The experience of inactive nurses returned to nursing after completing Essay

The experience of inactive nurses returned to nursing after completing a refresher course by Hammer and Craig - Essay Example The focus of the study was to highlight the experiences of nurses In Midwestern University who were returning to active service after completing independent refresher courses between the years 2000 and 2005 (Hammer and Craig, 2008). Generally, the primary purpose of the phenomenological research was to identify some of the experiences usually encountered by previously inactive nurses taking refresher courses before returning to active nursing practice. Refresher courses is one of the evidenced best practice practices that are increasingly being used in the health care system to improve the performance of professionals particularly after being inactive in the service. The researchers have effectively employed the use of a systematic inquiry and well structured methods to address some of their research questions. This is particularly important because use of evidence based practice in nursing is widely based on the previous researches. This paper critically analyzes the appropriateness of the qualitative research design used as well as the feasibility and effectiveness of the research article. Feasibility and significance of the study With regard to the feasibility and effectiveness of the research, a number of previous publications have revealed a growing shortage of nurses in our health in various healthcare institutions. ... after undergoing refresher courses is significantly important because it will provide more insight into some of the ways of mitigating the current shortage of nurses. For instance the described experiences of inactive nurses who are returning to practice can effectively be used in evidence based practice to help in the improve patient care in healthcare institutions. Appropriateness of the study design The research methodology used by the researchers has met most of the conditions necessary for research methodology congruence. For example some of the criteria adopted during the conduct of the research study included selecting participants who have successfully completed refresher courses and had been employed in active nursing for 6 month after completing the course, had time to participate in face to face interviews and were living round the research centers. In this regard, the criterion used in selecting the potential respondents not only ensured the effectiveness of the research but it also ensured that the researchers the prospective participants were best placed to effectively provide answers to some of the research questions. On the other hand, the use of face to face interviews provided the researchers with an opportunity to clarify any doubt to the participants and adapt the questions such as by rephrasing or repeating some questions. This is particularly necessary because it enables the researchers to ensure that the interview questions are well understood thereby improving the reliability of the responses. Additionally the use of face –to-face interviews also allowed the researchers to pick up nonverbal clues that may be unconsciously exhibited by the respondents. It is however worth noting that despite the effectiveness of this research method, face

Judicial Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Judicial Review - Essay Example Kovac’s tea with sleeping pills’. The drug alleged to have spiked into the teacher’s hot beverage was diphendyramine citrate. The head teacher, in reaching his decision, relied on statements recorded by Ms. P, the claimant’s fellow student and Mrs. Kovac, the alleged victim. 3. According to the complainant’s main witness, one Ms. P who recordeda statementstating that during the morning break, she had been curious of what the claimant was up to and had followed her to classwhere the claimant was alone and seen â€Å"Veronica (the claimant herein)openherbag,takeoutasmallpacketofwhatlookedlike medicine(Icouldn’tseeexactlywhatitwasasitwas smallandIwastoofar away).Shethen wentovertoMrs.Kovac’s desk.IcouldclearlyseethemugMrs.Kovacusesonherdesk.Itisverylargeandhasâ€Å"world’sbestteacher†written on it.Veronica thendroppedsomething intothemug.Sheput thepacketbackin herbagandturnedtowardsthedoorIranawayimmediatelyasIdidn’twant her toknowthat I’dseen her. Idon’t think she saw me.†Witness P further records that while in her French class there ensured some commotion in the hallway outside when Mrs. Kovac had passed out and an ambulance had to be called. However, she does not state the exact time when sh e had attended the said French class. Neither Mr. Carey nor Mrs. Kovaccorroborates Witness P’s allegations. 4. The claimant states that the Head teacher, Board and Panel erred by not taking notice of the fact that Witness P, whom the claimant believed to be Ms. Pauline and the claimant herein were not in good terms. The claimant further states that Pauline and the claimant have had disagreements after the claimant started dating Paulina’s former boyfriend, Steven. The claimant’s mother aptly puts it: â€Å"Pauline was devastated when he (Steven) dumped her and got together with my daughter. She has hated Veronica ever since. I know that they havehadverbalfightsinclass,sotheteachers

Themes of tradition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Themes of tradition - Essay Example As a result of these factors, there has been significant changes in the size, height, shape and design; both internal and external, of buildings. These changes have led to many architectural debates. Some architects argue that modern architectural designs are inspired by the traditional themes while others argue that today’s designs are original and are a result of improved technology and skills and knowledge taught in the schools today. Others argue that modern architecture is a combination of both traditional architectural and modern architectural themes. The progress of today’s architectural industry has become a debate to many and there is therefore the need to analyze how both the traditional and modern themes influence the buildings we see today. Traditional themes as depicted in architectural projects Traditional themes in architecture are based on three design values; traditional based design value, design value of restoration and preservation and the vernacular design value. Under the design value of restoration and preservation, architects believe that there is need to preserve the best of their structures and products for upcoming generations. They therefore work towards ensuring that even when a building is being redesigned; it is restored to its original design. Such architects hold on to three perspectives. The first one is the archeological perspective which holds that it is important to preserve buildings and products as part of our history. The artistic perspective holds on to the need to reserve something that is reckoned as beautiful and a masterpiece. The social perspective on the other hand is built on the need to hold on to familiarity and reassurance. The traditional based design value is based on the belief that traditional designs depict something good and functional. This value is based on three strategies; the first one is the revivalist strategy where an architect sticks to traditional forms of design. The contextualist strategy is where historical forms of design are used when the surroundings demand for such. The critical traditional strategy is based on the interpretation of traditional designs and applying them in modern architecture. Lastly, the vernacular design value is based on the belief that a simple and traditional design is more superior to the modern designs. This operates under four key concepts. The reinvigorating concept is calls for the use of traditional designs and themes in modern times whereas the reinventing concept is where architects go out in search of new archetypes. The extending concept implies the use of traditional designs in a more modern manner while the reinterpreting concept involves the use of modern and recent expressions of architecture. With these design aspects in mind, let us take a look at some of architectural projects that have traditional insights in them. Our study case shall be in Japan since it is one of the countries with a rich, traditional out view of architecture and it still builds on these views up to date. The first project is the Gender Equality Center (GEC). Fumihiko Maki, the architect behind this project, believes that an architect has to rely on his innate aesthetic preferences, ethical and traditional principles as he designs his buildings. In the designing of the center, Maki observed his traditional design values since the building reflects Japanese concepts of architecture. He

INFLATION TARGETING AS A STRATEGY FOR THE CONDUCT OF MONETARY POLICY Research Paper

INFLATION TARGETING AS A STRATEGY FOR THE CONDUCT OF MONETARY POLICY (IN CANADA) - Research Paper Example Monetary policy is one of public intervention measure around at influencing the level and pattern of economic activity so as to achieve certain desired goals. The task of keeping the rate of inflation low is given to authority bodies such as the central bank. Monetary policy covers all the action of the bank of Canada and the government which influence the quantity, the cost and availability of money credit in the economy through open market operations and setting of banking reserve requirements. 2. DIFFERENT STRATEGIES TO CONDUCT MONETARY POLICY I. Attainment of full employment Full employment simply refers to involuntary unemployment. Monetary policy can raise the level of employment by encouraging credit availability to labor intensive section like rural agriculture and other small scale factories. Policies that lower the interest rates constitute expansionary monetary and is likely to lead to an increase in investment hence more employment opportunities. II. Price stability Econo mics sometime suffer from inflation and deflation; both have their effects either positively or negatively. Monetary policy helps in controlling inflation pressure. Price stability can be maintained by regulating money through tools of credit control like discount rate and minimum reserve requirement ratio. It helps in maintaining equilibrium in income and wealth inequalities. III. Economic growth expansion Money policies are put in place to ensure that more money is injected in circulation to finance developments of projects, which may in turn cause a price increase. Monetary also controls real interest rates and its effect are clearly reflected in investment. If the central government goes for an affordable and available credit policy by cutting down on the interest rates, the investment level of the economy is encouraged (Ben and Woodford 94). Increase in investment simply means higher economic developments. IV. Balance of payments equilibrium The balance of payments has two aspe cts, that of surplus and that of deficit. The latter reflects stringency of money and the former an excess of money. If the monetary policy succeeds in maintaining monetary equilibrium than the balance of payments, equilibrium can be achieved. V. Exchange rate stability This refers to the value of home currency expressed in terms of any foreign currency. If the exchange rate is volatile, causing rapid changes frequently, the international society might lose confidence in the economy. The monetary policy hopes to achieve and maintain relative stability in the exchange rate. The central bank tries to influence the demand for foreign exchange and also maintaining its stability. VI. Equal income distribution Fiscal policy was s used to maintain economic equality according to some economist. In recent years, it is believed that the monetary policy can also play a role in attaining that equality. It can make unique provisions for the neglect availability like small scale factories, agricu lture and many more by providing for them cheaper credits for longer terms, thus assisting in reducing economic inequalities. Inflation is the increase in general level of prices of commodities in an economy over time. When prices rise, a buyer of goods and services is forced to pay more money for lesser goods and services. This simply means that inflation erodes the purchasing power of money. Inflation rates are used to measure the price of inflation. Economists argue that inflation is generally caused by a growth of the money

Themes of tradition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Themes of tradition - Essay Example As a result of these factors, there has been significant changes in the size, height, shape and design; both internal and external, of buildings. These changes have led to many architectural debates. Some architects argue that modern architectural designs are inspired by the traditional themes while others argue that today’s designs are original and are a result of improved technology and skills and knowledge taught in the schools today. Others argue that modern architecture is a combination of both traditional architectural and modern architectural themes. The progress of today’s architectural industry has become a debate to many and there is therefore the need to analyze how both the traditional and modern themes influence the buildings we see today. Traditional themes as depicted in architectural projects Traditional themes in architecture are based on three design values; traditional based design value, design value of restoration and preservation and the vernacular design value. Under the design value of restoration and preservation, architects believe that there is need to preserve the best of their structures and products for upcoming generations. They therefore work towards ensuring that even when a building is being redesigned; it is restored to its original design. Such architects hold on to three perspectives. The first one is the archeological perspective which holds that it is important to preserve buildings and products as part of our history. The artistic perspective holds on to the need to reserve something that is reckoned as beautiful and a masterpiece. The social perspective on the other hand is built on the need to hold on to familiarity and reassurance. The traditional based design value is based on the belief that traditional designs depict something good and functional. This value is based on three strategies; the first one is the revivalist strategy where an architect sticks to traditional forms of design. The contextualist strategy is where historical forms of design are used when the surroundings demand for such. The critical traditional strategy is based on the interpretation of traditional designs and applying them in modern architecture. Lastly, the vernacular design value is based on the belief that a simple and traditional design is more superior to the modern designs. This operates under four key concepts. The reinvigorating concept is calls for the use of traditional designs and themes in modern times whereas the reinventing concept is where architects go out in search of new archetypes. The extending concept implies the use of traditional designs in a more modern manner while the reinterpreting concept involves the use of modern and recent expressions of architecture. With these design aspects in mind, let us take a look at some of architectural projects that have traditional insights in them. Our study case shall be in Japan since it is one of the countries with a rich, traditional out view of architecture and it still builds on these views up to date. The first project is the Gender Equality Center (GEC). Fumihiko Maki, the architect behind this project, believes that an architect has to rely on his innate aesthetic preferences, ethical and traditional principles as he designs his buildings. In the designing of the center, Maki observed his traditional design values since the building reflects Japanese concepts of architecture. He

The U.S. Navy Role in World War II Essay Example for Free

The U.S. Navy Role in World War II Essay Abstract World War II was the mightiest struggle humankind has ever seen. It killed more people, cost more money, damaged more property, affected more people, and caused more far-reaching changes in nearly every country than any other war in history. The number of people killed, wounded, or missing between September 1939 and September 1945 can never be calculated, but it is estimated that more than 55 million people perished. More than 50 countries took part in the war, and the whole world felt its effects. Men fought in almost every part of the world, on every continent except Antarctica. Chief battlegrounds included Asia, Europe, North Africa, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. The United States hoped to stay out. Drawing on its experience from World War I, Congress passed a series of neutral acts between 1935 and 1939, which were intended to prevent Americans becoming entangled with belligerents While America was wallowing in neutrality and isolationism, events were occurring in Europe and Asia that were causing increasing tension across the regions. Japan and the United States had been edging toward war for decades. The United States was particularly unhappy with Japan’s increasingly belligerent attitude toward China. The Japanese government believed that the only way to solve its economic and demographic problems was to expand into its neighbor’s territory and take over its import market; to this end, Japan had declared war on China in 1937(Tsukiyama, 2006) . American officials responded to this aggression with a battery of economic sanctions and trade embargoes. They reasoned that without access to money and goods, and especially essential supplies like oil, Japan would have to rein in its expansionism. Instead, the sanctions made the Japanese more determined to  stand their ground. During months of negotiations between Tokyo and Washington DC, neither side would budge. It seemed that war was inevitable. No one believed that the Japanese would start that war with an attack on American territory. For one thing, it would be terribly inconvenient for the Japanese. Hawaii and Japan were about 4,000 miles apart. For another, American intelligence officials were confident that any Japanese attack would take place in one of the relatively nearby European colonies in the South Pacific: the Dutch East Indies, for instance, or Singapore or Indochina(Tsukiyama, 2006) . Because American military leaders were not expecting an attack so close to home, the naval facilities at Pearl Harbor were relatively undefended. Almost the entire Pacific Fleet was moored around Ford Island in the harbor, and hundreds of airplanes were squeezed onto adjacent airfields. To the Japanese, Pearl Harbor was an irresistible target. The Japanese plan was simple, Destroy the Pacific Fleet. That way, the Americans would not be able to fight back as Japan’s armed forces spread across the South Pacific. On December 7, after months of planning and practice, the Japanese launched their attack. At about 8 a.m., Japanese planes filled the sky over Pearl Harbor. Bombs and bullets rained onto the vessels moored below. At 8:10, a 1,800-pound bomb smashed through the deck of the battleship USS Arizona and landed in her forward ammunition magazine. The ship exploded and sank with more than 1,000 men trapped inside. Next, torpedoes pierced the shell of the battleship USS Oklahoma(Tsukiyama, 2006) . With 400 sailors aboard, the Oklahoma lost her balance, rolled onto her side and slipped underwater. By the time the attack was over, every battleship in Pearl Harbor–USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, USS California, USS West Virginia, USS Utah, USS Maryland, USS Penn sylvania, USS Tennessee and USS Nevada had sustained significant damage. In all, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor crippled or destroyed 18 American ships and nearly 300 airplanes. Dry docks and airfields were likewise destroyed. Most important, almost 2,500 men were killed and another 1,000 were wounded(Tsukiyama, 2006) . The Japanese had failed to cripple the Pacific Fleet. By the 1940s, battleships were no longer the most important naval vessel: Aircraft carriers were, and as it happened, all of the Pacific Fleet’s carriers were away from the base on December 7. Moreover, the Pearl Harbor assault had left the base’s most vital onshore facilities–oil storage depots, repair  shops, shipyards and submarine docks–intact. As a result, the U.S. Navy was able to rebound relatively quickly from the attack. The following day president Roosevelt addressed the nation stating â€Å"Yesterday the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked. No matter now long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.† On December 8, Congress approved Roosevelt’s declaration of war. Three days later, Japanese allies Germany and Italy declared war against the United States. For the second time, Congress reciprocated. More than two years after the start of the conflict, the United States had entered World War II. Six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States defeated Japan in one of the most decisive naval battles of World War II. This fleet engagement between U.S. and Japanese navies in the north-central Pacific Ocean resulted from Japans desire to sink the American aircraft carriers that had escaped destruction at Pearl Harbor. Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, Japanese fleet commander, chose to invade a target relatively close to Pearl Harbor to draw out the American fleet, calculating that when the United States began its counterattack, the Japanese would be prepared to crush them. Instead, an American intelligence breakthroughthe solving of the Japanese fleet codesenabled Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Chester W. Nimitz to understand the exact Japanese plans. Nimitz placed available U.S. carriers in position to surprise the Japanese moving up for their preparatory air strikes on Midway Island itself. The intelligence interplay would be critical to the outcome of the battle and began many weeks before the clash of arms. American radio nets in the Pacific picked up various orders Yamamoto had dispatched to prepare his forces for the operation. As early as May 2, messages that were intercepted began to indicate some forthcoming operation, and a key fact, the planned day-of-battle position of the Japanese carriers, would be divulged in a notice sent on May 16. By the time Nimitz had to make final decisions, the Japanese plans and order of battle had been reconstructed in considerable detail. American combat forces took over where intelligence efforts left off. Scouts found the Japanese early in  the morning of June 4. Although initial strikes by Midway-based planes were not successful, American carrier-based planes turned the tide. Torpedo bombers became separated from the American dive-bombers and were slaughtered 36 of 42 shot down, but they diverted Japanese defenses just in time for the dive-bombers to arrive; some of them had become lost, and now by luck they found the Japanese. The Japanese carriers were caught while refueling and rearming their planes, making them especially vulnerable. The Americans sank four fleet carriers the entire strength of the task force Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu, with 322 aircraft and over five thousand sailors. The Japanese also lost the heavy cruiser Mikuma. American losses included 147 aircraft and more than three hundred seamen. The last and biggest of the Pacific island battles of World War II, what the battle of Okinawa the campaign involved the 287,000 troops of the U.S. Tenth Army against 130,000 soldiers of the Japanese Thirty-second Army. At stake were air bases vital to the projected invasion of Japan. Japanese forces changed their typical tactics of resisting at the waters edge to a defense in depth, designed to gain time. In conjunction with this, the Japanese navy and army mounted mass air attacks by planes on one-way suicide missions. The Japanese also sent their last big battleship, the Yamato, on a similar mission with a few escorts(Lacey, 2003) . The kamikaze tactics the Japanese used on these missions, although not especially sophisticated, but their determination made it especially difficult for the Allies. The net result made Okinawa a mass bloodletting both on land and at sea, and among both the islands civilian population and the military. A series of defense lines across the island, both north and south of the American landing beaches, enabled the Japanese to conduct a fierce defense of Okinawa over many weeks. Using pillboxes and strong points, caves, and even some ancient castles, the Japanese defense positions supported one another and often resisted even the most determined artillery fire or air strikes. Mounting few attacks themselves, the Japanese conserved their strength for this defense(Lacey, 2003) . Caves or pillboxes often had to be destroyed individually with dynamite charges. This battle took place in an environment much more heavily populated than most Pacific islands, with civilian casualties of almost 100,000 and equally heavy losses for the Japanese army. It was a scene straight out of hell. There is no other way to describe it, recalls Higa  Tomiko, then a seven-year-old girl, who survived the battle. The commanding generals on both sides died in the course of this battle. American general Simon B. Buckner by artillery fire, Japanese general Ushijima Mitsuru by suicide. Other U.S. losses in ground combat included 7,374 killed, 31,807 wounded, and 239 missing in action(Lacey, 2003) . The navy suffered 4,907 killed or missing aboard 34 ships sunk and 368 damaged; 763 aircraft were lost. At sea and in the air, the Japanese expended roughly 2,800 aircraft, plus a battleship, a light cruiser, and four destroyers, with losses that can be estimated at upwards of 10,000. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was tasked with spearheading the construction of the vast facilities necessary for the top-secret program, codenamed The Manhattan Project. Hiroshima, a manufacturing center of some 350,000 people located about 500 miles from Tokyo, was selected as the first target. After arriving at the U.S. base on the Pacific island of Tinian, the more than 9,000-pound uranium-235 bomb was loaded aboard a modified B-29 bomber christened Enola Gay. The plane dropped the bombknown as Little Boyby parachute at 8:15 in the morning, and it exploded 2,000 feet above Hiroshima in a blast equal to 12 to15,000 tons of TNT, destroying five square miles of the city. Hiroshimas devastation failed to elicit immediate Japanese surrender, however, and on August 9 Major Charles Sweeney flew another B-29 bomber, Bockscar, from Tinian. Thick clouds over the primary target, the city of Kokura, drove Sweeney to a secondary target, Nagasaki, where the plutonium bomb Fat Man was dropped at 11:02 that morning. More powerful than the one used at Hiroshima, the bomb weighed nearly 10,000 pounds and was built to produce a 22-kiloton blast. The topography of Nagasaki, which was nestled in narrow valleys between mountains, reduced the bombs effect, limiting the destruction to 2.6 square miles. Japans Emperor Hirohito announced his countrys unconditional surrender in World War II in a radio address on August 15, citing the devastating power of a new and most cruel bomb. References 1. Naval History and Heritage Command. (2012, May 14). Battle of midway, 4-7 june 1942. Retrieved from http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/midway/midway.htm 2. Lacey, L. (2003, April 13). Battle of okinawa. Retrieved from http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/okinawa/default.aspx 3. Tsukiyama, T. (2006). http://nisei.hawaii.edu. Retrieved from http://nisei.hawaii.edu/object/io_1149316185200.html 4. World war 2 history. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.WorldWar2History.info/Midway/ 5. Ohio state university. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ehistory.osu.edu/wwii/USNCV.cfm 6.Goldfield, D (2010). The american journey: , volume 2 . (6th ed., Vol. 2). Prentice Hall 7. national achivements. (1998, 08). Retrieved from http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/ww2/army-casualties/

Business Essays Corporate Governance

Business Essays Corporate Governance Corporate Governance Executive Summary The main goal of the report is to evaluate the current corporate governance of a certain organization. In this report, the company that has given emphasis is a food retailing company which operates in UK. This company has been able to have effective corporate governance. However, there are still issues that should be given attention in order to ensure that the company is implementing effective corporate governance. The report includes the analysis of the corporate governance structure of the company as well as the issues concerning the board of the organisation. Furthermore, this report also analyses the positive and the negative aspects of the corporate governance implemented in the organisation.All in all it can be concluded that the company has been able to have as strong and systematic corporate governance to ensure quality output. Late in the 1980s, it became apparent that a fundamental shift in the power relationship between a firm’s shareholders and its professional managers was taking place. Shareholders increased their control over the firm’s professional managers, demanding that managers respond more quickly to poor financial performance and to changes in the competitive environment. Stockholders were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with management’s slowness and the ineffectiveness of their actions in trying to adapt to new environmental conditions. Many stockholders became convinced that management did not keep the shareholders’ interests in mind while developing and implementing new strategies. Numerous stories have appeared in the business press chronicling the efforts of shareholders to exert control over corporate management. Fortune magazine’s January 11, 1993, issue featured a cover story by T. Stewart titled â€Å"The King Is Dead,† proclaiming the death of the imperial corporate presidency (Chaganti Sherman, 1998). An increasing number of chief executive officers have been forced to relinquish control of their organizations to others who will more quickly implement massive corporate change. According to Stapledon (1996), corporate governance can be defined as a system that is used in order to direct and control companies. As a matter of fact, this idea applies to all business sectors all throughout the world such as the banking institutions, financial corporations and other types of businesses such as the retailing industry. In particular, corporate governance refers to the examination of the control of a company as utilized by its directors. In accordance to theory, the directors of public companies are held responsible for their action by their shareholders (Davies, 1999). On the other hand, the authority of the shareholders to influence the behavior of the company directors is limited in practice and is rarely exercised. This then provides directors of considerable power to take action as they see fit. However, this is not always the case as it appears to be relatively different form that of the government in which the action of the officials is slightly restrained b y certain actions of the people it governs. Corporate governance, as a term, has come to imply good, in the non-moral as well as the moral sense. Its non-moral applications include efficient decision making, appropriate resource allocation, strategic planning, and so on (Monks Minow, 2001). Nonetheless, in its moral sense good corporate governance has come to be seen as promoting an ethical climate that is both morally appropriate in itself, and consequentially appropriate in that ethical behavior in business is reflected in desirable commercial outcomes (Francis, 2000). Thus, the links here are with due diligence, directors duties, and the general tightening of corporate responsibility. Corporate governance should set a proper example of good intent, and provide for those lower in corporate hierarchies the clear message that it is â€Å"do as I do† as well as â€Å"do as I say† (Francis, 2000). Middle and lower management find it hard to be ethical when it seems that the top of the corporate hierarchy have no commitment. The message of sincerity will always filter down, and no amount of deception will foster the view that a board is ethical when it plainly is not. Additionally, the commitment to ethical corporate governance by a board will enhance the prospects of an ethical infrastructure within the organization. That ethical infrastructure is a manifestation of the commitment, a means of preventing and resolving ethical problems, and an impressive demonstration of sincerity. Primarily, the objective of this paper is to analyse the corporate governance implemented in the company. Herein, the company that will be given emphasis is a food retailing company. Overview of the Company Kay (1995) stated that food retailing in Britain is dominated by six chains and that the oldest and largest is the company that will be analysed in this report. The founder started the company by establishing its first grocery store in south London over a century ago, and the family tradition and the philosophy of good quality products at competitive prices have remained central to the firm ever since. Conservatively managed, the company came to the stock market only in 1973 and since then has expanded steadily from its loyal, and mostly southern, customer base. Founded in the year 1869 in London, John and his wife established their first shop, a dairy business in an area called Drury Lane. Because of the fact that Drury Lane was considered as one of the underdeveloped areas in the city back then, the shop managed to gain recognition in the area as it had products that were inexpensive despite the fact that they were of high-quality. Due to the business’ resounding success, two more shops later on opened at other streets. In the year 1882, the firm already had four shops that were in operation. But this didn’t stop the owner from further expanding his business. Hence, he unveiled his plans to have a storehouse in a town in northwest London in order to accommodate his growing number of supplies. At the same time, it was in this place that the first brand product of the company, namely bacon kilns, was made. Consequently, it was in the same year that the company opened its first branch in a town called Croydon. Unlike the other towns, Croydon was prosperous. And so, the shop here sold superior quality products. Not to mention, it looked much better than the previous shops that had opened. From here on, Sainsbury would continue to grow. At present, this food retailing has been able to hold on to the lead in the market. As a matter of fact, the company is pretty much advanced in many aspects, especially with regards to technology and of course, its fresh products. The company was the first to be able to use scanning and computerized stock control technology. In addition, it had implemented certain techniques such as sales-based ordering. All-in-all, these factors contributed greatly to the company’s competitive advantage that it is currently enjoying. Not to mention, its computerized energy management has helped bring down the consumption of energy. Moving on, the firm has a wide range of products. In fact, during the year 1994, its number of products multiplied more than twice its original number. And as of the moment, the business continues to pride itself with its specialty in fresh foods such as fruits, breads and low-fat milks. Even up to now, their customers continue to demand for even better products which the company efficiently responds to. The corporation is now mainly concentrated on their business in the UK (United Kingdom). This includes the supermarkets, the bank and its recently acquired stores which sells bells. Moreover, the company now has other products which are not food-associated such as home equipment, beauty products, clothing apparel and other general merchandise. As of March 2004, figures indicate that the firm is operating at least 583 supermarkets and it also has 50 banking centers which are housed in the stores themselves and as a result, the workforce has ballooned to about 153,000 people. Nature and Style of Governance It can be said that the company has a very good framework that has been established in order to deal with different corporate matters. In fact, there is usually a properly structured program that is further reinforced by company policies and other procedures for the proper guidance of the directors in their daily duties. Consequently, the company has a clear reference guide to its business operations and corporate governance. The Board of Directors which oversee the businesses and the decision-making routines as well as the financial aspect of things, keeps watch. In addition, this includes the maintenance of the standards with regards to corporate governance in the corporation’s different sectors. The Board is made up of ten directors; two are executive while six are non-executive. Because of this, there is a fair division of responsibilities and other tasks among them. And while the non-executive directors are independent from the others, they are still able to contribute their experience and knowledge during Board discussions. Without a doubt, The Board is in-charge of caring for the company’s operations, assets, and its shareholders. All-in-all, the board aims to work with these factors in the hopes of maximizing performance. Because of this, it is The Board that is responsible for the finalization of budgets and strategic plans. And in order to ensure the firm’s competent operations, The Board conducts a monthly review of the company’s businesses in relation to its financial movements. Furthermore, there is a company law that obliges The Board of Directors to carefully prepare each year, a financial report that would have to be accurate and reliable reflecting the true state of the company. All things considered, The Board of Directors is the one that is responsible for the proper safekeeping of accounting statements and to ensure that these records are precise and truthful. In addition, the board is in-charge of guarding the company’s other assets as well as making the necessary steps in order to prevent complications such as fraud and other types of risks. Aside from the board of directors, the company also has other committees as part of their corporate governance. Just like the board, other committees have a well-established reference guide which also discusses their duties and their scope of authority within the corporation.Composed typically of independent directors who are non-executive, the remuneration committee handles the outline for the company’s remuneration policy which would eventually be reviewed by the board. Moreover, this group is also responsible for the various remuneration packages that are given to executive directors. On the other hand, there is also a nomination committee which is also made up of mostly non-executive directors. The responsibility of this group is to recommend to The Board on which people should be appointed as directors. Finally, there is also a group known as the audit committee. Compared to the other two, the members of this committee is purely composed of non-executive directors. This group’s duty is to make proper recommendations with regards to the company’s accounting policies as well as overseeing financial control within the corporation (Sternberg, 1998) . For this reason, the committee usually receives and reviews financial reports and other statements delivered to them. Then, they make a comprehensive report before they submit it to The Board. Of course, there is also the group’s evaluation of the risks involved which has always been done to assist with the company’s next business move, and have further control of the corporation’s different operations. Issues Concerning the Board The board of directors is responsible for ensuring that the organization always has the best business performance and corporate governance. However, there are several issues that concern the board. One of which is in terms of the level of skill and care expected of the directors, specifically the non-executive directors. All non-executives should take note of the following comments in the Report, which could well foreshadow the approach of a court: â€Å"It must be recognised that non-executive directors may bring different skills to a board, some quite specialised, and that such persons may have limited accounting experience. However, accounting is not so complicated that such directors should be excused responsibility for the accounts. Accounting issues can be clearly explained so as to be understood by sensible laymen. If accounts are gone through carefully, explaining significant items in them, laymen should be able to ask pertinent questions and make informed judgments thereon. If, after all this, the layman cannot understand the companys accounts, then he ought not to be a director of that company. Often it is the director with little accounting experience whose common sense may lead him to question what those with accountancy experience may let pass. The accountings issues in respect of which some make criticisms were nearly all ones which involved no accounting complexity and what was acceptable and what was not should have been obvious to any reasonable director possessed of the facts who sensibly applied his mind to the issue. In most instances, those directors who decided to adopt the accounting were in a better position than the auditors to determine whether the treatment applied was acceptable or not. Those directors were thus not entitled to suspend their own independent judgment and rely upon the fact that the auditors failed to prevent them from adopting an unacceptable course. Another issue that concerns the Board is in terms of inadequate financial information. There are time that some of the members of the board, never prepared or presented to the Board any consolidated budgets or managements accounts which brought together the budgets and results of all the divisions in the Group. The absence of consolidated management accounts facilitated the practice of unacceptable year end adjustments being made by the accountant directors, unbeknown to most of the other directors, to create extra reported profits. In the last few years, the first the board as a whole knew of the results to be published was when the preliminary or interim announcement was circulated for information at the close of the board meeting that invariably occurred the day prior to announcement. In effect, the board as a whole never discussed the details of the results or what lay behind them. The main boards lack of understanding of the composition of the reported results was an extraordinary state of affairs which no director should ever have tolerated. Positive Aspects of Governance The Board has been able to attain complete control of all matters regarding the company. Their self-perseverance and obligation to their duties and finally, their obedience to the company laws all contribute to the development of the corporation. As such, The Board constantly believes that all the data pertaining to financial information and other facts regarding to their operations that are currently being used is reliable. The Board’s authority is clearly recognized within the company. And because of this, it is able to have a solid grip on the corporation’s actual operations, stakeholders and its financial concerns. Needless to say, because of the corporation’s proper structure and its commitment to the stakeholders and to the community as well, the board of directors has proven that it can efficiently handle both its ethical and legal responsibilities. Furthermore, the company is currently maintaining good relations and open communications with its investors. As a matter of fact, shareholders are regularly invited by the corporation whenever there are gatherings to discuss trade updates. Moreover, whenever there is an annual general meeting, investors get the chance to meet The Board members themselves. And of course, for private investors, they can also access the company’s website for various shareholder services. Undoubtedly, the company has good consideration for all of its stakeholders; past, present and future. There definitely seems to be a very well planned framework in the firm’s corporate division. It has good policies and procedures with regards to financial matters and operational concerns. Its procedure of assessing the different kinds of situations that come up is certainly a good move on their part. Not to mention, they have maintained good relations with their stakeholders. And finally, The Boardâ€⠄¢s authority is unsurpassed. Clearly, these facts prove the strength of the company’s corporate governance structure. Negative Aspects The weakness on this case however, is the fact that it cannot always be assured that there are no losses or other errors which may result from mistakes and inconsistencies by one of the committees or employees involved. In addition, having diverse populations, there can be a possibility of having internal problems between members who have different culture and beliefs. In addition, some problems occur in terms of giving value to the companies’ shareholders. There are times that the shareholder is not given the enough information about the status of the company, specifically that shareholder which have a small part in the business. This happens when the board of directors does not give value to their shareholders. Other negative aspects include the imperfection of financial reporting procedures which may definitely result in ineffective corporate governance. Recommendation Corporate governance is said to be one of the most important aspects to be considered in an industry. Hence, it is recommended that the company should be able to determine the most appropriate and effective corporate governance structure and approach so as to ensure that the business will adhere to all social responsibilities, legal and ethical aspects. In addition it is also recommended that this food retailing industry should give value not only to its customers and employees but most especially to the shareholders who have trusted the company and its capabilities. The company must be able to align carefully their corporate governance approach with its organizational objectives. Conclusion Corporate governance is a process which is concerned about how corporations are managed, how managers are governed, what questions face by boards of directors and the accountability a corporation has to shareholders. In this case, it can be seen that the food retailing industry has been able to implement effective corporate governance which guides the organization to become more competitive in the marketplace. Accordingly the issues concerning the board include the level of skill and care expected of the directors and inadequate financial information. In order for the organization to address the issue, the members of the board are trying to create a resolution for these issues. In terms of positive aspects, the members of the company have been able to contribute well in ensuring competitive performance of the company. The board of directors of this organization ensures that all their actions are legal and adheres to business ethics. In addition, they also ensure that their social responsibility is also incorporated with their accountabilities. Although the company has positive aspects, it also has its negative aspects. One of which adheres to the notion that, because of the mistakes and inconsistencies of the individual involved, it cannot always be assured that there will be no losses or errors that will occur. In ability to handle diversities and differences is also a negative aspect that can be attached with the company’s corporate governance practice. Lastly, inability to ensure shareholder value is another negative aspect of the company. It is said that the shareholder is regarded as the central stakeholder of each industry. It can be concluded that in order for the company to have a competitive business performance, the company must start from within, from its corporate governance. 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