Brand Implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Brand Implementation - Essay Example It is a process for constant and reliable application of the brand image among major of the leading business units, media and communication channels. However, it does not encompass the design and creation of brand identity. Industry Background and the Competitors EAT was founded in the year1996, with the determination of delivering best quality food, coffee and soup in London at rational price. Presently, more than 100 shops all over London are offering handmade food every day. According to the statistics of the year 2011, the organization is having market share of 76%. The CAGR is +27%. It mainly offers soups, sandwiches, pies, salads, wraps, sushi, desserts, cold drinks, juices, coffees etc. Mark &Spencer, Pret a manager, Costa, Starbucks are the main competitors of the company. The sales growth for the year 2011 is more than 13%, whereas the outlet volume growth is more than 11%. The founder of the company is Faith MacArthur and Niall MacArthur. According to them, EAT is a family owned organization dedicated to provide quality food. People of London can also get the home delivery option from the registered company website. Few simple steps will help to bring the food in home within a small period of time. Challenges and Opportunities In order to determine EAT’s challenges and opportunities, SWOT analysis can be framed below. The SWOT analysis will help EAT to make a better brand positioning for the company. This strategic framework will help to reveal EAT’s internal strengths, weaknesses and external opportunities and threats. SWOT Analysis Strengths The food quality is superior. Homemade fresh food used to offer every day by the organization. More than 100 shops are situated in London. The price of the food is also rational. The sales growth is more than 13%. The volume growth is 11%. They used to provide home delivery for every individual customer. The organization has become popular among the local customers. Market share is more than 76%. T he CAGR rate is also more than 27% Experience is more than 10 years. Weaknesses The outlets are only London based. CSR reports are not included. Lower range of products has failed to increase customer base. The space area is very limited within the outlets. New and menu sections in the company website are not accessible. Cost of production is very high. Relevant information is very nominal for the company. Inadequate packaging quality. Opportunities Expansion of business footprint across the country. Traditional food items can increase the brand awareness of people. Promoting food menu and price range in social media networks. Cost-effective business operation strategy may result profit maximization. The organization can introduce healthy food items as the demand for healthy foods is increasing. Need to tie-up with hospitals, trains and several domestic and international airways. Designing new logo and slogan. Online promotional activities will increase the brand awareness. Threats Big competitors like Sainsbury, Tesco, and Marks & Spenser’s will pose a big threat to the company. As it is a sensitive industry, the organization may face several legal barriers. Huge capital required in order to expand business. Economic downfall and low disposable income of people. People are tending to avoid outside foods due to the food safety factors. One unsatisfied

The Curriculum and Instruction Case Analysis Assignment

The Curriculum and Instruction Case Analysis - Assignment Example The Principal is far more than the physical head of a school or a person with abundance of knowledge. He is also the role model and a great leader cum visionary, who propels his entire family of teachers and students towards success. In today's world of extreme competition and marketing strategies to attain that sharp edge over the others, Principals, as the head of the institution have a greater role to play. It includes living up to the expected standard of the school, while also catering to the current demands of the market; all this while obliging and adhering to the rules and guidelines prescribed by statutory bodies and boards of education in the area concerned. The case study on GATE is one such example of the number of responsibilities and decision-making abilities that must be realised by the Principal. Assuming that I am the Principal of Monet Middle School located at La Solana, I would deal with the problem, in a tactful and with a more open perspective and outlook. Since the issue deals not only with the educational point of view, but with a broader issue like heterogeneous ethnic backgrounds and the pressure to categorise students, it needs great amount of confidence and strength to chalk out a pathway to satisfy a large number of the people involved, take great care not to hurt the sentiments of the diverse population, and yet adhere to principles and codes of conduct. The case study says that the school has about 23% of the students attaining their education through the Voluntary Ethnic Enrolment Program (VEEP), about 53% of the students consisted of those qualifying for the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program and about 5% of the students have been recognised as those with special needs that requires them to attend the Special Education Program. With such diversified population, it is indeed an uphill task to bring and bind all of them together. The Tracking System that segregated the students was initially implemented in the school and then, it was done away with great difficulty but with immense conviction. It brought about great changes for the better and also raised the normal standard of education and results. Most importantly, it bridged the gap between students emerging from various backgrounds and with different levels of intellectual quotients. As the Principal, I am now faced with a challenge---the school board has passed an ordinance that calls for the implementation of the tracking syste

Summer Essay Essay Example for Free

Summer Essay Essay On a hot summer day, a great place to go is to the beach. You would go out to the beach to enjoy the water, the sun, the activities that are happening, or just to be with family and friends. When youre at the beach, there are some very distinct smells. You can smell the salt from the water along with the heat from the sand. My most favourite smell of all is the sweet coconut smell of sun tanning lotion that people put on themselves while they lay into the sun to basically cook. If youre looking for a quiet day of relaxation at the beach, I dont think that will work out too well. The beach is always really loud throughout the day. You can hear the loud motors of the boats and the waves of the water as they come crashing through to shore. Youll definitely be able to hear the laughter and the excitement of the kids of all ages as they splash around, play games, and build sandcastles. While youre at the beach you can always get involved in some fun activities, if you arent able to relax. You can go fishing, if you like touching the slimy scales of the fish and the soft touch of the cold water. Just make sure you dont get the rough, coarse sand in your shorts because you wont like that too much. Overall the beach is lots of fun to go to, if you just want to get away from the busy everyday city life. If you are there early enough, you will be able to see a beautiful, bright sunrise and if you enjoy staying out on the beach until the evening, Im sure you can catch a calming and loving sunset. After the sun has gone down for the night, you can sit in the sand and stare up at the amazing dark blue sky and bright shining stars.

From Teacher To Facilitator Education Essay

From Teacher To Facilitator Education Essay As time pass by many definitions have changed. In the educational scene a major role change has occurred. A teacher has been changed to facilitator. As our young generation is very smart there is no need to teach them. Our major role is to facilitate them to sail smoothly around the world, to get along with the people and understand the concepts. As the teacher training institutions are lagging in metamorphosing the teacher into facilitator the responsibilities are with the schools to train their teachers and to change the teachers as to effective teachers or facilitators. The teacher is not an instructor or task masters; he/she is a helper and a guide. His/ her business is to suggest and not to impose. He does not actually train the pupils mind, he only shows him how to perfect his instruments of knowledge and helps and encourages him in the process. Sri Aurobindo. EXPECTED QUALITIES OF A TEACHER: A teacher should play a dynamic role in cultivating a sense of International understanding. It is highly possible in schools as it is said that the young bamboo can easily be bent. For which a teacher must have the following professional ethical values to become an effective teacher. Preparation and professional growth; A teacher must maintain an open mind towards educational theories and methods of teaching etc. He / she must try to refine and improve his/her method of teaching, evaluation and interaction etc. This can be attained by participating periodically in In service programmes. Relationship with pupils; An ethical teacher must have a fair relationship with the students. He/she should deal the pupils in a spirit of kindness and democracy. Any religious, political or other private beliefs should not be imposed on pupils. The teachers should protect the rights of pupils. Relationship with parents and community; Teachers should maintain a cordial relationship with the parents and community. Apart from attending school duties a teacher can take part in any activity which is for the improvement of the community. They should not attend any of the activities which would harm their teaching efficiency. Relationship between teachers and school officials; It should be very co operative, not to take any unfair or undue advantages of ones public position. They should not pass any unfavourable comments on any of their colleagues especially in their absence. CODE OF CONDUCT: Every profession has its own code of conduct to be followed by the practitioners. They are monitored by respective professional organizations to safeguard the dignity of the profession, like Bar council for Lawyers and Medical council for doctors. But there is no such professional body to monitor the code of conduct of teachers. As well as now a days there are some issues exposed by the Medias in such a way that the entire field of this profession becomes anti social. This creates an unsecured feeling among the teachers which affects their efficiency a lot. So, this is the duty of the school managements to take care of this and to provide comfort and spiritual support to the teachers to obtain maximum teaching efficiency. ROLE MODEL: Be the change what you want as the words of Mahatma the teacher one who wants to build the values in the young minds of his/her students must possess their own personal values like; Simplicity, Punctuality, Acting without bias, Being duty conscious, Maintaining language and dress code, Helping the poor and needy etc. According to Hawkins, the soul is not contained within the body but outside, in the theatre of commitments. It is the relationships that one forms with those around them, shape the personality and character of an individual. So, the teacher education institutes must take up the responsibility to inculcate the above values added to their curriculum. When a facilitator is kind, emphathetic and gives importance to human values. He himself becomes a role model. There is no need to preach or teach. He becomes the pied piper who lures away students with his enchanted knowledge. CLASS ROOM MANAGEMENT: Education is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire W.B.Yeats. Research has shown us that teachers actions in their class rooms have twice the impact on their students achievements as do school policies regarding curriculum, assessment, staff congeniality and community involvement. The teachers should be able to empathize with students, understand their world and listen to them. They should be certain, decided and clear in the way they communicate with students. PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING: According to Sri Aurobindo the principles of teaching are, The first principle of true teaching is that nothing can be taught. The second principle is that the mind has to be consulted in its growth. The third principle is to work from the near to the far; from that which is, to that which shall be. Any teacher who follows these principles can be an effective teacher. BEST PRACTICES FOR TEACHING, LEARNING IMPROVEMENT: Each child is unique. Educating the whole child is the need of the hour. Effective teacher will make a life changing difference for students, conform to effective practice and essential standards. In USA, it was initially focused on the employment of highly qualified teachers, and newer thinking has upgraded to highly effective teachers as no child should be left behind. The National Development Council of India in 2001 added this as one of the standards for the professional development which will improve the learning of students that every Teacher Training Institution should Focus on quality teaching including content knowledge and pedagogy for staff development. A teacher may possess all the appropriate content and pedagogical background and be fully licensed or certified to teach, but in reality, may not be one whose qualifications make a difference in the classroom. In other words, being highly qualified does not necessarily mean that a teacher is highly effective in facilitating student learning. An effective teacher is the one who is able to make children understand the concept, learn it and execute it. An effective facilitator does not complicate on the students brain with too much information like an expert cook adds only the essential amount of salt (information) to make the soup (studies) tasty. In fact, recent research asserts that the teacher is the most important factor affecting learning. The teacher is more important than family background or environment, and, classroom resources or technology. TEACHERS AS FACILITATORS: The Research Report at 7 major US Universities presented by Seymons and Hewitt (1977) describes the following as essentials for teaching effectiveness. All the schools can follow them for the school improvement and thus the national development. A method of assessing effective teaching by monitoring the students whether they are actively engaged, concentrating and interacting, laughing, completing tasks and anticipating what comes next. The teacher should be knowledgeable, enthusiastic, approachable and caring. The teacher should give constructive feedback and supports less able students, using a wide variety of teaching methods. The teacher should be responsible risk taker and willing to innovate. The teacher should appreciate the creativity of the students and encourage their thinking outside the box. The teacher should encourage the questioning attitude of the students. The focus in the classroom is on how to learn rather than what to learn. The skills of critical thinking should be consciously thought rather than asking the students to compare and contrast. Finally, the teacher should help the students to practice the skills. Sri Seshaas Teachers as Facilitators: We almost follow all the steps. In our school we provide a fear free schooling and the exact CCE (continuous and comprehensive evaluation) is carried out. There is no fixed date of exam and tension to the students and so they enjoy their stay and learning in the school. The most essential criteria for the appointment of teachers of our school is their attitude towards the children and their profession and not their number of degrees they have. We have 10% reservation in admission for the special children. We dont call them as less able but special. A team of our teachers under the leadership of our consultant psychologist works hard as responsible risk takers. We name it Punyabhadra. The students are encouraged in creating their own ideas rather than feeding them with ours. Whenever they take part in the outside competitions like science exhibition etc. We dont bother about the result but the students own ideas and active participation are given importance. This freedom made them even at NASA Space School Learning Centre to succeed with their miniature models of Rocket and Rover. We adopt idiscoveri methodology in which teaching learning is child centered. Our teachers job is to answer the students questions and not just to finish the number of topics. Every day morning assembly is taken charge by the students. Almost every student is given a chance to take part in it. It gives them a pride, encourages them to take responsibilities. As they give the thought for the day etc. and address the assembly they get rid of their stage fear. It is practical that the important incident of the day is let out for open discussion and helps the children to develop their critical thinking. School is a wonderful platform to bring out the students knowledge, skill and desire. In order to make our school children rational and to fulfill their objective we have 9 clubs like literary club, cookery club etc. functioning in our school. These clubs facilitate each child to find, to practice and to perform their skills. It helps them in improving their self confidence. We have a programme called Fancy Fete on every Republic day (26th Jan.). Its a display cum sales of craft works made by our children especially with waste materials, for a noble cause. Every year they donate the entire proceeds of this programme to a charitable home. CONCLUSION: An effective teacher can have a profound influence on learning so as to increase the student learning gains. School is an arena where a student learns everything. This is a place where a student learns everything. This is a place where a child is made to put his whole potential to invoke his/her hidden ideas. All our practices are aimed at creating good human beings and not any particular professionals. It might be a small step for us but itll be a giant leap for the innovative teaching learning field. If our motive is good its sure that we can do wonders. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I, V.Minnalkodi, Principal of Sri Seshaas International Public School, Salem, Tamil Nadu, thank whole heartedly, the God Almighty for His blessings and for being always with me. I sincerely thank my management for their support and guidance especially for my correspondent, Mrs.B.Amarjothi for her friendly approach. I wish to thank my colleagues and students who are the real platform of my learning. I also wish to thank my family members who are my moral supporters.

The Personality of Macbeth :: Macbeth essays

The Personality of Macbeth Macbeth is first presented as a mature man of definitely established character, successful in certain fields of activity, and enjoying an enviable reputation. One must not conclude that all Macbeth's actions are predictable. Macbeth's character is made out of potentialities and the environment, and no one, not even Macbeth, can know all of his inordinate self-love. Macbeth is determined by a desire for temporal and mutable good. Macbeth is driven in his conduct by an inordinate desire for worldly honors; his self emulation lies in buying golden opinions from all sorts of people. One must not deny Macbeth a human complexity of motives. For example, his fighting in Duncan's service is magnificent and courageous. Macbeth also rejoices in the success that crown his efforts in battle. Macbeth's services are also for his own glory. Macbeth says, "The service and the loyalty I owe, In doing it, pays itself." While Macbeth destroys Duncan's enemies, such motive work but are obscured in his consciousness by more vigorous urges. Macbeth by nature violently demands rewards. Macbeth fights courageously so he may be reported as a "valor's minion" and "Bellona's bridegroom." Macbeth values success because it brings fame, new titles, and royal favor. As long as these mutable goods fulfill his desires, which is the case until he covets the kingship, Macbeth is an honorable gentleman. Once Macbeth's self-love demands a satis faction that cannot be honorably obtained, he employs dishonorable tactics to gain his selfish desires. As Macbeth returns victoriously from battle, his self-love demands recognition of his greatness. The demonic forces of evil that drive Macbeth, symbolized by the witches, suggest to him to obtain the greatest mutable good he has ever desired, the kingdom. The witches observe Macbeth's expressions to understand the passions that are driving his dark desires he is so valiantly attempting to suppress. The witches predict Macbeth will be king. The witches can not compel Macbeth to do evil deeds, but they can use Macbeth's desire to become king to pervert his judgment of reason to corral him to choose temporal good. Macbeth's imagination and passions are so vivid under these evil impulses that "nothing is but what is not." Macbeth's reason becomes so impede that he judges, "These soliciting cannot be evil, cannot be good." Still Macbeth is provided with so much natural good that he is able to control his imagination and decide not to attempt any act that involves criminal actions.

Boston Teaparty :: essays research papers

Boston Teaparty In 1773, Britain's East India Company was sitting on large stocks of tea that it could not sell in England. It was on the verge of bankruptcy. In an effort to save it, the government passed the Tea Act of 1773, which gave the company the right to export its merchandise directly to the colonies without paying any of the regular taxes that were imposed on the colonial merchants, who had traditionally served as the middlemen in such transactions. With these privileges, the company could undersell American merchants and monopolize the colonial tea trade. The act proved inflammatory for several reasons. First, it angered influential colonial merchants, who feared being replaced and bankrupted by a powerful monopoly. The East India Company's decision to grant franchises to certain American merchants for the sale of their tea created further resentments among those excluded from this lucrative trade. More important, however, the Tea Act revived American passions about the issue of taxation without representation. The law provided no new tax on tea. Lord North assumed that most colonists would welcome the new law because it would reduce the price of tea to consumers by removing the middlemen. But the colonists responded by boycotting tea. Unlike earlier protests, this boycott mobilized large segments of the population. It also helped link the colonies together in a common experience of mass popular protest. Particularly important to the movement were the activities of colonial women, who were one of the principal consumers of tea and now became the leaders of the effort to the boycott. Various colonies made plans to prevent the East India Company from landing its cargoes in colonial ports. In ports other than Boston, agents of the company were "persuaded" to resign, and new shipments of tea were either returned to England or warehoused. In Boston, the agents refused to resign and, with the support of the royal governor, preparations were made to land incoming cargoes regardless of opposition. After failing to turn back the three ships in the harbor, local patriots led by Samuel Adams staged a spectacular drama. On the evening of December 16, 1773, three companies of fifty men each, masquerading as Mohawk Indians, passed through a tremendous crowd of spectators, went aboard the three ships, broke open the tea chests, and heaved them into the harbor.As the electrifying news of the Boston "tea party" spread, other seaports followed the example and staged similar acts of resistance of their own.

Development through the Implementation of Physical Activity to Patients Suffering from Mental Illness.

Introduction Efficient delivery of care is the essence of nursing. Being a successful nurse revolves around the capability to deliver care which contributes to the wellbeing of the patients (Barker, 2005). In exploring the efficient delivery of care to patients suffering from mental illness, this paper consists of two parts. Part One outlines the practical and theoretical aspects of my chosen Service Improvement Initiative, and Part Two focuses on my personal development plan. The Service Improvement Initiative outlines a plan that strives to create a healing environment through the use of mental and physical activities, from sports to board games as a means of providing nursing care to patients. Apart from the medical aspect of this initiative, I will also analyze the theoretical aspects of health care to determine the professional role of nurses in providing care and support that aims to contribute to the wellbeing of patients. Additionally, I intend to discuss the importance of harnessing leadership qualities, management and communication skills of nurses in order to provide high-quality patient care. Mental Health and Physical and Mind Activities In the course of my observations in a psychological ward for adolescents aged 10-17 years, I noticed that there are very little, if any, physical activities such as sports (table tennis, basketball, snooker, etc.). However, over the years, an overwhelming wealth of evidence from nursing practice and research has clearly demonstrated the benefits of such activities (Hainsworth, 2006). Researchers have established that physical activity promotes physical health and brings about physiological benefits (Department of Health, 2004b). For example, Benloucif (2004) found that daylight exercises significantly improve neurophysiological performance and sleep quality especially when they emphasize extensive duration rather than intensity. However, not only does physical activity lead to physiological benefits, but it can also generate psychological benefits such as empowerment of patients and reduction of boredom, which in turn improve clinical outcomes (Ainsworth, 2006). Another major benefit of physical activities in hospitals and wards is the creation of a social environment in which patients thrive (Frost, 2010). For example, physical activities allow service users to socialize and engage in light conversations without showing aggression towards each other (Briles, 2005). Over time, patients will learn the importance of effective communication with other people, the purpose of staying at the hospital/ward, as well as the advantages of participating in decision-making and different activities (Wilkes-Whitehall, 2004). This is particularly important for patients who are vulnerable and are in need of re-establishing their social skills in a controlled environment, such as adolescents suffering from mental illness. In fact, research has demonstrated that a warm and supportive social environment is an important factor in the etiology of mental illness, but also in the therapeutic healing process (Cohen, 2004). Physical activity, such as exercise and sports, has also been found to generally improve mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression and general wellbeing (Schmitz, 2004). According to Strohle (2009), sports and exercise can moderately reduce anxiety and depression in mentally ill persons. Martinsen (2008) has also demonstrated that some activities (e.g. resistance, aerobic) can prevent the risk of depression. Goodwin (2003) reported the low scores of depression among adolescents as a result of engaging in exercise. Drawing on a large sample of 8,098 adolescents and adults from the ages of 15-54, Goodwin (2003) found that individuals who regularly kept themselves physically active were less depressed. Other researchers (Penedo & Dahn, 2005) have further supported the claim that exercise may be associated with therapeutic benefit among individuals with major depressive disorder. Moreover, the majority of cross-sectional studies have showed that an improved cognitive performance is related to physical fitness (Callaghan, 2004). There are implications of these findings. For example, patients who frequently engage in physical activities may become much more open to considering alternative therapies and treatments. Aside from their physiological benefits, those who participated in this exercise-therapy also showed a generally more resilient and healthier psychological state. In fact, it is well-documented that physical activities and exercise are vital in strengthening self-image and self-esteem in all age groups, especially among children and middle-aged adults (Folkins & Sime, 1981). Research has demonstrated that people who participate in physical activity have an improved self-image (Elavsky et al., 2005). As self-image is an important factor in helping patients to be less vulnerable during social re-integration, clinical outcomes are improved. Additionally, Kirkcaldy, Shephard, and Siefen (2002) presented evidence that participating in physical exercises alleviates social withdrawal, low self-esteem, and depression which are the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Taking the above-mentioned case studies as well as other relevant literature together, it is clear that there is considerable evidence showing that physical activity through exercise and sports is effective in improving the mental and physical conditions of mentally ill service users. These physical activities promote better life quality via boosting self-esteem, reducing anxiety, improving mood, sleep and resilience to stress (Ekeland et al, 2009). However, further research is still needed to identify the effective exercise regimes and feasible delivery modalities for patients with varying illnesses. It is advised that activities that are any way strenuous or too rigorous would not be suitable for mentally-ill patients with cardiovascular conditions. Also, in order to prevent any form of musculoskeletal injuries, the duration and intensity of exercises should be increased gradually. It is therefore clear that a full assessment of patients must be carefully done by the appropriate medical practitioner before such activities are implemented (Richardson, 2005). Prior to outlining the Service Improvement Initiative, I will first outline the theoretical aspects that need to be considered when implementing a new initiative, and how these can be applied in practical terms. Theoretical Aspects In order to implement a service improvement initiative and effectively manage the changes that ensue, a clear understanding of theoretical aspects must take place. In this paper, the theoretical aspects will be drawn from John Kotter’s model and Pender’s Theory of Health Promotion (1996). In the former model, Kotter’s eight distinct phases will be organized into three broad phases: 1) creating a climate for change; 2) engaging and enabling the whole organization; and 3) implementing and sustaining change (Campbell, 2008). In the latter model, an action can directly motivate the behaviour of others through an extensive and rigorous plan of commitment from which the expected benefits will result (Pender, 1996). This author will examine theoretical aspects such as change management; accountability and responsibility, leadership and management skills, and professional/inter-professional collaboration. The first phase will focus on the importance of urgency, the building of guiding teams and getting the vision right. In fact, it is particularly important that a multi-disciplinary team has a sense of urgency in achieving the programme’s aims. The team must possess four main skills as highlighted by Campbell (2008): up-to-date knowledge about the necessary changes, an ability to justify and add credibility to the changes, awareness of any relevant knowledge on the changes and a sense of leadership in carrying out the changes. Moreover, the vision of the team must be summarised into a short-statement that encapsulates the goals of the initiative. Thus, in the case of the service improvement initiative, it is pivotal that the team of nurses and other staff has exposure to the benefits of physical and mental activities. This can be achieved through a day of seminars given by external scholars and practitioners, as well as take-away booklets and handouts that emphasise the need fo r integrating physical activity into healthcare. The second phase involves communicating the proposed changes that will enable action to take place. On the communication of the proposed changes, it is vital that all individuals involved in the initiative are completely knowledgeable about the changes that are being proposed. There must be a constant dialogue among the people involved to ensure that all parties are kept in the loop (Campbell, 2008). In fact, a clear communication strategy is also important for raising sufficient funds for a server improvement initiative. In order to garner both emotional and financial support, it is imperative that the short-term and long-term benefits of a service improvement initiative are communicated. For example, in the case of the service-user initiative for improving physical activity, the importance of improving the patient experience and the overall clinical outcome needs to be emphasised. Finally, the third phase highlights the importance of keeping a momentum when implementing change By creating a drive and motivation amongst employees, it becomes necessary to ensure that change does not become institutionalized but is a forward-looking process (Campbell, 2008). According to Kotter, â€Å"culture change comes last.† In other words, when change has been successfully implemented for a certain period of time, that is when attitudes and opinions change. In light of this, one would expect that it would take a certain amount of time for the service user initiative to become rooted in the culture of the health-care community. Other important theoretical aspects that also need to be discussed include accountability and responsibility. It is important that each member of the multidisciplinary team, in particular the nursing staff, are vigilant in maintaining both accountability and responsibility. In this case, responsibility is equivalent to the duty of care in law. This applies to all nursing tasks, from simple things such as bathing a patient to complex ones such as surgery. There is a certain degree of risk in any nursing task. When practitioners accept responsibility to perform a task, they must ensure that they accomplish it with competence and at least to the accepted standard (Scrivener, 2011). Accountability is commonly defined as â€Å"an inherent confidence as a professional that allows a nurse to take pride in being transparent about the way he or she has carried out their practice† (Caulfield, 2005, p.24). This reflects the positive aspect of accountability and puts focus on the development and demonstration of competence in practice (Scrivener, 2011). The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2008) states that all nurses are accountable for their own actions in practice. As the last few years have seen a rise in litigation for nurses (Diamond, 1995), accountability can be a source of anxiety for nurses. It is therefore imperative that nurses follow strict protocols and guidelines, verifying when unsure and being constantly alert to new situations and information. In relation to responsibility and accountability, according to the NMC, nurses must always ensure that they take complete responsibility for their actions, and always act in according to what is agreed with their patients, their families and carers, and in line with the laws of professional health bodies (Scrivener, 2011). Given these guidelines, in my service improvement initiative, I will ensure that the appropriate responsibility is handed to managers and nurses. Whilst the manager will be ultimately accountable and oversee and be the primary point of contact regarding the actions of the nurses and other staff, there will also be others responsible such as administrative staff. It is therefore essential that there are good management and leadership practices in place so that nurses should have to achieve the proper provision of health care. Another important theoretical aspect to consider is the importance of managing in order to achieve the goals of an organization. Thomas and Worley (2009) describe management as a process of coordinating actions and allocating resources to achieve organizational goals. Similarly, Hersey and colleagues (2001) explained that management is a way of working with and through individuals and groups to accomplish organizational goals. The researchers identified management as a special kind of leadership that concentrates on the achievement of organization goals. Koontz and Weihrich (2008) stated that management is the process of organizing and maintaining an environment in which individual working together in groups efficiently accomplishes selected goal or aims. In application to nursing profession, Sullivan and Decker (2011) define management as the abilities to plan, manage, organize and deliver care. It includes the process of discovering a good way of caring for patients. The goals of the service improvement initiative must therefore be clearly structured and outlined to ensure that both individuals and groups can work towards the initiative’s aims which are to improve the quality of patient care. Leadership may be defined as the ability to direct and influence the task or activities of the members of a group in its efforts to achieve certain objectives (Huczynski & Buchanan 2007). These authors further define leadership as the process of influencing the activities of an organized group in its efforts towards creating an environment focused on goal achievement. Mullins (2007) stated that leadership is a relationship through which one person influences the behavior or action of other people. According to Gopee and Galloway (2009), the key elements of leadership are leader’s personal characteristics, interpersonal relationships, team working and being a role model. They also identified four styles of leadership which include autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire and bureaucratic. In the context of nursing, Sullivan and Garland (2010) list many leadership and managerial skills required from a nurse. These skills range from the initiation and implementation of change, criti cal thinking, problem-solving, effective communication, time-management, appropriate delegation, budgeting and allocating resources and understanding power and politics. In the service improvement initiative, it is therefore important for nurses to acquire both leadership and management skills to be able to function effectively (Marquis and Huston, 2009). In fact, Barr and Dowding (2008) explained that management and leadership skills should be integrated in order to provide high-quality care to the patients. Finally, another critical element for a successful implementation of the service improvement initiative is a culture of â€Å"inter-professional collaboration†. The World Health Organization defines inter-professional collaboration as a process in which â€Å"multiple health workers from different professional backgrounds work together with patients, families, carers, and communities to deliver the highest quality of care.† An expert panel of Inter-professional Education Collaborative (2011) defines inter-professional competencies in health care as â€Å"integrated enactment of knowledge, skills, and values/attitudes that define working together across the professions, with other health care workers, and with patients, along with families and communities, as appropriate to improve health outcomes in specific care contexts†. In the context of the service improvement initiative, a panel of inter-professionals will be involved from the first day to actual implementa tion to ensure that the highest quality of care is given to patients. The Service Improvement Initiative To improve the nursing services in the ward, I plan to execute a six-month program involving 10 adolescent patients from the ages of 10-17, from the psychological ward. Patients will be invited to partake in a range of physical activities, such as exercise and sports, as well as mind games. The overall aim of this initiative is to establish whether such activities have any effect on the behavior or wellbeing of patients. A secondary aim of the initiative is to explore various aspects of the delivery of care, taking into consideration the different theoretical aspects of the nursing practice. The budget will be need to be closely decided in liaison with the manager to ensure that there is sufficient funding for purchasing the sport equipment and the personnel for facilitating and monitoring physical activities. Although the programme is to be conducted in a normal hospital setting, funding will also need to be allocated for the services of the experts and all the administrative and logistical aspects of the initiative. Whilst as a nurse, I can initiate the set of activities for patients, I will need to draw on the assistance and expertise of other medical practitioners for the intervention to be successful. It will also be necessary to set up a multidisciplinary team that will aid in the implementation and completion of the initiative. Team members will be psychiatrists, physical therapists, mental health practitioners, and other experts. It is particularly important to draw on the expertise of a Physical Therapist as it is essential to determine the capabilities of mentally ill individuals when it comes to engaging in physical activities. Psychiatrists also play an important role in assessing the clinical outcomes of patients within a certain time-frame. Given previous research on the risks of physical activity for mentally ill patients (Richardson, 2005), careful considerations shall also be made to ensure that the types of physical activity will depend on the psychological condition of the patient and all physical activities will be limited to light exercise and light sports, such as table tennis. The assessment of the clinical outcomes of the service improvement initiative for adolescent patients will take place on a weekly basis. The assessment criteria will be decided by consulting experts and mental health practitioners. The amount of exercise given in the following week will then depend on the clinical results of the patients at the end of the week. This allows a continuous assessment of patient improvement. It is important to note that the proposed initiative may face a number of challenges. These challenges include the specific culture of a workplace in which some staff may oppose the change, funding costs, fear of increase in work load amongst nurses and a subsequent increase in staff anxiety level (Paton and McCalman, 200; Sharma, 2008). Professional Development Plan Introduction In this section, I will focus on one of the aspects of my personal development which I intend to concentrate on within the first six months of registration. In my personal development plan I will explore my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) and write an action plan that is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART). Using the reflective tools and SWOT analysis (Appendix B), I have identified my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, One of the main areas of expertise where I see the weakness and where I would like to see improvements in my knowledge and abilities in the management of medications. Being a nurse does not only require clinical skills but also good leadership, management and communication skills that are learned from practice. Action Plan Administration of medicines is a key element of nursing care. Drug administration is one of the major parts of the nurse’s clinical role. Although doctors traditionally take control of prescribing medicines, a registered nurse does have primary responsibility in administering the correct dosage of medicines. Nurses are responsible regarding the preparation of medicine, verifying and checking appropriate medication, monitoring the effectiveness of treatment and in certain cases, reporting any adverse drug reactions. Given research findings that patients do not always receive the correct medication at their drug rounds, nurses must be vigilant in ensuring appropriate medicine management (Andalo, 2006). However, there has been evidence that medicine management has not been given considerable priority by health care services, and that it is commonly excluded from pre-registration training or in practice (Snowden, 2011). The development of competency in medicine management requires an explicit academic component is present. This is particularly important given recent failures such as those highlighted in Francis Report (Wright, 2013). In this report, Robert Francis revealed the failure among nurses and healthcare assistants to feed patients and give them the basic elements of care such as dignity and respect. Initiatives to combat such behaviour in the future included holding nurses personally and criminally accountable, as well as holding hospital boards responsible should they fail to ensure that all patients are receiving high quality care (Wright, 2013). As I am a student who is in the transition period to a staff nurse, I am aware of the changing responsibilities and accountabil ity that are inherent to being a nurse. Personal Development Plan Nagelkerk (2005) highlights the importance of setting and identifying goals that are intrinsic to your personal development, as it allows you to reflect on your practice and also highlight your strengths and weaknesses, which gives you the opportunity to initiate and implement change. With this in mind, I plan to draw on Snowden’s â€Å"clusters on essential skills for medicine management†. This is relevant to the current service improvement initiative as it highlights the need for newly registered nurses to be completely briefed on patient history and able to responsible administer medicines (Snowden, 2011). Moreover, I will draw on the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time) bound framework to set a time scale for my action plan. I will also draw on Snowden’s clusters on essential skills for medicine management as it is a parsimonious model that allows me to evaluate educational needs and professional development. During the first month of the programme, I will ensure that I am completely knowledgeable of the commonly administered medicines that the patients are taking, their actions and side effects. I will do this by liaising with doctors and psychiatrists, and also attending weekly ward rounds. Within the second month, I intend to increase my confidence when it comes to managing my medication round effectively using the eight rights checklist: â€Å"right medication†, â€Å"right patient†, â€Å"right dose†, â€Å"right time†, â€Å"right date†, â€Å"right route†, â€Å"right preparation† and â€Å"right documentation† (Morgan, 2000). I will also develop my knowledge of pharmacology such as the interaction of medicines with different systems of the body. In the third and fourth months of training, I will build up my knowledge on the necessary techniques for administering medicine. I will attend a series of sessions on medicine management as well as observe trained professionals. This is in line with research that nurses must constantly build their body of knowledge and develop their professional skills (Burton & Ormrod, 2011). The fifth and sixth months will focus on the application of the knowledge I acquired. This is where safety management, administration and monitoring of drugs come in. I will practice my skills in ordering medication, their storage and disposal of used medication. I intend to keep a reflective diary about all that I learnt from my own experience and experience of colleagues. The support and assistance of an experienced professional is very important and vital for a newly qualified nurse to gain confidence and practice effectively (NMC, 2008). With the right support and guidance from experienced colleagues, I should be able to manage medications safely and effectively. This will greatly enhance my professional confidence. Having clearly identified my goals and assigned a time limit to achieve them will help me to monitor my progress. I will work hard to make sure that my goals are achievable within the clinical setting. Conclusion Over the course of this paper, it has become clear that the responsibilities of a newly registered nurse are vast. The transition from a student to a nurse is not without its challenges and requires continuous training, support and guidance. To ensure that I am progressing in my knowledge of nursing, I will constantly engage in evaluations and assessment of my learning. For example, I will verify my learning in accordance with the standards of the Nursing and Midwifery Council. APPENDIX A Service Improvement Activity Notification Proforma Details of service improvement project/activity: The main aim of the Service Improvement Initiative is to provide physical activity to mentally ill adolescents aged 10-17 years. The initiative will assess the clinical outcomes following the physical activity intervention, as well as the development of nursing skills needed for the efficient and effective delivery of care. Reason for development: Based on my observations in a psychological ward for adolescents aged 10-17 years, there are no opportunities to be involved in activities such as sports (darts, snooker, etc.). These activities are proven to provide multiple benefits to the service users, both in terms of physical fitness and mental health. Time spent on the project/activity: The program will take place over a span of six months. Resources used: There are a number of resources needed for this initiative. Resources include sufficient funding for paying for the services of team members and experts, as well as a range of sporting equipment, such as table tennis tables. Who was involved: A multidisciplinary team consisting of a group of nurses a physical therapist, psychiatrists, mental health practitioners, and other experts will be set up. Future plans: The initiative will be implemented in six (6) months. It is hoped that the program will become successful and beneficial for the service users and the multidisciplinary team. APPENDIX B Strengths  ·Good communication skills,  ·Good team player  ·Positive attitude  ·Good interpersonal skills  ·Motivated and enthusiastic  ·Responsible Weaknesses  ·Assertiveness  ·Medicine management skills  ·Professional boundary issues Opportunities  ·Access to training  ·Learning from other members of inter-professional team.  ·Education, development and research  ·Effective supervision  ·Effective feedbackThreats  ·Lack of time  ·Staff attitude on ward  ·Staff shortage  ·My inexperience APPENDIX C Objective 1. Improve my knowledge of medication management. Where I am now Insufficient knowledge about medication. Goal To become competent in medication management. Action plan Read British National Formulary Check NICE guidelines on medication Work with colleagues on the ward. Administering medication regularly with supervisionTime 2 weeks 1- week 1- week continuouslyEvaluation Self-evaluation and evaluation by experienced professionals 2. 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