to market and cost ! Coordinates activities and decisions thro ugh stages Market Rollout = Go / No Go 1. Idea Conception Conceive Ideas Input: Ideas/Info Output: Updated Idea Queue Desired outcome Assess Ideas Input: Updated Idea Queue Output: Approved Ideas Decision Ideas Input: Approved Ideas Output: List of Prioritized Ideas Success factors Key measures Desired outcome Success factors Key measures Desired outcome Success factors Key measuresInnovative ideas generated through internal and external sources Bank awareness and commitment # of total ideas % of approved ideas Rapid design, build and rollout planning Minimal planning time Timing and quality of design Cycle time for design types Ratio of redesigns Successful implementation of ideas Successful integration Zero market overload Cycle time Market readiness On-time implementation Stable operating environment for testing of new concepts and ideas Fast feedback of results Meeting test and mkt. oals Test cycle < 90 days Operating results Idea evaluation and national market rollout Quality r ecommendation package Cycle time Clarity/completeness 2. Planning and Design Assign and Scope Input: Prioritized Ideas Output: Design Needs Complete Design Input: Design Needs Output: Design Plan Build Rollout Plan Input: Detail Design Output: Rollout Plan 3. Implement Develop Test Plan Input: Individual Rollout Plan Output: Integrated Rollout Plan Implement Idea Input: Integrated Rollout Plan Output: Implemented Ideas 4. Test Manage the Market Monitor PerformanceInput: Output: Implemented Ideas Data Results Desired outcome Success factors Key measures Desired outcome Success factors Key measures Report Results Input: Output: Data/Research Test/Mkt Reports Conclusions Improve I&D Process Input: Process/Output Measures Output: Enhancements 5. Recommend Complete Recommendation Input: Idea Test Results Output: Recommendation Review/Approve Recommendation Input: Recommendation Output: Approval Communicate Recommendation Input: Approval Output: Communication Source: Bank of America. 18 B ank of America (A) 603-022 Exhibit 6Banking Branches in the Innovation and Development Experimentation Portfolio Financial Centers (5): Provide ability to advise across product line with expanded people, technology, process, and environment capabilities Express Centers (5): Provide fast, friendly, convenient access for routine transactions with self-directed options and teller services Traditional Centers (15): Provide traditional banking products and services with enhanced processes and technology Source: Bank of America. 19 603-022 Bank of America (A) Exhibit 7 Data from Transaction Zone Media (TZM) ExperimentThe TZM Experiment: ! Flat-panel monitors above bank tellers broadcast news for people waiting for service. ! Do such customers perceive shorter waiting times to service? ! Are such customers more satisfied with their banking experience? Actual versus Perceived Waiting Time (Customers who wait > 5 minutes) D iffe re nce 8. 16 Pre-Tes t 6. 17 P erc eived Tim e A c tual Tim e E xperimental Site: 32% 7. 04 Post-Test 6. 14 Tim e (m in) 0 2 4 6 8 10 15% ! Prior to installation of TZM, customers who waited longer than five minutes significantly overestimated their waiting time (32%). After installation, overestimates for the same customer group dropped to 15%. Control Branch: 8. 48 Pre-Tes t 7. 38 P erc eived Tim e A c tual Tim e 15% ! No experimental intervention was carried out during the observation period. ! Control branch had very similar customer demographics to experimental site. ! During the observation period, overestimates actually increased from 15% to 26%. 9. 27 Post-Test 7. 37 Tim e (m in) 0 2 4 6 8 10 26% Source: Bank of America. 20 Bank of America (A) 603-022 Exhibit 8a List of Product or Service Concepts Waiting to be TestedJanuary 13 (4) (10) 10 0 10 (7) -8 (7) -9 February 5 (1) (6) 6 0 6 (1) +29 March 27 4 (1) 1 0 1 (20) -21 April 3 0 (4) 4 0 4 (5) +16 May 27 0 (6) 6 0 6 (40) +7 Total 75 (1) (27) 27 0 27 Process Measure Inflow of new ideas be fore assessment* Ideas put on hold/reactivated Assessments completed — recommended for design/testing — not approved Ideas moved to design/testing New ideas discontinued (before or during assessment) Change in idea backlog** * New ideas come from brainstorming workshops, employee input, etc. * The January 1, 2002, backlog of new ideas awaiting a decision (assessment or discontinuation) is about two months. Source: Bank of America. Exhibit 8b Waiting Time Waiting for a Resource According to queuing theory, the waiting time for a resource increases gradually as more of the resource is used. But when the utilization passes 70%, delays increase dramatically. 0 40 50 70 80 90 100 60 Percent of Resource Utiliza tion Source: S. Thomke, â€Å"Enlightened Experimentation: The New Imperative for Innovation,† Harvard Business Review, February 2001. 21