Operation Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Operation Plan - Essay Example Operations plan should also put into consideration economic constraints. Poor financial governance in a new operation plan may be hindrance to its success. Strategy Before expanding its business to serving breakfast, the organization should completely stabilize its former operations. This is because the initial operations form the identity of the business. In an argument by Grant (2005) the identity of a business venture is the most important thing in a business even in the consideration of increasing its operations venture. In case of any incidence of risk, the former operations will be used as a mitigations tool. According to Schermerhorn (2009) once an organization is identified with a particular business operation, it is more likely to prosper in it than when venturing in other operations. However, in this case the operations are similar and involve similar operations. The staff in the restaurant should be tuned so that they accommodate breakfast schedules their activities. Diffe rent from serving other meals, breakfast served to walk in consumers requires appropriate time management. Time barrier may hinder the restaurant from offering reliable breakfast services. The restaurant transition from serving breakfast to serving other meals should also be well structured (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010). Considering it as a new activity the restaurant should adapt indulging into two shifts of serving meal. In making the new operations the organizations efficient, the management should consider training of the staff. Training of the staff will increase their efficiency in serving a new set of meal. In this serving also includes packaging of contents in breakfast. As new venture the restaurant needs new staff training procedures which would incorporate new activities in the venture. For instance, the restaurant will have to add trained chefs who are experienced in the preparation of breakfast meals. Apart from employment of new cooking staff the restaurant should conside r training the already existing staff. These will the cut the cost on the implementation of the new operation plan. The restaurant should also consider implementation of a good marketing plan. In the consumer population the restaurant is famous only for other meals rather than breakfast meals. To increase their significance in the market, the restaurant should employ very informative marketing strategies. The marketing strategy should be in consideration of other competitors SWOT analysis (Johnson, Scholes & Whittington, 2008). Processes The process of a business transformation is generally referred to as a project. In this case, the restaurant should view this operational change as a project. To make the project successful the restaurant need to separate the operations of serving breakfast from the rest of the restaurant setting. In this way the breakfast operations will be handled as lone projects. According to Strategic Direction (2007) in this way the project will have enough at tention and attention to launch to full operation. Launching a new line of operation in an existing business should be free from influence from an already existing company. If the two lines of operations are different it becomes more than impossible to launch a successive new line of operations. For instance, a breakfast line in a fast food setting requires a well structured new management an operational strategy. The designing of the project should not

Marx and Weber- rise of capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marx and Weber- rise of capitalism - Essay Example Karl Marx and Max Weber are two eminent sociologists whose theories have been regarded as milestones in the development of two distinct schools of thought in sociology. This paper investigates into the theories presented by these two sociologists on the rise and growth of capitalism in the Western society. The theories presented by both the sociologists are very significant, yet very distinct from each other on several bases. The essay compares the differences in the approaches of Marx and Weber towards the emergence of capitalism and the crucial factors behind its origin and growth. After contrasting both the theories, the essay points out the most preferable theories of the two.Marx’s and Weber’s theories of rise of capitalism gave two distinct directions to the world concerning the emergence and growth of capitalism that dramatically transformed the social and economic aspects of life in the Western world from sixteenth century and onwards. Weber criticized and refus ed the theory of capitalism as proposed by Marx and put forward his study on the egression of capitalism Western society that differs with Marx’s approach on several grounds. Karl Marx was a sociologist who wrote to make people aware of the changes taking place in their social and economic environment due to the growth of capitalistic systemIn his renowned book â€Å"Capital†, he illustrates capitalism as a system of production under which entrepreneur class or few capitalists control the means necessary to bring about production process

Discussion Board Post Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 19

Discussion Board Post Response - Essay Example In this viewpoint, video monitoring could be used to detect areas within the health care organization where falls are prevalent and consequently advise patients to avoid using those areas. For instance, staircases could be areas prone to patient falls and hence cold be avoided. Rhea Ann, your elucidation of how positive deviance could be used to prevent patients from wandering off is spot-on. Placing bracelets on the patients known to wander around is an ingenious technique that could be referred to as an example of positive deviance. Positive deviance is the use of innovative strategies that makes some individuals achieve elevated levels of success than others (Bradley et-al, 2009). Positive deviants according to Seidman and McCauley (2009) are more successful because they are able to identify risks and subsequently implement positive strategies to achieve change. Identifying the fact that wandering around could lead to falls is in itself risk identification, and placing bracelets on the patients is implementation of a positive strategy aimed at achieving positive outcomes. Bradley, E. H., Curry, L. A., Ramanadhan, S., Rowe, L., Nembhard, I. M., &Krumholz, H. M. (2009). Research in action: Using positive deviance to improve quality of health care. Implementation Science,4(25),

Rob Blagojevich Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Rob Blagojevich - Research Paper Example In the end, the governor received 14 years in prison, of which he will have to serve 12 years. Since this was one of the longest prison sentences on record for a public official, the message in this case is that corruption will end in prison. Introduction Rod Blagojevich was an Illinois Governor who was probably one of the most, if not the most, corrupt politicians of all time. This governor was involved in several â€Å"pay to play† schemes, which means that he would only give political favors if he received something in return, mainly campaign contributions. He was wiretapped by the FBI, and was heard on tape discussing these schemes. They include a corrupt deal involving a tollway, a horse racing track and a children's hospital. He also was caught attempting to extort the editors at The Chicago Tribune, stating that, if they did not fire certain editors and start giving him favorable press coverage, he would block the sale of Wrigley Field, which was a deal that the Tribune was attempting to make. The most egregious example of corruption, however, and this example made him nationally famous, is the deal regarding the vacant senate seat of Barack Obama. The governor was caught on tape attempting to sell this seat for political favors for him and his wife, or, in the alternative, substantial campaign contributions. The government brought charges against him with regards to these incidents, in the case of The United States of America v. Rod R. Blagojevich and John Harris, AO 91 (Rev 5/85). The final trial where the governor was convicted of 17 charges of corruption was in May and June of 2011, with the sentencing of 14 years occurring in December of that same year. In the end, the message to not only Blagojevich, but to corrupt individuals everywhere, is simple – if you engage in corruption, then you will pay. The Events The events that eventually led Rod Blagojevich into prison were long-standing and wide-reaching. Indeed, he was probably one of the most corrupt politicians in the history of politics. The summary of what Blagojevich was involved in can be stated in the words â€Å"pay to play.† In other words, Rod was shaking down multiple players in efforts to enrich himself as governor. The tollway project was $1.8 billion, and Governor Blagojevich was privately seeking the person to benefit from this contract to contribute $100,000 to Blagojevich’s campaign (Justice Department Briefing on Blagojevich Investigation). Other examples include a shakedown involving Children's Memorial Hospital. The governor awarded $8 million funding for this project, and was privately asking the CEO of that hospital to make a $50,000 contribution to him. When the contribution was not forthcoming, the governor was intercepted by the government on the telephone, asking that the funding for the hospital be rescinded. A 2007 horseracing scandal was also included in the 76 page complaint against the governor. In this case, the gover nor had a bill on his desk that would divert money from casinos in the state and put this money into horseracing tracks. A phone interception showed that the governor was seeking $100,000 from an individual who was working with the person who was attempting to get the bill passed. The governor further stated to this individual, and this was also intercepted by the

Managing Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managing Conflict - Essay Example According to Benjamin (2007), conflicts sometimes may be a tricky issue to solve or handle which may always necessitates consultations from different quarters. For instance the Chief Executive officer of a shipping company may approach the human resource manager to seek guidance on the excessive drug use by some section of company employees. In the recent past, the company has experienced a series of plant accidents which the Chief Executive Officer alleges can be attributed to machinery operation under influence. The Chief Executive Officer have therefore ordered a compulsory for a mandatory drug test among the existing employees and the new employees too.However,the labor union have openly opposed such a move despite the company assuring them that those found positive will undergo treatment sponsored by the company and attend company financed cessation seminars. Despite such a situation being tricky, a solution must be found and the relevant advice given to the Chief executive Officer by the Human resource manager. Whether the employees are guilty of the Chief Executive Officers assertion or not, one aspect must remain outstanding: that at the end of the day, the decision reached must consider the good long term future of the company (Benjamin, 2007). As the Human Resource manager, the following recommendation may be helpful to address the conflict in an amicable manner and in such away the labor union may readily accept the adoption of the company’s new policy. The employees who use drugs and those who do not should not be coerced to undergo drug testing but the company should formulate an internal regulation to punish those who go to work under influence. This can be done through the introduction of operation fitness desk. This desk can serve the function of clearing employees before they embark on operating machinery. Those under influence when on duty should not be allowed to operate machinery and if possible face internal disciplinary measures

Court Structure in Srilanka Essay Example for Free

Court Structure in Srilanka Essay The Supreme Court is the highest and final court of record, and exercises final civil and criminal appellate jurisdiction. Litigants who do not agree with a decision of the original court, be it civil, criminal, or Court of Appeal, may take the case before the Supreme Court, with permission from the Court of Appeal, or special permission from the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court, however, will only agree to consider cases involving a substantial legal issue. The Supreme Court is composed of a Chief Justice and not less than six, and not more than ten, other judges. Cases that fall under the several jurisdictions of the Supreme Court are exercised, subject to provisions in the Constitution, by a bench of at least three judges of the Supreme Court. Thus different cases may be heard at the same time by several judges of the Supreme Court sitting apart. Appeals of decisions of a High Court Trial at Bar are heard by a Bench of five or more Supreme Court judges. The Constitution provides for temporary restrictions on fundamental rights if national security issues are involved. This determination and opinion of the Supreme Court should be by at least five judges of the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice, except for in the event of the Chief Justice’s recusal. The Chief Justice’s recusal will result in another judge of the Supreme Court taking the Chief Justice’s place. The Constitutional Council’s approval is not required if the appointment is for a period of less than 14 days. The age of retirement for Supreme Court judges is 65 years. COURT OF APPEAL The Court of Appeal is the first appellate court for decisions of all original courts and certain Tribunals. The Court of Appeal is composed of the President of the Court, and not less than six, and not more than eleven other judges. Many cases at the Court of Appeal are presided over by a single judge. The Court of Appeal hears appeals against judgments of the High Courts. It exercises appellate jurisdiction for the correction of errors in fact or in law at a High Court, or any Court of first instance, or Tribunal, or other Institution. In addition to the jurisdiction to affirm, reverse, correct, or modify a judgment, the Court of Appeal may give directions to a Court of first instance, Tribunal, or other Institution, or order a new trial, or order additional hearings as the Court of Appeal deems appropriate. â€Å"Even when there is no right of appeal from a particular court or tribunal, [the Court of Appeal] can exercise [its] powers of ‘revision’ and quash the original court’s or tribunal’s order [based on] an error of law apparent [in] the record.† 1The Court of Appeal, if appropriate, also has the authority to issue a ‘stay order’ and suspend proceedings in a lower court until the revision application is heard and determined. The Court of Appeal also has the authority to receive and admit new evidence additional, or supplementary, to evidence already recorded in a court of first instance. Appeals of judgments, sentences and orders at a High Court Trial at Bar are forwarded directly to the Supreme Court by virtue of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, No.21 of 1988. The Court of Appeal, in exercising its power to examine and reverse a judgment of any court of first instance, has the authority to examine any record of any court of first instance. The Court exercises jurisdiction to grant writs of habeas corpus in order to bring before the Court a person who has to be dealt with according to the law, or to bring before the Court a person illegally or improperly detained in public or private custody. Court of Appeal cases are now published in Sri Lanka Law Reports. As of October 2012, Court of Appeal cases from 1809 through 2005 are accessible online. See section on Cases, Bills, and Acts. HIGH COURTS Trials at a High Court are conducted by the State (Sri Lanka), through the Attorney-General’s Department. The Attorney-General’s Department prosecutes on behalf of the State. Murder trials and various offenses against the State are tried at the High Court; other criminal offenses are tried at a Magistrate’s Court. While some High Court trials will have a jury, some trials will not have a jury. The types of cases that require a jury are provided in the Second Schedule of the Judicature Act No.2 of 1978. Also, the Attorney-General has the authority to determine whether a case that does not fall into a category provided in the Second Schedule of the Judicature Act No.2 of 1978 should nonetheless have a jury. The Penal Code stipulates the types of cases argued in a High Court: â€Å"The Penal Code defines most of the criminal offenses known to our law. And the Code of Criminal Procedure Act. No: 15 of 1979 sets out which of these offenses [can be tried] by each court [High Court and Magistrate’s Court].† The High Court is composed of not less than ten and not more than forty judges. This Court sits in 16 provinces in the country (16 High Courts). Judges of the High Court are appointed by the President of the Republic on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, and in consultation with the Attorney-General. The President of the Republic, acting on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, exercises authority in disciplinary matters concerning the High Court judges. The President may terminate the service of a High Court judge on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) was established by the enactment of Article 111D of the Constitution, incorporated by the 17th Amendment, which became effective on October 3, 2001. The JSC is composed of the Chief Justice (as Chairman) and two other judges of the Supreme Court appointed by the President of the Republic. The age of retirement for High Court judges is 61. 4. DISTRICT COURTS District Courts are the Courts of first instance for civil cases. District Courts have jurisdiction over all civil cases not expressly assigned to the Primary Court or a Magistrate’s Court. Sri Lanka has 54 judicial districts. Every District Court is a court of record and is vested with unlimited original jurisdiction in all civil, revenue, trust, insolvency and testamentary matters, other than issues that are assigned to any other court by law. Certain specific civil issues handled by the District Courts include: i. Cases related to ownership of land. ii. Action by landlords to eject tenants. iii. Action to recover debts of more than Rs. 1,500. iv. Action in connection with trademark and patent rights, and infringement of copyright laws. v. Claims for compensation of more than Rs. 1, 500 for injuries caused by negligence. vi. Divorce cases (Formerly, divorce cases were handled by the now defunct Family Courts). Judges of the District Courts are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission (See section on High Courts for information on the JSC). The JSC has the power to dismiss and maintain disciplinary control over the District Court judges. The retirement age for District Court judges, generally, is 60 years. 5. MAGISTRATE’S COURTS The Magistrate’s Courts are established under the Judicature Act, No.2 of 1978. Each Judicial division has one Magistrate’s Court, and there are 74 judicial divisions in Sri Lanka. Each Magistrate’s Court is vested with original jurisdiction over criminal offenses (other than offenses committed after indictment in the High Court.) In cases involving criminal law, the Magistrate’s Courts and the High Court are the only Courts with primary jurisdiction. The respective domains of these Courts are detailed in the Code of Criminal Procedure. Appeals from these courts of first instance may be made to the Court of Appeal and, under certain circumstances, to the Supreme Court, which exercises final appellate jurisdiction. The vast majority of the nation’s criminal cases are tried at the Magistrate’s Courts level, which forms the lowest level of the judicial system. Cases may be initiated at a Magistrate’s Court by any police officer or by anyo ne else making an oral or written complaint to the Magistrate. The Magistrate is empowered to make an initial investigation of the complaint, and to determine whether his or her Court has proper jurisdiction over the matter, whether the matter should be tried by the High Court, or whether the matter should be dismissed. If it is determined that the Magistrate’s Court has the proper jurisdiction over the matter, the prosecution may be conducted by the complainant (plaintiff), or by an officer of the Government, including the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General, a state counsel, or any officer of any national or local government office. At the trial, the accused has the right to call and cross-examine witnesses. Trials are conducted without a jury, and the verdict and sentence are given by the Magistrate. Any party in a case who is in disagreement with a judgment has the right to appeal the judgment, on any point of law or fact, at the Court of Appeal. If the police decide not to institute criminal proceedings in a Magistrate’s Court, the complainant has the option of filing a private plaint, and the complainant may retain an attorney for this purpose. As indicated earlier, while murder trials and various offenses against the State (Sri Lanka) are tried in a High Court, other criminal offenses are tried in a Magistrate’s Court. The Penal Code defines which court, a Magistrate’s Court or a High Court, has the necessary jurisdiction (Code of Criminal Procedure Act No.15 of 1979). If a new offense is codified by law, for instance the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the relevant statute will indicate the manner of trial. The Magistrate’s Courts are ordinarily empowered to impose the following sentences: A fine of up to Rs. (rupees) 1,500.00, and/or two years of rigorous or simple imprisonment, unless special provisions vest the Magistrate’s Courts with the power to impose higher penalties. Magistrates are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), and the Commission exercises disciplinary oversight over the judges, including the power of dismissal (See section on High Courts for information on the Judicial Service Commission). The retirement age for Magistrate’s Court judges, generally, is 60 years. 6. PRIMARY COURTS Each Primary Court is vested with the following jurisdictions: I. Original civil jurisdiction over cases involving debt, damages, demands, or claims that do not exceed Rs. 1,500. Ii. Enforcement of by-laws by local authorities and disputes relating to recovery of revenue by these local authorities. iii. Exclusive criminal jurisdiction over cases relating to offenses â€Å"prescribed† by regulation by the Justice Minister. iv. Offenses in violation of the provisions of any Parliamentary Act, or subsidiary legislation, that is related to jurisdiction vested in the Primary Courts. The Primary Courts are established under the Judicature Act, No.2 of 1978. There are seven Primary Courts: One each in Anamaduwa, Angunukolapelessa, Kandy, Mallakam, Pilessa, Wellawaya and Wennappuwa. In all other divisions, the Magistrate’s Court exercises the jurisdiction of the Primary Courts. Requests for revision of orders made by a Primary Court are handled by the High Court in that province. All Primary Court judges are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which is also vested with the power of dismissal of the Primary Court judges (See section on â€Å"High Courts† for information on the JSC). Generally, the retirement age for Primary Court judges is 60. 7. MEDIATION BOARDS The mediation Boards Act of 1995 and subsequent amendments govern these mediation aspects. The Minister has power to set up Mediation Boards and set the areas that will come under such mediation boards. Commercial mediations are reality now in SL.Arbitration ; Is also another form of dispute resolution . Arbitration Act of 1995 and subsequent amendments govern the procedureTribunals- Labour Tribunal established under industrial Disputes Act provides provisions for the employees to institute action against employers.Agricultural Tribunals established under the Agrarian Services Act of 1979 enables settling disputes as to cultivation and related matters.Read Judicature Act , Constitution of Sri Lanka , Books on Legal System about Sri Lanka for further details. Visit website of Minisrty of Justice as well to get current information 8. OTHER COURTS AND TRIBUNALS The other courts include the Kathi Court, the special tribunal that adjudicates on matrimonial matters relating to Muslims. Buddhist ecclesiastical matters that fall under the purview of the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance of 1931 are heard by the ordinary courts. Disciplinary matters pertaining to Buddhist clergy are handled by religious councils which are under the authority of the Buddhist priests themselves. There are numerous administrative tribunals, such as the Inland Revenue Board of Appeal, The Workmen’s Compensation Tribunals, Labor Tribunals, the Board of Appeal under the Factories Ordinance, Tribunals under Agricultural Productivity Law, Labor Tribunals under the Wages Board Ordinance, etc. Most decisions of these tribunals can be appealed at the Court of Appeal; when regarding a substantial question of law, the decision of the Court of Appeal may be taken up at the Supreme Court. REFERNCE âž ¢ http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/sri_lanka.htm âž ¢ http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/research/srilanka/legalsystem.html âž ¢ http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Sri-Lanka-JUDICIAL-SYSTEM.html#ixzz2KPq331RT

Implementing continuous improvement in hospitality sector

Implementing continuous improvement in hospitality sector 1. Title: The research title of this proposal is â€Å"Implementing Continuous Improvement In Hospitality Sector†. 2. Introduction Organizations today operate in an extremely competitive environment where service quality and customer satisfaction are paramount. If organizations are to continually improve and meet higher standards in future they must be prepared for continuous and sustainable change. Organizations will need to continually identify where they are and where they need to be in terms of performance, if changing customer needs and requirements are to be successfully met. When discussing the CI (continuous improvement) many writers seem to focus on quality. Although quality is an important aspect of CI, the topic is much more complex and interesting than merely developing quality within products and services. The first theory to be considered as relevant to the development of CI was Scientific Management as introduced by American engineer and manager Frederick Winslow Taylor (1911). Taylor was the first person to actually measure work methods with the view to increasing productivity through finding his â€Å"one best way† to perform a given task. Appalled by what he regarded as the inefficiencies of industrial practice Taylor basically introduced what we know today as Performance Measurement and Performance Management to all tasks. The idea of ‘quality was developed by two Americans associated with the post-war renaissance of Japanese industry, namely Dr. W. Edwards Deming and Dr. Joseph Juran. According to Deming (1982) â€Å"Quality should be aimed at the needs of the consumer, present and future† â€Å"Quality is consistent conformance to customers expectations† (Slack et al., 2006) Dr Joseph M Juran states â€Å"Quality is Fitness for purpose† (Juran,1988) Taguchi says â€Å"Quality should primarily be customer- driven,† (Taguchi, What is Total Quality Management?, The Japanese Way. 1985) they confirm this approach. 3. Research Aims and Objectives My aim in this project is to identify appropriate applications for and use of Continuous Improvement tools and techniques for quality improvement in providing the goods and services in the hospitality sector some tools, techniques, theories, and philosophies I will be using in future are benchmarking, check sheets, histograms, performance management planning (philosophy), Imais Kaizen/ CI umbrella, Taguchis (theory), FQM (excellence model), Carlisles CI framework etc†¦. My aim in this research is to raise the awareness of CI within the hospitality sector and to start building the foundation for the organisation to design, implement and sustain a CI programme to create improved performance and help meet the requirements of competition, evaluate the type of products and services customer of the hospitality sector expects, assess whether the current product and service provided meets these expectations. 4. Research Methodology: The research methodology used in my research is based on the conceptual model proposed by Howard and Sharp (1983) which offers seven steps as a guide to the research: Identify the broad area of case study Select the research topic Decide the approach Establish the plan Collect the data or information Analyse and interpret the data Present the findings 1. Identifying the broad area of case study: There are four steps of methodology for defining case study. They are Designing case study. Conducting case study Analyzing case study with appropriate evidence Developing conclusions, recommendations and implications. Case study is a methodology; we have to follow particular procedure to achieve the expected results. Yin (1993) identified different types of case studies like Exploratory Explanatory Descriptive Later on it was extended by other three concepts like Intrinsic- it specifies that, when researcher interested in particular case. Instrumental A specific Case is used to understand more than what is required for researcher. Collective: After a group of cases are studies, researchers have to identify the specific cases which are useful and which are not. 2. Select the research topic: For selecting a particular topic we have identify which area we are interested at, and did that topic is useful for doing Research or not. After selecting we have to justify which topic is strong for doing Research. Finally have to fix to specific topic and proceed further. 3. Decide the approach : This procedure of gaining knowledge and understanding the problem and growth of selected case of study can offer enough knowledge into managerial culture, current trend and future possibilities. The historical method of research applies to all fields of study because it encompasses their origins, growth, theories, presentation, concepts, crisis, etc.Both quantitative and qualitative variables can be used in the gathering of historical information. The collection of most relevant information about the topic. The appropriate information forming and case studies. Specific and relevant collection and organization of evidences, and the identification of the authenticity of information and its sources. Selecting, organizing, and analyzing the most relevant collected evidence, and the representation of solutions and Recording of perfect and accurate conclusions in a meaningful sequence of events. 4. Establish the plan: Research plan helps to develop particular plan to improve the topic. We have to create and answer some questions to improve the research, like Who can help me for to learn more about this particular topic? What type of question should I ask people in survey according to the check list? What modifications should I made to learn more about the topic? What are the resources I can refer to, how should I browse to learn more about the particular topic? How can I organize the information, what I have collected? 5. Collect the data or information : We have to look after many technical surveys, researches and journals to collect the required data or information. Collecting data and organizing the data is very important than other things. 6. Analyse and interpret the data : Have to analyze and interpret the data which we have collected from surveys, Researches etc.. for a successful research outputs. 7. Present the findings: The most important thing is, presenting the ideas and thoughts which we collected from many surveys, researches. The way of presenting the report plans a major role, which decides whether the research is successful or failure. 5. Research Approach: The term ‘paradigm has become popularized over the last decade, and it therefore tends to be used in many different ways. Mintzberg (1978) described the term as convenient ‘buzzword for social scientists. In response Morgan (1979) proposed a way of tidying up its usage. He distinguished between three levels of use: * The philosophical level basic about the world. * The social level guidelines about how the researcher should conduct their endeavor. * The technical level methods and techniques that should ideally be adopted in conducting research. There are two paradigms or approaches to research Positivism and Phenomenology. 5.1 Positivism: Easterby-Smith et al. (1991:22) define the positivism paradigm as â€Å"that the social world exists externally, and that its properties should be measured through objective methods, rather than being inferred subjectively through sensation, reflection, or intuition† This is involved using a quantitative/deductive research approach involving measurement using hard data, and both statistical and logical information. Research methods for this type of paradigm include surveys, experimentation and observation (audits). The method adopted in this research was a survey, which produced hard statistical data. As with most methods of data collection, the positivist paradigm has its strengths and weakness. These attributes are outlined in table below. STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES * Provide a wide coverage of range of situations. * Can be fast and economical. * May be of Considerable relevance to policy decisions, particularly when statistics are aggregated. * Methods tend to be inflexible and artificial. * Ineffective for understanding process or significance that people attach to actions. * Due to focus on recent or current events it can be difficult for policy makers to infer what actions to take. 5.2 Phenomenology: Saunders et al. (1997:72) define the phenomenology paradigm in the following way: â€Å"Characterized by a focus on the meanings that research subjects attach to social phenomena; an attempt by the researcher to understand what is happening and why it is happening† This approach will allow me to gather data providing information as to how subjects perceived management development in greater depth. This involved using a qualitative/inductive research approach involving measurement using soft, meaningful and naturalistic data. Research methods for this type of paradigm include personal interviews, group interviews and observation of group or individual behavior. I will adopt the personal interview approach as it is most suited to the research topic. The phenomenological paradigm also has its strengths and weaknesses. These are shown below in the table. STRENGHTS WEAKNESSES * Ability to look as change process over time. * To understand peoples meanings. * To adjust to new issues and ideas as they emerge. * Provide a way of gathering data that is seen as natural. * Data collection can be time and resource consuming. * Analysis and interpretation of data can be difficult. * Qualitative studies may appear disorganized because it is harder to control their pace, process and end-points. * Policy makers may give less credibility to studies rooted in a phenomenological approach. Source: Easterby Smith et.al(1991) The theoretical approach to the research determines what methods will gain required information for the study. Positivist Paradigm Phenomenological Paradigm Basic Beliefs The world is external and objective. Observer is independent Science and value free The world is socially constructed and subjective. Observer is part of what is observed. Science is driven by human interests. Researcher Should Focus on facts Look at causality and fundamental laws. Reduce phenomena to simplest elements. Formulate hypothesis and then test them. Focus on meanings. Try to understand what is happening. Look at the totality of each situation. Develop ideas through induction from data. Preferred methods include Operationalising concepts so that they can be measured. Taking large samples. Using multiple methods to establish different views of the phenomena. Small samples investigated in depth or over time. Source: Easterby Smith et.al(1991) 5.3 Research Overview: Primary data collection for this research involved both quantitative and qualitative information. These two types of information has to be noted down very carefully. If the information contains any calculated measurement of any type, it is considered as quantitative information. There are particular rules for maintaining right track of this information, but the main thing to remember is that any value recorded directly from the tool is considered quantitative data. Always it should be recorded immediately as soon as possible, along with its explanation and the units of measure, and have to be careful to maintain the perfect accuracy. Sometimes we can observe something happening using senses, as a replacement for a tool like a measuring stick. This qualitative information is repeatedly just as useful as numerical data. It includes such explanation as colour as well as observations about consistency changes and anything else that is actually an opinion In other words Quantitative information refers to: â€Å"The application of a measurement of numerical approach to the nature of the issue under scrutiny as well as the gathering and analysis of data. It is the concepts and categories, not their incidence and frequency that are said to matter.† (Brannan, 1992:5) Qualitative methods are concerned with acquiring data through investigative means of a descriptive nature. However, Burgess (1982) suggests that researchers ought to be flexible and select a range of methods that are appropriate to the research problem under investigation. The characteristics of both quantitative and qualitative methods are illustrated in the table below. QUANTITIVE DATA QUALITATIVE DATA * Based on meanings derived from numbers. * Collection results in numerical and standardized data. * Analysis conducted through the use of diagrams and statistics. * Based on meanings expressed through words. * Collection of results in non-standardized data requiring classification into categories. * Analysis constructed through the use of conceptualization. Source: Adapted from Saunders et al 1997 6. Research Design: Easterby Smith et al. (1991) advocate that to reduce the possibility of questionable reliability of the data and results being produced by the research a sound research design should be adopted. 6.1 Secondary Data: Data that has already been collected for some other purpose, perhaps processed and subsequently stored, are termed secondary data. There are three main types of secondary data: Documentary: The nature and ways of classifying document varies conceptually and practically. Documentary research has many ways of analysing documents. Documentary research method had more importance compared to other methods of research, because of the influence of positivism and empiricism so that information and quantification are most popular forms of collecting data and analyzing data. Documentary research is connected with historical research, and history feels anxious in conjunction with social science disciplines. Documentary research method is stated as unclear, it doesnt have a particular method and there is no strong evidence to how a researcher uses it. However these criticisms are nowhere to be found. History as a restraint provides us with a sense of our ancient times and with that the ways in which our present came about, and employing a range of documentary sources. It enables researchers to reflect on current issues. Documentary research methods are classified into three different types. They are Primary, secondary and tertiary documents: Primary documents refer to the resources which are used or collected by those who really witnessed the events which were described. This type of sources is considered to be reliable and accurate, and for this reason the researcher may make use of secondary sources. These are printed after an event that the author has not perfectly or face-to-face witnessed, and the researcher must be conscious of the troubles in production of this data. Tertiary sources allow researchers to establish other references like index, abstract and bibliography. Public and private documents: Here documents can be divided into four categories according to convenience, restricted, open-archival. Solicited and unsolicited documents: some of the documents like government surveys and research projects would have produced with the aim of research in mind, whereas others like diaries would have been produced for personal use. Survey: Survey is a technique used for getting accurate and perfect results. A detailed and elaborated inspection. Multiple source: There are several other sources for conducting a successful survey. Five principal secondary data were utilized provide background information surrounding the area of research. * Staff surveys. * Organizational reports on subject matter. * Organizational assessment and evaluation of subject matter in operation. * Findings of previous studies into subject. * Literature including books, academic reports, and journals from several authors. As with all data collection, secondary data has its own advantages and disadvantages and shown in the table below. ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES * May have fewer resource implications. * Unobtrusive. * Longitudinal studies may be feasible. * Can provide comparative and contextual data. * Can result in unforeseen discoveries. * May have been collected for a purpose that does not match your need. * Access may be difficult or costly. * Aggregations and definitions may be unsuitable. Source Adopted from Kidder Judd (1986) 6.2 Primary Research: The aim of the primary research is to obtain information that is not provided in the secondary data and investigate its validity by comparing and contrasting the findings. The following research methods will examine to validate the research aim. Postal survey Personal survey Focus Group interview / Discussion In depth interviews Smith, Thorpe and Lowe, (1991) define these methods as an array of interpretative techniques which seek to describe, decode, translate and otherwise come to terms with meaning, not the frequency, of certain more or less naturally occurring phenomenon in the social world. The choice of method for collecting the data depends on the information needs and values, as well as, particularly in this study, the budget and resources available. 8. Questionnaires: â€Å"survey research can be obtained from a relatively small sample of people and can be generated to large numbers of the population† (Alreck Settle, 1995:6) Self-administered questionnaires will be used in this research so that responses could be obtained from a sample of potential respondents and generalized for large numbers of managers. Kidder and Judd (1986:222) summarized the advantages and disadvantages of using questionnaires illustrated in the table below. ADVATAGES DISADVANTAGES * Low Cost * Ease of completion * Immediate response * Feeling of anonymity * Accuracy of completeness of responses. * Context of question answering * Misunderstanding of questions * Response rate Source: Kidder Judd (1986:222) The questionnaire will be constructed using a combination of multiple choice closed questions; open questions and scaling questions. 8.Work Plan : Time frame Action ResearchTime Frame Month 1 To meet Requirements Get the Initial Plans for the research approved. To start work on research topic area, research questions and literature review Complete writings on literature review Month 2 To submit a draft of literature review details and to start on research design Complete writings on methods of research and gatherings of data collected Month 3 To submit a draft of research design and methods of research and data collected To met supervisor, agree and move to next steps Month 4 To work on research implementation methods To submit research implementation methods Month 5 To work on data analysis and conclusion To submit draft of data analysis and conclusion Month 6 To complete draft on complete Research To submit draft of complete Research to supervisor and work on final conclusions Submission of research 9.Conclusion: To Research on â€Å"Implementing Continuous Improvement In Hospitality Sector† We have used lot of methods, implementations, surveys, questionnaires etc. Each and every concept of research is useful and also very important for the research to become a successful research. Another main thing for research is â€Å"Work Plan†. The way we plan our work in a perfect and right manner will make our research successful. Planning according to the situation and implementing particular plans, even though it is complicated and time consuming. We have to organize our plan perfectly and step by step, also have to finish the tasks in specific time periods to achieve real time success. Surveys has to be done very carefully, because there will be more complications to finish them. Like we have to justify which type of survey we want to go for and how to implement that. There are many categories in surveys, which should be done in our chosen topic .We have to be very careful not to deviate from our primary research. Some of the surveys are Surveying certain age group. Surveying by gender. Surveying by profession. Surveying by mental condition Postal survey Personal survey Focus Group interview / Discussion In depth interviews and so on. Another important aspect in research is Questionnaires. We have to use this type of survey very cautiously, because there are many ways we can use questionnaires. We have to use each and every possibility of questionnaires to get best results.Using all these methods and concepts we can succeed in obtaining a successful Research Results.