Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Just Culture Model on Patient Safety Research Paper

The Just Culture Model on Patient Safety - Research Paper Example This is called the punitive approach model. It shuts off the necessary information required to identify the fault in the system and create safer systems. In such a system people do not learn from their mistakes. Discussion of need/purpose for A Just Culture Model for Patient Safety To improve the quality of overall health care system, there is a need to improve on the culture of safety within the health care. This is an essential component when it comes to reducing errors. A just culture can thus be said to be one that is supportive of shared accountability. It holds the organization responsible for systems that it has chosen to design and for how they choose to respond to the behavior of staff in a just and fair manner (Manasse et al, 2005). For their part, the staff are the ones who are accountable for the quality of the choices that they make and for the reporting of the errors they make and the vulnerabilities of the system. This paper aims at discussing the concept of the just m odel and its application in the health system cultures (Manasse et al, 2005). ... These components include, Empirical Outcomes, Transformational Leadership, Exemplary Professional Practice Empowerment, Innovations and Improvements, New Knowledge and Structural Just Culture (Manasse et al, 2005). â€Å"Just Culture† is not discussed in this context; however, it is in tandem with the case model. In reference to transformational leadership, it fronts for advocacy as an attribute of patients as well as leaders in nursing. In terms of Professional Engagement, imminent evidence in this case is that which would promote organizational leadership as part of nursing (Technology, 2012). Objective(s) The major focus of just culture is to increase the safety of patients; this is done through effective reporting, modification of the system, accountability and remediation. The objectives of the just culture are to increase the number of medical personnel, who report information regarding medical malpractice, increase remediation that is sponsored by the employer to incorp orate the culture in the review of complaints regarding malpractice, create a patient safety database for the whole state, assist in the development of the national safety database and increase use of practice intervention and improvement program, which is an alternative to the discipline program (Reiling, 2007). The main objective of the just culture is to establish a mindset that is organization-wide which will positively influence the workplace environment and the work outcome in many ways. This concept promotes culture where mistakes and errors in the workplace do not result in automatic punishment but a process from which the source of the error can be established. The objective of this culture is promoting an

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

His5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

His5 - Essay Example The Vikings were essentially pagan, illiterate and virulent. However, there is much work today that revisits common perception and stereotype of the Vikings as mere barbarians to a more complex race that had more to offer as traders and explorers with sharp business acumen and propensity to travel faraway lands to further their trade links and craft. Much of the Vikings’ history was written by monks and natives who were the victims of the attacks by the Vikings. There is speculation that their accounts might be overly dramatic and extraneous. The Vikings were superior craftsmen, most commonly associated with lightweight, well-built ships that took them from Greenland to North America. Archaeological explorations reveal that these ships were meant for long distance, solid travel rather than battle. The Vikings have also been found masterful at crafting swords, artifacts, paintings and clothing. The Vikings voyaged to the land of America which they called Vinland the Good, as early as 1000 A.D., which is almost 500 years before any written record of Columbus. Vikings are known to be explorers, thus it is not incorrect to surmise that they explored the land, seeking fodder, habitable area and semblances of culture. They also traded and worked with the local people of this land, by them called the ‘skaelings’; they also took residence with them by building houses, which is another indication that they did not intend barbarism and pillaging but cohabitation in peace and harmony and general prosperity of society. These conclusions are drawn by the translation of the Icelandic sagas of the Vikings into more common European languages, around two hundred years ago (National Museum of Natural History). There is general consensus among people that the land called Vinland is situated south of two other lands in North American explored by the Vikings, Helluland

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Anaylysis of business enviornment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Anaylysis of business enviornment - Assignment Example Some of the available techniques of promotion include using the print media and other media such as radio and TV. This is likely to catch the attention of many potential buyers. This will tend to increase demand of cars. The price of a car Affordability of cars will most certainly increase their demand. However, if the prices are not friendly, demand of cars will be less. This is the prime reason why a company that sells cars should fix the prices skilfully so as not to affect the sales (Frank, 2006, p. 57). Financing options A population found in a country where access to loans is easier will find it easier to buy a car than those who cannot access a loan. Banks and other financial institutions give loans to people who are employed or are doing businesses with returns that can pay off the loan. The income of the buyer Those buyers that earn a lot are able to buy more than one car. Those who earn little are not even able to afford a car. This is the reason why it is important to star t up a car selling business in places where people have good income. In such a place, demand will certainly be higher. New offerings With the introduction of a new model in the market, the demand of this car is usually higher. People tend to buy new models due to changes in the make. They may love the new colour, shape and speed of the new car and as such, they will be influenced to buy. Tastes and preferences If the customers change their taste and preference towards a particular type of car, its demand will most certainly go down. However, if the tastes and preferences of the consumer are in line with the available type of cars, then this will make demand higher. Economic conditions The most influential economic conditions include inflation and balance of payments. When there is inflation, the prices of goods and services tend to go high. In this case, consumers will pay higher for basic commodities than was the case initially. In this case, therefore, consumers’ ability to purchase is strained. They are not able to buy luxuries such as cars, hence their demand goes down. On the contrary, if the prevailing economic conditions are favourable, people will have money to spend, hence the demand for luxuries such as cars will be higher (Bade and Parkin, 2001, p. 43). 2. What product or service might have a highly positive cross elasticity of demand with the market for cars? Describe its impact on the market for cars. Cross elasticity of demand measures the effect of the demand of one good because of the change in the price of another good. The elasticity is measured because of the change in price of one good and how this will affect another commodity demand. The two goods are either compliments or substitutes. When the cross elasticity of demand is positive, it shows that the goods are substitutes. When it is negative, the two products are complements. In the market for cars, motorcycles are the products with a highly positive cross elasticity of demand. O ther substitutes are the public transport such as busses and trains. Many people are opting to buy motorcycles in place for cars due to the effective nature of motorcycles as compared to cars. Customers in a situation where substitutes have such a positive cross elasticity of demand, opt for the product with the highest advantage. In the market of cars, the main reason why people are moving to

Monday, September 23, 2019

Emergency Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Emergency Management - Essay Example Vol. 27, Issue 5, pp 1265-1281, October 2007. 5. In considering the challenges in implementing disaster mental health programs described by Elrod et al. which of the following is not true? Answer should be A. Source is CL Elrod, 2006, â€Å"Challenges in Implementing Disaster Mental Health Programs. The premise of this article is that risk to a system, as well as its vulnerability and resilience, can be understood, defined, and quantified most effectively through a systems-based philosophical and methodological approach, and by recognizing the central role of the system states in this process. A universally agreed-upon definition of risk has been difficult to develop; one reason is that the concept is multidimensional and nuanced. It requires an understanding that risk to a system is inherently and fundamentally a function of the initiating event, the states of the system and of its environment, and the time frame. In defining risk, this article posits that: (a) the performance capabilities of a system are a function of its state vector; (b) a systems vulnerability and resilience vectors are each a function of the input (e.g., initiating event), its time of occurrence, and the states of the system; (c) the consequences are a function of the specificity and time of the event, th e vector of the states, the vulnerability, and the resilience of the system; (d) the states of a system are time-dependent and commonly fraught with variability uncertainties and knowledge uncertainties; and (e) risk is a measure of the probability and severity of consequences. The above implies that modeling must evaluate consequences for each risk scenario as functions of the threat (initiating event), the vulnerability and resilience of the system, and the time of the event. This fundamentally complex modeling and analysis process cannot be performed correctly and effectively

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Reinforcement and Employees Essay Example for Free

Reinforcement and Employees Essay Q3. What tools does Walmart use to motivate employees? How might a lack of motivation affect associates and how should managers respond? Give me a W! Give me an A! Give me an L! Give me a squiggly! Give me an M! Give an A! Give me an R! Give me a T! What’s that spell? Walmart! Whose Walmart is it? It’s my Walmart ! Who’s number one? The customer! Always! The good times continue at Walmart, and so do hard work and achievement. For many employees, seeing peers rewarded for a job well done proves highly motivational. Executives at Walmart refer to the company as one big family. There are no grunts or gophers –no employee, no matter how new, is thought of as low person on the totem. According to the company’s â€Å"open door† policy, all associates are encouraged to speak freely, share concerns, and express ideas for improving daily operations. In return, they can expect managers to treat all discussions fairly with an open mind. The policy is right out of Walton’s playbook. â€Å"Listen to your associates,† Walton urged. â€Å"They’re the best idea generators.† The founder’s wisdom is routinely reaffirmed through the oft-repeated quote that â€Å"nothing constructive happens in Bentonville† – a reference to Walton headquarters. In Walton’s grass – roots ethic, local employees are the ones most likely to produce fresh ideas. One significant way managers can meet higher motivational needs is to shift power down from the top of organization and share it with employees to enable them to achieve goals. Empowerment is power sharing, the delegation of power or authority to subordinates in an organization. Increasing employee motivation for task accomplishment because people improve their own effectiveness, choosing how to do a task and using their creativity. Empowerment is one way managers promote self- reinforcement and self- efficacy, as defined in the discussion of social learning. Empowering employees involves giving them four elements that enable them to act more freely accomplish their jobs: information knowledge, power, and rewards. First of all, employees receive information about company performance. In companies where employees are fully empowered, all employees have access to all financial and operational information. Secondly, employees have knowledge and skills to contribute to company goals. Companies use training programs and other development tools to help people acquire the knowledge and skills they need to contribute to organizational performance. The third motivation is employees have the power to make substantive decision. Empowered employees have the authority to directly influence work procedures and organizational performance, such as through quality circles or self- directed work teams. And last but not least, employees are rewarded based on company performance. Organizations that empower workers often reward them based on the results shown in the company’s bottom line. Organizations may also use other motivational compensation programs described in Exhibit 16.8 to tie employee efforts to company performance. Exhibit 16.8 Many of today’s organizations are implementing empowerment programs, but they are empowering workers to varying degrees. At some companies, empowerment means encouraging workers’ idea while managers retain final authority for decisions; at others it means giving employees almost complete freedom and power to make decisions and exercise initiative and imagination. Current methods of empowerment fall along a continuum, as illustrated in exhibit 16.9 . The continuum runs from situation in which front- line workers have almost no discretion, such as on a traditional assembly line, to full empowerment, where workers even participate in formulating organizational strategy. Exhibit 16.9 Perhaps the most important things managers can do to enhance organizational communication and dialogue can encourage people to communicate honestly with one another. Subordinates will feel free to transmit negative as well as positive message to managers without fear of retribution. Efforts to develop interpersonal skills among employees can also foster openness, honesty, and trust. Second, managers should develop and use formal communication channels in all direction. Scandinavian Designs uses two newsletters to reach employees. Dana Holding Corporation developed the â€Å"Here a Thought† board- called a HAT rack- to get ideas and feedback from workers. Other techniques include direct mail, bulletin boards, blogs, and employee surveys. Third, managers should encourage the use of multiple channels including both formal and informal communications. Multiple communication channels include written directives, face- to- face discussions, and the grapevine. For example, managers at GM’s Packard Electric plant use multimedia, including a monthly newspaper, frequent meeting of employees’ teams and an electronic news display in the cafeteria. Sending messages through multiple channels increases the likelihood that they will be properly received. Fourth, the structure should fit communication needs. An organization can be designed to use teams, task forces, project managers, or matrix structure as needed to facilitate the horizontal flow of information for coordination and problem solving. Structure should also reflect information need. When team or department task are difficult, a decentralized structure should be implemented to encourage discussion and participation. Empowerment is the process of distributing decision-making power throughout an organization. It is a process which enables employees to set personal work goals, make minor decisions and to solve conflicts by using their personal authority. Team Bonuses, in situations in which employees should cooperate with each other and isolating employee performance is more difficult, companies are increasingly resorting to tying employee pay to team performance. For example, in 2007, Wal-Mart gave bonuses to around 80% of their associates based on store performance. If empl oyees have a reasonable ability to influence their team’s performance level, these programs may be effective. One way Wal-Mart facilitates respect for an individual is through an open-door policy that allows employees of all levels to communicate with managers in higher levels of the company. This open-door policy is also a way of keeping unions from forming in the company. The philosophy is that when employees have avenues for expressing their complaints and problems, there will be no reason to have union representatives (Cray, 2000; Slater, 2003). However, people may question how effective this policy is, because employees still attempt to form unions. Walton also believed in the importance of having a clear flow of communication with his workers, claiming that the more information they received the harder they would work for him. â€Å"The more they know, the more they’ll understand,† he said. â€Å"The more they understand, the more they’ll care. Once they care, there’s no stopping them.† To Walton, the free flow of information between him and his worke rs demonstrated the trust and respect he had for them. Without that trust, Walton felt he could not succeed. â€Å"Information is power, and the gain you get from empowering your associates more than offsets the risk of informing your competitor,† he said. For Walton, the bottom line was to appreciate his workers and to make them feel valued. He knew that a paycheck and stock options alone would not guarantee loyalty or hard work. Instead, he realized the importance of making sure his workers knew they were appreciated. â€Å"Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise,† he said. â€Å"They’re absolutely free – and worth a fortune.† By having motivated and loyal employees, Walton could then use them as his secret weapon. â€Å"The folks on the front lines – the ones who actually talk to the customer – are the only ones who really know what’s going on out there,† he said. By listening to his workers and their ideas, Walton could stay on top of his game; â€Å"This really is what total quality is about.† Listen to everyone in your practice/team. Obviously your team is a lot smaller than Wal-Mart, but Sams tactic of figuring out ways to get â€Å"front line† people talking holds true for advisors. You can gain a lot of insight into your clients, and it will help strengthen relationships with support personnel. And yes, listen to your clients too. continuous communication is the most important thing to remember. Change usually causes fear about different things. Communication must be very open, honest and encouraging. It also has to cover all the parties involved in the change. Happy employees mean happy customers. Walton admitted that initially he was so stingy and did not give good pay to his employees. But eventually he realized that he should give a larger payment to his employees because they are considered as â€Å"business partners†. According to Walton, who treated the way management is the same business partner in a way that applied to the consumer. If the business partner treats their customers well then the consumer will come again and again therein lies the advantage and business success. Walton also often visited his shop and asked for their opinions, especially employees who are on the front lines, those who actually faced and talking with customers, as people who know the real situation on the ground. Management’s number one goal with their employees is to make working at Wal-Mart fun and rewarding. They even have their own cheer to boost associates morale and organizational spirit (Wal-Mart, 2008). â€Å"Who’s Wal-Mart? It is my Wal-Mart† (Wal-Mart, 2008). This is the type of leadership styles that all organizations need to use. This style makes employees want to come to work everyday and they feel secure knowing that they are working for a great organization. Wal-Mart is like one big family and like to make their associates feel like they are an important part of keeping the doors open for everyone. If Walmart this organization are lack of motivation itll affects associates also called employees. Lack of motivation equates to less work being accomplished. Productivity does not disappear; it is usually transferred to aspects not related to the organizations work. Things like personal conversations, Internet surfing or taking longer lunches cost the organization time and money. Reduced productivity can be detrimental to an organizations performance and future success. Low employee motivation could be due to decreased success of the organization, negative effects from the economy or drastic changes or uncertainty within the organization. No matter what the cause, having the reputation of having an unpleasant work environment due to low employee motivation will ultimately impact how existing and potential clients or partners view working with an organization. A reputation can precede an organization and dictate its future in the industry. The reinforcement approach employee motivation sidesteps the issue of employee needs and thinking processes described in the content and process theories. Reinforcement theory simply looks at the relationship between behavior and its consequences. It focuses on changing or modifying employees’ on –the-job behavior through the appropriate use of immediate rewards and punishments. Behavior modification is the name given to the set of techniques by which reinforcement theory is used to modify human behavior. The basic assumption underlying behavior modification is the law of effect, which states that behavior that is positively reinforced tends to be repeated, and behavior that is not reinforced tends not to be repeated. Reinforcement is defined as anything that causes a certain behavior to be repeated or inhibited. The four reinforcement tools are positive reinforcement, avoidance learning, punishment, and extinction, as summarized in exhibit16.6 Positive reinforcement is the administration of a pleasant and rewarding consequence following a desired behavior, such as praise for an employee who arrives on time or does a little extra work. Research shows that positive reinforcement does help to improve performance. Moreover, nonfinancial reinforcement such as positive feedback, social recognition, and attention are just as effective as financial incentives. One study of employees at fast- food drive- thru windows, for example, found that performance feedback and supervisor recognition had a significant effect on increasing the incidence of â€Å"up- selling† or asking customers to increase their order. Montage Hotels resorts, known for its culture of gracious yet humble service, uses a variety of employee recognition programs to positively reinforce employees for providing exceptional service. CEO Alan J. Fuerstman says â€Å"it’s simple psychology. People commit more acts of kindness when they are appreciated fo r them.† Avoidance learning is the removal of an unpleasant consequence once a behavior is improved, theory encouraging and strengthening the desired behavior. Avoidance learning is sometimes called negative reinforcement. The idea is that people will change a specific behavior to avoid the undesired result that behavior provokes. As a simple example, a supervisor who constantly reminds or nags an employee who is goofing off on the factory floor and stops the nagging when the employee stops goofing off is applying avoidance learning. Punishment is the imposition of unpleasant outcomes on an employee. Punishment typically occurs following undesirable behavior. For example, a supervisor may berate an employee for performing a task incorrectly. The supervisor expects that the negative outcome will serve as a punishment and reduce the likelihood of the behavior recurring. The use of punishment in organization is controversial and often criticized because it fails to indicate the correct behavior. However, almost all managers report that they find it necessary to occasionally impose forms of punishment ranging from verbal reprimands to employee suspensions or firings. Extinction is the withholding of a positive reward. Whereas with punishment, the supervisor imposes an unpleasant outcome such as a reprimand, extinction involves withholding praise or other positive outcomes. With extinction, undesirable behavior is essentially ignored. The idea is that behavior that is not positively reinforced will gradually disappear A New York Times reporter wrote a humorous article about how she learned to stop nagging and instead use reinforcement theory to shape her husband’s behavior after studying how professionals train animals. When her husband did something she liked such as throw a dirty shirt in the hamper, she would use positive reinforcement, thanking him or giving him a hug and a kiss. Undesirable behaviors, such as throwing dirty clothes on the floor, on the other hand, were simply ignored, applying the principle of extinction. Reward and punishment motivational practices based on the reinforcement theory dominate organizations. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 84 percent of all companies in the United States offer some type of monetary or non- monetary reward system, and 69 percent offer incentive pay, such as bonuses, bases on an employee’s performance. However, in other studies, more than 80 percent of employers with incentive programs have reported that their programs are only somewhat successful or working at all. Despite the testimonies of organizations that enjoy successful incentive programs, criticism of these â€Å"carrot- and- stick† methods is growing, as discussed in the Manager’s Shoptalk. If rewards and motivation are failed to fulfill the employees the manager of Walmart should apply some positive reinforcement in order to safe the situation. Positive reinforcement is the practice of rewarding desirable employee behavior in order to strengthen that behavior. For example, when you praise an employee for doing a good job, you increase the likelihood of him/her doing that job very well again. Positive reinforcement both shapes behavior and enhances an employee’s self-image. Recognizing and rewarding desirable employee behavior is the essential key to motivating employees to work more productively. This method will reap many benefits, first it clearly defines and communicates expected behaviors and strengthens the connection between high performance and rewards. It reinforces an employee’s behavior immediately after learning a new technique and promotes quick, thorough learning. It motivates effective workers to continue to do good work. Lack of reinforcement leads to job dissatisfaction. It increases productivity by rewarding workers who conserve time and materials. Employees who are rewarded after they successfully perform feel self-confident and become eager to learn new techniques, take advanced training, and accept more re sponsibility. Rewarding employees who suggest improved work procedures will produce more innovation – if you create a relaxed work environment, reward new ideas and tolerate innovative failures. Employees who receive recognition for their achievements are more enthusiastic about their work, more cooperative, and more open to change. Besides that, when you show appreciation and reward employees for good work, youll be able to increase their job commitment and organizational loyalty. In conclusion, giving positive reinforcement does not mean that what is done incorrectly by an employee is to be ignored. Instead, it means to recognize what portion of the work was done correctly first, then follow-up with what can be done better the next time and why the performance or work result was not quite what was expected. If this means the manager must take some of the blame for not giving detailed instructions for the desired behavior or result, they should do so in an apologetic manner and then proceed to explain how the manager personally will try to do better. This is an excellent time for the manager to let the employee know they still have faith in them but need their help and cooperation by their asking questions if the managers instructions are not clear. This allows both the employee and manager to get better at communication, which results in improved task completion. Remember mangers need to give positive results first, then follow-up with what improvements are needed, apologize if necessary, and then reinforce what was done right again. When working the improvement or follow-up statement do not use the word but as this word often negates anything said before it and the employee may stop listening as they know a negative is coming next.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

How does Foreign Direct Investment affect the Malaysia economy

How does Foreign Direct Investment affect the Malaysia economy II. Literature Review FDI in Private Sector (Private Investment) Economic report (2010/2011) indicates that the private investment was rebound from -17.2% in year 2009 to 15.2% in year 2010 and in year 2011, private investment will stable in 10.2%. Department of Statistics, Malaysia (DOSM) (2010) indicates that in first half of 2010 the private sector capital grew by 46.6%. The largest contribution in private investment is services sector 47.2%, following mining and electricity sector and manufacturing sector which is 25.4% and 21.1% (Economic Report, 2010/2011). In the first seven months of 2010, Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) approved 545 investment projects which are totally RM16.6 billion to improving domestic economy and FDI (Economic Report, 2010/2011). The three main largest foreign direct investment countries from Singapore, Japan, and United States and in term of location in Malaysia, the state of Selangor, Johor, and Penang was become the largest approved investment (Economic Report, 2010/2011). Economic Report (2010/2 011) also indicate that FDI fall from USD7.3 billion in year 2008 to USD1.4 billion in year 2009 which is drop by 81.1%. Economic Report (2010/2011) point out Malaysia government should more focusing on more sizable and high-impart investment, promote private sector-led growth and as facilitator to enhance private investment and attract more domestic and foreign investments. FDI inflows are projected to increase because supported by government which government provided a conductive business environment and gradual revival of capital expenditure. (Economic Report, 2010/2011). Most foreign company are making profits because Malaysias investments is broad-based which largely in manufacturing, agriculture, oil and gas, and services (Economic Report, 2010/2011). AmResearch Sdn Bhd senior economist, Manokaran Mottain said that if want attract more foreign investors to improve FDI, the Malaysia government will introduce public-private sector partnership as role in business (Tan, The Star, 2010). In Najib Tun Abdul Razak (2010) 2011 budget speech, one of the strategic to improve the private investment is Reinvigorating Private Investment. In reinvigorating private investment strategic got around 20 different sub-strategic, different strategic will enhance in different aspects in private investment. So, the main strategic to improve the whole private investment is public-private partnership initiatives, high impart strategic development, and revitalizing capital market (2011 Budget Speech, 2010). In public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives, Najib Tun Abdul Razak (2010) indicates that The government will provide allocation as a tipping point for infrastructure support to ensure viability of private sector-led projects. All the PPP projects identified in 10th Malaysia Plan will enhance the private sector investment, for example, construction of highway, construction of a 300-megawatt combined-cycle gas power plan, and development projects like hospital. The total private investment will be implemented in 2011 is RM12.5 billion. In high impact strategic development, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) agree to develop the Kuala Lumpur International Financial District (KLIFD) which will commencing in 2011 and the value of KLIFD will be reach at RM26 billion. The important of develop KLIFD is strength Malaysias position as the premier international Islamic financial hub and government is consider to promote special incentive packages to attract foreign investor to KLIFD. Another project in this strategic are the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in Greater KL, estimate of RM40 billion in private investment; Malaysian Rubber Board land in Sungai Buloh, estimate of RM10 billion in private investment and also Petronas Twin Tower, estimate of RM5 billion in private investment. Malaysia government will implement seven measures to enhance the cooperation with foreign bourses which is first, divest their shareholdings in major companies by government-linked investment companies (GLICs); second, for better return to foreign investors, GLICs allowed to increase investment in overseas market; third, certain listing company will offer higher public shareholding like Petronas Chemicals Sdn. Bhd.; forth, launch sukuk and conventional bond by Bursa Malaysia; and the last one is Securities Commission (SC) will offer three new stock broking licenses, increase the number of Proprietary Day Traders, and facilitate process and procedures for listing companies. Foreign direct investment (FDI) and Economic growth in Malaysia A large number of studies was suggest that foreign direct investment (FDI) is an important source to the economic growth in Malaysia, the FDI bring in the capital investment, technology, create new job opportunity for economic growth. FDI not only stimulate the economic growth but also stimulate the growth of industrial sector and transform the Malaysia economic structure from agricultural into major producer and exporter of manufactured goods (Jajri, 2009). Karimi and Yusop (2009) examine that causal relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in Malaysia. Karimi and Yusop (2009) suggest that FDI has indirect effect on economic growth in Malaysia. The Toda-Yamamoto causality test done by Karimi and Yusop (2009) suggest that there is no strong enough evidence of a bi-directional causality between FDI and economic growth. Karimi and Yusop (2009) indicate that two variables such as technology transfer and productivity have indirect relationship in FDI and growth of economic and the most important mention by them is the performance of one variable does contribute to stability of another variable. This meaning that the performance in a sector will be affect to each other, for example, stability of manufacturing sector will enhance the private investment in private sector. Har, Teo Yee (2008) examine that the relationship between FDI and economic growth in Malaysia for the period 1970 to 2005 using the time series data. Har et al. (2008) determined that there is a positive relationship between the FDI and economic growth based on their empirical result and FDI was played an important role in Malaysias economy. To achieve economy development of Malaysia, government should concern the importance of FDI in economy growth; for example, encourage more foreign direct investment to increase the employment in Malaysia and advance technology in production can increase more skilled labor to increase productivity (Har et al., 2008). Although the empirical result showed that has a positive relationship between FDI and economic growth, but it has bringing some negative effect on some sector, for example, domestic producer, they will facing difficulties to survive in the market because the foreign investor become monopoly and losing the market power. Therefore, Har et al. (2008) were suggesting that government should implement some policies like joint venture to make a win-win situation between domestic producer and foreign direct investor. Har et al. (2008) also indicate that the political stability is an important role in FDI because the new policies implemented by government will be affects the decision making of foreign direct investor. Jajri (2009) examines the influence of foreign direct investment (FDI) over the growth of the Malaysia for the period of 1970 to 2003. Based on the empirical result done by Jajri (2009), the result showed that FDI was significant influence on the growth rate of Malaysias economy and has a strong market and macroeconomic stability to promote FDI. Jajri (2009) shown the human capital was more important in FDI because it can improve the productivity, innovative capabilities, and strengthening the supporting industries to attract more foreign investment. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in manufacturing sector growth Yusop and A.Ghaffar (1994) examined that several quantitative factors that was influence FDI in Malaysian manufacturing sector. In this study, Yusop and A.Ghaffar (1994) indicate that gross national product (GNP), interest rate, external reserve, manufacturing output, economic health, currency stability, local financing, availability of adequate human and physical infrastructure are important factors to influence the FDI in manufacturing sector. Oman (1984) defined that a foreign entity own majorities of the equities in firm should be consideration involve in FDI activities. So, the purpose of Yusop and A.Ghaffar (1994) in this study is measure the company is consider as FDI company if the company has at least 50% of equities. After this study was done, Yusop and A.Ghaffar (1994) suggest few aspects can improve the FDI in manufacturing sector. First, the result show that between the (LMOG) and FDI have a positive relationship, that meaning human aspect and physical infrastructures ar e related to manufacturing sector and it is important for foreign investor (Yusop and A.Ghaffar, 1994). So, to attract the foreign direct investment in manufacturing sector, Yusop and A.Ghaffar (1994) suggest the provision of a well trained and efficient labour force, special or subsidized industrial sites, and other infrastructural facilities. Second, to increase the flow of FDI, the allocation of special fund or credit facilities for firm also important, for example, the local finance is the important consideration for foreign investor because it will affect their FDI decision (Yusop and A.Ghaffar 1994). Third, tax incentive is the important element to improve and increase the flow of FDI, the policy maker can utilize tax incentive to leading the FDI activities in manufacturing sector (Yusop and A.Ghaffar 1994). Chandran V.G.R (2008) found that FDI was a determinant in manufacturing sector in his empirical analysis about examines the FDI over manufacturing growth in Malaysia which is in developing country during 1970 to 2003. Chandran V.G.R (2008) suggests that to improve the FDI in manufacturing sectors, the first action is focus on improving productivity and innovative capabilities. Quality of FDI can only be attracted if the host country has the ability to improve the manufacturing outputs through productivity gain rather than depending on the traditional factor of production (Chandran V.G.R, 2008). Chandran V.G.R (2008) also suggests that to more focus on education institution and the industrial needs to build up human capital stock and improve the level of education. In additional, the networks of foreign universities affiliation with local institution are important because those will enhance the competitive advantage of the manufacturing sectors. The last strategic suggest by Chandran V.G.R (2008) is the relationship between the local supplier and foreign investor must strengthened through network cohesion for many manufacturing firms. A strong supply chain must be establish so that foreign investors will realize that the local supplier in Malaysia also capable to fulfill their need in delivering material. Incentives and maintain attractiveness in Malaysia for FDI Oti-Prempeh, Abenaa A. (2003) examines the concept of FDI in developing country such as Malaysia, Mexico and South Africa in his paper. Oti-Prempeh, Abenaa A. (2003) showed that there are some reasons to make the Malaysia become attractive in FDI like the Malaysia undervalue currency, low inflation rate, low cost of labor. Malaysias National Economic Program (NERP) also became a attractive for foreign investor, it is because the six objective of the NERP enhance the confident of the foreign investor and Malaysia plans to become industrialized nation by year 2020 (Oti-Prempeh, Abenaa A., 2003). Oti-Prempeh, Abenaa A. (2003) indicate that the Labuan is the city with tax haven, free regulation and law, and full natural resources like oil and gas to attract foreign investor to invest in Malaysia. The Malaysias investment policy provides incentive to foreign investor such as Promotion of Investment Act 1986 and the Income Tax Act 1967. This Act provides incentive in many sector so that fo reign investor can enjoy the advantages like full or partial exemption from income tax, for example, Malaysia current income tax rate was 30%. Consequences, foreign investor can get higher rate of return on their investment (Oti-Prempeh, Abenaa A., 2003). Duasa, J (2007) also indicate that Malaysia has attract a large portion of FDI inflow after Malaysia introduce the Investment Incentive Act 1968 and the Free Trade Zone during the second Malaysia Plan (1971-1975). In Chandran V.G.R (2008) opinion, the Malaysia can maintaining their attractiveness for FDI is because of moderate overall cost, political stability, and good infrastructure. In the other hand, FDI liberalization in Malaysia also provide incentives to foreign investor, Chandran V.G.R (2008) suggest that Malaysia should focus on providing labor force and complementary asset in the long run to maintaining the attractiveness of Malaysia. In manufacturing and agricultural sectors, Malaysia was providing incentives to let the foreign company or investor to enjoy different advantages when they invest in Malaysia. The two major incentives provide by Malaysia government are pioneer status and investment tax allowance (ITA). In Pioneer Status, A company grated Pioneer Status enjoys a 5-years partial exemption from the payment of income tax and it pays tax on 30% of its statutory income. (MIDA, 2010). In addition, Malaysia also provides the promoted area to encourage foreign direct investment. Invest in promoted area such as Sarawak, Perlis, Sabah and some certain area can enjoying a 100% tax exemption on statutory income during in 5 years exemption period (MIDA, 2010). In investment tax allowance (ITA), a company can apply ITA to grant an allowance of 60% on qualifying capital expenditure within 5 years. In the other hand, for each year of assessment, a company may be able to offset this allowance to against 70% of its sta tutory income and the rest of 30% will be taxed at the prevailing company tax rate (MIDA, 2010). The Malaysia also provides promoted area in ITA incentive which is if any company invests in the promoted area; a company can enjoy 100% allowance on qualifying capital expenditure in 5 years. In addition, for each year of assessment in promoted area, the allowance can be utilized to offset against 100% of the statutory income. Different additional incentives also provided by government in many sectors, here just discuss one major of additional incentive for all sectors which is Reinvestment Allowance (RA). From the MIDA website, reinvestment allowance is given if a company involves in manufacturing or agricultural activities, operation at least 36 months from year assessment 2009, and purposely reinvest in expansion, automation, modernization or diversification business (MIDA, 2010). Reinvestment allowance is given 60% on the qualifying capital expenditure, 15 consecutive years, can be offset against 70% of statutory income and can fully against of statutory income if a company invest in promoted area or attain productivity level exceeding the level determined by Ministry of Finance. (Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP), 2010, Chap. 3, pp. 39-41) indicated Malaysia annual FDI inflow has grown by only 1% CAGR from the period of 1991 2000 to 2001 2007. The FDI performance is worst in past 20 years, so, Malaysia must improve its performance by using some initiatives which is; Benchmarking Malaysias attractiveness, Empowering Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) to attract investment, and Investing in talent recruitment (10MP, 2010, Chap. 3, pp. 39-41). In benchmarking Malaysias attractiveness, Malaysia will identify the key factor of the understanding of the foreign investor by conduct an annual survey (10MP, 2010, Chap. 3, pp. 39-41). The key factor will affect the Governments policy decision making to make out some adjustment to ensure Malaysia can compete for capital and increasing the FDI attractiveness, for example, reducing the corporate and personal income tax rates is a type of factor can improve the attractiveness of FDI inflow in Malaysia (10MP, 2010, Chap. 3, pp. 39-41). In empowering MIDA to attract investment, MIDA will more focus in few sectors those can support innovation and productivity growth and will focus on quality of investment rather than quantity (10MP, 2010, Chap. 3, pp. 39-41). Several change will made by MIDA to attract FDI which is given the authority to negotiate directly with investors for target projects, enhance the coordination and cohesion among the relevant investment promotion bodies in the country, and enable the necessary organizational flexibility to attract and retain the talent it needs to be internationally competitive (10MP, 2010, Chap. 3, pp. 39-41). In investing in talent recruitment, liberalization, good quality of life, and better compensation package will increase the number of worker flow into our country (10MP, 2010, Chap. 3, pp. 39-41). Malaysia also introduces the Talent Corporation (TC) which is under the Prime Ministers Department to improve our FDI. TC has three key roles to improve the inflow FDI, the first is catalyst lead and drive innovative national talent management initiatives. The second key role is as a facilitator and creating and motivating for private sector. The third key role is deliver major national initiatives on talent across the human capital development pipeline (10MP, 2010, Chap. 3, pp. 39-41).

Friday, September 20, 2019

Introduction to Prophet Muhammad

Introduction to Prophet Muhammad The choice of the topic was prompted because of the numerous impacts and transformation the leadership of prophet Muhammad had made to humanity and the world in general. So many scholars and historians such as Michael hart calyle in his book the hundred and mahatma ghandi even though they were not Muslims they made so many assertions that the world had never witnessed a leader who has achieved so much in all spheres of leadership ; socially, economically and religiously like such as man (Muhammad SAW). An Arab man who does not know how to read or write, but was able to transform the whole of Arabian Peninsula in less than three decades. He was able to change the mind of Arabian people who happens to be so barbaric during the jahiliya period killing one another. They fought so many battles due to ethnicity, ignorance and land disputes which usually last for decades. As he came in, he was able to unite them, change their focus so as to love one another as it was reported in one of his tradition that: none of you is a complete believer unless he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. In the glorious Quran, Allah the most high says: O mankind, I have created you from a single male and female and made you in to nations and tribes; so that you man know one another. None of you is greater than the other except he who fears Allah the most. Hence all are equal before Allah. From the aforementioned, I can categorically say that prophet Muhammad SAW is a role model to leaders of all kind; politically, economically, psychologically and religiously. Therefore all leaders in the world should learn and embrace the method of his leadership, this is because he conquered the whole of Arabian Peninsula without fierce battle except where they fought against him then he fights back in defense of his territorial sovereignty. I also choose the topic because he was able to liberate women from the bondage of becoming extinct. The world over, there is no religion that has given women the liberation, respect and recognition than the religion of Islam with its leader Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as it was enshrined in the holy book of Allah. But before the advent of this great leader, a female child born to a family is considered to ne a cause as such, they were either killed or buried alive. This was mentioned in the glorious Quran where Allah says; whenever one of them is giving a glad tiding of a female child, his fact would become darkened in sorrow in high state of grief. He will separate from his people the bad tidings he was given should he bury it in the earth. But he was able to bring liberation to the female folks, not only to the female folk but to humanity in general as stated in the glorious Quran we do not send you expect as a mercy to the world. Introduction: Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him his progeny) is the Prophet of Islam and the last prophet that God sent to mankind. He is considered the Seal of the Prophets, which means the bringer of the final revelations from God, and God will not send another prophet after him. Brief life history of Prophet Muhammad. He was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, then called Hijaz, in 560 A.D. Shortly after, he became an orphan, and was raised by his uncle, Abu Talib. He had no formal education and there is no documentation that he was taught to read or write before he declared his prophet hood. The Arabs of that region  were very backward, illiterate, immoral, and cruel. They were polytheists and idol worshippers. As a young man, Muhammad kept aloof from others and did not participate in pagan rituals and popular cultural activities. He frequently went to a cave known as Hira in order to meditate and seek nearness to God. At the age of forty, he received the first revelations from God, through Angel Gabriel. From that point on, he declared that there was only one God and that he was the Prophet of God. The pagan establishment vehemently opposed him. They offered him authority, honor, gold and silver, and any earthly pleasures that he desired, in order to stop preaching about one God and preaching against idol worship. Prophet Muhammad outright refused these offers, stating that if they put the sun in his right hand and moon in his left hand, he would not renounce his mission to preach about the one God. His followers were tortured and some of them were brutally killed. He and his followers were banished from his home city, isolated, and faced hardship and hunger. He finally emigrated to Medina,  where he was welcomed, and there he established himself. Muhammad as a youth. He refused to associate with people of his age in vain and immoral cultural practices of his time. As a young adult, he was dignified, soft-spoken, and considerate. He was so honest and trustworthy that he gained the respect of his peers  and the society, and earned the title of al-Amin, meaning the trusted. Muhammad the Prophet: He was focused, consistent, extremely patient, kind, and forgiving. He withstood the hatred and insults of his people and never retaliated in kind. During his banishment, he and his followers were socially and economically boycotted, and they underwent hunger, deprivation, and isolation. He kept the morale of his followers high and bore the hardships equally with the rest of his people, with full trust in the Divine Will. Muhammad the Statesman. He conducted the affairs of state with a great amount of diplomacy and wisdom. He sent emissaries to Roman and Persian monarchs and other governments near and far. He received ambassadors and delegations from other countries. They went away impressed and, in many instances, embraced his teachings. Muhammad the Commander in Chief. He fought wars, planned strategies, and actively participated in armed conflicts to defend himself and the new faith. A single defeat in any of the wars would have resulted in his death and an end to his mission. Muhammad as Judge: He judged impartially, with due consideration to all the parties involved. His decisions were based upon justice, compassion, and strictly upon divine laws. He did not permit nepotism, favoritism, or partisanship to interfere with justice. The rich, the poor, the lowly, the mighty, the privileged, and the downtrodden felt safe and secure under his administration. Muhammad the Lawgiver. Under his administration, criminal and civil laws were established based upon the Quranic injunctions. These laws were comprehensive,  addressing all situations. Many of the laws were based upon established Abrahamic and Mosaic religious laws. Muhammad as a teacher. His knowledge and understanding of the Quran was unmatched. He taught morals, ethics, mannerism, and civility to the uncultured Arabs of his time. He had remarkable tact and never belittled even the most ignorant and uncultured inquirer. Muhammad the family man. He was kind and respectful to his wives and promoted respect and kindness to parents. Arabs at that time used to bury alive their newborn girls out of shame. He forbade that practice, and taught that the education and raising of daughters was a virtuous act. He dealt with his wives with kindness and compassion, and  was frequently seen participating in house chores. Muhammad the ruler of Arabia. From an orphan, to pauper, then persecuted, then a refugee, then head of state, and finally the ruler of nearly all Arabia, he did not change  his demeanor. He continued to be humble and unpretentious. He was readily accessible. Bedouin Arabs used to call upon him, and even sometimes rebuked him based on their poor understanding of Islam. He showed the utmost amount of patience in dealing with them. Muhammads mission accomplished. In his lifetime, the religion of Islam as taught by him was completed and perfected. Islam became the religion of most of Arabia. This accomplishment is unparalleled in the history of mankind. No prophet before him could claim success like that of Muhammad. During their lifetime, their own people essentially rejected the two great prophets, Moses and Jesus. Great discoveries. Based on the teachings of Muhammad, the Arab Muslims made great strides in various fields of human knowledge. At the time when Europe was in the dark ages, universities and schools in Baghdad, Iraq were busy in research and discoveries in nearly all field of human knowledge, including astronomy, physics, mathematics, and medicine. Students from all over the world came to study there. During his prophet hood, as the Quran was revealed to him, he recited the verses to his companions, usually explaining their meanings to teach them. It must be noted that this is one of the prophets responsibilities. Elements of the prophets explanations are; Clarifying verses whose intents are not understood Indication of names, places, times etc. which have not been mentioned in the verse Restriction of meanings which have been given as absolute Reconciling expressions which seem contradictory Although scholars including ibn Taymiyyah claim that the prophet has commented on the whole of the Quran, others including Ghazali cite the limited amount of narratives, thus indicating that he has commented only on a portion of the Quran. These interpretations have not been collected independently in a book; rather, they have been recorded in hadith books, under the topic of tafsir, along with other narrations of the prophet. The leadership qualities I find most admirable were his humility, his recognition of talent, and his ability to think counterintuitive. When the prophet received his first revelation, he trembled with fear. He was fully aware of the awesome responsibility. So fearful was he that he could confide only to his wife Khatijah. In an era where females generally and wives in Particular were mere chattels of men, that he took her in confidence was remarkable. It reflected his inner strength and Confidence in judgment, regardless of the prevailing norms. He trusted and respected his wife, a rare trait in that time and place. It also reflected his deep humility. Lesser mortals who thought they had been chosen by God would undoubtedly Proclaim that fact loudly for the world to hear, a la George Bush, Jr., or Pat Robertson. True to his humility, he preached initially only to his close family and friends. He was fully aware that his message would Literally turn his society upside down, transforming it for the better. He risked dividing his community in the process. Allah in His Wisdom did not choose His Last Messenger randomly. Long before Allah had chosen him, Muhammad had already demonstrated his noble and sterling character. He was Al Amin, the Trustworthy, to his community in preaching, the Prophet was careful in ensuring that his followers memorized only the divine revelations, not his commentaries. He forbade what would be considered today as a personality cult. Had he not done so, every Muslim home would be adorned with his portrait, cities named after him, and statues erected in his honor. For added measure, Muslims would be sporting amulets bearing his name or likeness for protection and good luck charms. During his prophet hood, as the Quran was revealed to him, he recited the verses to his companions, usually explaining their meanings to teach them. It must be noted that this is one of the prophets responsibilities. Elements of the prophets explanations are; Clarifying verses whose intents are not understood Indication of names, places, times etc. which have not been mentioned in the verse Restriction of meanings which have been given as absolute Reconciling expressions which seem contradictory Although scholars including ibn Taymiyyah claim that the prophet has commented on the whole of the Quran, others including Ghazali cite the limited amount of narratives, thus indicating that he has commented only on a portion of the Quran. These interpretations have not been collected independently in a book, rather, they have been recorded in hadith books, under the topic of tafsir, along with other narrations of the prophet There are several factors that caused Muhammad SAW to be a successful leader. They are: 1. Belief (faith) is strong, recognition (justification) with the heart, sounding, by the tongue, demonstrated through action and body. 2. Fair, able to cause a sense of justice equally to all people without exception. Justice of the Prophet is never sacrificed in the name of any such reflection of Allahs teachings, Do not make your hate to a nation that will make you do not apply fair (QS 5:8). Prophet aware that justice is the correct window in order to realize a prosperous society. 3. Affection, he actually led with the touch of love, empathy and sympathetic that there is no counterpart that is presented to all the people. Prophet Muhammads unique communication and leadership style led to the spread of Islam, not only within Arabia but also outside to the north, south, east, west and southwest of Arabia.   As a leader during wartime or as a leader during peacetime, Prophet Muhammad proved to master skillful techniques with which he accomplished his goals in delivering the message of Islam. Prophet Muhammad communicative values of liberty, justice, modesty, and politeness were matched with practical deeds. The people saw this action of his and identified with.  Prophet Muhammad skills as manifested in his speeches demonstrated to the eyes of all humankind that he was indeed a great leader worthy of note. His skillful use of rhetoric demonstrated his commitment for meaningful competent communication for humankind in general. His speeches demonstrated that he sought to see all humankind from the lens of kindness, modesty, moderation, justice, liberty, gentility, generosity and love. Regardless of religion and political affiliation, Prophet Muhammad use Islam as a channel to preach kindness. This study has shown through his manifold communicative talents that he tried to influence thoughts by advocating kindness in our dealings with one another. By indicating to his wife Aisha that she should love the poor, it was an indirect way to teach all humankind to share love and kindness regardless of a persons economic background. This same implication in the speeches of the Prophet can be discerned in his notion of modesty.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   The world today is far from modest. Political factions and all sorts of social and economic discrimination have segmented the human race. People now think more in terms of class. Modesty is exclusive to members of the club. If you do not belong you can neither be heard nor seen. Prophet Muhammad speeches on the need for modest behavior and his exemplary behavior seen throughout this study have a significant meaning to our lives. When he said that every religion must have some kind of meaningful character, he laid emphasis on the fact that Islam was a modest religion.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚     Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   On the other hand, he was calling on all Islamic believers to question their conscience whether by following the belief system of Islam; they were practicing its basic tenets of modesty. He who is not has to examine his conscience and choose the rightful path and not be a hypocrite. This is how significant Mohammads message is to the world of today. This is what he intended to achieve in his message. Since modesty is akin to moderation, the Prophets communication themes also laid emphasis on it.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   His speech about abstaining from extremism in the practice of Islam has a greater significance to our world of today. His intended his message about religious extremism to be upheld through out the lifespan of humankind. He was so emphatic about this issue because he believed that by practicing extreme Islamic rituals or ideals, the person or persons doing so would be following something else than Islam and that kind of attitude could send a different signal to his enemies. And the only way to show to potential followers of Islam that by practicing extreme Islam, they were not true followers of Allah, he said: Those people who went to extremes (in practicing their religion) were destroyed. (This therefore, shows in no ambiguous terms that Prophet Muhammad condones extreme religious practices. The findings on the Prophets values of moderation revealed that he placed a lot of weight on mannerism. Humankind has to match words with deeds. Believers were not to say one thing and do the other. When told by some of his followers that they will abstain from women and devote their entire energy to prayer, he responded by stating that he was married. This was like an indirect way to inform the speaker that there was no room for pretense. By choosing to abstain you open yourself to irresistible temptation. Getting married would therefore serve as the means to shun sin and other forms of temptation. This is certainly the landmark of difference between Muhammad and other spiritual and secular leaders of his time and today. To begin with, some other spiritual leaders remained unmarried and by deciding to do so created a pattern for their followers to follow suit. But experience has shown that most of these followers could not faithfully follow their religion without falling into the te mptation of bodily pleasures. This could have been unwelcome by Muhammad. He foresaw this kind of contradiction and so taught by examples. It was like doing justice to natures calling. The Prophet was in essence advocating justice between sexes.