Principles of Managing Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Principles of Managing Operations - Essay Example Galloway defines 'Operations Management' as 'all activities concerned with the deliberate transformation of materials, information or customers' Elaborating his definition he states that 'Operations Management' is "concerned with both the effective and efficient management of any operation." (1998 1-2) Johnston et al define 'Operations Management' as "concerned with the design, planning, control and improvement of an organization's resources and processes to produce goods or services for customers." Thus key management tasks in operations management are designing, planning, controlling, improvement of activities; transforming input resources into goods or services (input-transformation-output); understanding the organisation's strategic intentions and translating them into operations and performance objectives which in turn guide operations decisions about design, planning, control and improvement of operations resources and processes. (1997 15-25) Supermarkets are self-service food stores stocking and selling a variety of goods including groceries, foods, medicines, clothes, alcohol (where permitted) and other household goods. Supermarkets may offer some goods produced by them but more generally they retail products of many manufacturers. They are often chains of stores supplied by the distribution centres of large businesses. Today they offer home deliveries, online transactions, extend their services to credit cards and other financial products (e.g. Tesco in the UK). They operate on the principles of 'economies of scale' because of which they are able to offer products cheap and convenience because they offer a variety of goods and services in one location. While these features are common to all supermarkets, the creativity with which a supermarket market markets its products (or services), establishes its brand equity and ultimately the quality of services it offers lend it the winning edge. 1. Product Design: As we have seen earlier the brand differentiator in the case of supermarkets is their quality of service to customers. In the case of manufactured goods the customer is not involved in the transformation process and the finished product is stocked prior to supply. On the other hand, American Marketing Association defines a "service" as "Activities, benefits or satisfactions, which are offered for sale or provided in connection with sale of goods." (Galloway 1998 1-2) Customer satisfaction in the context of supermarkets is obtained by locating them in their vicinity or offering free home delivery, offering large varieties to suit customer tastes and delight, the ease with which a customer can find or is helped to find his/her requirements, the efficiency with which the customer is serviced, pricing vis--vis competitors and of course underwriting quality of the products sold. It is difficult to define which of these issues appeals to individual customers but to be in business a supermarket has to strike a balance among them. A customer who is not able to find (for e.g.) sugar in a supermarket, a customer who can not find his favourite brand of coffee because the supermarket does not stock it, a customer who does not find a ready attendant to

Book Banning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Book Banning - Essay Example Book banning comes about apparently when there are obscene comments and images embedded within these books. Then there is the important discussion of the books having viewpoints which are usually non-digestible by the public at large. Also this brings to mind the proposition of hate literature which is making the rounds of the global book regimes (Foerstel 2002). It essentially creates a sense of animosity amongst the people and asks of them to think from a much diluted stance. These perspectives are usually not appreciated by the society at large and since there is the quintessential talk of globalization these days, it is only reasonable to ban such books which stir emotions and behaviors of people in a negative way. Another reason for banning books is that they contain incorrect data and information which is unacceptable in a civilized society. Writing books is a much esteemed proposition and usually the writers penning down their memoirs or books are seen with an appreciable eye (Mann 2000). However when these same writers go overboard, then there is a need to address the concerns of the people (the educated lot) by banning such books in the first place. Banning such books is very legitimate because these are spreading falsified data within the people which cannot be allowed under any procedural routine. These books are usually not given credit within the world’s most trusted book publishing companies and agencies, as well as disallowed sale on the book stores all around the world. To ban a book, there is a very important pre-requisite that someone must challenge the book as regards to its content or imagery. This challenge restricts materials which are not appreciated by a certain segment of the society or an individual who is indeed a part of that very society. If the book hurts the feelings of the people, there is a

The Rise and Fall of the Iron Curtain Essay Example for Free

The Rise and Fall of the Iron Curtain Essay â€Å"Two thousand years ago the proudest boast was civis Romanus sum [I am a Roman citizen]. Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is Ich bin ein Berliner! All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words Ich bin ein Berliner!† ~ John F. Kennedy (Introduction) The Berlin Wall was built in the dead of the night on August 13, 1961 and stood for about 28 years until the Wall finally came down on November 9, 1989. The history behind the creation and destruction of the Berlin Wall is truly tragic. It was built due to the fact that the relationship between the Soviet Union and the other three Allies was crumbling over different views and once World War II was finally over, it was clearly evident that they weren’t going to be able to resolve their issues. The Allies (Western Germany) wanted to help fix Germany after being conquered and turn it into a democracy, but The Soviet Union (East Germany) disagreed and wanted to make Germany Communist. Neither side wanted to budge with their views so each side continued life under their completely different controls with the split being within Berlin. While West Germany was prospering, East Germany was falling apart. They could of been compared as night and day from each other. At a certain point, East Germany was losing so many people to West Germany, that in the middle of the night, The Soviet Union built a â€Å"rough draft† of the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall was a split between East (Communist) and West (Democratic) Germany, but its destruction was almost as sudden as its creation. (Body) (Why the Berlin Wall was built) Before the Wall was built, people from either side could â€Å"freely† cross the boundaries every day for work or to just visit, but on August 13, 1961, that all changed. A quote that I found by Peter Galante summarized the day the Wall went up perfectly! â€Å"It was like splitting Manhattan down the middle of Fifth Avenue from the Battery to the Bronx; like splitting London with a zigzag line from Barnet to Croydon. . . . If you lived on one side and your office was on the other, you couldnt go to work. . . . If your mother lived on one side and you lived on the other, you couldnt go visit her. . . . The aim was simple and brutal: to shut a people in and annex to Communist East Germany what she had not been given by agreement, East Berlin. Its effect was cruel and horrible. At seven in the morning on the first day, a man went to see his child. Barbed wire, concrete blocks and armed police stood between them. For the people, it produced misery. From the people, it produced fortitude and heroism (Galante, 1965).† There are many reason of why the Berlin Wall built. One reason was due to the fact of economic reasons – too many people were moving from East to West Germany and this was crumbling East Germany faster. The second reason was political – West Germany was prospering and East Germany simply was not. (finish) (Why the Wall caused so much controversy) It is almost bluntly obvious to why the Berlin Wall caused so much controversy among the citizens of both East and West Germany. When the Wall first went up, it abruptly separated entire families, kept people from their jobs, and just basically tore people’s lives apart. No matter what they tried to do, they weren’t able to get through the boarders without some kind of conscience happening – being shot or attacked. People from East Germany tried to apply for visa’s to travel to West Germany and were regularly denied. Little by little, with the communist rule of East Germany locking its people within the city, people slowly but surely became frustrated and upset, which they had every right to be. (talk about different things people did to try and escape from East Germany) (Why is came down) (What was the aftershock of the wall coming down) (What is the significance of this event to today’s society) For almost 30 years, the sections of that Berlin Wall that still remain were the iron and concrete embodiment of the symbolic Iron Curtain between western democracies and the Communist world of the Soviet Union. I dont know if the wall itself has any impact today other than as a reminder of how bad things were in Eastern Europe in the early 1960s until the end of Communism there in the late 80s and early 90s. However, today we think of international terrorism, usually from the Middle East as the major threat, but when it was built by the Soviets and East Germans in August, 1961, the fear of Communism and nuclear war was as strong as the fear of Islamic terrorists, today, maybe stronger. (help?) (Conclusion) Today, although there is barely anything left of the Berlin Wall besides what is left as memorials of that horrible event, the scares of those 28 years are still â€Å"fresh† to those who had to go through or even witness that kind of torture. It is hard for us to truly imagine what life was like during that time. Having your town, city, state split straight down the middle, separated from friends, families, and loved ones for years by concrete and iron, and not being able to see them – that is truly unimaginable. I know I can’t imagine being separated from my family and knowing that if I â€Å"tried† to get passed that wall to see them, that I would either be shot, attacked by dogs, or something else, is scary. (need help finishing this) Bibliography Galante, P. (1965). The Berlin Wall. London: Arthur Baker Ltd.; 1St Edition edition (1965).

Cosmopolitan Promotional Strategies

Cosmopolitan Promotional Strategies A case study into the promotional strategies of a consumer magazine and how these integrate into the marketing strategy of the sector of magazine publishing. Promotional Strategies What I chose and why For this case study I have chosen to critiqueCosmopolitan. This magazine was chosen for numerous reasons. Firstly for itshistorical role within the landscape of womens magazines in the UK. Alsobecause up until recently Cosmopolitan was the highest selling womens magazinein the UK. Due to the launch of Glamour, Cosmopolitan has lost this title. Iwill explore the promotional strategies Cosmopolitan has employed to try toregain their past position as top of the magazine rankings, and look at howsuccessful they have been to date. Cosmopolitan has been the magazine of choiceuntil Glamour launched in 2000. Glamour broke convention by printing in asmaller size that could fit in a womans handbag. Glamour ultimately ushered inthe era of convenience in magazines. Women no longer turn to magazines foropinion, unless its on makeup and clothes Cosmopolitans target audience According to the Cosmopolitan media pack: Cosmo women are young, ambitious, informed. Themajority are in full-time work. They earn and they spend! Cosmo women spendover 1 billion a year on fashion. They account for 1 out of every 11 spenton cosmetics and skincare in the UK. Cosmo readers live well: they spend over2 billion on their homes, 3.5 billion on food and almost 1.4 billion on newcars.1 PEST Analysis Political Future When the title launched in the UK in 1972, theeditor Joyce Hopkirk -and fashion and beauty editor Deirdre McShany bothcame from the Sun. Left-wing views were quite prominent in the UK version. Infact, in the second UK edition, Germaine Greers husband caused a stir byposing nude in the magazine an inside joke for feminists. In its early stages, Cosmopolitan was constantlyin the headlines. The Daily Mail was shocked by its use of the wordvirgin in an ad, and London Transport insisted that the wordfrigid, used in another ad, must be covered up with a black strip.However, the black strip wasnt long enough, and on some posters the advertread, I was f.d!. The current trend in womens magazines is movingaway from political and social issues and more into the world of celebrity andsensationalism. Despite this, Cosmopolitan is determined to maintain itspolitical routes. In January 2005, Sam Baker, the magazines current editor,contacted the leaders of the Labour, Liberal and Conservative parties forinterviews in the magazine to coincide with the 2005 general election. In aninterview with Louise France for The Observer she explained herreasoning behind these political features: Bakerdoesnt care what her readers vote, she just believes that they need toexercise their rights. If we dont, were in danger of disenfranchisingourselves. And if we dont start voting we run the risk of never voting.2 Economic Future The magazine market has hada5% year-on-year rise in the number of copies actively purchasedaccording to ABC figures released for the period to December 2004. However,there has been fear about a possible saturation of the womens magazine market.ABC figures showed there was no cause for concern. This yearhowever, I believe is the year of the womens magazine market. These latestfigures reveal an upward surge in womens glossies such as Glamour,Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire. This increase in circulationindicates that womens appetite for glossies magazines hasnt abated or reachedsaturation point like many feared.3 Despite a clear rise in womensmagazine readership, Cosmopolitan which rose 5.08% from 397,272 in December2003 to 417,445 in December 2004 Cosmopolitan still finds itself in anunstable position, trailing in second place to Glamour magazine, which had a5.67% year on year increase, from 548,672 to 579,761. Social-Cultural Future Womensmagazines, especially fashion magazines, tend to address well-educated youngreaders who are seen as loyal, independent, and ready to spend. This explainsthe overall in conformity of magazine content, with their sections devoted tocelebrity features, fashion, beauty, health, interior and lifestyle. Butmagazine publishers like the media industry in general are now viewingyouth as an increasingly elastic category (Gough-Yates, 2003, p4). On a whole,Cosmopolitan has tried to fight this trend towards celebrity and fashion, bymaintaining a sexual orientation to its features. However, elasticity in thereadership is more wide spread. Currently, there are large proportions ofBangladesh, Indian, Black Caribbean, Black African and Chinese women in thedemographic that Cosmopolitan targets4. Again, Cosmopolitan hasresisted this cultural change; the majority of non-white faces in the May 2005edition were from the advertisement pages. Technological Future Cosmopolitanhas not bought into technological change as much as its contemporaries. Mostwomens magazines now have an online version of the magazine for people toview. However, Cosmopolitan choose provide a service with their online presence;a means for its audience to purchase the branded items, and access otherservices related to the magazine and its readers. Cosmopolitans website ismore of a Cosmopolitan portal. From the PESTanalysis, it is clear that Cosmopolitan does not adjust well to change. It seesitself as an institution due to its early political routes and is finding ithard to shake this responsibility. Promotional strategies employed The Message The strapline for Cosmopolitan is For FunFearless Females. While it emphasises strength in women, there is anunderlying element of not being afraid to be feminine, indicated in the use ofthe world females instead of women. This coincides with McCrackens (1993)belief that when buying a magazine we are buying into a feminine ideal. Infact, she believes that women readers are duped bymagazines into becoming slaves to trends in fashion, beauty and femininity. The Cover It isconvention among womens magazines to have their featured star celebrityadorning the covers. This is a major promotional tool in the currentcelebrity-focused climate. Cosmopolitan strays from this slightly. While themagazine will have a celebrity featured in every edition, these celebrities areoften not featured on the cover. Instead, Cosmopolitan has created a coverelement called Cosmo Loves, and a celebrity of choice is placed on the coverunder this banner. There is a page inside the magazine that offers the coverstar a small focus without this, the audience would feel cheated. Cosmopolitanstill uses cover layout conventions and takes note of page real estate, withthe word Sexy a word synonymous with what people expect of Cosmopolitancontent written in a large font in the top left hand corner. There is alsothe use of numbers in the top left hand corner, and even a circle in the area -a tool used in shops to mark sale or special items, the red circle has become asymbol of the good deal. This real estate formula of putting the items mostattractive to buyers in this area was due to product placement, but is not asnecessary as it used to be. Before magazines where overlapped on the newsstandsand their only exposed area was the top left hand corner. Now larger magazineslike Cosmopolitan are given premium space on magazine stands in shops like W HSmith, and the whole front cover is visible. However, making use of page realestate is still valid if you take into account that people generally read fromtop to bottom, left to right. Content Cosmopolitan has seven main sections: Celebs New Real Life Love, Sex Success Youniverse Health Shops Every Month The celeb section only has four features andthere is notably no features section. Instead the magazine is verycompartmentalised with standard pages like Cosmo Money, Cosmo Careers andCheats Guide. Cosmopolitan is ultimately a service magazine. It offers a lotof advice and how-to information. Where there are features, the focus onreal-life stories, which often have a sensational element. This paired with the colloquial use of languagecreates intimacy. Not only is Cosmo your friend, its a life manual; it is anecessary element in the readers life. This element of necessity of key in themarketing strategy of the magazine, and also the overruling strategy of itsparent company, Natmags, which publishes other manual-like titles includingGood Housekeeping and Mens Health. It also has a Cosmo Offers section. This month,the offers consist of 20% off at Oasis. Affiliation with particular shops is anewer magazine promotion convention; it gives the reader an added motive to buythe magazine, and broadens the scope of the magazines ethos, by including theconnotations of the shop they have chosen to be associated with. Layout/visual In an effort to reclaim the top spot,Cosmopolitan has copied Glamours handbag size. The have also copied otherlayout elements from Glamour magazine, like the information strip at the top ofthe magazine. They do still produce the magazine in their larger A4 format. Forthe May edition, the A4 version had a free book, while the smaller version hadno free gift. This could work adversely for Cosmopolitan, as it implies thatthe larger version is less valuable and so needs the book to justify the price. Price Cosmopolitan have opted for premium pricing, at2.95. There doesnt seem to be clear justification for this price, consideringGlamour, the market leader is a pound cheaper at 1.95, and Marie Claire, whichis rated just behind Cosmopolitan, is now 2.50. Considering Cosmopolitanappeals to the everyday aspect of its audience and doesnt by into fantasy viacelebrity, they make price themselves out of the market. For a magazine aboutthe real world, the price comes across as unrealistic. Advertising Cosmopolitan has earned a reputation for beingshocking and sensational through sexual politics. This has often beenrepresented in its advertising campaigns. In 2002 the magazine embarked on anad campaign that had visual ambiguous images. On was of an open fake fur bagwith pink satin lining; another was a woman in a bikini with a thin stream ofwhite liquid running down her stomach and another was a lipstick that was shotto look like a vibrator. Extreme tactics like the ones mentioned above arenecessary for a magazine like Cosmopolitan. Many sexual taboos no longer existin current society; without them there is no need for Cosmopolitan. There adcampaigns prove we still have problems with sexual themes, and thus validatethe need for the magazine. The May edition of Cosmopolitan has 300 pages(304 including front and back cover). Of these, 122 pages are advertising,excluding classifieds and Cosmopolitans own adverts. According to McCracken (1993, p91): It is no longer appropriate to assume that the magazineis only useful for advertising food and cleaning products. The magazine needsto increase the range of products it advertises to ensure consistent andongoing revenue. Brand Expansion Some believe that modern society has broken sodecisively from the past we have lost the certainty of the past and no longerhave traditions to live by. Without traditions we have no idea of how to live.Brands, however, can provide us with a substitute to traditions: brands havebecome the new traditions they shape and give meaning to everyday lives -brands are the new traditions in our society. (Grant, 1999) Cosmopolitan have strived to create a brand,through extended products. They have associated magazines: Cosmo Girl! andCosmo Bride; they have their own awards, which is an extension of theirposition to recommend people and products; and they also have a lingerie line.On top of this, their cover mounts are often branded. For the A4 May edition,the free book is an edited version of a book that has not yet been released,and has Cosmopolitan edition written on it. Overview/conclusion Cosmopolitan have maintained their politicalstance and prove that there is still a need for what some might call a femininepolitical crusade with the use of shocking sexual advertising and the recentcoverage of the general election. These have marketing strategies andpromotional strategies that it has employed since its launch in the 1970s.However, with social changes, and the readers new love affair with celebrity -which is not just fuelled by other womens glossies, but also by the influx ofwomens weeklies Cosmopolitan will need to do more to regain its position asmost read womens magazine. Reference Cosmopolitan Media Pack France, L. Cosmo is not just about sex. Observer Magazine. 16 Jan, 2005 Top 100 Selling Consumer Magazines. ABC. 2004 Gender. National Statistics. October 2004 Bibliography Gough-Yates, A. Understanding Womens magazines: Publishing, markets and Readerships (Routledge, 2003) McCracken, E. Decoding womens Magazines. (Macmillian, 1993) Grant, J. The new Marketing Manifesto. (Texere, 1999)

The Ending of Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis :: Metamorphosis essays

The Ending of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis At first glance, the final four pages of Franz Kafka's novel The Metamorphosis seem to be meaningless. This assumption, however, is anything but the truth. The final four pages, although seeming to be of no importance, serve to show the reader how the Samsa family changes as a result of the main character's, Gregor Samsa's, death. The family's changes are best exemplified in two different scenes: the scene at the kitchen table, and the scene on the trolley. During the scene at the kitchen table, there is a common change among the family members: their new willingness to do things independently. Their bold act of writing "letters of excuse" is a clear example of their new independence. Prior to Gregor's death, the family relied completely on Gregor's financial support and had little in terms of responsibilities. Kafka explains this lack of work when he writes, "they [Gregor's parents] had formed the conviction that Gregor was set for life in his firm . . . they were so preoccupied with their immediate troubles that they had lost all consideration for the future,"(17). By taking the initiative and writing to their employers, Gregor's family proves that they no longer depend on Gregor. The scene at the kitchen table proves revealing once again when Mr. Samsa announces that he will fire the cleaning lady (17). By doing so, Mr. Samsa demonstrates that he has changed and can take responsibility. Grete (Gregor's sister) and Mrs. Samsa also show that they have changed by not contesting Mr. Samsa's decision to fire the cleaning lady. In retrospect, firing the cleaning lady is an additional step towards change from the past. The second revealing scene is the scene on the trolley. In this scene, Kafka reveals the family's plans for the future, as well as the significant changes in Grete. He also emphasizes that leaving the apartment together is "something they [the family] had not done in months"(58). Demonstrating again their change to independence. Similarly, the family's plan to buy a "smaller and cheaper apartment" (58) further proves that they have become independent. Kafka's remarks pertaining to Grete reveal a different kind of change. During all of the turmoil involving Gregor, Grete matured both physically and mentally.

SWOT Analysis :: Business Analysis Process

SWOT Analysis What is SWOT Analysis? SWOT analysis is a basic, straightforward model that provides direction and serves as a basis for the development of marketing plans. It accomplishes this by assessing an organizations strengths (what an organization can do) and weaknesses (what an organization cannot do) in addition to opportunities (potential favorable conditions for an organization) and threats (potential unfavorable conditions for an organization). SWOT analysis is an important step in planning and its value is often underestimated despite the simplicity in creation. The role of SWOT analysis is to take the information from the environmental analysis and separate it into internal issues (strengths and weaknesses) and external issues (opportunities and threats). Once this is completed, SWOT analysis determines if the information indicates something that will assist the firm in accomplishing its objectives (a strength or opportunity), or if it indicates an obstacle that must be overcome or minimized to achieve desi red results (weakness or threat) (Marketing Strategy, 1998). Elements of SWOT Analysis Strengths and Weaknesses Relative to market needs and competitors' characteristics, a manager must begin to think in terms of what the firm can do well and where it may have deficiencies. Strengths and weaknesses exist internally within a firm, or in key relationships between the firm and its customers. SWOT analysis must be customer focused to gain maximum benefit, a strength is really meaningful only when it is useful in satisfying the needs of a customer. At this point, the strength becomes a capability (Marketing Strategy, 1998). When writing down strengths, it is imperative that they be considered from both the view of the firm as well as from the customers that are dealt with. These strengths should be realistic and not modest. A well-developed listing of strengths should be able to answer a couple of questions. What are the firm's advantages? What does the firm do well (PMI, 1999)? A customer-focused SWOT may also uncover a firm's potential weaknesses. Although some weaknesses may be harmless, those that relate to specific customer needs should be minimized if at all possible. In addition, a focus on a firm's strengths in advertising is promotion is important to increase awareness in areas that a firm excels in. This method not only evokes a positive response within the minds of the consumer, but pushes the weaknesses further from the decision making process (Marketing Strategy, 1998). Weaknesses should also be considered from an internal and external viewpoint. It is important that listing of a firm's weaknesses is truthful so that they may be overcome as quickly as possible.

Ancol Ltd.

1. What are the background facts, problems and symptoms of the problems that suggest that something has gone wrong?Background Facts: As Mr. Simard joined Ancol Ltd., he initially observed that there was a bitter relationship between employees and management. He wanted to bridge the gap and pull both sides together for a better communicative understanding between them. His belief was that, if a certain measure of trust could be built amongst employees and management, then it would create a better working environment, reduce the stress level at work, as well increase productivity amongst employees due to job satisfaction, which would lead to greater growth for the organization. In order to establish this, his first move was to remove the clock system for employees to record their shift reports. The idea behind this was that employees will be able to work much freely; realizing management has put certain level of trust in them.Problems and Symptoms of Problems: The main idea behind remo ving the clocking system was to improve relationships between employees and management. Although, this was a positive intention from Mr. Simard; however, he overlooked some key measures to achieve his objective:Did not do enough research to identify if similar approach was taken in the past within the organization or elsewhere, and identify whether there was any business risks associated with his decision. Did not discuss his decision with higher management, or the workers union. Failed to understand the competence level of the supervisors and their current roles and responsibilities prior to implementing the process Failed to discuss with payroll and understanding possible effects of operational decisions causing problems within other departmentsThe symptoms of problems started when employees realized that they were no longer being monitored for their attendance, and there was an incompetency amongst the supervisors to detect any misuse. As a result, a small percentage of employees took advantage of the situation, leaving a large number of employees feeling unsatisfied with the situation due to inequality at workplace.2. In your opinion, what caused these problems and whose responsibility is it to solve them? What solutions can you suggest?In my opinion, the problem was caused by lack of planning for such decisions. There were hardly any communication between Mr. Simard and the rest of the organization in making such moves. He also lacked communication with the union, as well as higher management. There was lack of training available for the supervisors to track and manage attendance of their employees. There is no evidence of a productivity monitoring system for each employee, which could have also assisted in reporting any misuse.I strictly believe, it is still Mr. Simard’s responsibility to resolve them, by educating his supervisors on how to track attendance, and also by maintaining a clear communication with the employees that an organization can only benefit by filling in the gap between employees and management through trust, honestly and hardwork. There should also be examples made of the employees who have misused their liberty by either termination or suspension. He should also keep an open communication with the Union and report those employees that have misused.He needs to implement a productivity monitoring system, which can track the production of each employee. Although this might be viewed as a negative amongst some members; however, if there are rewards associated with it (i.e employee of the month, or incentives), then that might also create employee satisfaction. I honestly don’t believe that going back to the clocking system will do any good, the decision that Simard made was a positive one; however he just needed to plan it better.