Thursday, December 26, 2019

Managing Change at Faslane Case Study Essay

Managing Change at Faslane Case Study Essay Introduction In 2002, the HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane) submarine base transitioned from being under the direct control of the MOD (Ministry of Defence) to a private company called Babcock International. With these substantial transitions, it was necessary for Babcock to perform change management in order to smooth over the transition, as well as improve performance, which was lackluster enough to demand the change in leadership. Both supervisors employed different change styles and levers of change in their revamping of the operations of Faslane, to rousing success. 1 In relation to sections 14.2.1 and 14.5, what is the type of change being pursued at Faslane? As Faslane, the change was to transfer much of the responsibility and accountability in fact supervision of the naval base from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to Babcock Marine, a part of Babcock International. This was an instance of a military branch permitting a private sector company to oversee the operations of a naval base. The change was effectively from a functional structure (where individuals had a specialized set of tasks) to a bureaucratic structure (moving towards a more corporate entity, with supervisors and standardization). 2 Describe the change styles of John Howie and Craig Lockhart. The use of a consultative, coercive change style was typical of the way John Howie ran Faslane. John Howies management change style involve the use of consultation from people within their company who had experienced changes just like what was happening at Faslane. Howie focused greatly on changing management structure to use money more effectively, tracking any and every change through strict documentation. This allowed for a two-week review period of each change to see if it was effective overall. The goal was to change the people and their behaviors on a daily basis, in order to determine exactly how to provide the biggest changes. Management changes were implemented early, which was later followed by changes in personnel. As opposed to Howie, his successor seemed much more collaborative in his change management style. In the case of Craig Lockhart, he implemented a performance scorecard in order to measure outputs this left the specifics of job performance and business change management effectiveness open to everyone in the company. This provided additional accountability, thus creating incentive for these changes to be implemented more readily. Event in the tent sessions were held, with discussions being held throughout the day in order to get the opinions from the workforce as to how the changes to Faslane were going over. Honesty was another tactic; by allowing further transparency and admitting when things were going badly, the workers trusted the executives more. Allowing customers to create teams and departmental business plans created further integration within the workforce, and increased customer satisfaction. 3 What levers of change are being used [see section 14.4J? What others could be used and why? Several levers of change were implemented in the corporate takeover of Faslane by Babcock Marine. Accountability and relationships were the primary means of change that the heads of this company used. First, a communication plan was put in place by both Howie and Lockhart; these involve the use of structured methods of communicating between supervisors and employees. The event in the tent sessions, as well as the consultation that Howie had with other Babcock employees to get their feedback on the changes, are evidence of a communication plan, as are the performance scorecards. Coaching was also used to facilitate the relationship lever of change; this involves the cooperation and participation of the direct supervisors in the work lives and communication of employees. Lockharts event in the tent sessions most definitely qualify under this type of intervention, as employees felt free to come up to him with questions or suggestions, which he would take seriously. One lever of change that could have helped immensely is using resistance management. While there were many changes taking place throughout the base, one particular aspect of the change that seemed to not be addressed was to curb peoples fears about potential negative change. This can often result in resistance to the change, thus hampering productivity and progress. While this problem seemed to be minimal, there was talk by Howie of a lack of incentive to come up with a change that might mean someone loses their own job. With effective resistance management, these potential issues could have been curbed more readily. 4 Assess the effectiveness of the change programme. The change programme started by Howie and continued by Lockhart seems to have been incredibly effective; the integration of customer and businessman in the creation of business plans seems to have taken off, as 2010 saw Faslane becoming the home base for the entire submarine fleet of the United Kingdom. With that unique change, thousands of jobs are expected to be created. Given the potential for job expansion and job creation, it is safe to say that the methods used to work together and bring about effective change within Faslane worked brilliantly.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Should the Government do Something to Prevent Hacking

Should the government do something to stop hacking? Computer can sometimes be helpful and entertaining, however there are times when unauthorized groups hack into peoples computers. The government should do something to stop hacking problems because the hackers can steal peoples personal information like ,bank/credit card information, and even their identity easily.Another reason is that it can cost you a lot of money because they will steal your pin number and access bank account directly or if they have enough of your personal information they can create credit card fraud. â€Å"Different people had already given testimony to the U.S congress on computer security, and the forums are expected to provide documents that will set rules in the united states and around the world.† Nancy Weil says.(http://www.isubscribe.com) (1998) Hackers can steal peoples personal information easily. â€Å"Aarons Inc. is a national Atlantic based rent-to-own retailer that agreed to settle on a federal trade commission (FTC) that claims the company knowingly played a direct and vital role in its installation and the use of software on rental computers that secretly monitored consumers including by taking webcam photos of them in their homes.†(http://www.aspedpub.com) (2014).Then â€Å"some of the complaint alleged that Aaron’s knew about the privacy- to use the software to track consumers locations,capture images on webcams, and they found out the consumers password for social and financialShow MoreRelatedDo You Use A Computer At Home?1293 Words   |  6 PagesDo you use a computer at home? 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While the government is telling us it’s just an exercise so that the everyday citizen can get used to the presence of military in their neighborhoods and in their towns, is that really what’s going on? Or is this just another ploy to have the government take over the American citizens andRead MoreExamples Of Heroism In 1984, By George Orwell1033 Words   |  5 Pages(Orwell 152). And to this, Winston says yes. Also, Winston gives up Julia when he is faced with his worst fear, which is rats. This shows how he is selfish and unwilling to overcome his fear for someone he loves: â€Å"Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don’t care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me!† (Orwell 256). This quotes shows how Winston doesn’t care about anyone. 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Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Bmw Research Paper free essay sample

BMW is enhancing the travel experience for drivers and passengers while also launching a series of new platforms The BMW Group – one of Germany’s largest industrial companies – is also one of the most successful car and motorcycle manufacturers in the world and 2011 was its best year to date. With almost 1. 7 million vehicles sold, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer in terms of sales volume. Its three automobile brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, and the BMW and Husqvarna motorcycles brands led to record sales of â‚ ¬68. 8bn. During 2011, the company introduced five new BMW models across the 1,3,5 and 6 series as well as the Mini Coupe and the Rolls-Royce 102EX, the first electric vehicle in the ultra-luxury segment. In addition, the company also launched a new sub brand – BMW i – that includes the i3 all-electric and i8 plug-in hybrid concept cars due for launch in 2013. However, as well as selling more products than ever and expanding production capacity, especially for the all-important China market, the company also kicked off a number of strategic partnerships for the future. We will write a custom essay sample on Bmw Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These included the start of the BMW Peugeot Citroen Electrification joint venture, the acquisition of a strategic investment in SGL Carbon SE and the cooperation with Toyota Motor Corporation in basic research for battery cell technology. Although a significant manufacturer, BMW is not part of a larger company like its main competitor Audi. As BMW invests heavily in innovation to continue to produce the ultimate driving experience, keeping its power options open is key, so as the shift towards electric continues to gather speed these development partnerships are vital elements in the company’s growth strategy.

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Effects of Visual Distraction on Reaction Time Research Paper Example

The Effects of Visual Distraction on Reaction Time Paper Overall, distraction can affect human reaction time and this coincides with previous findings (Lee et al 2001). Introduction Human reaction time can be affected by many factors, one such example is distraction. Literature suggests that distraction can affect a persons ability to react to a particular stimulus, In the sense that it increases the reaction time (Lee et al 2001). The Impact of distraction on reaction time carries huge significant to the current society In terms of the dally activities which are performed by majority of the people, such as driving. The use of technology whilst driving has been re-assessed and more recently the use of sat Nava has been a debatable topic (Dave Evans, 2012). More pacifically, evidence suggests that when one looks directly at an object, their peripheral vision becomes slightly impaired and this affects a persons reaction time (Brenner and Welfare, 1980). Also the use of hands-free phones whilst driving results has a negative effect on attention and does not improve reaction time performance (Horror and Wickers, 2006), (Hendricks and Sweetie, 2007). Distraction is a common cause of accidents (NATHAN, 2009). The need to reduce potential threats to others as a result of reduced reaction time points to the need of further research into the effects of distraction. Visual distraction can affect drivers reaction time and with Increasing number of Len- car technologies available, reaction time Is likely to be affected. Previous experiment investigated the effects of in-car technology perceived as visual distraction using a calculator Dates experiment on ventricle Drawing Elegance Ana control (Karee et al, 2012). We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Visual Distraction on Reaction Time specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Visual Distraction on Reaction Time specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Visual Distraction on Reaction Time specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They found that visual distraction associated within the car such as devices resulted in higher work load and as a result affected drivers control of the car. The visual pathway may be responsible for affecting human reaction time (Ghent, McCormick, 2010). Research showed that visual stimuli presented to different regions of the eye produced different reaction times (Brenner and Welfare, 1980). In addition to this, it has been found that drivers with experience of being exposed to several visual stimuli have shown to have a faster reaction time than inexperienced drivers (Constantinople et al, 2010). This suggests that the human brain no longer finds a certain stimuli as a distracted and is able to process it effectively (And et al, 2002). Therefore, studying the common response to visual distraction, looking for a potential mineral pattern and its consistency in human reaction time is needed. This study will focus on the effects of distraction brought by visual stimuli on human reaction time. The distraction task will involve a sensory visual background for the participant to view whilst also keeping an eye out for the red dot flashing on the centre of the screen. Upon noticing a red dot, the individual will have to respond by pressing the space bar. According to previous findings, visual stimuli should increase reaction times of an individual. Method Design A within-participant two-tailed experimental design was used to explore the effects of castration on reaction time. Participants were randomized to one of two conditions of the independent variable (V); either to perform the distraction task first or the non-distraction task. Randomization of the participants was decided by using the random number table to allocate participants into group 1 or group 2. The dependent variable (DVD) was the speed taken (seconds) to complete the reaction task. Participants The participants were a convenience sample of 55 young adults (less than rays age) which comprised of both males and females studying at Nottingham Trend University, England. Among them, 31 were female and 24 were male. Their age ranged between 16 and 62 years old and the age mean was 29,98 years old. None of the participants had previous knowledge of similar visual tasks. No specific incentive was used. Material The study was examining reaction times using a computer based stimulus. The tool used to measure reaction time among young adults was an online test developed by Ennobler Learner Foundation (http://www. Learner. Org/courses/neuroscience/ interactive/reaction. HTML). An information sheet was presented to the participants explaining the experiment. Procedure Participants were asked to read the information sheet and provide written informed consent. All the pages of the online test were opened and ready to use. Participants were given one trial test before commencing onto the recorded test. Participants were required to press the space bar on the computer/laptop using their dominant hand every time a red dot flashed on the screen. In the distraction task, visual stimuli were presented in the background and participants were required to press the space bar when seeing a red dot flash. Three tests were carried out for the control and experimental task. Results were recorded onto a data sheet. On completion of the experiment the participants were then thanked and debriefed. Results For the non-distraction condition (Rotor), the mean was 0. 05 and the median was 0. 298 whether for the distraction condition (RD) the mean it was 0. 331 seconds and the median 0. 330 In the non-distraction condition, scores ranged from 0. 225 to 0. 544 whereas on the distraction condition the minimum was 0. 233 and the maximum score was 0. 497. A significant difference was found between the reaction test study with distraction and without distraction t(54)= 5. 0; p 0. 001). Discussion The resul ts indicated that there is a significant difference between the reaction time with visual distraction and non-distraction. The average reaction time with visual distraction is 0. 026 seconds longer than in the non-distraction task. In addition, the difference between the two variables was considered replicable to most of the population. It is coherent with the previous studies that suggest that sensory distraction increased reaction time. In the experiment, the main visual stimulus was presented in the direct vision of the artificial (red dot in the centre of the computer screen) and other visual distraction cues were moving around the red dot involving peripheral vision. As Brenner and Welfare (1980) concluded, participants concentration on the centered stimulus might have impaired the participants peripheral vision which resulted in a load in processing the visual stimuli and consequently in a delay in reaction time. Ghent and Mnemonic (2010) suggested that a visual disruption occurs between two visual systems, the ventral and dorsal pathways, causing blank display. The ventral pathway detects object (identical features such as color or shape) and the dorsal pathway detects location (motion features). In the present method design, the red dot, main stimulus was immobile and other cues location were shifting acting as motion features and eventually creating a blank display between the two visual systems, hence bringing delays in response time. With a standardized procedure, a randomization in attributing participants to their task, contouring variables Kept to a strict Mullen, tens true-experiment gives strong evidence that reaction time increases with visual distraction. Although, the small size of the computer used during the experiment and the nature of the stimulus being simple, in AD and right in front of the participant (using direct vision only) can be seen as disconnected from the real world. Its ecological validity can be questioned since in the everyday life, people have to deal with AD, complex and multiple stimulus and this experiment doesnt show how peoples reaction time is influenced in a real world situation. Also, participants had to repeat the test seven times (including the trial) which could have caused fatigue and consequently delays in reaction time. It isnt known to what extend this parameter was involved in the experiment results. The results found that a visual stimulus can make difference in milliseconds in someones reaction time, and for drivers, this is not negligible. Mummer et al. showed that visual distraction impairs drivers ability in being critical and in dealing with sudden events. Saber et al. (2012) stated that visual stimuli, especially in-car technology, resulted in high workload in the brain and more off-road glances. Hence, it should not be underestimated and included in road safety measures. Visual advertising such as hoots, posters, etc. Installed near roads can distract drivers and make them loose attention especially on motorways where the high speed requires drivers to have an optimized reaction time. Road assignation should also be kept to minimal designs with clear and identifiable colors not to delay drivers reaction time. In general, the environment nearby the road should be kept as clean and simple as possible to avoid any visual distraction. Further research should investigate the potential different levels of visual distraction and see if more complex and/or other types of stimuli provoke different and longer exaction times. Forms and shapes were used in this experiment, but exploring the humans reaction time when presented faces cues for instance could bring new learning. It seems that after practicing, visual distraction are start not being seen as distraction (And, 2002). Previous research also showed that experienced drivers had a faster reaction time than learners because they were using more often side mirrors (Constantinople, Chapman, Crandall, 2010).