Category: Action Plan

Each person has their strengths that need to be developed, and their weaknesses, which they need to fight. I chose the profession of a nurse because it is necessary to have several strong qualities, such as discipline, independence, sociability, and self-confidence. These strengths are inherent to me, and I strive for constant development and improvement. I also have weaknesses that I will seek to correct. These include straightforwardness, excessive emotionality, self-criticism, and the desire to please everyone. This essay aims to describe the actions to develop and strengthen my strengths and eliminate my weaknesses.

A nurse needs to be disciplined, I have such a quality, and I would like not to lose it. To do this, I will allocate a certain amount of time for each task and try to accomplish it. In addition, I will make a list of necessary tasks, distribute them by priority level, and strictly follow this list. These actions will help me develop my discipline and dose the time for work and rest.

To develop my independence, I will try to take tasks in which it is necessary to make decisions and make choices more often. Of course, sometimes these decisions will be essential and responsible, but this will have an even more positive impact on my independence. For example, I will take responsibility for drawing up a treatment plan for patients and independently make decisions to monitor their recovery.

I will develop my strong side, such as communication, by constantly maintaining friendly, positive contacts with patients and medical staff. I will give helpful advice if I am asked for it to inquire about the health status of patients whom I supervised after their discharge. I will also try to meet my colleagues more often in an informal setting, for example, go to the movies or for walks with them.

In most cases, I am confident in my decisions, actions, and deeds, but I will continue to develop this strong side. To do this, I will recognize my achievements and gratefully accept praise from colleagues and patients. In addition, I will draw up a detailed plan for training and developing my nursing skills. Moreover, I will always strive to achieve what I want by any means.

Among my weaknesses, I single out my straightforwardness, which often manifests itself in adverse situations, but it must be combated. In a dispute or a problematic situation, I will pull myself away from straightforward statements in order not to spoil relations with other people. There are times when I feel that it is quite difficult to restrain myself. In this case, I will take a break in negotiations, go for a walk for a few minutes, and carefully consider the current situation and the ways to solve it. I will apply the same solution to my excessive emotionality.

To get rid of excessive self-criticism, I will praise myself for achieving goals and those situations I have positively shown myself. Furthermore, I will think about my actions more carefully to minimize the possibility of mistakes so as not to criticize myself in the future. Moreover, it will be helpful to exclude as much as possible from the circle of communication those people who notice even the most minor mistakes and give me negative emotions.

It is challenging for me to refuse people if they ask for something. Sometimes it brings me a lot of inconveniences and problems. This weakness can be eliminated by learning to say people no. Naturally, if patients come to me, I will carefully consider their request and weigh the consequences they will incur for me. It is important not to spoil relations with the environment, colleagues, and patients in this case.

In conclusion, each person needs to develop their strengths and get rid of their weaknesses. It is necessary to clearly define them and make a detailed plan for changing and improving it. This will probably make life better and the career more successful. Every day, people need to do at least something that will bring them closer to their goal, even if only one step.

The movement for social action has been gaining quite a momentum over the past decade. With the rise in the levels of agency among general audiences, the importance of issues associated with environmentalism has risen, hence the increase in the popularity of Greenpeace USA, one of the largest environmentalist organizations. Located in Washington, D.C., Greenpeace has contributed to a rise in awareness about the need to preserve wildlife and unique habitats that are currently termed as endangered (Greenpeace, 2020). Helping the species that face extinction to survive and thrive, Greenpeace has been the face of the environmentalism movement.

Action Plan

In order to make an even greater difference in the modern world, where the role of production and, therefore, the performance of numerous industries and their negative impact on the environment, has increased, Greenpeace will need a strong action plan. Currently, the company will have to focus on building awareness in a subtle yet effective manner. For this purpose, the organization will have to utilize social media tools in order to grab the audience’s attention. In addition, the development of applications that will allow engaging citizens into the conservation of the environment, such as the tools tracking their environmental footprint, will be needed (Alam, Nilan, & Leahy, 2019; Hawken, 2007). Moreover, Greenpeace will have to attract funding by outlining its progress, including the effects made of the D-Town Farm and other Greenpeace’s projects. By raising the attention and investment of citizens, Greenpeace will be able to create more communities such as the Damascus citizens group (‘Damascus citizens for sustainability,’ n.d.). Overall, the rise in the levels of awareness is expected to occur as a result of a massive media campaign. In addition, Greenpeace may need to emphasize the necessity to address environmental issues in light of the current range of health concerns, namely, the effects of the pandemic.

References

1. Alam, M., Nilan, P., & Leahy, T. (2019). Learning from Greenpeace: Activist habitus in a local struggle. Electronic Green Journal, 1(42), pp. 1-18.
2. Damascus citizens for sustainability. (n.d.). Web.
3. Greenpeace. (2020). About us. Web.
4. Hawken, P. (2007). Blessed unrest: How the largest movement in the world came into being, and why no one saw it coming. New York: Penguin Books

Executive Summary

The main aim of this audit report is to asses the current waste management system to outline a new plan with follow-up actions. This report entails a combination of audit results and findings. It also provides an insight into the SP AusNet’s general performance of office compliance. It gives a cumulative summary of existing opportunities and cost-saving recommendations. Besides, the report outlines the protocols and procedures for conducting waste management audits such as visual inspection of the current waste boxes and disposal bins. In the report, notes and photos were taken for future reference. After conducting a high-level scope analysis and inspection on the 31st of January 2014, it is apparent that the waste management industry can improve its environmental performance and compliance by undertaking several actions such as:

1. Encouraging employees to dispose of wastes appropriately.
2. Ensuring that wastes from offices are stockpiled and disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner.
3. Avoiding extra costs by separating recyclable wastes and putting them in different waste bins.
4. Encouraging re-use by recycling more wastes and using fewer raw materials.
5. Seeking and promoting initiatives so that decimate the use of raw materials.

Background

Previously, there was a lack of data on waste composition. Therefore, the waste audit exercise was carried out to identify, classify and examine the composition of wastes emitted within the SP AusNet’s offices. The analysis was done on individual waste streams and those generated from collective functional zones within the organisation. The latter was also meant to ensure compliance with the requirements set by EPA’s regulations.

The audit report was meant to determine the generators’ ability to reduce, avoid and recycle materials from the waste streams. Additionally, the audit report aimed to support the need to strengthen recycling plans and provide a guideline for a waste reduction program. Also, the waste audit entails measuring the quantity of waste production, identifying composition, and how wastes are produced. The waste audit focused on management policies and decisions related to waste production.

SP AusNet possesses and manages Victoria’s power transmission network besides owning electricity gas and supply networks. Approximately, there are 1800 members of staff out of which 300 operate within the city offices. SP AusNet’s offices are situated in Freshwater Place Southbank. It is worth to mention that the edifice has a total of 36 levels. SP AusNet’s employees occupy four of them.

Methodology

The waste audit exercise was carried out on the 31st of January 2014. The assessment of site comprised of three individualised visual inspections. The first inspection was conducted at 9:30 am when all the employees had already begun working. This time was deliberately selected to see the amount of garbage brought into the site from numerous cafes and restaurants in the surrounding areas. The second visual inspection took place at exactly 2:30 pm since lunchtime begins from 12 pm to 2 pm. The third and final inspection was carried out at 5:30 pm because most of the workers had finished their tasks and left the site. The high-level scope analysis carried out revealed that the wastes were not sorted manually.

1. Printer Area No. 1
2. Kitchen and Lunchroom
3. Printer Area No. 2

9:30 am: Visual Inspection

During the first visual inspection, the initial analysis was done on the employees’ operating area. In the site, there were desks and small cardboards and VISY paper recycling bin. Upon careful analysis, one could see stains of food in the paper recycling bins. This indicated that employees used the paper recycle bin as food scrap and coffee cups bin. This could be attributed to the fact that they were to leave their station and walk to the nearest general organic bin where they could dispose of food scraps and wrappers. However, the only general organic bin was located at the kitchen and Printing Area 1.

2:30 pm: Visual Inspection

The second visual inspection was conducted on Printer Area 1. This area is indeed spacious even though there are numerous bins which confuse staff members. As illustrated in Figure 2 below, there is a white cabinet that is just adjacent to the printer. The cabinet has two cutouts at the top that are used as waste chutes. There is a general waste chute which has a black polythene bag whereas the recycling bin is just plain without a bag. The waste is thrown directly into the plain recycle bin. There is a paper tray between the two chutes.

During the inspection, the recycling chute was full of the paper ream and shredded papers (See figure 2.1 below). This indicated that the bin had not been emptied for a long time.

There is a 60L green organics bin with signage stating “ORGANIC WASTE ONLY”. After careful observation, one could note that majority of the staff members are aware of what an organic waste means because most of the contents in the bin are banana peels and food scraps. The bin has a bag that is clear in colour, thereby making it easier for the cleaner to identify the content from other wastes. Alongside the 60L bin, there is a 120L recycling bin that is red. Its lid has a “thank you” sign and a struck sign at the bottom. There is an illustration of acceptable items that include aluminium, plastic, glass and bottles attached at the bottom. Due to the position of the bin, it is very hard to read or even notice the signage (See the figure below).

It is important to note that there is a 60L box for ink cartridges in Printer Areas 1 and 2. There is also an appointed staff member whose role is to change the ink cartridges. Furthermore, there are DOC Shops, secure document bin, a 120L VISY bin and cardboard box for recycling papers in Printer Area 2.

The lunchroom and kitchen areas on level 32 have a 60L green organics bin. The bin is hidden in one of the corners between the wall and the fridge. Moreover, there is no signage above or around this bin. Therefore, it completely relies on employees’ knowledge to understand and dispose of acceptable wastes. The recycle bin in the kitchen is a chute which is also part of the cupboard. The signage in the bin is visible and very detailed, as shown below.

During this visual inspection, the staff members had taken their lunch and went back at their work stations. When taking photographs through the area, it was found out that the recycling bins at the desks had a minimal litter. There were several litter bins with tissue papers, plastic boxes and food scraps. In Printing Area 1, the volume of wastes in general and recycling bins increased.

5:30pm: Visual Inspection

At this time, most staff members had gone home and therefore. It was easier to do the waste audit. In the desk, recycling bin, papers and post notes were the most common type of litter. More paper and paper reams were being recycled in Printer Area 1 whereas there was no increase of wastes in Printer Area 2.

Key Findings

Existing waste systems

The following is a summary of the current litter/recycling systems used at SP AusNet’s offices.

Printer Area 1 Waste Stream System

Printer Area 2

Kitchen and Lunchroom Area

Desks

Data based on historical records

Waste Profile

The following provides the data from the 24 hour waste assessment per stream

Printer Area 1

Kitchen and Lunchroom

Discussion

Preliminary site visit

All the sites were available for visual inspection as planned. The assessment was done on the bins and photographs also taken to facilitate high-scope analysis. It was found out that the latest waste audit was done way back in 2008. Hence, the present management plan was outdated. There were no costs or invoice for waste disposal records.

Site Analysis

There were too many bins in Print Area 1 of level 32. The bins were also too close to each other. Therefore, they needed to be redesigned to ensure that they had visible signage and different colours. Bins in Print Area 2 required visible signage. There was a need to reposition the bins in the Kitchen and Lunchroom to minimise contamination levels.

Individual recycling streams

Employees need to be made aware of acceptable materials to be disposed of in various waste bins to avoid excessive contamination. Moreover, employees should be keen to check the signage to understand what should be disposed of in organic bins.

Specific Issues

Establishing a centralised approach will help in reducing contamination and minimise recycling costs. Bins should be positioned in a manner that is convenient for use by employees. Moreover, they should be emptied regularly to avoid overflow and spread of unwanted papers around the printer or on the floor. Some signage, especially at the kitchen, should be made clear and visible.

Cost Saving

Communication and awareness will help employees to avoid wastage of time while dealing with confidential documents. Employees should also make use of storerooms to store waste materials and reduce frequent waste collection. Putting clear and correct signage will reduce contamination and the expenses of waste disposal.

Photographs

Opportunities

Some of the opportunities to improve the management of waste products include:

1. Avoiding waste of papers by embracing double-sided printing.
2. Reducing unnecessary printing.
3. Use of energy-efficient equipment to reduce energy costs.
4. Specifying equipment before buying to minimise overspending.
5. Undertaking regular service and repairing of equipment to reduce the cost of buying new ones.
6. Embracing the e-waste management program.

Recommendations

1. Put posters to inform staff members about acceptable and unacceptable trash
2. Update and make signage clear and visible in all the bins.
3. Send memos and emails emphasising the importance of recycling waste papers.
4. Implement staff’s awareness day on waste management.
5. Use different coloured bins to avoid waste contamination.

Introduction

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) experiences climatic fluctuations from time to time. The region’s high population is a contributing factor to rapid climatic change. Other aspects affecting the climate in the UAE include increased temperatures, rising sea levels, heavy precipitation, and shrinking glaciers. Furthermore, intense elements contribute to global warming, which results in acidity, drought, scarcity, and rising sea levels. The climatic change increases the country’s vulnerability, especially in the coastal areas, water factors, and dryland ecosystems. Moreover, the government of the UAE has aligned climatic mitigation plans such as the adoption of renewable energy, controlling emission of gases, and cultivation of technologies. Thus, climatic change is a problem for the UAE, and the following climate action plan could keep the climate situation under control.

Impacts of Climate Change and Underlying Physical Processes

Intense climatic changes in the UAE cause formation of greenhouse gases like carbon which then cause global warming. The coastal areas experience high temperatures and humidity, which lead to increased sea levels. Higher sea level as caused by direct sunlight makes the coastal region hot and arid. Indeed, the humidity of the coastal line could go up to 90% (Hereher, 2020). The major causes of increased temperatures in the coastal area are reclamation, oil-related activities, and dredging, which also endanger the ecosystem. The communities in the coastal regions witness changes in storm movement, intensity, and frequency. Increased sea level is experienced when the ocean warms and increases the sea surface temperature, which in turn leads to thermal expansion and change in sea levels (Hereher, 2020). Consequently, changes in sea surface temperatures lead to coral bleaching that harms the sea species. The general impact of change in sea levels affects the infrastructure, population, and sea biology.

Another significant impact of climate change is the presence of natural disasters and disruption of water resources. Global warming increases the UAE temperatures and causes unequal distribution of water resources (Al Mehairi, 2019). Following the change in the balance of water demand and supply, some regions may experience floods while other face water shortage at the same time. In agriculture, increased weeds, higher temperatures, and the presence of harmful insects cause damage to some crops (Al Mehairi, 2019). Consequently, the region experiences food shortages, and more of the lack is expected in the future. Natural disasters like floods spread salty water and contaminate the fresh waters hence endangering freshwater species and making farming impossible.

Climatic fluctuations also affect human health, animals, and plants’ way of living. The emission of greenhouse gases causes harm to human health by bringing respiratory diseases and other health problems. Erratic precipitation also makes the existing waterborne disorders even worse. Animals and plants shift their habitats to the mountainous and northern areas. Therefore, those that cannot migrate due to topographical obstacles die, thus posing a danger to their population.

Massive air pollution alongside other factors like water shortages and increased temperatures affect city life. In the summertime, people in the cities use energy in air conditioning and high consumption of water to quench thirst. The use of energy adds emission of carbon gases, and increased use of water contributes to water shortage (Hereher, 2020). The high population recorded in the UAE cities impacts the level of air pollution. Compared to America, where an individual emits 14 tonnes of carbon gases, the UAE emits 88 tonnes per capita (“Intended Nationally Determined Contribution,” 2015). Furthermore, there are many sources from which the gases are emitted, but the major one is cars. Some power stations and air conditioners used in the UAE are produced with carbon-based fuel, thus adding danger to human consumptions.

Vulnerability of Climate Change Impacts

UAE is ranked as highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in the world. The presence of general high temperatures makes the region more likely to experience drought (Hereher, 2020). During summer, the tree and plants dry, water becomes scarce, and animals suffer from thirst. The increased temperatures also make the dry land animals die from lack of food and water. Henceforth, the natural resources of the UAE during drought are usually at risk. The increased demand for water associated with shortage makes the lives of people difficult. The desert weather also makes the area vulnerable to less precipitation, warmer weather, increased storms, and higher sea levels.

The population and economic growth in the UAE increase the demand for natural resources, water, and energy. The provision of the three components highly contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases. Therefore, as the need for these factors increases, the level of emitted gases goes high. UAE plays a significant role in providing fossil fuels at an international level (Hereher, 2020). Consequently, the country has an excellent task of controlling the emission of gases while still delivering the energy to keep the economy stable. The vulnerability of this country places aspects like human health, natural habitats, and infrastructure in emanate danger.

Air pollution caused by emitted gases makes human health vulnerable. As the country continues to control the emission of gases, it still has to produce fossil fuels for the rest of the world. Cars are the major emitters of the carbon gases inhaled by the UAE population (Bernabeo et al., 2018). Inhalation of polluted gases puts the lives of people in health danger. Some of the emitted gases cause chronic diseases like cancer, thus threatening human existence. As the country puts measures to control gas emission, it still has to keep the economic growth constant, which is highly contributed by the sale of fuel. Human health in the country is at risk As the actors try to balance the effect of economic growth and control of gases.

Mitigating Factors for Climate Change

The UAE has considered several mitigating factors in response to climate change in the country. The measures are taken and yet to be implemented aimed at minimizing the effect of global warming in the country and the world at large. The climate-troubled government seeks to control the emission of carbon gases. Henceforth, it has engaged 14 projects whose primary purpose is to reduce the emission of gases (Mfarrej, 2019). The projects’ plan is to cut the gases by at least one million tonnes, whereby the adoption of renewable energy is a key contributor. The initiative also aims at expanding the role of low-carbon technologies, thus ensuring the use of nuclear power and renewable energy.

The UAE is also considering the application of cultivation technologies that seek farming without using soil. The initiative will curb the effects of harsh agricultural products and the damage to the ecosystem. According to Ajaj et al. (2019), the technology controls domestic climate change such as temperatures, ventilation, and humidity. It also helps in the roots environment whereby it selects adequate media for the roots to grow (UAE, 2020). Furthermore, cultivation technology increases the efficiency of fertilizer use, water consumption, and solutions for soil type and soil problems. Through the use of the technology, local farming will be enhanced, thus preventing food shortages in the future.

The country seeks to reduce the flaring of natural gases by not burning waste materials. When waste materials are burned, they also emit toxic gases that cause global warming. According to Mills and Sim (2021), flaring often occurs in oil and petrol-producing industries, so the use of renewable gases and nuclear power will reduce the flaring. Another measure is increasing the efficiency of energy use in various industries. The government of UAE approved projects like Smart City Strategy, Green Building, and Sustainable Building Standards, and many others to improve the use of energy (Mills & Sim, 2021). The initiative aims at ensuring good use of energy in communication, transportation, urban planning, financial services, and infrastructure. The Masdar initiative will develop and commercialize technologies for renewable energy, water usage, carbon management, and desalination (“United Arab Emirates First NDC,” 2020). The above are the most efficient mitigation measures to curb climate change in the country.

Conclusion

Climate change has brought many implications to the United Arab Emirates. Global warming affects natural resources as well as human health, thus making its increased changes worse. Climate change causes drought, scarcity, diseases, and air pollution, among other effects. The UAE is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its arid weather and production of fossil fuels in large volumes. However, the country government has placed many adaptation measures amongst which are already in practice. Adoption of cultivation technology, efficient use of energy, and use of renewable energy are among many measures. The country is expected to experience increased levels of climate change hence the need to act immediately. With the mentioned mitigation strategies in place, the UAE will cut gas emissions in large volume, thus reducing climate change.

References

Ajaj, R. M., Shahin, S. M., & Salem, M. A. (2019). The challenges of climate change and food security in the United Arab Emirates (UAE): From deep understanding to quick actions.Current Nutrition & Food Science, 15(5), 422-429. Web.

Al Mehairi, J. (2019). United Nations convention on climate change and UAE’s efforts towards it. In Health and Environment Conference (289-301). Web.

Bernabeo, R. A., Khalifeh, H. A., Andretta, A., Al Khatib, I. T., & Ghori, M. H. (2018). The impact of climate change and weather on air transport in the UAE: Reduction of CO 2 emissions. In 2018 Advances in Science and Engineering Technology International Conferences (ASET) (pp. 1-7). IEEE. Web.

Hereher, M. E. (2020). Assessment of climate change impacts on sea surface temperatures and sea-level rise—The Arabian Gulf.Climate, 8(4), 50. Web.

Mfarrej, M. F. B. (2019). Climate change patterns in the UAE: A qualitative research and review.Nature Environment and Pollution Technology, 18(1), 261-268. Web.

Mills, R., & Sim, L. (Eds.) (2021). Low carbon energy in the Middle East and North Africa. Springer Nature.

UAE. (2020). Climate change. Web.

Intended nationally determined contribution of the United Arab Emirates. (2015). Web.

Understanding different student needs in the teaching and learning process can be indeed helpful in determining whether the teaching and learning objectives are achieved. Different learners are blessed with different skills and abilities such that all of them need to be accommodated in the learning process and that is why an action plan needs to be formulated in order to ensure that this is achieved (Schlechty, 1997).

This action plan should be geared towards discovering each student needs and addressing these needs so as to enhance the teaching and learning process. When testing the learning process the two forms of testing that are most applicable are norm referencing and criterion referencing (Schlechty, 1997).

When a test is criterion referenced, testing is measured in terms of objectivity whereby the learner is gauged by checking whether he or she, uses an objective standard or achievement level. This entails finding out whether the learner meets the set standards so as to determine whether the learner satisfies the expectations of the education system.

Each grade or level in the education system has got its own standards which the learner has got to meet, so the test should be able to give results or the reflection of the capabilities of the learners regardless of the performance of others in the same level.

Norm referenced kind of tests are those that a student’s performance is measured in reference to the performance of a group (Miller, 1989). The composition of the norm group is usually the determinant of the performance of an individual in that group. For instance, when an individual’s performance in physics stands at the 90^th percentile out of the possible 100 per cent, it is not obvious that the student is a good perform until the performance of the other norm group members is considered.

So therefore norm referencing is important because many a time it helps the teacher gauge the performance of students so as to determine the student’s abilities. Once the student’s weaknesses and strengths are identified, then both the learner and the teacher are able to know which areas to improve on.

In criterion referenced tests, the student will show his or her ability to perform in a given task at a particular level (Popham, 1971). This way, an individual performs a task and the degree of difficulty is seen and this will be in direct reference to the capabilities of the individual at a personal level and not in reference to a group.

This way, the individual effort is measured not against any other student but rather individual effort is seen. The expected standards are usually set so that the student is measured and graded alongside these standards. Therefore when a test sets a goal for a student so that the student either passes or fails the test (Popham, 1971) is used basically to test the student at an individual level. Such tests are those used to grade students for graduation from one level of education to the next.

Both of these tests should measure the progress of the students towards achieving the goals of education. The skills of the learners should therefore be assessed appropriately (Popham, 1971). The learning task should at all times be viewed by the learners as a means of acquiring the necessary knowledge and skill such that when tested, they should not see this as a form of punishment.

The learners should be motivated by the tests to work hard not to satisfy the examiner and the teacher but rather to examine themselves and see whether the fruits of education are borne (Miller 1989).

References

Miller, L. J. (1989). Developing Norm Referenced Standardized Tests. New York. The Haworth Press Inc.

Popham, W. J. (1971). Criterion-Referenced Measurement: An Introduction. Englewood Cliffs, Educational. Technology Publications Inc.

Schlechty, P. C (1997). Inventing better schools: an Action Plan for Educational Reform. San Francisco. Jossey – Bass Inc.

After completing my observation and assessment assignments, I will compile my finding and describe how they can be used to improve the observed education center.

During my observation, I found out that values proposed by the center are very visible in the environment. Child interaction is definitely a priority for the teacher. As I wrote in my observation notes: “When the teacher saw Christine was lying at the loft area by herself, she was approaching to Christine and starting the conversation with the child to get to know what happened to the child.” She quickly noticed that Christine was not feeling well and addressed the problem by working with the girl directly and engaging her in the learning process. The environment emphasizes child independence and safety. All of the furniture in the room was made specifically for children. So they can use it by themselves without any help and do not risk getting hurt. That is a really good setup for children to learn to do things without help which is great for their education. The center states that child independence is important for them, and the way the room is designed supports that. Overall, all of the values the center focuses one could be observed easily. That indicates that they do not just speak about those things but base their program on their values.

The ECERS scale is a really useful tool which can be used to determine the quality of the education center. The system is detailed and describes many different factors which can affect the children (Clifford & Reszka, 2010). By analyzing the worksheet, specific issues can be detected, and we can figure out what exactly needs to be fixed. It is convenient to work with the results since all issues are evident by the low scores. As our class readings mention, the documentation is really important for the efficient dialogue between the parents and the teachers which can ensure that the children get the best education possible (Gandini & Goldhaber, 2001). The materials gathered through the ECERS assessment can also be used to advocate the proper education for children in other places. My observed center got high scores and, I am overall really pleased with it. So it can be used as an example to organize programs in other preschool education facilities. However, using the ECERS I was able to determine several issues. If those problems are solved, the center will be able to help the children develop even better.

The first one is that classroom was not accessible for the disabled children. That is a problem since, as our reading indicates all children have the potential and should be allowed to realize it (Gandini & Goldhaber, 2001). Since the room is made for children and is safe for them, the only things to add are the specific courses for the disabled children. The teachers should be educated to support students with vision and hearing problems, as well as autistic and language disorders. At this age there is no need for special equipment for the disabled children, so they can be admitted to the classroom if the teacher is skilled in working with them (NSW Government, 2014). They need to know how to handle disabled children and what dangers the disadvantaged students can encounter.

It is also important to develop specific learning programs which will allow the disabled children to learn the skills which are important for them specifically (Act Government, 2010). The evidence proves that inclusive education is beneficial for the disadvantaged children, and the center should definitely support it. Another problem which I determined during the observation process is the lack of focus on the reasoning skills. The teacher worked with Christine to develop her understanding but ignored the need to improve her ability to connect meaning and make conclusions on her own. That issue can be addressed by the teacher working with the children to explain the connections between various words and their meanings. That is an important part of developing the children’s ability to think coherently (Bowman, Donovan & Burns, 2000). Overall, the center needs to improve their teaching program to allow the disadvantaged children to learn there and better develop the students’ ability to think logically.

The center supports the education of my focus child really well. It is not surprising, considering the environment was rated high on the ECERS scale. I have identified a single problem through my analysis: “She just needs to work on more intricate with her peers other than Darren.” That is connected to the problematic ECERS area which is language-reasoning. The center only scored 6 points in that category compared to 7 in the other ones. The teacher does not engage her in group activities to learn those skills enough. Otherwise, the center helps Christine develop adequately. The teacher operated in the ZPD, which is a great way to teach the student by guiding and supporting them (Zaretskii, 2009). The personal interaction between the teacher and her students really helps my focus child to learn about language. She has really good language skills, and they were supported by her education. Overall, the program supports Christine’s learning well.

References

Act Government. (2010). Student Centred Appraisal of Need. Web.

Bowman, B., Donovan, S., & Burns, S. (2000). Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Clifford, R., & Reszka, S. (2010). Reliability and Validity of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Web.

Gandini, L., & Goldhaber, J. (2001).Bambini: The Italian Approach to Infant/Toddler Care. Danvers, MA: Columbia University Press.

NSW Government. (2014). Children with disability in inclusive early childhood education and care. Web.

Zaretskii, V. K. (2009). The Zone of Proximal Development What Vygotsky Did Not Have Time to Write. Journal of Russian and East European Psychology, 47, 70-93.

Current Reality

Currently, Highschool X needs to address the collective efficacy issue by addressing the educators’ inability to communicate the standards of education set by the national education institutions. As a result, the students are affected since they are not capable of grasping the nature of these standards and learning in a way that would allow them to achieve success on tests.

The assessment of the reality statements is true because they are the result of the presenter’s observation of the Highschool X. This presentation focuses on the issue of collective efficacy at Highschool X since, through collaboration, educators can make a real difference in the way the school functions.

Action Plan

This action plan offers four steps to detail the way the teachers can explain their understanding of the standards to each other. Additionally, these action steps require the school’s leadership to create benchmarks for students and ensure that the teachers talk through these standards at the beginning of the school year. Additionally, the students will be able to review these benchmarks on the high school’s website when necessary. These steps are designed to enhance the collaboration between the teams of teachers and ensure that the state standards are communicated effectively.

Current Reality: A System of Assessment

The second observational examination of Highschool X’s system of assessment shows that the existing system is not collaborative as the educators do not share details about the way they evaluate student’s achievements. The evident outcome of this is that students have a limited understanding of how their achievements are assessed, for example, during tests or in-class communication.

Action Plan: A System of Assessment

To address the lack of a formative assessment system, the leadership of the school should encourage a discussion with the teachers. The first step is to create a list of formative assessment systems, which can be adapted to different classes. Next, through a discussion, the teachers should choose one formative assessment system. It is vital to ensure that the students understand how their achievements are evaluated, which is why the next step is teachers explaining how the assessment system is designed, what is expected, and what these students should focus on.

Current Reality: Response When Students Do not Learn or Require Enrichment

Over the course of data collection, it has become evident that the response to students not learning in this school is not sufficient. Mainly, the students who master the course content receive additional study plans from their teachers, but the design and structure of these plans are not standardized and depend on an individual educator’s judgment. Moreover, students who fall behind are referred to special education classes. However, special education classes are designed for students with disabilities or severe impairments that obstruct learning and should not be used as a remedy for all students who struggle while studying.

Action Plan: Response When Students Don’t Learn or Require Enrichment

The action plan is based on the idea that Highschool X should provide individualized study plans not only to students who have mastered the content and want to move beyond it but also to the students who faced some difficulties when learning. This approach will replace the measure of sending a struggling student to special education classes, where their individual issues and learning barriers are not assessed. As a final step of this plan, the students who are already in special education classes should undergo a reassessment and receive individualized study plans as well.

Current Reality: A Safe and Collaborative Culture

At Highschool X, teachers have a formal right to bring about issues and concerns and offer solutions. However, parents and other community members do not have access to this opportunity, and teachers rarely use this possibility to discuss other concepts.

Action Plan: A Safe and Collaborative Culture

This action plan offers to focus on ensuring that the voices of teachers and community members are heard by inviting them to participate in the discussion of major issues. Additionally, these individuals will be encouraged if the school’s administration chooses to celebrate the current achievements and success.

Current Reality: An Effective Teacher in Every Classroom

In summary, the observation shows that Highschool X does not use a data-driven approach to collecting information about teacher’s work, nor does it support their professional development. However, teachers have access to development plans that are linked to their personal goals.

The Role of the Principal

Evidently, the Highschool X’s leadership plays a role in enabling the collaboration between the teams and supporting the teachers’ collaborative efficacy. It is important to note that many teachers and principals already use evidence-based methods to and “many schools are already implementing a wide range of effective initiatives, and many educators are already practicing research-based strategies” (“Marzano high-reliability schools,” n.d., para. 1). Hence, the role of the principal is not to hinder the current efforts of the educators but to support and guide them in the correct direction. The main goal is to ensure that there is two-way communication between the leadership and the teachers and that the educators have the support of the leadership to improve the school’s work.

The Role of Dispersed Leadership

Teacher-leaders are the individuals who engage in collaboration with other teams and team members and have a vision for the improvement of the school. The leadership can support the development of teacher-leaders, for example, by providing them with accurate data reflecting the current performance of the school’s students (“Marzano high reliability schools,” n.d). Moreover, these teachers should be given an opportunity to voice their views on the improvement of Highschool X, for example, during monthly meetings with the school’s leadership. Finally, the principal can communicate with assistant principals and district leaders by scheduling regular meetings each month.

Tight/Loose Leadership

This plan includes both tight and loose strategies for cooperating with teacher teams. For example, one non-negotiable element is the need to consider the opinion of other stakeholders, such as parents, caregivers, and community members, when making decisions that will affect the school. However, the teachers will have the freedom to choose the types of formal assessment they perceive suitable for measuring the students’ achievements and the different ways of helping students who struggle with learning. Additionally, although cooperation with the stakeholders is mandatory when making major decisions, the teachers will be able to choose a form of collaboration they are comfortable with.

Measures of Progress/Smart Goals

Finally, this section details the SMART goals for Highschool X. For example, The teachers will hold a discussion where they explain how they view formative assessments and what strategies of formal assessment they use. Next, teacher-leaders will create a formative assessment framework that will be communicated to the students and educators to outline the expectations from the learning process. To help students who struggle with learning, the principal will present individual learning plans. Finally, teachers will collaborate with the HR managers to enhance their professional skills through additional training.

Reference

Marzano high reliability schools.(n.d.).

Introduction

Education is one of the most important economic aspects that should be taken into account in order to improve the living standards of a particular economy. To achieve this, it is paramount for educational institutions to be very effective. Most educational institutions are aimed at instilling sufficient knowledge to students so that they can succeed in life. To attain this, there are a number of aspects which learning institutions should take into account.

One of these entails setting and following a curriculum. The curriculum enables the learning institutions to evaluate the progress of the students. Additionally, every learning institution should have sufficient resources such as books and other learning materials so as to enhance improve the students’ performance. However, one of the factors limiting my schools ability to attain its objective is related with the fact that it does not have a curriculum.

This makes it difficult to assess the actual progress of the students. Additionally, the school does not have adequate resources such as proper classroom materials, workbooks and materials for other activities to support the students in their learning process. This paper details the action plan that will be undertaken to deal with the identified needs.

Implementation of the action plan

Developing the school curriculum

It is relatively difficult to improve the performance of the students without following a set curriculum. Curriculums are very important in the operation of learning institutions. This arises from the fact that their operation should contribute towards improvement of different stakeholders who include the students, environment and the community. Therefore, schools have a responsibility of improving the students’ value systems, attitudes and their thinking capacity.

Currently, the school does not have a curriculum. This limits its ability in inculcating knowledge to the students. In order to deal with this challenge, a school-based curriculum will be designed. The curriculum will clearly outline the selected content that will be considered in the learning process. It will also outline the expected learning experiences aimed at changing the students’ behavior.

A team composed of six individuals will be developed to develop the curriculum that the school will use. To ensure that the school curriculum is effective, the team will take into account a number of components. Some of these are outlined below.

National goals- In designing the curriculum, the school will liaise with curriculum developers within the Ministry of Education. This will aid in ensuring that national goals of education are taken into consideration. Officials from the Ministry of Education will instruct the team on the national goals that must be incorporated in the curriculum.

The education system of a particular country is influenced by the country’s political environment. As a result, it is paramount to ensure that the national identity of the country is taken into account. Additionally, the Ministry of Education will provide the curriculum development team with a list of options with regard to subjects that the school should incorporate in the curriculum. This will serve in ensuring that the subjects considered are those that contribute to the students’ success in their future careers.

The learner-The team charged with the responsibility of developing the curriculum will also take into account the students’ physical, emotional and mental needs. The justification is that students have diverse learning ability in accordance with their level of study. Complexity of the learning process increases with the student’s level. Therefore, it is important to take into account the learner.

Resource availability and the school environment- In process of selecting what to include in the curriculum, the school will evaluate the resources it has. This will safeguard against incorporating subjects which it might not have the necessary resources.

The school environment also plays an important role in the designing of the school curriculum. Consideration of the school environment will aid in the determination of how the environment can best be exploited in order to enhance the student’s learning process.

Actions taken to ensure that the school has adequate learning resources

To improve the students’ performance, the school administration will ensure that adequate resources are supplied to the students. One of the ways through which this will be attained is by establishing a library. In order to cut the cost of building a library, the school will renovate and modify one of its buildings to meet the standards of a modern library. To achieve this, the school administration will seek the support of various parties.

This decision is justified by the fact that establishing the library will be a huge capital investment. As a result, a substantial amount of finances will be required. To ensure that the school does not experience financial constraints that may limit its daily operational efficiency, the school through the Board of Governors and the Parents Teachers Association will organize a fundraising ceremony.

Some of the parties from whom the school will seek assistance include the parents, the business community, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) and the government. One of the factors that will motivate the business community to participate in the fundraising to establish the library is associated with the fact that businesses have a social responsibility in their operation. For example, by participating in the event, the business community will improve their public image.

In addition to providing the necessary finances to establish the library, these parties will also provide other forms of assistance. For example, some of the participants who will be contacted include companies that specialize in publishing books. These companies will assist by supplying some of the books that are incorporated in the school curriculum. In an effort to ensure that the school library is well equipped, the school will also seek donor funding from various stakeholders to aid in the stocking of the library.

In the process of establishing the library, the school will also outsource the services of architectures who are experienced in designing modern libraries.

The architects will ensure that the interiors of the library are designed to meet the needs of the various users. For example, they will ensure that the library has the capacity to hold learning resources of all disciplines. Additionally, they will also ensure that the library is sensitive to the physically challenged students. Such considerations will ensure that the library meets the intended purpose.

Other participants in the establishment of the library include companies that specialize in Information Communication Technology. These companies will aid in the automation of the libraries operation thus making it possible for the librarians to serve the students more effectively and efficiently.

Additionally, the ICT companies will aid in the implementation of a reliable security system. Despite the fact that establishment of the library will be aimed at ensuring that the students access the necessary resources, the issue of security cannot be overlooked. Jurkowski (2010, p.139) asserts that loss of library resources such as books and other reading materials has been a major concern for many libraries. However, emergence of technology has made it easier for schools to secure their libraries.

The ICT companies will aid in the installation of an electromagnetic system. The system will entail embedding a minute metallic strip on books and other learning materials such as magazines, CDs and DVDs. The electromagnetic system will be connected to an alarm system. This will aid in deterring students from taking the resources out of the library without the necessary authorization. The resultant effect is that the resources of the library will be preserved.

The library will play a vital role in the provision of information that will aid the students’ succeed in an environment characterized by a high rate of social and economic dynamics. Additionally, the teachers will also have an opportunity to access reading materials that they can use to supplement the curriculum.

The school will also seek the support of various organizations that support education. Some of the organizations that the firm will seek include those that deal in the provision of classroom instruction materials for various subjects. Examples of such materials include projection equipments.

These equipments will make it easier for both teachers and students to make projections in class. The ultimate effect is that the performance of the students will be greatly improved. Previous studies conducted reveal that there is an increased use of various curriculum materials by teachers in their work. This has played a critical role in the improvement of student performance.

Assessment/ evaluation system- Every learning institution should be committed at ensuring that it instills sufficient knowledge to students. To attain this, it is critical for a well designed curriculum evaluation system to be incorporated. Glatthorn and Jailall (2008, p. 163) are of the opinion that comprehensive evaluation of the curriculum should be conducted throughout its development. Failure to do this may result lead to lack of seriousness for both the students and the instructors.

In line with this, the school will develop an evaluation system that will be used in the determination of whether the curriculum contributes to improvement of the student’s performance. The evaluation system will be developed by the school head in collaboration with the teachers.

Different forms of evaluation will be conducted. The evaluation system will entail conducting assessments on the various subjects. The evaluation will also assess whether the curriculum enhances the students’ thinking and reasoning capacity, recalling and inference to deal with real-world problems in a realistic manner.

The evaluation system will also be used in the determination of whether the curriculum imparts sufficient practical knowledge on the various subjects taught. With regard to this, some of the aspects that will be taken into account include the students’ collaboration ability, teamwork and their moral character. To attain this, the school will ensure that the students understand the intended learning objectives so that they can concentrate towards achieving them.

One of the assessment tools that will be integrated in the curriculum entails use of standardized tests. From the onset, the school will ensure that the students have a comprehensive understanding of what is expected of them. The teachers will outline the learning intentions, their relevance, rules, standards and penalties associated with assessment (Good & Brophy, 2008).

Despite the fact that standardized tests have certain limitations such as being inaccurate and biased, the tests will be incorporated in evaluating the curriculum for a number of reasons. Firstly, the tests will aid in the assessment of the students’ performance by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the student. For example, it will be possible to identify students experiencing learning disability and retardation (Farrell, 2003, p.54).

Undertaking such tests will aid in the improvement of the school’s learning environment. This means that the school will be transformed into an all inclusive learning environment that accommodates all the students. Through these tests, it will be possible for the school to enroll students in the appropriate instructional programs that will lead to improvement of their performance. Through these tests it will be possible for the teachers to identify areas of improvement.

By evaluating the action plan, it will be possible for the school to ensure that it

Timeline for implementation

It is the school’s objective for the students’ academic performance to be improved within the shortest time possible. As a result, it will be ensured that adequate learning resources are in place within the shortest time possible. A timeline within which the action plan will be implemented has been formulated. The gnatt chart below illustrates the various activities that will be conducted in ensuring that the resources are availed and the duration they are expected to take.

Instructional resources

Instructional resources are some of the most critical considerations that will be taken into account in an effort to improve the student’s performance. Instructional resources enhance the teachers’ effectiveness in their teaching process in addition to improving the students’ understanding of the subjects being taught (Paris, 2008, p. 60).

The school will ensure that it selects instructional resources that are in line with the expected learning outcome. It will also be ensured that the instructional resources motivate the students in addition to presenting them with a unique learning experience in accordance with the lessons goals and objectives.

For the school’s curriculum to deliver optimal results, different types of instructional resources will be taken into account. Some of the resources that will be taken into account include the school personnel, parents and industry participants, institutions of higher learning such as universities, business people, community agencies and advisory groups.

These parties will play a critical role in motivating the students. Instructional resources will also include tangible resources such as teaching equipments, furniture, classroom materials and technology. The school administration will also allocate sufficient resources for staff development.

In an effort to ensure sufficient instructional resources, the school’s administrators will liaise with the publishers. In addition to workbooks and textbooks, publishers also assist schools with other instructional materials such as charts, learning kits, videos, and games. The school will also consider the internet as an instructional resource. Some websites act as instructional resources by supplementing information outlined in the school’s curriculum.

Instructional technology

The school is committed towards improving the performance of all its students. To attain this, effective instructional technology will be integrated. Some of the technologies that will be considered include computers, videos and visual tools such as projectors, audio recording systems and teaching boards. Other forms of technology that will be integrated in the learning process include gaming, social networking and simulation.

A technology such as simulation will contribute towards improvement in the student’s thinking and problem solving. To increase the students’ accessibility to information, the school will ensure that the computers are connected to the internet. Comprehensive training on how to use the technologies implemented will be conducted. This will aid in maximizing their utilizing.

Parent and community involvement strategies

The success of the students is dependent on the involvement of both the parents and the community. Previous studies conducted reveal that involvement of the parents and teachers influence the performance of students in a number of ways. Some of these include reduction in the rate of dropouts and increasing school attendances. To increase their involvement, the school will incorporate a number of strategies.

Some of these strategies include liaising with the community leaders, improving the degree of relationship between the parents and the community and developing trust. Additionally, the school will also identify possible barriers such as communication barriers and culture that may limit the parents and community involvement. The school will ensure that the teachers are conversant of the prevailing cultural differences and how they impact education. This will aid in the formulation of strategies to deal with the challenges experienced.

How to deal with possible challenges that may impede implementation of the action plan

The issues of deviation with regard to implementation of action plan cannot be overlooked. Such deviations may result in failure of the action plan achieving the intended purpose. To prevent this, a number of measures will be incorporated. Firstly, to ensure that an effective curriculum is implemented, the school will conduct a continuous evaluation of the curriculum to determine its effectiveness and relevance.

The school will also conduct continuous monitoring of the curriculum. To identify possible gaps within the curriculum, a comprehensive audit will be conducted by officials from the Ministry of Education. The officers will also aid in evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum evaluation system.

The school will also incorporate a strict timeframe within which implementation of the action plan should be conducted. This will aid in ensuring that the students start to accrue the benefits of the action plan within the shortest time possible.

Implementing instructional technology within the school may not result in attainment of the desired objective if proper training on how to utilize the technology is not conducted on both the teachers and students. As a result, the school will formulate a training program to aid in maximization of the technology implemented.

The school will also ensure that it motivates the teachers to adhere to the school curriculum in addition to using the various instructional technologies. It will also be ensured that instructional resources are improved. The ultimate effect is that these measures will lead in the school being effective in imparting knowledge that will enable the students to succeed.

Reference List

Edutopia. (2012). How to teach with project based learning: A professional development guide. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/

Farrell, M. (2003). Understanding special educational needs: a guide for student teachers. New York: Routledge.

Glatthorn, A. & Jailall, J. (2008). The principal as curriculum leader: Shaping what is taught and tested. London: Sage.

Good, T., & Brophy, J. (2008). Looking in classrooms. San Francisco: Allyn and Bacon.

Jurkowski, O. (2010). Technology and the school library: A comprehensive guide for media and other educators. Lanham: Scarecrow Press.

Paris, J. (2008). Cliffnotes praxis II: Educational leadership. New York: Wiley.

An incident Action plan is an organized set of activities, which are prepared in advance with the aim of responding to any emergency that will occur in case of an accident, fire or a hazard to endanger human beings or property (Zoe, 2007). It contains the strategies and ways in which a hazard will be controlled by the commanding officer.

Having an incident plan is always a sure way of controlling accidents and hazards that are prone to occur in the life of human beings as it is said say that, prevention is better than cure. An incident control plan is one of the best ways to avoid an incident (Krieger & Sullivan, 2001).

The following is an incident Action Plan on how to deal with emergencies in the place of employment, a banking hall in the seventh floor of a building in the town centre. There are three hazards which are likely to affect any building or they are likely to occur.

The first thing to have in an incident plan is the objectives, which in other words refers to the purpose of the incident strategies and what they are intended to help. In the case of a banking hall, the incident plan will have the following goals to prevent the customers from fire. To have an easy evacuation points in case of fire. To have emergency exits to be used in case of a hazard or a bomb. To have emergency exits in case a customer faints or falls ill in the banking hall.

To protect the property and filing systems from fire, to handle cases of fire in the shortest period possible before it spreads to other buildings. To develop proper and sober objectives there should be proper risk assessment. Risk assessment is the process in which the drafter of the incident action plan determines how a particular incident can affect a particular property or people within a given place or location if a certain occurrence was to happen.

The risk assessor has to take into consideration the kind of activities, which happen in a particular place, and how those activities can affect those who are in that environment. For instance, in a factory workshop where oil and flammable materials are used to paint certain products, the risk of fire is higher than in the banking hall. This assessment goes a long way in ensuring that proper work is done to prevent the people or property from a likely hazardous incident.

There are three tasks, which are hazardous, and if they are not performed with care, there is a possibility of having hazards with great consequences. The first activity is that of oil changing. Whenever there is petroleum oil or products, extra care should be taken because this oil is hazardous to both the property and human beings around.

Oil spills should be prevented by ensuring that one has a container or polythene to tap the spilling oil. In case the oil is spilt on the soil, the soil should be disposed to a place where there is no likelihood of fire or simply put away from human settlements (Krieger & Sullivan, 2001).

The other occupation, which should be considered during risk assessment, is that of painting. Though the work does not sound risky, it is a likely source of hazardous incidents. This is because paints are made of inflammable substances and these substances are likely to catch fire if exposed to sunlight or air. To avoid this hazard extra care should be taken when using paints by ensuring that all containers are covered when using them. The paint should not be left exposed to the air.

The third occupation for consideration when doing risk assessment is that involving clinical wastes. In other words clinics, health centers and hospitals all discharge clinical waste, which is very hazardous and poisonous to human beings. A professional knows that when handling such waste gloves are worn because the waste can affect the skin.

Once you are through with the risk assessment the next step in preparing an incident action plan for the banking hall is to come up with preventive mechanisms for the incidents, which are likely to occur. The first one is that of congestion, which may result in people fainting as they wait in the long ques.

To avoid this, proper cooling systems to maintain a room temperature, comfort and avoidance of people fainting, the hall should be well ventilated to accommodate as much fresh air as possible. If this is not possible then there should be a cooler or a fan to provide adequate air in the hall, which will certainly prevent hazards.

There should also be a first aid kit to assist in case there is anyone fainting. There should be proper passageways to allow movement of trolleys and people. There should be wide path allowing mass movement of people from the building in case of fire (Keunruther & Lagadec, 1991).

To deal with fire in a banking hall there should be information on the walls indicating what to do in case of fire and a minimum of four fire extinguishers. However, the emergency exit points should be clearly marked and in the event that fire occurs, the people should be in a position to identify such points with ease.

There should also be an alarm system, which should be well located in a place where people can easily access it so that they can alert others within and outside the building. There should also be the emergency numbers of the departments concerned with the emergency responses of fire. The incident action plan should also include the preventive measures, which are both long term and short term.

The above measures are short term but long-term plans involve ensuring that there is no entry of flammable materials in the bank. Moreover, in case there are renovations or activities such as painting, the paints should not be exposed to the air. The other incident is that of electricity where care should be taken when dealing with electricity repairs and the company should have a policy that only professional electrician should be allowed to do such repairs.

However, hazards continue to occur because incident commanders at times make certain mistakes, which could be prevented rather than cured. The following is an examination of such mistakes and the first mistake that incident commanders do, is failing to plan.

Most of the incident managers do not have an action plan on how to deal with emergencies and they hope that emergencies will never occur. As the saying goes that failure to plan is planning to fail, incident manager who do not plan are planning to fail when an emergency occurs resulting to casualties.

The second mistake, which incident managers make, is to fail to take charge of the incident. This means that most of the incident managers are unavailable and therefore do not take notice of likely hazard causing factors. When they are not controlled in advance, they result in hazardous incidences. Other managers assume that some of the incidences like oil spills do not warrant their attention. This leaves a door for such incidences to birth accidents in various places.

The third mistake by incident managers is to fail to understand the nature of the incident. Without understanding of the incident and its occurrence is hazardous where the manager is not likely to move into action to prevent that incident from bringing a disaster. The ability to classify incidents and tasks on whether they are risky is an important role that the incident manager should play.

The nature of an accident should be classified as an incident or an emergency. It is vital for the incident manager to have an insight on how to handle incidents of any class. This is because classifying an incident gives the commandant a chance to solve it in the best way possible. Incident regulators who want to succeed must have the capability to classify the incidents (Waft, 2007).

Incident managers also tend to base their responses on emotions rather than facts. This is a common failure among incident managers whereby when faced by an emergency they panic and fear thus losing control of the situation. This means that they are not able to assess the situation first to see the extent of its damage but instead they react quickly on how to prevent it without assessing it.

This has caused a great number of casualties because; incident managers have found themselves first extinguishing fire without first evacuating people from the building. Excellent managers deal with facts first before they respond because feelings at such times cannot be relied upon.

The fifth mistake which incident managers are prone to do is to fail to expect changes. It is not only failure to expect changes but also failure to see changes that can be hazardous in this case. Evacuation managers should keep themselves abreast with the latest developments within their locations, which are likely to affect their operations.

They should also anticipate changes, which are going to be a threat to their places of work. Activities such as repairs should be anticipated and be monitored by the incident managers to ensure that they adhere to the right standards. Being aloof and unable to monitor changes such as room painting, a renovated house, and so on will make the incident manager fail (Berman, 2001).

The other mistake, which the incident managers make, is failing to come up with proper communication mechanisms. When we refer to communication, it is simply having a strategy on how to inform people involved in a particular task and how that task could have a negative effect if it is mishandled.

For instance, the incident manager should inform painters of a particular building to cover their containers because open paint is flammable and can cause fire if it is taken lightly. Due to lack of this kind of communication, the incident manager will certainly be failing in a very important responsibility (Reis, 2006).

The ultimate mark of a leader is the ability to take responsibility. Shifting blame and accusing others is a major reason why incidents continue to occur. Competent incident managers take responsibility when they agree that they were wrong and use their mistakes as a learning experience. They always ensure that they are learning and accept feedback. Those who do not accept feedback probably due to fear of critics perform dismally and they are always in a rush to assist victims.

In conclusion, a proper mechanism on how to handle emergencies is vital in the modern world because proper planning will considerably reduce casualties and cases of emergency. This can only be done by having an efficient Incident Action Plan, which will be of great help in Emergency response. Companies that want to be well prepared to handle any emergency must have a competent incidence manager.

References

Berman, J. (2001). The healthy home handbook: Eco-friendly design. London: Frances Lingo.

Krieger, G. & Sullivan, J. (2001). Clinical environmental health and toxic exposures. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Keunruther, H. & Lagadec, P. (1991). Managing risk and hazardous waste. Mexico: Wharton Publishers.

Reis, P. (2006). Understanding health care facility safety. Illinois: Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

Waft, N. (2007). Safety in the use of chemicals at the workplace, in chemical safety. Germany: Richardson.

Zoe, A. (2007). Incident action plan. Philadelphia: Xlibris Corporation.

Introduction

Mercury International Ltd is a worldwide company that operates internationally; therefore, it has to operate under consistent growth with positive returns.

But the Mercury’s Board of Directors realized the company was performing below its capacity. With the aim to find out key issues and hence strategies needed to accelerate the company growth, the Board of Directors instituted Bolt Consulting firm to carry out consultancy work for the company.

As a result, Bolt Consulting made numerous recommendations that can work well and turn around the current company position in the market. Hence, evidence shows that product leadership strategy will be the best strategy for the company.

Proposed High-Level Action Plan

Findings by Bolt Consulting show that product leadership strategy is the most viable strategic action the company can take if long-term growth is to be realized. In identifying product leadership strategic actions, key issues were factored that call for such strategic actions by the company:

Overemphasis on Corporate Strategy

The consultancy report indicated that Mercury International Company was concentrating in corporate strategy, and in the process, it was striving to do everything. These particular actions have resulted into the company lacking identifiable key strategic actions to pursue in order to maximize its returns.

Given the current times where economic resources are limited, it would be prudent for the company to pursue a specified strategy that will bring greater satisfaction to the consumers while at the same time increasing company returns. Product leadership strategy has the advantage in that the company will invest much in innovation strategies.

The current market research indicates that companies that invest in product and service innovation tend to have an upper edge as far as competition is concerned (Rainey, 2005). With greater product improvement and development, Mercury International Ltd will be responding timely and adequately to the changing market trends with ability to satisfy its global consumers more effectively.

The strategic objectives in accordance to this value proposition will include: outstanding performance, along dimensions such as speed, accuracy, size or power consumption, which appear to be superior as compared to other competitor’s products (Kaplan and Norton, 2004).

Need for improved Innovation in products and services

Product leadership strategy is largely rooted in product innovation, thus dwells more on research and development. Bolt Consultancy report found out that Mercury International Ltd, uses only 1.68% to 1.75% in terms of research and development. This shows how the company has under-invested in this vital area as far as market competition is concerned.

Mercury International Ltd, being an international company operates and serves a wide population and therefore satisfying the needs of such a population will need accelerated work of innovating satisfying products.

With regard to this the company will utilize R&D to make incremental changes and improvements in its products with aim to develop and create new products that have the capacity to perform better in the market (Sahaf, 2008). The objective of the company need to be of innovating products that provide customers with superior value and this will be achieved by using the company’s vast global multifunctional teams that are a precondition for innovation (Sahaf, 2008).

Need to grow the market share

Product leadership strategies aim to promote Mercury International Ltd to higher levels as a global leader in shoe market through product innovation strategies, company features and functionality of its products. The market report by Bolt Consulting indicated that there is a new developing market in terms of young people and celebrities.

Guided with such conviction the company is convinced that early adopters of such new products will be less sensitive to price instead will be motivated by functionality of the new products hence prospects are highly available. Given the company’s position in the market place (global) it is easy for the company to excel at anticipating customers’ needs and discovering new opportunities for superior products to be introduced in the market.

At the time, the company will greatly maintain an optimal balance among: fundamental research by creating new scientific and technological breakthroughs; these breakthroughs will be introduced through new product platforms; and lastly, the company will strive to enhance the existing platform products with incremental but still innovative derivative products (Kaplan and Norton, 2004).

Conclusion

Mercury International Ltd., as part of its strategic plan actions will adopt product leadership strategy with aim to foster product innovation for its global market. The current market dynamics dictate that the company needs to creatively respond and find solutions to the needs and expectations of its global customers together with that of the larger market.

Product leadership strategy is the best strategic plan for the company to pursue for a number of reasons: 1) from internal perspective the company prides itself in having abundant knowledgeable human resources hence enough skills to be utilized in research and development activities.

At the same time the company will benefit largely from vast experiences, capabilities, resources and prevailing technology available in the company; 2) from an external perspective, productive leadership strategy is necessary in order to meet customers and stakeholders needs, wants and expectations.

Strategy Focus

Product Leadership Strategy

With regard to market dynamism, it is prudent that to currently fit and obtain competitive advantage over other competitors, product innovation in terms of product innovation and functionality has become necessary.

Emphasizing these strategic objectives, the company is well equipped to reclaim its market position by investing and pursuing product innovation with particular keen intend on outstanding performance along dimensions of speed, accuracy, size and power of consumption.

Functional Area Impact

Supply Chain

Product Leadership strategy in the perspective of Mercury International Ltd is to ensure there is product differentiation in the market, which will be achieved through effective and market driven innovations. The ultimate aim of any strategy is to ensure maximum satisfaction on the part of the consumer and therefore supply of the product from the manufacturing or production point has to factor how well the consumer will get access to the product.

The company, through its global supply chain, will work to ensure the consumers access to the products is facilitated in a smooth way. The company will collaboratively identify and deliver value important to the ultimate consumer in the supply chain in manner that will be superior to that of competing supply chains.

Marketing

Modern market place exhibits profound dynamism and changing consumer preferences and tastes. As a result, product leadership strategy aims to enable the company to formulate strategies that have a tendency to be relevant and have customer-focused innovation approach with intention to suit customer preferences to the maximum.

Mercury International Ltd will largely invest in nurturing ideas and translating them into product concepts before vigorously marketing the products using appropriate marketing strategies that are efficient with consumers.

Administration

The activities of a company come to life with the interaction of people and systems. These interactions usually function within the realms of administration, management, marketing and financial capabilities. Within these interactive functional processes, people need to develop key competences that will aid the company in achieving its goals.

In developing key competences necessary to implement strategic goal and objectives, administration becomes central to the whole process. Therefore with this in mind the company will largely need to develop a competent administration manpower that will translate the company’s strategic goals in practible solutions. Therefore adoption of strategic actions will need sound administration as key driver for the company to realize effective and positive results.

New Product Development

In pursuing the product leadership strategy, it is evident that innovative product development will be the key to realization of the strategy objectives. The increasing globalization calls for multinational companies to embrace product and service innovation if they hope and aspire to remain relevant.

Again product development strategies adopted by the company should address the needs, wants and expectations of the consumers to the highest level.

To excel in this area and have an edge over other competing companies the company will largely utilize and pool necessary competences, improve in its organizational structure with regard to emphasis in research and development, improve its business processes and also create a conducive cultural environment that promotes innovative ideas that can be turned into competitive market products with ability to achieve sustainable profitability and global leadership.

References

Kaplan, R. S. and Norton, D. P. (2004). Strategy maps: converting intangible assets into tangible outcomes. NY, Harvard Business Press. Web.

Rainey, D. L. (2005). Product innovation: leading change through integrated product development. NY, Cambridge University Press. Web.

Sahaf, M. A. (2008). Strategic Marketing: Making Strategic Decisions for Strategic Advantage. New Delhi, Prentice-Hall of India. Web.