Selecting Patient Escorts Essay Example

Selecting Patient Escorts Essay City Hospital is located in the heart of a large midwestern city. It is one of major hospitals in the area and has recenfly built a small addition for treafing well—known patients, such as professional football players, top company execufives, and singing stars. Visiting or local celebrities always choose City Hospital if they need treatment. City Hospital has about 1,200 hospital beds and employs 4,500 individuals, including about 40 patient escorts. The job of patient escort is a rather simple one, requiring only minimal training and no special physical talents. When patients need to be moved from one location to another, patient escorts are summoned to assist in the move. If the move is only a short distance, however, a nurse or orderlycan move the patient. Of particular importance is the fact that patient escorts almost always take patients who are being discharged from their hospital room to the front door of the hospital. A wheelchair is always used, even if the patient is able to walk unassisted. Thus, the typical procedure is for the nurse to call for a patient escort. The escort then gets a Wheelchair and goes to the patient’s room, assists the patient into the wheelchair, picks up the pauent’s belongings, wheels the patient down to the hospital’s front door or to his or her car in the parking lot, and retnrns to the work station. The job of patient escort is critical to the hospital since the escort is always the last hospital representative the patient sees, and hence has a considerable influence on the patient’s final perception of the hospital. Of approximately 40 escorts, about three—fourths are men and one—fourth are women. We will write a custom essay sample on Selecting Patient Escorts specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Selecting Patient Escorts specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Selecting Patient Escorts specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Most are high school graduates in their early twenties. Some, particularly those on the early morning shift, are attending college at night and working for the hospital to earn money to pay college expenses. Pour of the escorts are older women who had previously served as hospital volunteers and then decided to become full—time employees instead. Turnover among patient escorts is quite high and has averaged 25 percent in recent years. In addition, upward mobihty in the hospital is quite good, and as a result, another 25 percent of the escorts transfer to other jobs in the hospital each year. Thus, about half of the patient escorts need to be replaced The hospital a standard procedure When hiring patient escorts. When a vacancy occurs, the human resource department reviews the file of applications of individuals who have appfied for the patient escort job. Usually the file contains at least 20 applications because the pay for the job is good, the work is undemanding, and few ski]ls are required. The top two or three applicants are asked to come to the hospital for interviews. Typicafly, the apphcan’ts are interviewed by the human resource department and then by the patient escort superviser. The majority of those interviewed know some other employees of the hospital, so the only reference check is a call to these employees. Before being hired, apphcants are required to take physical exams given by hospital doctors. Every new escor’t attends an orientation program the day on the job. This is conducted by a member of the hospital’s human resource department. The program consists of a complete tour of the hospital; a review of all the hospital’s HR policies, including a description of its promotion, compensation, and disciplinary policies; and a presentation of the hospital’s mission and phflosophy. During this orientation session, employees are told that the hospital’s image in the community is of major importance and that all employees should strive to maintain and enhance this image through their conduct. After orientation, all patient escorts receive on-the-job training by their immediate superviser. During the last two years, the hospital has experienced a number of problems with patient escorts, which have had an adverse effect on the hospital’s image. Several patients have complained to the hospital administration that they were treated rudely, or in some cases roughly, by one or more patient escorts. Some complained that they were ordered around or scolded by an escort during the discharge process. Others stated that their escorts were careless when wheehng them out of the hospital to their cars. One person reported that an escort carelessly tipped him over. AH escorts are required to wear identification tags, but patients usually cannot remember the escort’s name when lodging a complaint to the hospital. Additionafly, the hospital has difficulty determining which escort served which patient because escorts often trade patients. even when the hospital can identify the offending escort, the employee can easily deny any wrongdoing. He or she counters that patients are generally irritable as a result of their illness and, hence, are proue to complain at even the slightest provocation. At the hospital admhfistrator’s request, the human resource manager asked the chief supervisor patient escorts, the head of the staffing section within the human resource depaflment, and the assistant human resource director to meet with her to review the entire procedure used to select patient escorts. It was hoped that a new procedure could be devised that would efiminate the hiring of rude, insulting, or careless patient escorts. During the meeting, a number of suggestions were made as to how the selection procedure might be improved. Criticisms of the present system were also voiced. The chief superviser of patient escorts argued that the problem with the hospital’s present system is that the application form is void of any useful information. He stated that the questions that really give insights into the employee’s personality are no longer on the application form. He suggested that applicants be asked about their hobbies, outside activiues, and their personal likes and dislikes on the application form. He also suggested that each applicant be asked to submit three letters of recommendation from people who know the applicant well. He wanted these letters t0 focus on the prospective employee’s personality, particularly the applicant’s to remain friendly and polite at all times. The assistant human resource director contended that the hospital’s interviewing proce— dure should be modified. He observed that, during the typical interview, little attempt is made to determine how the apphcant reacts under stress. He suggested that if applicants were asked four or stress-producing questions, the hospital might be in a better position to judge their ability to work with irritable patients. The head of the staffing section noted that patient escorts require little mental or physical talent and agreed that the crucial attributeescorts need is the ability to always be courteous and polite. He wondered whether an attitude test could be developed that would measure the apphcant’s predisposition toward being friendly, helpful, sensitive, and so on. He suggested that a job analysis could be donc on the patient escort position to determine those attitudes that are critical to being a successful patient escort. When the job analysis was complote, questions could be developed that would measure these critical attributes. The test questions could be given to the hospital’s present patient escorts to determine whether the test accurately distinguishes the best escorts from the worst. The head of the staffing section reahzed that many of the questions might need to be eliminated or changed, and if the test appeared  to show promise, it would probably need to be revaudated in order to meet govemment requirements. He felt, however, that a Wefl—designed test might be worth the effort and should at least be considered. The meeting ended with all four participants agreeing that the suggestion of trying to develop an attitude test was probably the most promising. The assistant human resource director and chief superviser of patient escorts stated that they would conduct a thorough job analysis covering the patient escort position and develop a list of attitudes that are critical to its success. A second meeting would then be scheduled to prepare the actual test questions. QUESTIONS Critique each of the alternative approaches suggested for solving the problem of selecting patient escorts at City Hospital. Recommend a procedure for recruiting and hiring patient escorts. Besides improving its selection procedures, What other actions could the hospital potentially take to improve the behavior of the patient escorts?

Story Structure Three Models For Your Book

Story Structure Three Models For Your Book Story Structure: Three Models for Your Book Nothing makes the challenging task of writing a novel feel more attainable than adopting a story structure to help you plot out your narrative.While using a pre-existing blueprint might make authors worry they’ll end up with a formulaic, predictable story, you’ll find that most of your favorite books can be grouped into various narrative structures that writers have been using for decades.In this post, we’ll cover three story structures you can use to bring your own novel idea to fruition. Three narrative structures you can use to bring your own novel idea to fruition. What is narrative structure?Narrative structure is composed of two things: story and plot. Whereas the  plot  is a chain of events that dictate a book,  the  story  refers to the underlying factors that drive the dramatic action. Story, then, would encapsulate the protagonists,  key conflicts, and setting of the book. Meanwhile, plot would indicate the connected plot points that make up the narrative at hand.The importance of narrative structure is in its name. If a story didn't have structure, then it would be a formless blot without a clear beginning, middle, and end. It's story structure that lends definition and comprehensibility to a narrative - which is paramount to holding a reader's attention throughout a story. We covered three popular narrative structures in our series on story structure. To explore those particular story structures further, simply head below:the Three-Act Story Structurethe Hero’s Journey (otherwise known as Joseph Campbell's Monomyth)Dan Harmon’s Story Circle A slightly less detailed adaptation of The Hero’s Journey, the Seven-Point Story Structure focuses specifically on the highs and lows of a narrative arc. The Seven-Point Story Structure is made up of:The HookPlot Point 1Pinch Point 1MidpointPinch Point 2Plot Point 2ResolutionAccording to the  Seven-Point Story Structure-creator, author Dan Wells, writers are encouraged to start at the end, with the resolution. You should have an idea of what the final state for your protagonist/plot will look like. Once you’ve got that determined, go back to the starting point - the hook - and have your protagonist/plot begin in a state that contrasts the final one. From there, fill in the rest of the five plot points to flesh out how the protagonist/plot gets from that first state to the final one.Let’s elaborate on this narrative structure using Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as example.The HookThe start of the seven-point narrative structure is meant to dr aw readers in by explaining the protagonist’s current situation. Their state of being at the beginning of the novel should be in direct contrast to what it will be at the end of the novel.Example: The novel starts out with Harry living a neglected life in the cupboard under the stairs of his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon’s home.Plot Point 1Whether it’s a person, an idea, an inciting incident, or something else - there should be a "Call to Adventure" that sets the narrative and character development in motion.Example: Hagrid arrives to tell Harry that he’s a wizard. With Hagrid, Harry escapes the Dursley’s and head off to Diagon Alley to prepare for his new life as a wizard-in-training.Pinch Point 1Things can’t be all sunshine and roses for your protagonist. Something should go wrong here that applies pressure on the main character, forcing them to step up and solve the problem.Example: A troll is found in Hogwarts on Halloween. Harry and Ro n go to find Hermione who is unaware of the troll. They end up luring it into and locking the troll in the girl’s bathroom - without realizing that’s exactly where Hermione is. Together, they take down the troll.MidpointA more apt name for this part might be â€Å"Turning Point† - as it doesn’t technically need to fall in the middle. But it does need to include the main character changing from a passive force to an active force in the novel. Whatever the narrative’s main conflict is, the protagonist decides to start meeting it head-on here.Example: Harry, Ron, and Hermione learn about the Philosopher’s Stone, and realize it’s being kept guard in Hogwarts. They also learn that Voldemort is after the stone and decide they must find it before he does.Pinch Point 2Not again! The second pinch point involves another hit to the protagonist - things go even more awry than they did during the first pinch point. Also called the â€Å"Dark N ight of the Soul,† this might involve the passing of a mentor, the failure of a plan, the reveal of a traitor, etc.Example: The trio journey through the magical protections set in place to protect the stone. Harry loses Ron and Hermione on the way, leaving him to confront Voldemort on his own.Plot Point 2Phew! After the calamity the protagonist undergoes in the Pinch Point 2, they learn that they’ve actually had the key to solving the conflict the whole time.Example: At the height of the story’s primary conflict, Harry looks in the Mirror of Erised. Because his intentions for finding the stone are pure, the stone appears in his pocket and he learns that if Voldemort touches Harry, it will harm the dark wizard and not himself.ResolutionThe story’s primary conflict is resolved - and the character goes through the final bit of development necessary to transform them from who they were at the start of the novel.Example: Armed with the discoveries the Mirror o f Erised gave to Harry, he defeats Voldemort. The seven-point narrative structure is all about the highs and lows of the narrative arc. We've said it before and we'll say it again: story structures aren't an exact science and you should feel welcome to stray from the path they present. They're simply there to help you find your narrative's footing - a blueprint for the world you're about to start building.

Constitution and Criminal law Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Constitution and Criminal law - Term Paper Example ffer between societies the general consensus is such: â€Å"An act or the commission of an act that is forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law†(Merriam-Webster 2011). Based on this definition, the US Constitution has set up rights and punishments for those who commit crimes against the person including murder and other violent crimes. Although some will argue the treatment of criminals is morally unjust, those whose commit crimes against the person maintain their constitutional rights before and after arrest. The word crime derives from the Latin word crÄ «men which meant â€Å"charge† or "cry of distress† which came from the Ancient Greek word krima (ÃŽ ºÃ ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ¼ÃŽ ±), which described an intellectual mistake or an offense against the community (Harper 2010). Today, the definition of crime differs between societies. In fact, several sociologist and criminologist believe that crime is a social creation in itself. Entry into the penal system usually revolves around the process of neutralization and broken or unformed social bonds. Hirschi theory of social bond help explains why individuals turn toward antisocial behaviors. According to Hirschi an effective social bond shields a person from the temptation of criminal behavior. A successful bond includes attachment, or feeling cared for; commitment, or investing in one’s reputation; conviction or believing in shared moral standards; and involvement or engagement in an enjoyable activity (Hirschi 1969). Criminal behav ior is further encouraged by neutralization. According to drift theory by Gresham Sykes and David Matza, individuals can drift away from pro-social behaviors through techniques of neutralization. These techniques essentially justify criminal and antisocial behavior. Techniques included blaming the victim, considering him/her as less than human, and, therefore, deserving of the violence; denying that harm was

Leadership chapter's summery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leadership chapter's summery - Essay Example This tool is used by leader as they know convincing and giving promises is an easy way to get hold of the follower’s attention. Some leaders also use metaphors when they find themselves in situation where they may have been forced to over react. Fairhurst gave vocabularies being used as successful in language and is quoted on page 45 line 5 listing vocabularies as â€Å"facilitation, Care and understanding†. Chapter 5 in this books talks mainly about the tools which can be used in skills of framing leadership. These are tools which are intended to assist the leaders in their framework section of leadership (Sar & Fairhurst, 1996). One most important tool mentioned here is emotion. The authors state that emotion can be handled or passed through in a much descent and intelligent manner, but not making it so obvious. The way this has been brought out in the book is meant to give the understanding that even leaders are human but will not be proper for them to expose their negative reactions yet they expect the people depending on their leadership to trust them. In conclusion, Leaders are gifted with some kind of power and must have willingness to give and not to gain (Sar & Fairhurst, 1996). Their gaining may come along not because they worked with the aim of achieving it but what they may gladly want to see a successful and fruitful

The confidence of saudi consumer in the seasonal sale of the Literature review

The confidence of saudi consumer in the seasonal sale of the international brands - Literature review Example Secondary research was chosen as the method of research for this study. This involves using qualitative and quantitative data that has been gathered by other individuals for different purposes. This will be collected through examining the literature surrounding Saudi consumers, international brands and seasonal sales in detail, collating the information and using statistical analysis to look for patterns and trends. There are a number of advantages to secondary research. Firstly, it is cheaper and less time consuming than primary research. This is because the information has already been collected, it is a matter of finding, collating, interpreting and analysing it. Because of this, a larger data set can be examined than is able to be through primary research. Secondary, sometimes secondary research can give more accurate data than can be obtained through primary research. This is because a large amount of data is being collated, which gives a clearer picture than little data, and there may be government surveys or censuses that reach a large number of people that can be taken advantage of. However, it is important to take the original source and context of the data into account wherever possible to prevent accuracy being compromised. The disadvantages of secondary research are that the questions asked in the original research may not correspond to the questions that are being asked through secondary research.... dary research are that the questions asked in the original research may not correspond to the questions that are being asked through secondary research. This can make the results not relevant for the current question, or biased towards one particular part of the population. This problem is amplified by the fact that the context of the primary data is sometimes unavailable. This study has attempted to avoid this problem by incorporating data from a wide range of different sources, aiming for sufficient replication to avoid any bias from one or a few studies. One primary method of research that could be used for this study would be the questionnaires to directly determine the opinions of the consumer population. Questionnaires are a good method of primary data gathering, as they enable sampling of a wide range of people and do not intrude on the population . For this study in particular, there was difficulty obtaining permission to conduct either internet based, or mail based surveys o f the consumer population of Saudi Arabia, and there was concerns that not all of the survey responses would be legitimate, as the culture of Saudi Arabia is very private and the country has strict religious rules . For this reason, and the advantages cited above, secondary research was chosen as the method of data collection for this study. Finding Secondary Sources Once the focus of study and the questions being asked has been determined, the next step in secondary research is to find and collate data. A large amount of data is needed, and generally speaking, the more data is analysed, the more realistic the results will be. For this study secondary sources will be found primarily through the use of internet based search engines, primarily focusing on peer-reviewed items, as these are on

Essay On Parliamentary Sovereignty

Essay On Parliamentary Sovereignty Tesco was founded in 1924 by John Edward Cohen in the East End of London. The name Tesco, was first used on tea, and was derived from the initials of Cohens tea supplier, T E Stockwell, combined with the first two letters of Cohen. Tesco Stores Limited was incorporated in 1932. In 1935, Jack Cohen visited the U S A and was impressed by the supermarkets self-service system which enabled more people to be served faster, with lower labour costs. In 1947, the Tesco branch in St Albans, a small shop by 21st century standards (200 square metres) was the first Tesco to be converted to self service, although it didnt immediately catch the publics imagination. See appendix 1 for details. Tescos Mission Statement Tescos mission statement is to Retain Loyal People. To make sure Tesco achieve their mission statement, they need to know who their loyal customers are. That is why Tesco has got a club card service, through which they can award people by giving them special vouchers and extra points. Vision A business aim is an organisations long-term goal. In 2005, the two core values of Tesco are: No-one tries harder for customers and Treat people as we like to be treated. In 2006, Tescos mission and vision shows that this company is really for quality service and values their customers:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Be the leader in Quality Service provided to everyone in the retailing industry  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Understand the needs of their client and respond with urgency.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meet customers demands and exceeds their expectations  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maintain highly trained and motivated employees.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Continuously improve their skills, service and achieve excellence in all of the companys endeavours. Objective Objectives are goals that a firm sets itself for the next three or five years. They have a timescale, they must be measurable and they must contribute to the business achieving its aims. The core objective of Tesco is to establish value for customers in order to gain their lifetime loyalty.  Tescos success depends on their valued customers. These customers shop and work with the company. Tescos principle is, if the customer likes what they offer, surely these people will come back and purchase again. Industry Stage Life Cycle The stage life cycle of the retail industry is no doubt to be mature  because of the profits they are gaining every year. The retail industrys profit is increasing and profiting from their cash cows. Tesco is the largest UK retailer and the 3rd largest global retailer. Tesco controlled 30.8% of the UK grocery market as of May 2009 and ~9% of the UK non-food retail market. The majority of its sales and profits are generated in its 2,282 UK stores, which are segmented into the following formats: Tesco Express neighbourhood convenience store that focuses on fresh products, 961 stores Tesco Metro city centre convenience store,174 stores Tesco Superstore conventional supermarket, 448 stores Tesco Extra hypermarket that serves an entire community, 177 stores Tesco Homeplus and One-Stop account for its remaining stores The company also sells general merchandise through Tesco Direct, its online and catalogue businesses. Tescos management focuses on customer satisfaction by giving customers more choices where to shop and by offering them attractive prices on its products. In the fourth quarter of 2008, Tesco began selling new discount range of products to compete more aggressively on price against discounters. Its prices are generally perceived to be at a small premium to Asda and a small discount to Sainsbury and Morrison. Tescos primary supermarket competitors in the UK include Asda (17.3% share of UK grocery market), Sainsbury (16.3% share), WM Morrison Supermarkets (11.2% share), Waitrose (3.7% share), Aldi (2.9% share) and Lidl (2.3% share). In recent years, some of its major competitors have turned around their struggling stores, which will make it more challenging for Tesco to gain significant share in the UK market going forward. Tesco uses its customer information to target and segment communications to the millions of its loyalty program members by almost infinite demographic, purchase, and lifestyle profiles. Several hundred million in-store purchases per day are being tracked by the loyalty-card program. The company developed 5,000 customer needs segments, with each segment receiving personalized coupons. Source: www.tesco.com Income Statement Summary Sources: Companies, www.DeutscheBank.com Tescos UK sales grew 4.3% last year (3% ex gasoline) and its net new stores contributed 2.7% to growth. Its UK sales also benefited from a 53rd week that represented 2.1% of sales and the first time contribution from the consolidation of Tesco Personal Finance. International sales grew 30.6% (including FX benefits) and 13.6% at constant exchange rates benefiting from square footage growth and strong sales growth in Asia. The companys operating margin was flat at 5.9% in fiscal 2009 as unfavourable sales mix was offset by increased productivity and good expense control. Its EPS growth was only 2.6% last year, hurt by 26.7% tax rate vs. 24% in fiscal 2008 when it benefited from tax reimbursement and lower UK corporate tax rate. Introduction: The organisations of choice are within the Retails sector TESCO and ASDA as the elective firm both are UK based companies. 1.1 Tesco objectives blend in with each other All of Tescos objectives blend in with each other. None of the objectives will work without each other. For example; the business will not have any customers if the business is not operating well. Share holders will not invest money in the business, if the business hasnt got any customers. The company will not be able to afford to have any employees working for them if they havent got money being invested in the business. 1.2. Stakeholders Tesco Stakeholders are a certain group of people that have an interest in Tesco group businesses. Each group have their own interests in the business. The service-profit chain attempts to show the interrelationship of a companys internal and external communities, stakeholders and highlights how customer loyalty that translates into revenue growth and profits might be achieved; developed by Heskett et al. (1994). It does this by establishing relationships between profitability, customer loyalty, stakeholders and employees satisfaction. Tesco has many stakeholders. They are as follows: * Shareholders * Customers * Employees * Government and Non-Governmental * Local Community * Suppliers * Financials * Pressure Groups Customers: Generally a customer wants quality goods at a low cost. They would also want a variety of products to choose from. All customers want these things and by Tesco providing them Tesco will attract more customers because of people talking about it (Word-of-Mouth). Tesco like most business need their customers because they are the business income as the customers are the people who buy Tescos products. Tesco staffs hear customers views on everything from how we are serving them in our stores to our role in the community. The customers are a bit like a pressure group because they apply pressure to Tesco to meet their needs. Meeting the customers needs can be things such as expanding their stores. Staff Tesco employees give management their feedback through the Viewpoint staff survey, Staff Question Time sessions and Tesco Staff Forum process. Suppliers Tesco group core value is treat people how we like to be treated, and its something Tesco organisation applied firmly to enhance their suppliers relationships. Investors Capital Investor Relations team regularly meet analysts from the financial institutions which invest in Tesco group or represent their shareholders. All the above defined stakeholders are Tesco group influencers. They affect the outcome of the decision making process through their influence on others. Influence could stem formally from expertise, such as the advice of an accountant on return on investment. 2. Nature of the Retail (Tesco) Marketing Environment The definition that the module assignment work with is that Tesco organisations marketing environment is made up of those forces that lie outside the Tesco group organisation and that exert some degree of influence upon the ways in which marketing management develops relationship with the firms target markets. Two distinct components within Tesco environment are: Micro-environment and the macro-environment. See figure 1 below. Social and cultural factors Legislation Economic Factor Political Issues Technological changes Supply chain Customers Competitors Suppliers Distributors The Tesco Organisation Figure 1. The Tesco Organisations marketing environment It is recognised that regardless of which approach Tesco group adopts; the environment is a significant determinant both of strategy and organisational performance. Baker (1985, pg. 85) described it as the ultimate constraint upon the firms strategy; Drucker (1969), referred to the environment of the 1960 and 1970s as age of discontinuity; and Toffler (1970, pg. 28), who look ahead, referred to it as a time of future shock. 2.1. MARKETING AUDIT The marketing audit is really the launching pad for the Tesco marking plan, because it encourages Tesco management to reflect systematically on the environment and the organisations ability to respond, given its actual and planned capabilities. Similar to financial audit, marketing audit is first and critical about developing a shared, agreed and objective understanding of Tesco organisation. The audit is has suggested by McDonald (1995, p.28): The means by which a company can identify its own strengths and weakness as they relate to external opportunities and threats; It is thus a way of helping management to select a position in that environment based on known factors. Three major elements and potential benefits of the marketing audit can be seen to be: The detailed analysis of the external environment and internal situation The objective evaluation of past performance and present activities. The clearer identification of future opportunities and threats. These three above factors can be viewed against the background of comments made by Ansoff (1968 1984), who has suggested that irrespective of the size of the organisation, corporate decisions have to be made within the constraint of a limited total resource. Marketing audit have a place the overall management audit that incorporate financial audit together with audits of other functional areas as illustrated in figure 2 below. Marketing audit in terms of structure consists of three major and detailed diagnostic steps. That involved a review of: Tesco organisations environment (opportunities and threats) designed to establish the various dimensions of the marketing environment, change and probable impact of these change upon the organisation; its marketing systems (strengths and weakness) an assessment of the extent to which Tescos marketing systems are capable of dealing with the demands of the environment and its marketing activities review of the individual components of the marketing mix. There are the environmental variables and operational variables with distinction in terms of the macro-environmental forces (political / legal, economic / demographic, social / cultural, and technological) that affect the business. Micro-environmental actors (customers, competitors, distributors and suppliers) who subsequently influence Tesco organisations ability to operate profitably in the market-place Macro environment is the most general external audit of the environment, that consist of broad environmental factors, aimed at identifying key variable that offer actionable responses that would benefit Tesco and threats that must be avoided. These key external forces can be divided into five broad categories. Economic forces Social, Cultural, Demographic and Environmental forces Political, Governmental and Legal forces Technological forces Competitive Force Financial audit Personnel audit Production audit The Management audit Marketing audit EXTERNAL (Opportunities and threats) Macro The business and economic environments (political, economic, social/cultural, technological, legal and environmental factors PESTLE) Market Competition INTERNAL (Strengths and weaknesses) Micro Organisational performance and structure Operations and resources Marketing objectives Marketing strategy Information systems Planning systems Control systems Functional efficiency Inter-functional efficiency Profitability analysis Cost-effective analysis Figure 2. The place of the marketing audit in the overall management audit 2.2. SWOT Analysis The strengths and weaknesses of a SWOT analysis focus on the current market position of Tesco in retails business in relation to its: Customers is the business meeting the needs of its target markets Competitors- is the business offering a better way of meeting customer needs compared with its competitors Internal resources- is the business making effective use of its internal resources to meet customer needs and deal with competition The opportunities and threats of a SWOT analysis focus on the future market position of Tesco in retails business. Tesco organisation used their strengths and limits the weaknesses to plan for future development, marketing strategies and activities. Tescos opportunities and threats grew out of objectives, consideration of the real strengths and weaknesses of their business. Specific information were collated (such as data captured and analysed from CRM programs) before the process begins and personnel working to a joint solutions, adopted a truly objective positioning for the processes to be successful and worthwhile. 2.2.1. The main purpose of a SWOT analysis: Identify market opportunities To avoid complacency about market position a self evaluating organization As a safety check before embarking on major new project As a response to change change of director might initiate a SWOT analysis to gauge the strength of the team. There is no set procedure for carrying out a SWOT analysis but care must be taken to identify weaknesses if the process is to serve its purpose. A weakness may purely be lack of information, or lack of suitably qualified staff. SWOT analysis of TESCO Strengths Weaknesses To provide high level customer service Presence in multiple retail markets For Tesco to create unique products Increasing market share Wide knowledge of retail industry Competent top management and rank file for operation and maintenance Existing customer base Financial investment backing. Strong IT returns through internet shopping Good advertising Used iconic models to attract core target group. Tesco Online Brand value Insurance Secured commercial standing within the global market place winning Retailer of the Year 2008 at the World Retail Awards. This can be used for marketing campaigns to drive advantage towards the demographic base for future growth and sustainability Product diversification home and furniture Turnaround in sales and growth As a business looking for continued expansion TESCO have reserve funds of credit coupled with income derived from property portfolio development funds. In an environment where global retail sales are showing decline or level performance on a like for like basis TESCO Group have published sales gain of 13% for UK markets and 26% growth in international markets. As a business looking for continued expansion TESCO have reserve funds of credit coupled with income derived from property portfolio development funds. Tescos position as a price leader in UK markets can lead to reduced profit margins in order to retain the key price points on must have commercial items. Grocer outlets are not set up to operate as specialist retailers in specific areas of product which can be capitalised on by other smaller bespoke retailers. Low supervision on international market Considerably late exploitation of the Internet. Whilst current economic conditions suggest Tescos key value message will succeed there is a weakness in non-essential, mid to high ticket price items which will suffer from the rising cost of living and lower disposable incomes. Reliance upon the UK market Comparing Tesco with British Airways might get you thinking about how dependent Tesco is on the UK market (73.8% of 2003 revenues.) Comparing Tesco with Amazon might reveal flaws in its attempts to move into new markets. TESCO Finance profit levels were impacted through bad debt, credit card arrears and household insurance claims. Grocer outlets are not set up to operate as specialist retailers in specific areas of product which can be capitalised on by other smaller bespoke retailers Opportunities Threats Statistics suggest TESCO is the third largest global grocer which indicates a level of buying power to ensure mainstream economies of scale. Further international growth Expansion of target market Healthy market environment Increasing detraction of small retail businesses in UK Use younger more contemporary models to attract younger generation. The acquisition of Homever provides the opportunity to develop the brand through Asia, specifically South Korea and further grow International markets for the group. The development of Tesco Direct through online and catalogue shopping will grow the use of technology, providing the launch pad for larger non food based products with moderate to high margin returns and less focus on sales and margin per foot return to space. TESCO mobile have grown  ¼ million customers in 2008 and moved into profitable status suggesting further growth and development within this technological area can be developed. Tesco Homeplus stores offer all of Tescos ranges except food in warehouse-style units in retail parks. Introducing wider ranges such as Tesco (Value, Brand, Finest, Wholefoods, Bakery Kids), Healthy Living, Organic, Best Of British, World Foods, Cherokee, Free From, Tesco Christmas, Tescos own clothing label F+F to mention few Other services e.g. banking, insurance, savings to mention few. UK structural change could spark a price war Rising raw material costs from both food and non food will impact profit margins overall International expansion Economic restructuring Intensified competition Government regulation UK and American markets have been affected by economic concerns through the credit crunch. Lower available income will impact and strategic focus may need to change to lower priced basic products with less focus on higher priced brands suggesting a switch in price architecture. Sourcing changes to Far East locations with regards exporting restrictions on some non food product areas will reduce margin rates on products with already low margins. Changes to consumer buying behaviours require further analysis as technology develops consumer buying patterns change which will result in product areas requiring evaluation. For TESCO there is a persistent threat of takeover from the market leader Wal-Mart who has both means and motive to pursue such action. Lower available income will impact and strategic focus may need to change to lower priced basic products with less focus on higher priced brands suggesting a switch in price architecture. Overconfident of Tesco management Figure. 3. Tesco Micro and Macro-Environmental SWOT analysis 3. Tescos Strategic Options 3.1. Generic Strategies Generic Strategies are characterised by an individual retailers response to the industry structure. For a giant retailer, such as Tesco, to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage they may have followed either one of three generic strategies, developed by Porter (1985). The first strategy of cost leadership is one in which Tesco can strive to have the lowest costs in the industry and offer its products and services to a broad market at the lowest prices. This strategy will be based on the Tescos ability to control their operating costs so well that they are able to price their products competitively and be able to generate high profit margins, thus having a significant competitive advantage. Tesco used another strategy of differentiation that it has to try to offer services and products with unique features that customers value; Tesco was able to create brand loyalty for their offerings, and thus, price inelasticity on the part of buyers. Tescos breadths of product offerings, technology, special features, or customer service are popular approaches to differentiation The last strategy of focus can be either a cost leadership or differentiation strategy aimed toward a narrow, focused market. In pursuing a cost leadership strategy Tesco focuses on the creation of internal efficiencies that will help them withstand external pressures. Therefore, it appears reasonable to think that Tesco will have frequent interactions with the governmental/regulatory and supplier sectors of the environment. In accordance to this framework, while both overall cost leadership and differentiation strategies are aimed at the broad market, Tesco may also choose to confine their product to specific market areas or may choose to offer a smaller line of products to the broad market, thus pursuing a strategy of focus or niche (Porter, 1980). In other words, Tesco pursues a strategy of cost leadership or differentiation either in a specific market or with specific products. 3.2. Core Competence and Corporate strategy Superior performance, according to Johnson and Scholes (2003), has to be determined by the way in which companys resources are deployed to create competence in the organisational activities. Core competencies are activities or processes that critically underpin the companys competitive advantage. Core competences may be embedded deep in Tesco at an operational level in the work routines. The framework developed by Prahalad and Hamel in the 1990s suggests that over time companies may develop key areas of expertise which are distinctive to that company and critical to the companys long term growth (Drejer, 2000; De Toni, and Tonchia, 2003). In the case of Tesco the areas of expertise are most likely to develop in the critical, central areas of the organisation where the most value is added to its service and its delivery The phrase used by Tesco to describe its aspiration to appeal to upper, medium and low income customers is inclusive offer in the same stores. Tesco pulled off an idea that other retailers were not aware. That appealed to all segments of the market. One plank of this inclusively has been Tescos use of its own-brand products, including the upmarket Finest and low-price Value. Tesco implemented CRM programme launched the Clubcard rewards program to gather necessary customer information, which it then used to cater to specific customer needs and potential wants. When shoppers signed up for the card, they automatically submitted their age, gender, and income. Tesco was able to segment their shoppers based on these factors. As soon as the shopper used the card when shopping online or in-store, purchased product information was automatically uploaded into Tesco database. Product information was used to cross-sell additional products and services such as grocery delivery services. Beginning in 1997 when Terry Leahy took over as CEO, Tesco began marketing itself using the phrase The Tesco Way to describe the companys core purposes, values, principles, and goals This phrase became the standard marketing speak for Tesco as it expanded domestically and internationally under Leahys leadership, implying a shift by the company to focus on people, both customers and employees. 3.3. Partnership with Tesco Tesco respond to changes in marketing by partnering with other businesses; Tesco then added a travel service through a partnership with Lunn Poly, giving discounts off high-street prices. It also combined its card with Visa through the Royal Bank of Scotland, and offered discounts on DIY goods through well-known home improvement chain BQ. In 1997 it added a full range of financial services, and the Tesco Direct service. Adding value was mandatory to these functional items so, for example, expectant mothers were given priority parking outside the store, changing facilities, and personal shopping assistants to help them. In 1998, after the U.K.s deregulation of utilities, Tesco began to offer electricity and telecommunications products and services. Also in that year, clothing was added to the range through Next. By this time, Tesco had identified 108 customer market segments. This year, 2000, a joint undertaking with General Motors allows customers to buy cars from Tesco. 3.4. Enhancing Quality Everyday, top managers of Tesco stores gather for an hour-and-a-half customer advocacy meeting to pore over that weeks performance statistics. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a strategy which is concerned with changing the fundamental beliefs, values and culture of an organisation, harnessing the enthusiasm and participation of everyoneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.towards an overall idea of right first time by Atkinson and Naden (1989, pg 6). What makes this unusual is that every performance measure under scrutiny relates to customer satisfaction, and this meeting is the most important one on the corporate schedule. See Appendix 2 for On-Time-Delivery Tesco competitive strategy. 4. Industry Attractiveness   Inherent within the notion of strategy is the issue of competitiveness, analyzing industry attractiveness, and Porters (1979) five forces model is used. The attractiveness of the retail industry depends on the situation of competition. The competition in the retail industry is based on its economic structure Porters Five Forces Model implies that business are being influenced by five forces namely supplier power, threat of substitutes, buyer power, barriers to entry and rivalry. This model also implies that business must be able to understand the industry context in which they operate. 4.1. Porter five forces analysis: A Porters five forces analysis can complement other techniques, like a SWOT analysis. A SWOT analysis focuses on the company, while a Porters five forces analysis looks at the external factors impacting on a company Porters five forces framework as shown in figure 4, helps identify the sources of competition in the retail sector, and as a way of assessing the attractiveness that profit Tescos retails market. The underlying force in the macro-environment driven competitive forces are:- The bargaining power of supplier The bargaining power of buyers The threat of potential new entrants The threat of substitutes The extent of competitive rivalry The above five forces are not independent of each other, connection between competitive forces and the key driver in macro-environment is essential. Pressures from one direction can trigger off changes in another in a dynamic process of shifting sources of competition. Industry Competitors Rivalry among Existing firms Potential Entrants Buyers Suppliers Substitutes Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of buyers Threat of substitude products or services Threat of new entrants Figure 4, Porters Five Forces Model The objectives of such an analysis investigated how Tesco organisation formed its strategy in other to develop opportunities and protect itself against competition and other threats. This must be done in order to better design the strategy that the business will use to be able to compete with rivals within the same industry. It is important for businesses to determine the level of competition present within the industry. This will allow them to address potential risks before they even strike. 4.2. Cost advantage and differentiation According to Baker (1985), a business positions itself based on its strengths and strength are categorized into two cost advantage and differentiation. Furthermore, when these strengths are applied in either a narrow or a broad sense, it will result to three generic strategies focus, differentiation and cost leadership strategy. Cost leadership strategy means that the company is the low cost producer or provider of a certain quality item in a given industry. This kind of strategy is being implemented for two reasons and achieved through two ways. The first method and reason is to sale items at average industry price so that the company will be able to be more profitable compared to rivals. The second method and reason is to sale the products at below average industry price in order to gain market share. According to Baker (1985), a company that has the ability to produce or offer less costly products will be able to remain profitable for a longer period. It is important to note that this strategy targets a broad market. 4.3. BCG Matrix Tesco can be considered as a cash cow because it distributes quality and extra services to its consumers and equipped with new innovative products and services in United Kingdom. At the same time the company can also be considered as Stars because they put a lot of efforts to increase the awareness of their consumers to the benefits of e-commerce and retailing 5. Market Objectives and Strategies Implementation Strategy frameworks and structuring tools are keys to assessing the business situation. Risk and value trade-offs are made explicit, leading to concrete proposals to add value and reduce risk. Explicit plans for action, including effective planning need to be developed by Tesco as the strategic alternative. Piercy and Morgan (1990, pg. 2) state: In short, the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..reality the marketing executive faces is that implementing plans and strategies successfully is often d

The Godfather :: Film Review,Coppola, The Gangsters

Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather (1972) is among the best films ever produced. Consistently ranked as one of the top three films by the American Film institute, this gangster film sits among the likes of Citizen Kane (1941), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), and the more recent Schindler’s List (1993) (American). When it was released, The Godfather was nominated for ten Academy Awards, and won three: Best Picture, Best Actor (Marlon Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was adapted from the best-selling novel, with the same name, by Mario Puzo (Mast & Kawin, 332). The film takes place in a ten-year span between 1945 and 1955. It follows the Sicilian family headed by Vito Corleone who is played by Marlon Brando; Corleone is also the godfather or head of the Corleone Crime Family. Coppola’s film is not the first big screen version of a gangster film: Scarface (1933), The Public Enemy (1931), and Little Caesar (1931) are all pre-production code gangster films, but American Movie Classics’ Tim Dirks believes The Godfather â€Å"reinvented the gangster genre† (Dirks). Still, The Godfather’s has many similarities to pre-production code gangster films especially with its use of violence, and its portrayal of corruption of both the gangsters and the ‘good guys.’ The gangster films of the 30s and 40s had all but disappeared until The Godfather revived the genre. These films were not new to Hollywood: The Public Enemy (1931), Little Caesar (1930), and Scarface (1932), but the production code put an end to the style of the early gangster classics. Two production code principles for films made during its time, 1934-1967, were that â€Å"No picture should lower the moral standards of those who see it†¦the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin† and â€Å"[l]aw [†¦] must not be belittled, ridiculed, nor must a sentiment be created against it† (The Production code). These principles along with the film noir era essentially ended the way gangster films were made. Following the enforcement of the code, the focus shifted from the gangsters to the ‘good guys’ (Dirks). David Stirritt, film critic for the Christian Science Monitor, says Coppola’s film â€Å"revived the ga ngster genre† (Dirks). This revival helped other gangster films to make it to the big screen: Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1991) and Casino (1995), and Mike Newell’s Donnie Brasco (1997). The similarities between The Godfather and early gangster films are evident when they are compared.

Provinces of the Philippines and Spanish Influence Origin Essay

A dance performed by lovely young  ladies carrying scented fans and flirts with  young men with canes and straw hats. Ladies dances their way to the heart of the men they desire through the use of a fan. Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) * BANOG TYPE: Cordillera Dance ORIGIN: Ifugao This dance depicts hunters protecting their hen and  chicks in Binaylan from a hungry hawk. The hunters trap the hawk and kill it in the end. Cordillera Dance ORIGIN: Benguet This is a circle dance, which is being performed to celebrate the  arrival of successfulheadhunters. It is also popularly known as  Bendian.   Lubuagan, Kalingga The homecoming of triumphant head hunters after a  successful kayaw of  headhunting, done to avenge the death or evil done to a family member or relative is celebrated with the playing of special gongs called gangsa. The minger or successful warriors are honoured by their female relatives with  gift of feather of lawi,beads or bongon and colorful g-string s  called ba-ag. Victory songs are sung by  the by the villagers while the minger dance with closed fists while the bodan or the unsuccessful members of the headhunting group are demoted to  playing the gangsas.

Career Essay

Career Essay Career Essay What distinguishes emotional thinking from systematic? What type of thinking should students use while writing career essays? Very often students emotions become motives for action or satisfaction of the needs or wants. The stronger the emotion, the more clearly is it associated with behavior and with motivation. If you want to write career research paper as an arguer, you should understand something of these emotional states and motivative drives. Hunger drives us to food; fear, to flight or resistance; anger, to personal or international wars; desire, to have a good mark for career goals and learning plan essay, career ambition essay or career essay 5 paragraph Career Essay Writer The emotional career essay writer, as thinker, in his language and mental processes, is typically a poor thinker. In language usage, for example, he/she is abstract, verbose, inaccurate, often colorful and bombastic. His/her sentence structure is complicated and dramatic. His/her "definitions" are loose, equivocal, framed to echo his biases. He/she usually substitutes assertion for fact; embellishes or distorts facts to support his drives and motives. He/she ignores authorities or selects those that coincide with his prejudices. His/her "evidence" is inconsistent and partial. He/she generalizes from few instances and ignores negative cases. His/her analogies are graphic but misleading. He/she thinks in "absolutes" and moves easily from one ill-supported premise to another equally untenable. All is couched in "allness" terminology and pseudo logic. He/she is given to name calling, appeals to tradition, humor, and fear. He/she eulogizes and denounces. He/she rationalizes, i.e., talks to a conclusion arbitrarily held previously and determined by his wants and hopes alone. Such college essay writer is merely ignorant, creating infantile argument and succumbing to the propaganda or specious argument that appeals to his wishes. College Career Essay Writing Such form of writing is 100% inappropriate for good career essay writing. College essay writer should avoid all features enumerated above. Attractive career essay must reflect your emotional state in the clear and bright form. Thus, if you find you can not keep your emotions while writing academic essay, we are ready to help you with your career essay assignment. Custom written career essay is deprived of emotional judgments. It is written strictly according to high academic standards. To prove your position, the competent writer uses only strong arguments and logical reasoning. All the instruction you provide us with is put in the process of custom writing process. We are always in touch with you in the case something is not clear. Read also: Womens Rights Essay Pride and Prejudice Essay Lord of the Flies Essay Law Essay Essay Example on Cause of Crime

21 Subtle Signs Your Coworkers Hate You

21 Subtle Signs Your Coworkers Hate You Are you secretly (or not so secretly) afraid that your coworkers hate you? Plenty of people will make this painfully clear, but there are people who give off much subtler signs. Rather than dwelling on the angst, why not ask yourself whether your coworkers are showing, through their behavior and their comments, their dislike for you? Here are 21 subtle signs you might need a personality makeover at work (or a new batch of coworkers).1. Your gut says soIt could just be in your head, but it could also be true. If you have a particularly grumpy or nasty coworker, but you notice they aren’t being grumpy or nasty to anyone else, that might be a sign to trust your instinct. If you have a strong feeling, listen to it!2. They take credit for your workIf someone goes out of their way to steal the credit for your ideas, and they don’t do that with anyone else? Problem.3. They won’t maintain eye contactWhen you dislike someone, it’s painful to look at them, right? Yo u’re constantly afraid your look will convey the underlying hostility. If you notice a colleague avoiding your eyes, this is a possible reason why.4. They never smile near youLet alone at you. When you’re around, you feel like you have personally rained on their parade. They’re usually very chipper, just never with you.5. They’re snippyAgain, people can have bad moods and days and be generally snippy, but if you notice this happens mostly to you and almost all the time? Red flag.6. They exclude youYour colleague makes a ton of jokes and banter about the office, but you never seem to be able to wiggle your way into it. If you’re not part of the inner circle or the team, there might be a reason.7. They avoid youYour coworker practically dives into the elevator when he sees you coming, or ducks around the corner, or takes a break as soon as you arrive†¦well, the writing is on the wall.8. They spread rumorsYou’ve heard a few rumors about yo urself and they all trace back to one person†¦yeah,  there’s a very good chance that person just doesn’t like you.9. They play bossThis person is not your boss. You might even be on the same level. But they constantly try to wield unauthorized power over you. That suggests, at very least, that they find themselves superior to you in some important way.10. They don’t acknowledge youYou walk into the room and say â€Å"good morning† and everyone else says â€Å"good morning† back†¦except him.11. You never get the inviteYour coworker is constantly inviting people out to happy hours or coffees or lunches, but you never make the list.12. You pick up on bad body languageIf you catch little eye rolls here and there, or other prickly body language like arms crossed over the chest, you can sometimes read the truth in how your coworker feels about you through these cues.13. They’re defensiveYour coworker get super defensive in your presenc e. This can indicate a lack of trust, intimidation, or deeper dislike. Add it to the list.14. They don’t talk to youYou sit five feet from this person, but they never communicate with you except by email. That’s a good sign they’re trying to limit your in-person contact.15. You’re met with a chorus of â€Å"no†Your coworker(s) is always disagreeing with you. Shooting down your every idea- sometimes even before you can get the whole thing out. Ask yourself, does he/she do that with anybody else?16. They’re cliqueyIf your office has started to feel like high school and your coworker like a mean girl that bullies you, then that’s a good sign something is off in your dynamic.17. They never ask about youYour colleagues are always talking about their hobbies, families, weekend plans. Just not around you.18. You’re always on the back burnerYour concerns and needs and projects continually take a back seat. The most important things to your job performance are never prioritized by your team. Bad sign.19. You get thrown under the busIf you’re getting tattled upon, turned in, blamed for things†¦ that’s never good. There’s a good chance your disgruntled coworker is trying to get you fired.20. They encourage you to leaveIf a coworker keeps insinuating that there might be a perfect position for you somewhere else, and that you’d be â€Å"so much happier or more successful† there, that’s a great sign they’re trying to get rid of you.21. There’s no trustIf you can tell you’re on a need-to-know basis when you shouldn’t be, or that your motives are being questioned, then this is a big sign that there’s a rift.Once you figure out the verdict, you’ll have a chance to alter your behavior and right the situation. It’s always best to have your colleagues on your side. Be sensitive to their needs and wants and you’ll be much ha ppier at work yourself.

The negative effects of illegal drug use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The negative effects of illegal drug use - Essay Example Almost one-quarter of these teenagers reported that they had participated in unprotected sex as a result of drug or alcohol use. It is important to note that alcohol is a powerful drug and illegal to minors putting it into the illegal drug category with respect to teenage use. Teens 14 and under who drink or use drugs are more likely to be having sex at double the rate of those in this age group that do not. High school teenagers that use alcohol are seven times more likely to have sex than their non-drinking peers. Older teens that drink are seven times as likely to have intercourse as non-drinking teens and those that use other drugs five times as likely. Drug and alcohol using teenagers are three and five times, respectively, more likely to have multiple sexual partners (Hartge, 1999). Teenagers experience more emotional fluctuations than do younger children or an adult which explains why the suicide rate is higher in that group. Teenagers that use drugs and alcohol are more likely to attempt suicide. According to a study of teenagers that attempted suicide, alcohol and drug abuse was the most frequently shared characteristic. Of the teenagers that took their own life, 70 per cent were frequent users of drugs and/or alcohol. However, current research does not demonstrate that drug and alcohol use actually instigates suicide, just that these behaviors are connected.   Teenagers that experience emotional problems to a higher degree than others have a greater propensity to consider suicide and to use drugs. (Shaffer et al, 1996). Illegal substances most frequently linked with drug-related fatalities include opiates such as heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and barbiturates. Alcohol, particularly when used in combination with harder drugs, is also linked with drug-related deaths. Cannabis and hallucinogens (i.e.

Reaction Paper on Geraldine Brookss The Year of Wonders Essay

Reaction Paper on Geraldine Brookss The Year of Wonders - Essay Example This essay discusses that the contaminated articles and clothes of the tailor were not initially destroyed because of lack scientific knowledge. Eleanor and Michael reveal marriage secrets to Anna. Bradford family faces Mo mp hellion's wrath because they ran away, as they had the means to do so like any other noble family. Rector’s secret shadows fall on the nobility of his work. Anna goes through a mental and spiritual unraveling and almost attains a rebirth. All female characters, Lib, Anna, Gowdies, Anna’s stepmother all show the enormous strength of character. Those were the days when antibiotics have not been invented, though science was receiving royal patronage. Methods of disinfection were not well-known even in London and this fear of infection drove Londoners to inhuman methods during the plague. Fear and superstition and survival made them merciless. Other than burning the infected material, there were hardly any alternatives of infection. Written in modern a nd fluid style, not dull or tedious, the book maintains uncanny optimism despite the prevailing grimness, ‘how fear drove ordinary people first into superstition and then into primeval brutality’. It also shows that human nature does not change while knowledge does. The village is in stark contrast with the treatment London gave to its sick, locking them up with the healthy in their houses, sealing the houses without water or food, and according to Samuel Pepys, ‘making us cruel as dogs to one another’. London was gripped by the fear of unknown.