Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation Essay Example for Free

Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation Essay Martin Luther was the most influential person of the 15th and 16th century the reason being he rebelled against the catholic church the highest authority in the world at that time. When Martin Luther went against the church he not only reformed Christianity but reformed every person in Europe into a thinking human being. So when looking at the most influential people of the time Martin Luther paved the path for all modern sciences. Martin Luther’s Ninety Five Theses showed obvious faults and corruption throughout the Catholic Church. When looking at Martin Luther’s ideals he showed that the Catholic Church had made up rules that could not be found in the bible. Due to this finding he led the Protestants into a more direct translation of the bible. One of his largest accomplishments was the translation of the bible into the German language. By translating the bible out of Latin and into German he placed the interpretation of the word of god into the hands of people who had been simply told god’s word from a Catholic stand point. By shining light on the problems of the Catholic Church Martin Luther created a wave of people with minds of their own. By giving people a reason and the power to think for themselves he lit the powder keg for the exit of the middle ages and entrance into the renaissance and the scientific revolution. And when looking at the scientific revolution one can speculate that if Martin Luther’s Protestant reformation had not taken place when it did the Catholic Church would most likely have crushed any new scientific ideas that did not conform to the teachings of the church. To prove that the speculation has weight one can look at how the Catholic Church employed major censorship of the Protestant teachings. Martin Luther was the most influential person of the 15th and 16th century because he shined light upon the power of the human mind. By empowering people he gifted the world with the spark that led to the scientific revolution and the split of the Catholic religion.

Grey Country, Ontario: Impact of Geography on Humans

Grey Country, Ontario: Impact of Geography on Humans Located in southern Ontario on the south-most shores of Georgian Bay, Grey  County has often been identified as a popular tourist destination because of its endless geological landmarks, ideal climate and ample bodies of water. The area encompassed by Grey County (as seen in Figure 1.1) has been found to have a population of 92,568 and covered 4513.21 km2 of land in 2011 (#### statscan). The county was established in 1852 with its headquarters at Owen Sound (Marsh, 1931), and quicly became a major trade hub due to its plentiful natural resources which included forests, fish, fur, and minerals, leading to the establishment of sawmills, furniture factories, quarry’s and apple orchards (grey web####). In recent years, the physical-geographic landmarks have had a great influence on tourism in Grey County. In 2008 the County hosted over 1.779 million visitors, brought in over 331 million dollars in expenditures, supported over 3200 jobs and contributed 9.9 million dollars to muni cipal taxes (Action plan, ####). The study was aimed to analyze, understand and provide evidence of the relationship between the physical geography and human activity within Grey County. An analysis of how geomorphology, hydrology and climatology impacted human activity in the County was completed and an understanding of their importance was established. Due to the specificity of the topic researched throughout this study, the difficulty of acquiring credible and peer-reviewed resources was of high magnitude. The main method of research was using the key word approach on websites to maximize efficiency when searching for scholarly documents. Terms such as â€Å"Formation, Niagara Escarpment† were used on scholarly databases to yield specific details about the origins of the Niagara Escarpment. Other terms such as â€Å"Grey County, Tourism†, â€Å"Grey County, Climate, Hydrology, Geomorphology† and â€Å"Grey County, Conservation Areas† yielded sufficient information and reports on the geographical and anthropological aspects of Grey County. Lastly, the use of Statistics Canada, The Niagara Escarpment Commission and County of Grey websites provided statistical, political and historical data about the topic researched. Based on the information compiled by the key word approach it was possible to establish a relationship between the physical geography of the area and its human activity. The unique geological landscapes of Grey County, which are explained through the science of geomorphology, have been a crucial factor in attracting human activity to the area. Christopherson and Byrne have defined geomorphology as â€Å"the science that analyzes and describes the origin, evolution, form, classification, and spatial distribution of landforms† (Christopherson Byrne, 2009, G.6). The County was found to be located atop a portion of the Niagara Escarpment; recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve, with its origins dating back 430 million years and found to span over 725 km throughout Ontario (NEC, n.d). This particular landscape formation can be associated with an age-old sea that once covered the area and overtime eroded adjacent mountains depositing sediments onto the sea floor (Kreuger, n.d). As a result of lithification, these sediments were transformed into shale, slate, sandstone, dolostone and other sedimentary rocks over millions of years which we re then warped and bent by the earths forces, forming the Niagara Escarpment along the rim of the Michigan basin (Kreuger, n.d). The Niagara Escarpment was further shaped through differential erosion by a process called sapping (see Figure 1.2), where the sub-lying soft rock eroded much faster then the dolostone cap rock, leading to mass wasting and the formation of cliff slopes (talus slopes) such as the Blue Mountains (Kreuger, n.d). These mountainous regions of Grey County have promoted the establishment of recreational businesses attracting millions of tourists due to its diversified landscape and limitless year-round recreational activities. Although the steep slopes of the Niagara Escarpment within Grey County have been found unsuitable for agricultural purposes, they have attracted humans who for decades have been using them for their recreational abilities. The geography of Grey County has allowed for summer activities ranging from rock climbing, caving, camping, golfing, fi shing, biking, as well as hiking parts of the Bruce trail to winter attractions including skiing, skating, snow shoeing, dog sledding, horse back riding and snowmobiling (Grey County Tourism, n.d a). These human interactions with the geographic landscape have helped establish the importance and understanding of how geomorphology promotes the interaction of humans with their surrounding landscapes. Grey County has often been associated with mild winters and warm summers which have influenced both recreational activity and the apple growing industry in the area. As defined by Christopherson and Byrne, climatology â€Å"is the scientific study of climate and climate patterns and the consistent behavior of weather, including its variability and extremes, over time in one place or region† (Christopherson Byrne, 2009, G.3). Located in proximity to both Lake Ontario and Lake Huron, the area has been found to experience a humid continental climate with moderate temperatures, cold dry air from the Arctic, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and dry winds from the Pacific (Brown McKay, 1974). The area of study was found to have an average temperature and snowfall during winter months of -4.50  °C and 49.7 cm respectively (see Figure 1.3 1.5), an average temperature of 18.40 °C during the summer months (see Figure 1.3) and a yearly precipitation average of 62.8 mm (see Figure 1.4) (The Weather Network, n.d). The geographic location of Grey County and its climate influenced the apple growing industry during the 1840’s when farmers realized that the large bodies of water; Lake Huron and Lake Ontario, reduced the chances of late spring and early autumn frosts while the surrounding Niagara Escarpment and Beaver Valley acted as a barrier confining warm lake air, creating a climate suitable for apple growing and making it one of the biggest industries in the area (Almond, 1985). The ideal winter and summer climates as well as the geographical landscapes of Grey County have not only attracted apple farmers, but also tourists and new residents because of the vast amount of recreational activities offered during all four seasons of the year. During the winter, residents and tourists have been able to enjoy activities such as skiing, snowshoeing, skating, ice fishing, snowmobiling and hiking due to the cold climates and mass snowfalls combined with the rol ling landscapes of the Niagara Escarpment and Beaver Valley. People have also been able to partake in various recreational activities during the spring, summer and fall seasons which included biking, fishing, camping, cave exploring, hunting, swimming and rock climbing (Grey County Tourism, n.d a). The climate within the area of study has promoted settlement for several decades and continues to be a strong factor, in parallel with the geographic landscape, in attracting the human population to Grey County. The hydrologic activity within the County has been a critical resource in providing clean drinking water and promoting recreational activity but has also been known to cause flood damage during extreme runoff events. Christopherson and Byrne have defined hydrology as â€Å"the science of water, its global circulation, distribution, and properties, specifically water at and below the earths surface† (Christopherson Byrne, 2009, G.7). The area of study has been found to contain a large amount of lakes and rivers, which in conjunction with the hills and valleys have formed the areas three major watersheds: Grey Sauble, Nottawasaga and Saugeen Valley Conservation Areas (see Figure 1.6) (Grey County Tourism, n.d b). As a result, the surrounding lands have provided valuable resources in the form of underground aquifers, which have been used as a main source of clean drinking water for the people of Grey County (Waterloo Hydrogeologic, 2003). The area of Grey County has also been kn ow to experience flooding in the spring months due to the large volume of runoff from winter snowmelt. In late April of 2013, it was found that the combined event of snowmelt and precipitation in the Grey County area was larger then a 100 year summer storm of duration greater than 14 hours, leading to large armounts of flooding, damage and road closures due to unsafe driving conditions (Greenland International Consulting Ltd., 2014). Despite the previously stated risks, humans are still attracted to Grey County because of its vast amounts of lakefront properties, plentiful supply of self sustaining groundwater and hydrology influenced recreational activities. Tourists and residents have been able to take part in various activities such as canoeing the rivers of the County, boating on the Nottawasaga Bay, and fishing both during winter and summer months. This research has proved that humans will seek areas of natural beauty and plentiful resources despite it being prone to substantia l flooding, further solidifying how the physical-geographic environment has influenced human population in Grey County. Grey County has been found to attract human activity do to its geological landmarks, ideal climate and ample bodies of water. Its wide range of hills and valleys shaped by geomorphology, moderate continental climate with cool winters and warm summers as well as the abundance of hydrologic related resources have made Grey County a popular tourist destination for millions of humans annually due the various recreational businesses promoted by these qualities. It is evident by the information provided within this study that human activity within Grey County has been heavily influenced by the presence of its unique physical-geographic phenomena. Figure 1.1: County Of Grey Unknown (n.d), County of Grey, Municipalities and Townships, Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.grey.ca/services/local-municipalities/?i=7365 Figure 1.2: Differential Erosion, Sapping Process Walter Tovell (1955), The Sapping Process, [Diagram], Retrieved November 14, 2014, Niagara Escarpment Commission http://www.escarpment.org/about/geology/weathering/index.php Figure 1.3: Average Annual Temperature Data for Owen Sound, Ontario. The Weather Network (n.d), Temperature Data, Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.theweathernetwork.com/forecasts/statistics/summary/cl6116132/caon0515 Figure 1.4: Average Monthly Rainfall for Owen Sound, Ontario. The Weather Network (n.d), Monthly Rainfall, Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.theweathernetwork.com/forecasts/statistics/summary/cl6116132/caon0515 Figure 1.5: Average Monthly Snowfall for Owen Sound, Ontario. The Weather Network (n.d), Monthly Snowfall, Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.theweathernetwork.com/forecasts/statistics/summary/cl6116132/caon0515 Figure 1.6: Watersheds of Southern Ontario. Conservation Ontario (2014), Conservation Authority Watersheds, Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.conservation-ontario.on.ca/what-we-do/watershed-stewardship/aquatic-species-at-risk Almond, B. (1985) History of the Meaford and Area Apple Industry. Unpublished history available at the Meaford Museum and Meaford Public Library. Brown, D., McKay, G. (1974). The Climate of Southern Ontario (2nd ed.). Toronto: Environment Canada, Atmospheric Environment. Christopherson, R., Byrne, M. (2009). Geosystems: An introduction to Physical Geography (2nd Canadian ed.). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall. Conservation Ontario (2014), Conservation Authority Watersheds, Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.conservation-ontario.on.ca/what-we-do/watershed-stewardship/aquatic-species-at-risk Greenland International Consulting Ltd. (2014). Climate Change Adaptation A Four Season Approach to Drainage Infrastructure Guidelines. Study, Blue Mountains. Grey County Tourism. (n.d a). Travel Experiences, Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.visitgrey.ca/travel-experiences/ Grey County Tourism. (n.d b). Conservation Areas, Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.visitgrey.ca/travel-experiences/beautiful-naturally/conservation-areas/ Krueger, R. (n.d.). The Blue Mountains. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.watershedtrust.ca/index.php/home/a-brief-natural-history Marsh, E. (1931). A history of the County of Grey, (p. 217). Owen Sound, Ontario: Fleming Pub. Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC), (n.d.). Geological Timeline, Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.escarpment.org/about/geology/timeline/index.php The Weather Network (n.d), Temperature Data, Monthly Rainfall, Monthly Snowfall, Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.theweathernetwork.com/forecasts/statistics/summary/cl6116132/caon0515 Unknown (n.d), County of Grey, Municipalities and Townships, Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.grey.ca/services/local-municipalities/?i=7365 Waterloo Hydrogeologic . (2003). Grey and Bruce Counties Groundwater Study. Company Study, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Walter Tovell (1955), The Sapping Process, [Diagram], Retrieved November 14, 2014, Niagara Escarpment Commission http://www.escarpment.org/about/geology/weathering/index.php

Effectiveness of Garlic Cloves on Reducing Blood Pressure

Effectiveness of Garlic Cloves on Reducing Blood Pressure SUMMARY OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of garlic cloves on reducing blood pressure level among patients with hypertension. A quasi experimental pretest post-test design was used to conduct this study at PHC Alangium and 50 patients with hypertension were selected through non probability convenience sampling technique. Among 50, 25 patients were assigned to experimental group and 25 were assigned to control group. A structured interview schedule was used to collect general information and Digital blood pressure monitor was used to check the pretest and post test blood pressure level. The patients of experimental group were given 10 gm of garlic cloves once a day for 21 days. Post test for both the group was done on 22th day. The baseline data was tabulated by formulating frequency table. The blood pressure level was assessed using descriptive statistics. The comparison of pre and post test and the effectiveness of garlic gloves was evaluated by inferential statistics test Major Findings Of The Study Majority of patients in experimental group 9(36%) were 56-60 years and in control group 9(36%) were 51-55 years. Majority of patients in experimental group 19(76%) and control group 15(60%) of patients were females. Majority of patients in experimental group 17(68%) and control group 11(44%) of patients were formal education. Majority of patients in experimental group 24(96%) and control group 21(84%) of patients were Hindu. Majority of patients in experimental group 17(68%) and control group 13(52%) of patients were sedentary workers. Majority of patients in experimental group 11(44%) and control group 9(36%) of patients were had1-3 years duration of illness. Majority of patients in experimental group 14(56%) and control group 15(60%) of patients were had hospitalization. Majority of patients in experimental group 22(88%) and control group 19(76%) of patients were had treatment. Majority of patients in experimental group 24(96%) and control group 24(96%) of patients were non-vegetarian Majority of patients in experimental group 24(96%) and control group 19 (76%) of patients were not doing regular exercise. Majority of patients in experimental group 24(96%) and control group 23(92%) of patients practiced recreational activities. Majority of patients in experimental group 23(92%) and control group 18(72%) of patients were watching TV. Majority of patients in experimental group 16(64%) and control group 13(52%) of patients were had no family history of hypertension. There was a significant difference found (P Conclusion This study was to evaluate the effectiveness of garlic cloves on reducing the blood pressure among patients with hypertension in selected rural area at Alangium. The result showed that the garlic cloves is effective in reducing blood pressure levels among patients with hypertension. Implications The findings of the study have the following implications in the various areas of nursing service nursing education, nursing administration and nursing research. Nursing service The nurses should develop sensitivity to the effect of garlic cloves in reducing blood pressure level. The nurse should understand the importance of garlic cloves as an adjunct to pharmacological therapy in nursing practice. The nurse should teach the benefits of garlic cloves in reducing blood pressure level among hypertensive patients. The nurse should provide adequate exposure to settings where adjunct treatment is used for management of blood pressure level. Nursing staff can take specialized training in adjunct treatment to prevent complications of Hypertension. Nursing education The medical surgical and advanced clinical oriented curriculum imparted to nursing students should emphasize more on garlic cloves on blood pressure. The nurse educator should involve the concept of alternative and complementary therapy in nursing profession. The nurse educator should provide exposure to alternative and complementary therapy to encourage the students to expand their career in that field. The nursing curriculum should emphasize on adjunct therapy along with pharmacological management of diseases. The nurse should encourage the students to educate their patients regarding adjunct treatment during their clinical exposure. Staff nurse must be encouraged to actively participate in in-service education and workshop regarding the importance of complementary therapy on hypertension. Nursing Administration The administrator should collaborate with governing bodies in formulating policies to employ qualified nurses in medical units and periodically supervise their application of garlic cloves. Nurse administrator should arrange for public awareness programme regarding cost effective means of preventing hypertension Administrator should initiate health education in community by utilizing the staff preparing through adequate training and encouragement in adjunct therapy. The administrator should organize in-service education programme in adjuvant therapy for the nursing personal Nurse should organize formal training programme in alternative system of medicine. Administrator should appoint separate complementary therapist to guide the nursing personnel regarding adjuvant therapy Nursing research The researcher should encourage for further research on use of garlic cloves on blood pressure Researcher should concentrate on non-pharmacologic interventions to reduce the blood pressure level Disseminate the findings through conferences seminar and publications in professional, national and international journals More researches can be done to establish effectiveness of garlic cloves throughout the world. As per the study a nursing care guide can be developed for future references. Recommendations Similar studies can be done with the large group Similar study can be done with the hyperlipidemia patient Comparative study can be done on the effectiveness of garlic and hypertensive patients without taking anti-hypertensive agents. Comparative studies can be done with pharmacological and non pharmacological management of hypertension Summary This chapter dealt with summary, conclusion, implications for nursing practice and recommendation.

Intertwined Cultures in the Writings of Jhumpa Lahiri Essay -- Literar

Charlemagne was once quoted having said â€Å"To have a second language is to have a second soul† (Kushner 29). In achieving full comprehension of another language, one also gains insight into the culture of foreign individuals. It is common knowledge that in the modern world, English is the dominant tongue. Yet, bilingualism, even multilingualism, is a sure sign of possessing the scarce knowledge of cultural diversity. As American society becomes more accepting of various cultures in its politics and education, foreign voices also appear more in American literature. The diversity of origins of the latest young writers is vast: In The New Yorker’s 2010 â€Å"Top 20 Under 40† list of new American writers, over one-third were not born in this country. Their homes cross the globe, from Latvia to Peru (â€Å"Top 20 Under 40†). The rise in popularity of stories of these bicultural writers can be attributed to the changing of attitudes in America. Our history and present is laden with the accounts of immigrants. Their perspectives are fresh and bursting with talent. Jhumpa Lahiri, a female Bengali author, gained prominence after she was listed in the 1999 edition of the â€Å"Top 20 Under 40†. That same year, her collection of short stories â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† was published, and went on to sell millions of copies worldwide. Lahiri in particular is well known for, in the words of Aviya Kushner, â€Å"translating the immigrant experience for us, often lyrically†¦as the English-born child of immigrants, she can move smoothly between both worlds, marveling and assuring us that, yes, it will be all right† (Kushner 27). In many of her short stories, Lahiri focuses on that transition from a foreign culture-in her case, Indian-to American culture. More than oft... ... May 2012. . Kakutani, Michiko. "BOOKS OF THE TIMES; A Broken Body in Shiny, New China." The New York Times. The New York Times, 04 July 2008. Web. 4 May 2012. . Kushner, Aviya. "McCulture." The Wilson Quartlerly 33.1 (2009): 22-29. JSTOR. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Dec. 2009. Web. 2 May 2012. . Lahiri, Jhumpa. Interpreter of Maladies: Stories. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Print. Ranjini, V., and N. Ramakrishna. "Immigrant Experience In Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter Of Maladies And The Namesake." Poetcrit 21.1 (2008): 64-74. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 5 May 2012 Tyrell, Michael. â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies: Review.† Harvard Review 17 (1999): 198-199. JSTOR. Web. 4 May 2012.

Bitterness, Weariness and Impotence in Hardys Tess of the dUbervilles

Bitterness, Weariness and Impotence in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Ubervilles In his novel Tess of the d'Ubervilles, as well as much of his poetry, Thomas Hardy expresses his dissatisfaction, weariness, and an overwhelming sense of injustice at the cruelty of our universal fate  - disappointment and disillusionment. Hardy argues that the hopes and desires of Men are cruelly thwarted by a potent combination of "all-powerful Nature, fate, unforeseen accidents and disasters, and tragic flaws" (Mickelson 32). Although Tess, the heroine of the novel, is fully realized with physical, emotional, and mental attributes, grasping desperately to be her own master, she is nevertheless overpowered, becoming a victim of circumstance, nature, and social hypocrisy. Likewise, Hardy's dark realities bleed into and saturate his poems. First, Hardy personifies Nature as a main character in the novel. Instead of allowing the influence of Nature to show only in weather and seasonal changes, allowing the reader to sense the plot, Hardy creates a Nature who is not the typical capricious but distant goddess. Instead, she is terrifyingly responsible for influencing and overpowering man. Hardy's Nature is not only essential for the subsistence of the entire farming countryside, but the waxing and waning cycles - in the weather, time of day, and season, - which seem to influence the actions of the characters. Every disastrous occurrence seems preordained by the mood of Nature. Before Prince, the Durbeyfield horse, is killed, Tess' brother wonders at "The strange shapes assumed by the various dark objects against the sky; of this tree that looked like a raging tiger springing from a lair; of that which resembled a giant's head" (p. 24... ...rocess and the Case of Tess and Jude." New Perspectives on Thomas Hardy. Ed. Charles P. C. Pettit New York: St. Martin's, 1994. 16-40. Chapman, Raymond. " 'Good Faith, You do Talk!': Some Features of Hardy's Dialogue." New Perspectives on Thomas Hardy. Ed. Charles P. C. Pettit. New York: St. Martin's, 1994. 117-36. Hall, Donald. Afterward. Tess of the d'Urbervilles. By Thomas Hardy. New York: Signet, 1980. 417-27. Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the d'Urbervilles. 1891. New York: Signet Classic, 1980.   Jacobus, Mary. "Tess: the Making of a Pure Woman." Thomas Hardy's   Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea   House Publications, 1987. 45-60. Mickelson, Anne Z. Thomas Hardy's Women and Men: The Defeat of Nature. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1976. Weissman, Judith. Half Savage and Hardy and Free. Middletown: Wesleyan UP, 1987.

History of United Airlines :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

History of United Airlines History United Airlines aircraft have soared through the skies for more than 70 years. Initially used to transport U.S. mail, the planes soon took on a few adventurous passengers. In a matter of years, air travel was embraced by the general public, creating a demand for larger, faster, more luxurious aircraft. By 1914 aviation technology was sophisticated enough to make airplanes valuable wartime tools. In 1918, the U.S. government found an important peacetime role for aviation: delivering mail. Entrepreneur Walter T. Varney launched his U.S. "air mail" operation April 6, 1926, marking the birth of commercial aviation in the United States. Because Varney was a predecessor of United, it also marked the birth of the airline. With the advent of larger aircraft, such as the Boeing and Ford trimotors, came stewardess service. Boeing Air Transport employee, Steve Stimpson, took the suggestion of nurse Ellen Church. He proposed that nurses serve coffee and sandwiches and minister to the comfort of apprehensive flyers. As aviation matured, airlines, aircraft manufacturers and airport operators merged into giant corporations. When cries of "monopoly" arose, the conglomerates dismantled. Few things escaped the shadow cast by World War II, and the aviation industry was no exception. For 60 wearisome months, United put aside its quest for growth and profitability and took on a new responsibility: serving the U.S. military. United modified its aircraft for war, trained ground crews and flew thousands of missions to Alaska and across the Pacific to transport soldiers and supplies. The post-war economic boom that swept the United States included a strong demand for air travel. President William A. Patterson responded by expanding United's workforce, acquiring new routes and purchasing United's first jet aircraft. This strategy, along with the 1961 merger with Capital Airlines, solidified United's industry leadership and made the company the world's largest commercial airline. The end of World War II brought a brief period of euphoria to the war-weary people of the United States. Rationing was over, business and industry were back to a peacetime mode, and the nation was feeling the feverish excitement of the boom times economists had predicted. But while the forecasters were correct in their predictions, none came close to foretelling the suddenness and intensity with which the boom would thrust itself upon the nation, particularly upon the air transport industry. Airline fares had been reduced 10 percent since 1941, making it cheaper in many cases to travel by air than by rail.

The Well Paid Receptionist

The Well Paid Receptionist Values, Attitudes and Work Behaviour from Johns, G. & Saks, A. M. (2010). Organizational Behaviour. Pearson Education: Toronto. Case Study The Well-Paid Receptionist Harvey Finley did a quick double take when he caught a glimpse of the figure representing Ms. Brannen’s salary on the year-end printout. A hurried call to payroll confirmed it. Yes, his receptionist had been paid $127 614. 21 for her services last year. As he sat in stunned silence, he had the sudden realization that since his firm was doing so well this year, she would earn at least 10 to 15 percent more money during the current fiscal year. This was a shock, indeed. Background Harvey began his career as a service technician for a major manufacturer of copy machines. He received rather extensive technical training, but his duties were limited to performing routine, on-site maintenance and service for customer. After a year’s experience as a service technician, he asked for and received a promotion to sales representative. In this capacity, he established many favourable contacts in the business community of Troupville and the surrounding towns. He began to think seriously about capitalizing on his success by opening his own business. Then, seven years ago, he decided to take the plunge and start his own firm. He was tired of selling for someone else. When he mentioned his plan to his friends, they all expressed serious doubts; Troupville, a city of approximately 35 000 people located in the Deep South, had just begun to recover from a severe recession. The painful memories of the layoffs, bankruptcies, and plummeting real estate values were too recent and vivid to be forgotten. Undeterred by the skeptics, Harvey was optimistic the Troupville’s slow recovery would soon become a boom. Even though his firm would certainly have to be started on a shoestring, Harvey thought his sales experience and technical competence would enable him to survive what was sure to be a difficult beginning. He was nervous but excited when he signed the lease on the first little building. A lifelong dream was either about to be realized or dashed forever. Troupville Business Systems was born. While he has managed to borrow rent, lease, or subcontract for almost everything that was absolutely necessary, he did need one employee immediately. Of course, he hoped the business would expand rapidly and that he would soon have a complete and competent staff. But until he could be sure that some revenue would be generated, he thought he could get by with one person who would be a combination receptionist/secretary and general assistant. The typical salary for such a position in the area was about $30 000 per year; for Harvey, this was a major expense. Nevertheless, he places what he thought was a well-worked ad in the â€Å"Help Wanted† section of the local newspaper. There were five applicants, four of whom just did not seem quite right for the position he envisioned. The fifth applicant, Ms. Cathy Brannen, was absolutely captivating. Ms. Brannen was 27 years old with one child. Her resume showed that she had graduated from a two-year office administration program at a state university. She had worked for only two employers following graduation, one from five years and the most recent for two years. Since returning to her hometown of Troupville two months ago, following her divorce, she had not been able to find suitable employment. From the moment she sat down for the interview, Harvey and Ms. Brannen seemed to be exactly the same wavelength. She was very articulate, obviously quite bright, and most importantly, very enthusiastic about assisting with the start-up of the new venture. She seemed to be exactly the sort of person Harvey had envisioned when he first begun to think seriously about taking the plunge. He resisted the temptation to offer her the job on the spot, but ended the hour-long interview by telling her that he would check her references and contact her again very soon. Telephone calls to her two former employers convinced Harvey that he had actually underestimated Ms. Brannen’s suitability for the position. Each one said without equivocation that she was the best employee he had ever had in any position. Both former employers concluded the conversation by saying they would rehire her in a minute if she were still available. The only bit of disturbing information gleaned from these two calls was the fact that her annual salary had risen to $32 900 in her last job. Although Harvey thought that the cost of living was probably a bit higher in Houston, where she had last worked, he was not sure she would react favourably to the $30 000 offer he was planning to make. However, he was determined that, somehow, Cathy Brannen would be his first employee. Ms. Brannen seemed quite pleased when Harvey telephoned her at home that same evening. She said she would be delighted to meet him at the office the next morning to discuss the position more fully. Cathy Brannen was obviously very enthusiastic about the job as outlined in the morning. She asked all the right questions, responded quickly and articulately to every query posed to her, and seemed ready to accept the position even before the offer was extended. When Harvey finally got around to mentioning the salary, there was a slight change in Cathy’s eager expression. She stiffened. Since Harvey realized that salary might be a problem, he decided to offer Cathy an incentive of sorts in addition to the $30 000 annual salary. He told her that he realized his salary offer was lower than the amount she has earned on her last job. And he told her he understood that a definite disadvantage of working for a new firm was the complete absence of financial security. Although he was extremely reluctant to guarantee a larger salary because of his own uncertainty regarding the future, he offered her a sales override in the amount of two percent of sales. He explained that she would largely determine the success or failure of the firm. She needed to represent the firm in the finest possible manner to potential customers who telephoned and to those who walked in the front door. For this reason, the sales override seemed to be an appropriate addition to her straight salary. It would provide her with incentive to take an active interest in the firm. Cathy accepted the offer immediately. Even though she was expecting a salary offer of $32 500, she hoped the sales override might make up the difference. Who knows,† she thought, â€Å"two percent of sales may amount to big money someday. † It did not, however, seem very likely at the time. Troupville Business Systems began as a very small distributor of copy machines. The original business plan was just to sell copy machines and provide routine, on-site service. More extensive on-site service and repairs requiring that a machine be removed from a customer’s premises were to be provided by a regional distributor located in a major city approximately 100 miles from Troupville. Troupville Business Systems did well from the start. Several important changes were made in the services the firm offered during the first year. Harvey soon found that there was a greater demand for the leasing of copy machines, particularly the large expensive models that he originally planned to sell. He also soon discovered that his customers wanted to be able to contract directly with his firm for all their service needs. Merely guaranteeing that he could get the machines serviced was not sufficient in the eyes of potential customers. In attempting to accommodate the market, he developed a complete service facility and began to offer leasing options on all models. These changes in the business all occurred during the first year. Growth during that year was steady, but not spectacular. While sales continued to grow steadily the second year, it was early in the third year that Harvey made what turned out to be his best decision. He entered the computer business. Harvey had purchased a personal computer soon after Troupville Business Systems was founded. The machine and its capabilities fascinated him, although he knew virtually nothing about computers. He was soon a member of a local users club, was subscribing to all the magazines, and was taking evening computer courses at the local university- in short, he became a computer buff. Harvey recognized the business potential of the rapidly growing personal computer market, but he did not believe that his original business was sufficiently stable to introduce a new product line just yet. During his third year of operations, he decided the time was right to enter the computer business. He added to his product line a number of personal computers popular with a small business in the area. This key decision caused a virtual explosion in the growth of his firm. Several key positions were added, including that of a comptroller. By the fourth year of operations, computers produced by several other manufacturers had been added to Harvey’s product line, and he had developed the capability of providing complete service for all products carried. His computer enterprise was not limited to business customers, because he quickly developed a significant walk-in retail trade. Rapid growth continued unabated. During the first seven years of the company’s existence, Cathy Brannen had proven truly indispensable. Her performance exceeded Harvey’s highest expectations. Although her official position remained that of secretary/receptionist, she took it on herself to learn about each new product or service. During the early years, Harvey often thought that she did a better job than he did whenever a potential customer called in his absence. Even after he acquired a qualified sales staff, Harvey had no concerns when Cathy had to field questions from a potential customer because a regular salesperson was not available. The customer never realized that the professional young lady capably handling all inquiries was â€Å"only† the receptionist. Cathy began performing fewer sales functions because of the increased number of professional salespersons, but her secretarial duties had expanded tremendously. She was still Harvey’s secretary, and she continued to answer virtually every telephone call coming into the business. Since her office was in an open area, she still was the first to greet many visitors. Cathy took a word-processing course at a local business school shortly after joining the firm. As she began working with Harvey’s first personal computer, she, too developed into a computer aficionado and became the best computer operator in the firm. The Current Situation Harvey was shaken by the realization that Cathy Brannen had been paid over $127 000 last year. As he wondered what, if anything, should be done about her earnings, he began to reflect on the previous seven years. Success had come almost overnight. It seemed as though Troupville Business Systems could do nothing wrong. The workforce had grown at a rate of approximately 15 percent per year since the third year of operations. Seventeen people were now employed by the firm. While Harvey’s dad acknowledged that some of this success was due to being in the right place at the right time, he also had reason to be proud of the choices he had made. Time had proven that all his major decisions had been correct. He also could not overestimate Cathy’s contribution to the success of the firm. Yes, certainly, one of the most important days in the life of the firm was the day when Cathy responded to his ad in the newspaper. Success had brought with it the ever-increasing demands on his time. He had never worked so hard, but the rewards were certainly forthcoming. First, there was the new Jaguar, then the new home on Country Club Drive, the vacation home on the coast, the European trips†¦Yes, success was wonderful. During these years Cathy, too, had prospered. Harvey had not thought much about it, but he did remember making a joking comment the first day she drove her new Mercedes to work. He also remembered commenting on her mink coat at the company banquet last December, Cathy had been dazzling. Now that Harvey realized what he was paying Cathy, he was greatly disturbed. She was making almost twice as much money as anyone else in the firm with the exception of himself. The best salesman had earned an amount in the low nineties last year. His top managers were paid salaries ranging from the high sixties to the mid-seventies. The average salary in the area for executive secretaries was no probably between $30 000 and $35 000 per year. A good receptionist could be hired for under $28 000, and yet Cathy had been paid $127 614. 21 last year. The sales override had certainly enabled Cathy o share in the firm’s success. Yes, indeed. As Harvey thought more and more about the situation, he kept returning to the same conclusion. He felt something had to be done about her compensation. It was just too far out of line with other salaries in the firm. Although Harvey was drawing over $200 000 per year in salary and had built an equity in the business of more than $1 million, these facts did not seem relevant as he pondered what to do. It seemed likely that a number of other employees did know about Cathy’s compensation level. Harvey wondered why no one ever mentioned it. Even the comptroller never mentioned Cathy’s compensation. This did seem quite odd to Harvey, as the comptroller, Frank Bain, knew that Harvey did not even attempt to keep up with the financial details. He relied on Frank to bring important matters to his attention. With no idea of how to approach this problem, Harvey decided to begin by making a list of alternatives. He got out a piece of paper and, as he stared at the blank lines, overheard Cathy’s cheerful exchange with a customer in the next room. The Well Paid Receptionist Analysis of â€Å"The Well Paid Receptionist† Harvey Finley is in quite the predicament. He his company’s net profit should be approximately $107, 614. 21 greater than he expected for this year. The problem is that his secretary/receptionist is making six to seven times the amount of an average â€Å"good† secretary/receptionist in the local market and has been for a few years. There’s a few ways this issue can be addressed. One way would be to talk to Ms. Brannen and advice her that there has been an oversight in her salary over the past few years and for the upcoming year the oversight will be corrected and her salary will be adjusted to $25,000 per year with no percent of sales bonus. Another way to address the issue is to fire the manager who should have reported this oversight to Finley and promote Ms Brannen to his position while adjusting her salary to $55,000 per year and explaining the oversight to her as well. One more solution to this issue would be to let things be the way they are since the company has been doing great and growing the way things currently are. The two most important value drivers to consider in establishing the Value Over Time maximization are â€Å"individual employee values† and â€Å"owner values†. Let’s start identifying the specific aspects of the first value driver, the individual employee values. The facts remain that the reason Finley hired Ms. Brannen was mainly based on her individual values and performance at her two previous jobs. She held a two year office administration degree, she was very articulate, bright and most of all she was enthusiastic about assisting in launching this start-up company with Finley. She also had two extremely positive feedbacks from her previous employers that said â€Å"they would rehire her in a minute if she were still available. † The problems lie with her not being satisfied with the initial salary offer for this position. Salary was the only issue with Ms. Brannen other than that she was perfect for this new position at Troupville Business Systems. A few potential problems with Ms. Brannen would be that she only moved from Houston was because she was going through a divorce. What would happen if she were to get back together with her husband? Another potential problem ith her would be the fact that she has a small child. If the child is sick then she will not be able to come into work. This would be an issue since at the moment she would be the only other employee. Also Ms. Brannen has two very good references and if she accepts this position and continues to look for another position elsewhere that may pay better and she can potentially leave Troup ville Business Systems. The potential positive impacts on Value Over Time for Ms. Brannen is that she will continue to shine and prosper as a great striving employee the company will grow. She is the front line and the first person the customer see’s or speaks to when they make the first contact to Troupville Business Systems. She has already proven herself since the launch of this company as being a key player in the success of this start-up company. A few potential negative impacts maybe that Ms. Brannen gets comfortable at the salary she is at and realizes that in her hiring package the terms and agreement were that she was to receive $14,000 salary plus 2% of sales. There was no clause to when this would be removed and she can just put herself on cruise control and still make six figures. I expect her effect to be a positive one over time since this is the person Ms. Brannen is. You can tell a lot by looking at a person’s past performance history and we know she is a person who not only strives to be the best at her job position but also picks up on other job position duties and can perform them just as well if not better than others. We know she is able to handle sales calls if no sales person is available and the client/customer has never noticed. There are ways to turn something negative into something neutral or even better into a positive effect. In the event that Ms. Brannen was offered a better paying position with another firm, Finley would be able to evaluate her for the time that she was working for him to see if she is worth the difference in salary. He would have also had time to make some sales and see how the potential sales market is doing and instead of offering her 2% in sales which obviously we now know was a bad strategy, can offer her more upfront in salary. A person that likes the job they are doing will not leave for one or two thousand dollars more. So Finley can be true to her and make a counter offer in hopes that she would accept and stay. As for the other negative aspect of her getting back together with her husband in Houston and move back there, Finley would either have to offer her a significant more salary or find her husband a position at Troupville Business Systems. The other important value driver to consider in establishing the Value Over Time maximization is â€Å"owner values†. As the owner Finley’s main concern is to keep his business running. Another concern is to make more and more profit each year. Owners need to worry about reputation risk as well and the well being of each of their employees. Some problems Finley is facing with his company, Troupville Business Systems, is that he is paying his secretary more than double what his highest paid manager is making. The problem Finley is facing is not knowing what should be done about this or how to approach the issue. The potential problems that may arise if the current situation is not addressed is that it will cause an up roar with the manager & salesman to find out that a secretary/receptionist is making much more than they are. Managers as well as other employees not knowing her hiring benefits will demand a raise. Another potential problem is that rumors will most likely be started that they are having relations and that’s why a secretary is making six figures. A potential positive impact would be that other employees will see that being a hard worker and sticking through the highs and lows of a business really pays off. This may motivate all other employees to be outstanding or above average performers. The employees have witnessed the value over time with Ms. Brannen and have seen the long-term effects on her salary. A negative impact would be that employees who have already been at Troupville Business Systems and have not seen the value over time in the bonus or benefits will demand a raise or quit. Salary is always a delicate situation to deal with and this is why it is not considered acceptable talk in the office. Another negative impact is over time if the company grows and does not have an increase in sales then Ms. Brannen will still be making more than Finley since he has more overhead to pay for. There are steps that can be taken to negate a potential negative effect. First of all no one should be discussing compensation at all inside or outside the office. Second in case it does get out then there should be a one on one sit down with each employee to discuss their performance, not Ms. Brannen’s. Finley does not need to justify his actions to his employees; he only needs to treat them fairly. Now let’s evaluate the case where the company’s expense gets higher and the sales stay the same and Ms. Brannen is making more than Finley. In this case Finley will have to renegotiate Ms. Brannen’s contract to reflect expenses as well if he does not decided to give her a base salary and no bonus that is. I believe the interactive effect these value drivers will have over time will be positive. During the maturity of Troupville Business Systems we can seen that Finley is a successful leader and Ms. Brannen is an outstanding employee who goes above and beyond her expected duties. These two make a good successful team. Over the years you can see that she has proven herself and should be promoted to a higher ranked position. She deserves the 2% sales bonus because she was with this company from the start and has stuck through the toughest times thus far. The best alternative solution for both effects would be for both Finley and Ms. Brannen sit down and review her contract, salary and bonus and come to an agreement on a fair salary and a possible promotion since she and proven her loyalty and performance to Troupville Business Systems. I’m sure Ms. Brannen realized that this day would come. And as long as the compensation is fair she will not leave since she is so invested in the company. In conclusion I would consider the best course of action would be to offer Ms. Brannen a managerial position within Troupville Business Systems. This will make her happy to get a respectable and long overdue promotion as well as a fair competitive salary of $60,000 a year with no percent bonus in sales. And if she is more motivated by a percent in sales then offer her $50,000 plus 1% of sales with a minimum of $5,000 annual or $20,000 maximum cap. This is fair for both value drivers for Finley as the owner and Ms. Brannen as the Individual employee. If I were Finley the first step would be for me to evaluate her performance and hard work since the start of Troupville Business Systems. I would bring her into my office and have a one on one with her. I would start off by saying how much off an asset she is to the company and how much appreciate her hard work is and has paid off in the success of the company. Then I would proceed by offering her a managerial position within the company. I would advise her that she will need to be trained for managerial duties and will be on an evaluation period as a manager for 3 months. Depending on the decisions made by her and how well she can manage a team she will be offered the permanent position. After she is given the formal offer she will have to decide whether she prefers being a secretary/receptionist or taking on new exciting role as a manager with Troupville Business Systems. Now the difficult part, this is where Finley should bring up the current compensation and offer Ms. Brannen a new compensation package. Advise her that the old compensation will be reduced to an above average rate for a secretary/receptionist and that this new opportunity will be a much better move for her career path. He will need to talk her up a bit like saying that she is management material and how good this is for her career path. Most likely she has been expecting this day to come and will choose to be a manger rather than go with a different company as a secretary. It’s a win/win move on parts of both parties.