Issues and challenges faced by Starbucks corporation

Issues and challenges faced by Starbucks corporation In 1971, four people fill with passion of coffee open their first coffee retail store-Starbucks in Seattle, Washington. By 1981, the company had 4 retail stores, which were sale whole bean coffee. Howard Schultz, who is the chairman and CEO of Starbucks, was hired and join the marketing team in 1982. At that time, Schultz wanted to create an idea that Starbucks become Americans third place to go, which is a place people can enjoy, relax themselves and not far away from work or home. Hence, Schultz suggested company set up an espresso bar in the retail, hence, the idea was allow to test in the sixth store in 1983. From then on, the development of company increased significantly. Few years later, Schultz bought Starbuck. After Schultz took over the company, Starbucks turn into high-speed expansion stage. By 1992, Starbucks already had 140 stores, which serviced coffee, beverage, cake and some stores even sold jazz CDs (Tuck business school, 2002). Now, Starbucks is worldwide company wi th 17,800 stores in 49 countries including more than 10000 stores in US, 1000 in Canada and 800 in UK (google map, 2010) Methods Data collection methods Methodology As members of Group 8 (ASB 4431 Organisations People Assignment Groups 2010-11) perusing a Masters degree in Bangor University, have done a report on Starbucks critically evaluating the organisations structure, strategy, culture, and management/leadership style. Data collection method The research strategy that the study utilized is the explanatory or Analytical research approach. As this study is based on our analysis of Starbucks, structure, culture, leadership and other issues would be explored; questions will need answering thereby a need to understand the phenomena. The use of a Qualitative data analysis will be employed since the data we use will all be non-numeric data. Saunders et al, (2009) Source of data Secondary data was obtained from already existing data mainly from Starbucks website, other Internet sources, journals and textbooks. Issues and challenges There are three issues considered in this report, first is the resource constrains, most of the articles we found are all available online, however not all of them are free to assess, especially for those authoritative articles that always need to pay to assess, for example, the book named Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time, which written by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is a good reference for our report, however, we can not assess it without buying it. Second issues is the lack of critical review for Starbucks, most paper we found was regard Starbucks as the positive example in explaining organisational behaviour, there is no doubt that Starbucks doing a great job in rewarding their employees, however it brings challenges to be critical in our report. The final issues is the ethical and legal issues, as all the article we found can published publicly, and we all using appropriate reference, as a result, there is no ethical and legal issues to co nsider for our report. Analysis In this study, qualitative data analysis has been conducted to evaluate the organisational feature of Starbucks Corporation rather than using quantitative analysis such as statistical analysis.   In order to gather the data, remote data collection, such as Internet search and literature review about has been mainly conducted.   The purpose of this study is to critically evaluate the organisation structure, strategy, culture and management or leadership applications of Starbucks Corporation, therefore all information are gathered by internet search and literature review.   In order to analyse gathered data to evaluate feature of Starbucks Corporation, observed data analysis method has been practiced.   Comprehensive search for several facts related to structure, strategy, culture and management/leadership applications of Starbucks, has been executed by using Internet search and literature review.   Afterwards, critical evaluation has been conducted to link all information or ganically.   Finally, all analysis results were integrated and final conclusion has been created. Results Overview of corporate strategy business goals Mission statement A mission statement is a brief description of an organisations fundamental purpose, which is steered in outlining the existence of the organisation; this is to enable members of the organisation to be aware of the companys purpose as well as the general public. (David, 2009) A mission statement should be a short and brief declaration of goals and objectives. The primary goal of any business is to maximize stakeholder worth, which includes shareholders of the business, business employees and clients or customers who purchase business goods and services. (David, 2009; Abell, 1980) Diverse works have outlined what should be covered in a mission statement (Abell, 1980; Pearce and David, 1987). It is not the content of the mission statement that really matters but rather the process used to prepare the document and the principles employed to fulfil the prepared document (Mullane, 2002). In the mission statement of Starbucks which talks about inspiring and nurturing the human spirit one person, one cup and one neighbourhood with principles to live out every day as an organisation to fulfil their mission statement. The principles below are what Starbucks employ in achieving their mission statement; Our Coffee; It has always been, and will always be, about quality. Were passionate about ethically sourcing the finest coffee beans, roasting them with great care, and improving the lives of people who grow them. We care deeply about all of this; our work is never done. Our Partners; Were called partners, because its not just a job, its our passion. Together, we embrace diversity to create a place where each of us can be ourselves. We always treat each other with respect and dignity. And we hold each other to that standard. Our Customers; When we are fully engaged, we connect with, laugh with, and uplift the lives of our customers even if just for a few moments. Sure, it starts with the promise of a perfectly made beverage, but our work goes far beyond that. Its really about human connection. Our Stores; When our customers feel this sense of belonging, our stores become a haven, a break from the worries outside, a place where you can meet with friends. Its about enjoyment at the speed of life sometimes slow and savored, sometimes faster. Always full of humanity. Our Neighbourhood; Every store is part of a community, and we take our responsibility to be good neighbours seriously. We want to be invited in wherever we do business. We can be a force for positive action bringing together our partners, customers, and the community to contribute every day. Now we see that our responsibility and our potential for good is even larger. The world is looking to Starbucks to set the new standard, yet again. We will lead. Our Shareholders; We know that as we deliver in each of these areas, we enjoy the kind of success that rewards our shareholders. We are fully accountable to get each of these elements right so that Starbucks and everyone it touches can endure and thrive. Environmental Mission Statement; Starbucks is committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facets of our business Our Starbucks Mission Statement; Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time. (Starbucks: Our Mission Statements) Business strategy To understand and analyse corporate strategy and business goal of Starbucks, we firstly need to have a clue of what corporate strategy is. By Johnson and Scholes, corporate strategy is defined as: Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long-term: which achieves advantage for the organization through its configuration of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfil stakeholder expectations. In the case of Starbucks, the organization is employing Porters Differentiation Focus Strategy. This strategy provides a product or service to a specific market niche and differentiates from competition in specific areas. (Rebecca Larson, 2009) Starbucks does not exist as a low-cost company to the competitors. It focuses on the specialized selections, provides specially tailored lines of coffee and tea related products for a premium price. Starbucks does not promote itself by using traditional means; they generally concentrate on high-level marketing and branding by word-of-mouth, as well as alliances and partnerships. They try not to promote the company, however automatically they are promoted by providing customer support and also their excellent works in which up to now has becoming a successful strategy. By the companys hard work, focusing on details and ethical decision-making, customers have experienced a wonderful service, as a result, the company gradually built up its reputation and becoming one of the most valuable global brands.(Theodore,2002,p.62) It is incredible that Starbuckss achievement with very few commercials, ads or any other kind of marketing means. Starbucks could not become a coffee-related products giant retailer and remain long-term success only by selling coffee on its own. One important part of the companys strategy is strategic alliances, which could also be called joint venture approach. This strategy leads the globalization of the company with higher recognition and reputation of the brand also exposing the brand to other potential customers. The variety of companys products is relatively being expanded demographically and geographically. For example, in order to advance social and economic equality, the company allied with NAACP, the company donated and together with NAACP organized events for social equality has becoming a great success. It showed that Starbucks is no longer a simple business organization, it also exists as a charity and that brings the company higher reputation. They also partnered with Barnes and Noble bookstores to be the in-house coffee shop in 1993, (Isidro, 2004) co-produce coffee-related drinks such as Starbucks Frappuccino with PepsiCo from 1996, formed alliances with ice-cream manufactures and hotel chains to offer Starbucks brand and flavored ice-creams and Starbucks coffees within the hotels (Rebecca Larson, 2009). Explanation of organisational structure Board Committee organization structure of Starbucks The structure of Starbucks Company is shown in Figure 1.   As mentioned by Starbucks Corporation Fiscal Annual Report (2009), as group member of the Board of Directors, Howard Schultz was appointed to Companys chairman and chief executive. Barbara Bass, William W. Bradley, Mellody Hobson, Olden Lee, James G. Shennan, Javier G. Teruel, Myron E. Ullman and Graig E. Weatherup were appointed to director individually. Kevin R. Johnson and Sheryl Sandberg were appointed to Chief Operating Officer individually. Additional, Starbuck Corporation consisted of 38 members of Senior Officers. Board Committees are composed of Audit and Compliance Committee, Corporation Compensation and Management Development Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Composition Job Design Board of Director The Board of Director inclusive twelve members, independence of each member are requested to meet of the NASDAQ Stock Market efficiently. When Board getting direction about recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Board of Directors will appoint a new member in case of there is a vacancy occupation occur on the Board. The Board of Directors of Starbucks Company are responsible for monitoring company powers and ensuring that the company business meet goals which is requested by shareholders. The Board have responsibility to select nominees for the Board of Directors who have appropriate qualifications and diversity of backgrounds experiences. And also, it is in charge of appointing chief operating officer.   (Starbucks Corporation Fiscal Annual Report, 2009) Composition Job Design Audit and Compliance Committee The Audit and Compliance Committee are in charge of financial reporting and internal, external audit processes. The Committee assists the Board of Director reviewing financial issue. The Committee was appointed from the Board of Directors. The Committee have three members at least and all of them shall match The NASDAQ Stock Market requirements independence. The Committee be recommended by the Corporate Governance Committee, and finally appointed by the Board of Director. The Committee has authority to investigate any financial activity and free access to members of management. It is retain independent legal counsel. All employees have responsibility to assisting members of the Committee investigation (Starbucks Corporation Audit And Compliance Committee Charter, 2010) Composition Job Design Corporation Compensation and Management Development Committee The Compensation and Management Development Committee has responsible for working with management to establish appropriate compensation practices for the Company. There are deciding the benefits and compensations for senior officers of the Company. The Committee consists of three members at lease, which one member be required come from Board of Director. The members of Committee will be pointed from Board as well. The Committee conducts an annual review of companys compensation for Senior Officer instead of president and chairman. Together with the Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee, the Chair of the Committee shall annually review the performance of the president and chief operating officer and meet with them to share the findings of such review when after discussing with the member of independent directors of the Board (Starbucks Corporation Compensation and Management Development Committee Charter, 2010). Composition Job Design Corporation Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee The Corporate Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures of the Board of Directors. They are intended to constitute and organize appropriately to meet its obligations to Starbucks Company and its shareholders. The Committee will be comprised of at least three members, all of whom have to meet the independence requirements of the NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC as well as. Under Board of Directors direction, members of the Committee and a Chair of the Committee shall be appointed. The Board of Directors shall appoint a new member or members, which is a vacancy on the Committee. The Committee have professional capability to assist Board identifying candidates personality. Reviewing the Companys Corporate Governance Principles and Practices annually according to changing shareholders interests and suggesting appropriate modifications to the Board of Directors. And evaluate the overall effectiveness of the organization of the Board Committees performance. Evaluation of the organisation structure of Starbucks According to SeaZone (2009), organisation structure of Starbucks Company is Matrix structure.  Ã‚  This is one type of organisation structures that is presented by Gareth Morgan.   The organisation structure is quite important to manage organisation, it plays important role for organisations activities.  Ã‚  Moreover, the organisation structure is related to its business purpose and aims. (Mullins, 2005)   Matrix structure is the organisation structure that has both of vertical structure and strong horizontal structure.   It requires employees to have two reporting relationships concurrently.  Ã‚  In this structure, employees work in provisional group constituted by employees from different function.  Ã‚  There are two lines of authority in this structure and employees have two bosses in their team namely boss for their project and boss for their function. (Mullins, 2005) Specific future of matrix structure Matrix structure provides organisation flexibility, and contributes to keep security and control of project information.  Ã‚  Moreover, organisation can have a possibility to develop stuff well.  Ã‚  (Mullins, 2005)  Ã‚  However, there are some disadvantages of matrix structure.  Ã‚  At first, there is limitation of number of employees who report to the project manager directly, because most of all stuffs are assigned from department managers.  Ã‚  This situation may lead uncertainty in organisation and employees may be unwilling to accept that their situation is changed constantly and willing that they establish in their functional group.  Ã‚  Next, matrix structure has a possibility that organisation make more complex.  Ã‚  Thirdly, extension of the authority of manager to the stuff coming from other sections can be a course of problem in organisation.  Ã‚  Finally, it is expected that functional group may not attention to their normal tasks and role.  (Mullins, 2 005)   What is required in matrix structure? Matrix structure strongly deeply rely on teamwork spirits, it demand culture of co-operation.  Ã‚  In this structure, managers are required high level of behavioural and management ability and organisation needs culture of collaboration.  Ã‚  It is necessary to educate employees to support other stuffs and to create the teamwork spirits.  Ã‚  Moreover, stuffs must have a special competence to solve the conflict in their team in the matrix-structured organisation.  Ã‚   How organisation structure works in Starbucks There are some disadvantages in matrix structure as mentioned before, however, Starbucks, especially Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks Company, may have understood these problems.   Therefore he gave special statement to employees when he expanded Starbucks structure to reinforce their internal and external communication in 2008.  Ã‚  He has explained the difficulties of doing business in situation in those days and strongly suggested change of not only structure but also employees in order to enhancing the customer experience.  Ã‚  In that message, he also stated that structure of Starbucks Company faced the revolutionary  change, however it was necessary to improve customers and stuffs experiences and recapture the vigour and benefits in the company.  Ã‚  As he explained in that message, he recognised or realised that this structural modification was hard for some stuffs owing to increase and complex of their tasks, however he also described that he made this decision unde rstanding these kinds of issues.  Ã‚  He explained that he had decided this numerous change of structure with speculation and he respected for stuffs concerned.   (Starbucks, 2008) Analysis of organisational culture With the development of economy, the competitions between companies not only aim at the product they offered but also their internal organisation culture. Deal and Kennedy researched organization culture for 15 years and they found that organisation with weak culture always beaten by organisation with strong culture (1999). Edgar Schein who is generally consider the father of organization culture defined that organization is a pattern of basic assumptions invented, discovered, or developed by a given group as it learns to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problem (1985). Organization cultures pay attentions to individuals in a organization that it establish an appropriate platform make individual join in the organization quickly and help people work together toward the same organizati on goals. In addition, organization culture help employee improve their personal ability and knowledge to maximum. In the meantime, organisation culture forms the external performance and reputation, which are important to decision making during purchasing Starbucks is one of the successful chain coffee stores. It is because it has a unique organisation culture. In order to understand internal culture in Starbucks, we will use the Great Holsfedes cultural framework. Holsfedes used different five aspects to evaluate culture, which are power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long term orientation (Holsfedes, 1991). . Base on this model, it can reveal that Starbucks have long power distance, because every employee in Starbucks have the same basic rights no special treatment. In addition, for the gander issue, Starbucks view all the employees the same regardless of their gender, thus, Starbucks has high masculinity and femininity. And it also has low uncertainty avoidance; due to it have a vast number of brunch stores abroad, Starbucks has to take huge risk for that. In terms of collectivistic, Starbucks belongs to high collectivistic, although it have branch store everywhere, but there is a core team to conduct the whole company. Starbuck still pay attention to environment and other charity event, so Starbucks is long term oriented. The strong power of Starbucks organisation culture appeals a great number of people, including both consumer and potential employee. Great quality of coffee and well service make Starbucks become a global company with hundreds of chain stores. Its organisation present a great service, consumer always be expected to be confronted with enthusiastic well trained employees with a great number of coffee knowledge and their service always base on consumers need. Starbuck also appeal people because of its values. As we talked above, Starbucks support many organisations in a long term, such as Conservation International, The Earthwatch Institute, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, the African Wildlife Foundation, and Planet Green. Starbucks convey a message that corporations need to concern about the society and environment around them. And then, Starbucks establish diversity internal working environment in order to satisfy the entire consumer. The strong organisational culture in Starbucks also embodied in the way they treat their employees. Starbucks hold a job fairs every year in different places, and there are also some guidelines for manager to interview the candidates and test whether they have full knowledge about the companys product, and who are adaptable, dependable and passionate in interacting with customers. Starbucks also need to deal with hundred of thousands of online applications using software developed by Taleo, this software help to screen out the candidates by answer the basic information and skills-based questions (Weber G. 2005). After recruiting people, Starbucks will also offer 24 hours of trainings to their employees, and learn how to use espresso machines, how to interact with the customers, the process and production of coffee beans. During the training, employees also need to understand the companys mission statement, and bring company culture to their customers (Cesario Minor, Jr. 2009), Starbu cks spends more on recruitment and development than on advertising which in 2004 is $68.3 million (Weber. G.2005), the mangers and assistance mangers also have trainings in computer, leadership and coffee knowledge. As Starbucks offers both product and services, people become an important factor in maintaining the quality, Starbucks treat their employees as partners by connecting their contribution to companys market value, and give the opportunity to share the success in the company, their employees are highly involved in companys activity by reporting their concerns to companys Mission review team, each employee will receive a comment card when they newly hired, and they can write down some suggestion, advice or disagreement in management decisions, the managers will response and sign for all the comment cards within two weeks, and their CEO Howard Schultz also review all the comments every month(Cesario Minor, Jr. 2009), the high involvement also increase the level of responsibil ity to the company. Starbucks also well known in retaining and rewarding their employees by good salary, stock options and health cares, according to Thompson Strickland (1999), the store employees were paid $6 to $8 per hour that is above the average minimum wages, their employees can also paying the initial years price and receiving the current years price by cashing in one-fifth of the shares granted each succeeding year. Part-time staffs is the major workforce in Starbucks, and they receive the same health insurance as full-time employees, the insurance including preventive care, crisis counselling, dental care, eye care, mental health care and treatment for chemical dependency. Howard Schultz also been invited to white house and meet with president Clinton to brief the Starbucks health care programme in 1994. Starbucks have a relative low turnover rage compare with the other companies, the turnover rage for Starbucks was about 65% compare with 150% to 400% for other retailers and fast-food chains, and the turnover rate for store manager was much lower, which is 25% compared with 50% in other retailers. Starbuckss organisation culture, especially the strong spiritual culture appealing lots potential employees, employees not only attracted by the salary, stock plans and health care, they would like to work for Starbucks because the trust, power and autonomy given by the organisation, Starbucks promotion for fair trade and environmental contributions also bring positive image and reputations. Critical evaluation of Management Leadership practices CE for business goal CE for organisational structure Critical evaluation of Management and Leadership practices As we have described previously, the organisation structure of Starbucks is the matrix structure. This structure influence management style and leadership style, too. The matrix structure strongly relies on the teamwork and relationship between employees and managerial stuffs. In the matrix structure, a line of command and report is complicating and the line is changed frequently. Therefore, employees are required more complex work rather than in other organisation structures. Moreover, organisation must provide employees good education system to create teamwork spirits in organisation. Additionally, in order to lead employees in the matrix structure, strong leadership and well-organised management style is necessary. (Mullins, 2005) It would appear that Starbucks Company might be able to overcome with these problems coming from disadvantage of the matrix structure and achieve to create good working relationship atmosphere. Therefore, they have been awarded a prize of 100 Best Compan ies to Work For by Fortune during 1998 to 2009, except 2001. (Starbucks 2010) CE for organisational culture There are two critical issues to discuss in Starbucks culture, firstly, David A. Pace, who has been an Executive Vice President of Partner Resources of Starbucks Corporation since 2002 said that, even company were to hit hard times, the strategy of above-average investment in training and rewarding employees isnt going to change (Weber G. 2005). Starbucks now is an successful company, and Paces announcement really help to build a good reputation on taking social responsibilities, however, once the company suffer from the crisis, can they still keep the promise, if they can, it helps to gain more support from their employee, but if they cant, the employees will feel disappoint and may break down the reputation. Secondly according to Weber G. (2005), Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks on October told Business week Online that, for the following two years, Starbucks would spend more on employee health care costs than it does on coffee. What Schulze said may have both impacts on their employees and customers. For their employees, they will feel appreciate and proud to work for Starbucks, and it may also attract more people desired to work for Starbucks. For Starbucks customers, some may feel Starbucks is a responsible and ethical company and feel comfortable to buy coffee from Starbucks. However, spending less on coffee may misleading other customers that the company will pay more attention on employee health care rather than coffee, customers may feels they are not regarded. Conclusions recommendations Conclusion Business goal Organisational structure As previously mentioned, Starbucks adopts matrix structure for their organisation structure. (SeaZone, 2009)    Matrix structure has a complex aspect owning to the characteristics of that structure, namely it has both of vertical structure and strong horizontal structure.   Matrix structure provides organisation flexibility, and contributes to keep security and control of project information.   Moreover, organisation can have a possibility to develop stuff well. (Mullins, 2005)   On the other hand, matrix structure has disadvantages, for example, it has limitation of number of employee who report to the project manager directly, moreover, matrix structure has a possibility that organisation make more complex. (Mullins, 2005)   However, Starbucks seems to have good relationship and well-organised education system for managerial stuffs to overcome with these disadvantage and they seems to convert these disadvantages to advantages of matrix structure.   Moreover, Howard Schu ltz, CEO of Starbucks, has strong leadership and he is trying to encourage stuffs in order to achieve their business well. (Starbucks, 2008)   In reality, the fact that Starbucks have been awarded a prize of 100 Best Companies to Work For by Fortune during 1998 to 2009, except 2001 gives evidence that many stuffs who are working for Starbucks satisfy to work in this circumstances. (Starbucks 2010) Organisational culture To conclusion, the Comprehensive and thoughtful organisation culture is Starbucks core competitive strategy, which is not only appeal potential employees but also the customers. Almost all the customers satisfied Starbucks services because they are treated very well. At the same time, they are faced with passionate employees and high quality coffee. For employees, they have well trained before they participate in the work formally, which allow them to introduce customer professionally. In addition, employees are satisfied with the wage and even part-time employees have the insurance as well. Feedback makes Starbucks culture special then their company. Their employees have the rights to write down their disagreement or suggestion to company. Recommendations Business goal Organisational structure(included in conclusion) Organisational culture As we know, Starbucks turnover rate is low, because their rewarding system attracts a great number of employees. We recommend company could change its rewarding system to performance base system, which means employees rewarding base on their personal working performance (e.g. set up best employee of the month/year). In terms of health care of employees in Starbucks, it is excellent to treat their employees in such a good way. However, consumers need an image that Starbucks devote itself to improve the quality of coffee and develop the environment in stores. Hence, we recommend Starbucks could increase spending on retail store decoration and offering more kinds of food.

Utah Family Center :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We chose to learn about, evaluate and present the Utah Family Center. The goals of this paper are; to explain the logistics of the program, to tie together what we learned with Epstein’s Framework, to describe the climate and those who typically utilize the center, and include some final concluding thoughts about the center. As a group, we referred to the Utah Family Center website, we visited and walked thru the center, and we talked to great lengths with the personnel. We were able to take pamphlets and we took digital pictures of the center to utilize in our group presentation. We worked together to write this report about the Utah Family Center. LOGISTICS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Utah Family Center is located at 5192 Greenpine Drive (460 West) in Salt Lake City, Utah in the 84123 zip code. The telephone number is (801) 266-6166. The hours and days of operation are 9:00AM until 4:00PM Monday thru Friday. When special classes are offered, they are usually on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30PM until 8:30PM. When one particular class is offered, it is on Saturdays. Their website is www.utahfamilycenter.org, and their e-mail address is info@utahfamilycenter.org. The Utah Family Center started small but increased in size once they received grant funding six years ago, and with the help of the PTA and the Utah Department of Education. They share office space with the Utah PTA Headquarters. This particular location is the statewide administrative center, and there are different branches of the Utah Family Center that they refer to as satellite centers. There are nine satellite centers, and they are located in Logan, Price, Kaysville, Monument Valley, downtown Salt Lake City, Tooele, Provo, St. George, and Ogden, Utah. The satellite centers range in size depending on the area they are in, as well as the times they are open. The statewide administrative center is equipped with a large boardroom upstairs (seats 40) and a small one downstairs (seats about 12).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The staffing consists of the Director, Barbara Smith, her secretary, a financial advisor, a counselor, other assistants, workshop teachers, and numerous PAT (Parents as Teachers). The Director manages the center. The classes are directed by nationally certified trainers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Utah Family Center is funded through repeated PIRC (Parent Information & Resource Centers) grants from the United States Department of Education Office of Innovation & Improvement. A PIRC grant is based on helping low performing schools that struggle, with the â€Å"No Child Left Behind† concept a main focus.

Law on School Prayer Essay

The issue on school prayer has been subject to constitutional debate since 1960’s. The Court ruled against school-sponsored prayer in the Engel vs. Vitale case in 1962. Such court decision is in line with the upholding of freedom of religion (and the expression of one’s faith and belief). The Court said that one could instead do his or her prayer privately and need not impose his or her prayer to anyone (Dierenfield, 2007). This is the very basis of the Court for implementing the non-school-sponsored prayer in every school in the United States. Such ruling was put into question when another case of school-sponsored prayer occurred in 2000. The case wherein the Santa Fe Independent School District permitted the non-private conduction of prayer (done in front of other students of the school) which is aim to declare support for the football athletes (Status of Current Law on School Prayer, 2007). Although, the Congress had tried to intervene with the issue, the Court still prevailed by saying that the school violated the law against school-sponsored worship or prayer. In order to uphold the ruling of the Court against school-sponsored worship or prayer, the House and the Senate passed the ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education) in October 30 2001 (Status of Current Law on School Prayer, 2007). This act states that schools that would violate the law against school-sponsored prayer would be denied of federal funding. The Congress position was to uphold the right of students for voluntary prayer hence it disallowed the imposition of school on conducting a school prayer. The fear of losing the support of the government (for public schools) really held every school so that they became really careful about dealing with religious and faith-related issues of their students. They allowed their students to pray or not pray. They do not anymore try to make actions or sponsor events that would tend to patronize particulars faiths or religions. Legal Implications Truly, no one should interfere with other’s way of expressing himself or herself. Likewise, no one should impose his or her religion, belief or faith to anyone (Muir, 1985). Thus, the Court had a very good reason for declaring such decision concerning school prayer. By taking a closer examination on the issue, one would realize that the Court, as well as the Congress, just really wanted to protect the rights of the students for voluntary prayer. Hence, schools were ordered not to support any form or kind of religious and faith-related activities. This is due to the fact that public schools have a diverse population of students who belong to various religions. In effect, if the school would favor one student or a group of students in the school to conduct an event that would advertize their religion, there will really be a violation against the rights of other students on their religious belief (Muir, 1985). The Court provided a very plausible and rational suggestion to religious sectors and the parents of the students. It said that students can practice their own way of upholding their religious faith while not impeding other’s right of voluntary prayer. They can really do their prayers privately. By doing so, no one would complain about the imposition of school prayer. The Congress’s sponsorship and Court’s implementation of the ESEA could really help them monitoring and regulating schools in sponsoring and conducting activities. The schools, in return, would ensure that they would be hands-off regarding religious matters. They should really do that otherwise their federal funding would be denied by the government (Status of Current Law on School Prayer, 2007). To end, the issue on school prayer and the law regarding it intend to promote the rights of the students for voluntary prayer and against discrimination of religion. Schools primary duty is to ensure proper education for their students – and that should be their focus.

Macroeconomics Switzerland - 3998 Words

PART A Introduction The country that we have chosen for analysis is Switzerland. The economy of Switzerland is one of the worlds most stable economies. Its policy of long-term monetary security and political stability has made Switzerland a safe haven for investors, creating an economy that is increasingly dependent on a steady tide of foreign investment. Switzerland has achieved one of the highest per capita incomes in the world with low unemployment rates and a low budget deficit. The service sector has also come to play a significant economic role. *Source: Wikipedia Switzerland in brief * Switzerland’s Real GDP *Source: World Bank Swiss | Year†¦show more content†¦| Lowering the reserve requirement leads to an increase in money supply, which further leads to an increase in investments. Since the investment is increasing, AD will also increase (AD=C+I+G+NX) and AD shifts right back to the full-employment. Assuming the starting point is below full employment. * Switzerland’s Inflation Rate *Source: World Bank In the year 2009, Swiss faced deflation as 2009 is the year that global economy crisis took place. According to the data, the inflation rate of Swiss kept increasing from year 2004 to year 2008, especially in year 2008, the inflation rate shot up from 0.7% to 2.4% because of dwindling oil supplies. Since America was deep in debt and facing a serious financial problem, the US government decided to print US dollar significantly to solve its debt crisis. This led to the depreciation of US dollar against other currencies. As US dollar was used as the global trading currency, the depreciation caused the price of oil and energy to rise sharply. Hedge fund managers who held US dollar were buying a lot of crude oil as their way of keeping profits. Speculators were also buying crude oil as they expected a rise in price of crude oil in the nearShow MoreRelatedA Report On The Swiss Confederation1035 Words   |  5 Pagescentralized federal government. Today, the Swiss Confederation is most commonly known as Switzerland, one of the world’s richest and most innovative countries (The World Factbook: SWITZERLAND). In efforts to determine whether our firm should pursue business engagements in Switzerland, I, Paula Cuerquis, Senior Macroeconomist at our multinational corporation, create d a report that outlines the overall macroeconomic conditions of the country of interest. In this report, I will be providing an assessmentRead MoreSwitzerlands Economy: The Swiss Phenomenon Essay2063 Words   |  9 Pageseconomy in the world, as well as a nation with pervasive religions and linguistic divisions that enjoys profound social tranquility.† (Fossedal, 2002) Switzerland, despite being only the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined, and having a desolate amount of natural resources, is one of the richest countries in the world. Indeed, Switzerland boasts more than army knives and chocolate; it claims a GDP per capita of $42,600, among the highest in the world. (Central Intelligence Agency, 2011) ItsRead MoreSwitzerland Is The World s Most Competitive Economy1809 Words   |  8 PagesSwitzerland is the world’s most competitive economy according to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Index 2014-2015. Some reasons why Switzerland’s economy is so notable is because they have a very skilled labor force of 4.9 million people, a stable political environment, liquid financial markets, low taxes, a strong domestic purchasing power, a well-built infrastructure, a stable macroeconomic environment and a strong service sector. Switzerland’s gross domestic product (GDP)Read MoreNestle And Anglo Swiss Condensed Milk Company1381 Words   |  6 Pagestickers for Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s shares are: Reuters NESN.VX and Bloomberg NESN VX. The reason for the split of shares of June 30th, 2008 was to achieve the goal of the 1:10 to increase the liquidity of the shares. Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s headquarters are located in Vevey, Switzerland. This large firm has provided safe and quality nutrition for the past 150 years. It has more than 2,000 brands worldwide, in more than 197 countries, and around 335,00 employees. Nestlà © has 442 factories in 86 countries. In 2015 it’s sales totaledRead MoreEconomic Analysis Of Unemployment And Its Impact On Gdp1420 Words   |  6 Pageslog) ÃŽ µ_t=Disturbance Term From further analysis of literature that utilizes each of these forms of Okun’s law we will specify which form we will focus on. Freeman (2000) discusses the idea that Okun’s law is one of the most persistent facts of macroeconomics. Freeman analyzed ten economies to Asses if the original estimate of Okun’s law (3:1 inverse ratio of GDP growth to unemployment rate) holds true. Freeman noted that while the inverse relationship of unemployment rate to GDP growth held true,Read More The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Essay1888 Words   |  8 Pagesrestrictive exchange practices. The IMF was established along with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development The IMFs Main Business: Macroeconomic and Financial Sector Policies In its oversight of member countries economic policies, the IMF looks mainly at the performance of an economy as a whole—often referred to as its macroeconomic performance. This comprises total spending (and its major components like consumer spending and business investment), output, employment, and inflationRead MoreFdi Boon or Bane5112 Words   |  21 Pagesexplanatory variables. Drawing from the literature review presented above, some of the variables that have been chosen and could be significant in determining the FDI flows comprise: market size, openness, currency valuation, growth prospects, macroeconomic sustainability, regulatory regime and proportion of global FDI received by emerging economies. Market size: Larger market size is expected to attract more FDI as it provides greater potential for demand and lower production costs through scaleRead MoreThe Economic Reforms Of Argentina Essay1809 Words   |  8 Pagesheavily burdened with short-term debt, went into a tailspin in 1997, drastically lowering their growth rates. Furthermore, serious economic downturns can arise even when governments are not particularly vulnerable due to short-term borrowing: macroeconomic mismanagement in Japan has restrained its growth for nearly 20 years. However, it is unwise to suggest, as many defenders of capital mobility do, that this possibility somehow negates the fact that short-term borrowing under free capital mobilityRead MoreImproving Public Infrastructure : A Study Of Guyana Essay9286 Words   |  38 Pagesunfortunately, our knowledge in this direction is still very meager. One might well ask, what is wrong with the theory of investment? Or, perhaps, what is wrong with the subject matter itself! For one thing, this variable, -- the pivot of modern macroeconomics -- has apparently lived a somewhat nomadic life among the various chapters of economic theory. Perhaps it has not stayed long enough in any one place. Perhaps it has been ill-treated. - Trygve Haavelmo. Thesis Submitted to Beijing Normal UniversityRead MoreExamining the Implications for an Economy of a Rising Exchange Rate2845 Words   |  12 Pages8 11 p16 Exchange rate kills Australian steel exports FT 7 9 11 p4 Bold move seen as high risk (Swiss max exchange rate)) FT 9 9 11 p32 Hong Kong faces dilemma over its peg to the dollar Financial Update 11/12 see Brazil, Australia, Switzerland and Japan Introduction Whilst popular opinion centres on the assumption that rising exchange rate has mostly positive effects on the economy, the impacts are both diverse and extensive. In the short run, a major implication is the improvement

What Are Delicious Habits - 847 Words

Delicious Habits Either down the street from an individual’s house, near most local gas stations, or inside almost every Walmart, there is a fast food restaurant selling greasy but delicious food. Although most of these fast food restaurants show people the calories they intake, they do not tell them that type 2 diabetes could occur due to the fats, sugars, and salt they are consuming. According to the AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science), people get their glucose or sugar from food, after the digestion of that food the glucose gets transported into your bloodstream, then the pancreas is supposed to release insulin which lets the glucose be used towards energy (Obesity). Now if an individual’s body resists the insulin, then type 2 diabetes will occur. Back in the day, it is said that diabetes was common for adults, in the 21st century its common for adults and children to have this chronic disease. Plus, diabetes could be deadly but only if not treated correctly. Lately people are saying that you have a choice when it comes to eating healthier, however most sources say that it’s no coincidence that our food system leans more towards the bad calories than the good calories. On top of having diabetes, people could have heart disease, stroke, cancer, loss of sight, etc. Some even say, â€Å"it’s his or her own poor decisions† (Mello). However, according to Food Inc. the movie, our mind is craving three specific things: salt, fat, and sugar (41:12). ForShow MoreRelatedWeight Loss Motivation Essay934 Words   |  4 PagesWeight loss motivation is the foundation of all weight loss success stories for women. Losing weight, and keeping it off, entails more than just following a diet. Making significant changes in your eating habits means giving up a lot of foods that may taste great, but have no nutritional value. Steeling yourself to the task of making healthy food selections to lose belly fat and thigh fat can only carry you so far. Weight loss motivation takes on different forms as you move to create a more positiveRead MoreObesity Is A New Disease851 Words   |  4 PagesObesity is a new â€Å"disease† which is brought on by our living habits. According to a survey called â€Å"Obesity and Overweight† done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost two thirds of 60 million American adults are obese or overweight in the United States. Although many Americans are well-educated and understand about the negative effects of obesity, many of them are not aware of the problem. Thus, the CDC reported that there are about 15% of children ages two to nineteen inRead MoreMy Special Diet804 Words   |  3 Pageshealth benefits, delicious healthy recipes and the foundation of the diet of the paleolithic man and woman, of course. Over the past 3 years, I wanted to know if the paleo diet was in fact healthy. Throughout this cookbook you will discover some amazing evidence, some common sense, some healthy motivators and some REAL â€Å"ah-ha† moments, backed up to date research that supports the delicious recipes of this amazing evolutionary food. What I share with you leaves me with NO DOUBT as to what diet we shouldRead MoreObesity Im Lovin It1292 Words   |  6 Pagesand health problems such as diabetes II, fatal heart conditions, and high blood pressure. Due to the wide array of genetically modified, hormone injected, cheap synthetic foods, it is easy for Americans to give in and indulge their taste buds in delicious foods. With many fast food restaurants offering fatty foods for dirt-cheap prices and supermarkets offering junk with heart stopping deals, it becomes obvious as to where the problem lies. The problem lies in the ease of acquiring fatty foods. TheRead MoreSin Taxes on Junk Food Essay1613 Words   |  7 Pagesthe trend. Some propose that this be accomplished through taxation of the principle culprit. However, higher taxes should not be imposed on junk food to encourage healthy eating. The first question that springs to mind is how to define junk food (â€Å"What is Junk Food Anyway?† 7). If junk food is to receive a special tax, there must be empirical methods to determine which foods fall under that category. There are certain types of food that few would argue are healthy, but there are many foods whereRead MoreSimple And Powerful Steps Change Habits By Jason Scott Johnson744 Words   |  3 PagesTo Change Habits By Jason Scott Johnson | Submitted On December 29, 2011 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest A strong key to make a change is to aim to replace your habit, not break your habit. It s muchRead MoreA New Problem: Addiction to Unhealthy Foods853 Words   |  3 Pages A problem comes in many forms or portions. When thinking of an problem, drugs, money, and what is bad comes to mind, but a new form of addiction is arising in the of the United States in midst the 21st century. The problem is the addiction to unhealthy foods. This will harm the diet of an average American and more. It is understandable that you get hungry we are human and we do need a form of energy but when that source becomes abused it can be a pitfall. The problem that leads to the pitfallRead MoreCultural Artifact with Hot Dry Noodles956 Words   |  4 PagesCulture is not only reflected in the performing arts or languages, but it is also more able to reflect on the food that people under different food cultural backgrounds, their eating habits and tastes are different. Every place in this world had o ne or more typical foods to show its culture. Wuhan, where I grew up, is famous not only of its historical sites, like Yellow Crane Tower and Guiyuan Tempe but also famous of its characteristic snacks, such as Hot Dry Noodle, Doupi and duck necks. In theseRead MoreReview Of Everyday Five Day Weight Loss Kit829 Words   |  4 PagesEveryday 5 Day Weight Loss Kit (1) Customer Review: †¢ Generally, the food tastes decent. Not fantastic but what do you expect? Its not a restaurant item. I lost 21 lbs very fast - 30 days, with very little effort. I ate what they said, followed the instructions. It was super easy to do it for me because Im good at following directions. I dont like to cook so this was great. Just eat what they give you. 10 days later, I have not lost additional weight. I think my body is adjusting so by day 41Read MoreEssay on Thomas Keller606 Words   |  3 Pagesa concentrated flavor. the macaroni cheese was very interesting technique to have it was very complex making the broth and cooking the poor lobster I felt bad for it, getting killed by savage students, but the outcome was delicious. The almond cake was very moist and delicious in the inside had losts of flavor and it was very good. The strawberries were cooked slowly until the sugar form a syrup and then chilled. Chef Thomas Keller makes his recipes very detailed giving each item its own role in

Frida Kahlo The Inner Workings - 1624 Words

Frida Kahlo: The Inner Workings Frida Kahlo was an artist who saw things in a new light, but most of all she shows us her life through her artwork. She shows us the pain she feels, or how she may feel lonely, in very few words. Frida Kahlo lived and died in the same place, in the â€Å"Blue House† at 247 Londres Street in Coyoacà ¡n. Her life was centered on this home, even though she did not live there her entire life she always ended up returning to the place where it all began. Biography Frida Kahlo was born to Guillermo Kahlo and Matilde Calderà ³n y Gonzà ¡lez on July 6, 1907 in Coyoacà ¡n, a small town outside of Mexico City. Frida’s father, Guillermo, was born Carl Wilhelm Kahlo in 1871, in Pforzheim, Germany. At the age of nineteen, Guillermo immigrated to Mexico from Germany. This is where Guillermo met Frida’s mother, Matilde. Kahlo s parents were married soon after the death of Guillermo s first wife, which occurred during the birth of her second child. Although their marriage was a very unhappy marriage, Guillermo and Matilde had four daughters; Kahlo was the third. She had two older half-sisters who were raised in the same household. On September 17, 1925, Kahlo was riding in a bus that crashed into a trolley car. She suffered serious injuries as a result of the accident, including a broken spinal column, a broken collarbone, broken ribs, a broken pelvis, and eleven fractures in her right leg, a crushed and dislocated right foot, and a dislocated shoulder. InShow MoreRelatedFrida Kahlo : The Inner Workings1367 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Æ' Frida Kahlo: The Inner Workings Frida Kahlo was an artist who saw things in a new light, but most of all she shows us her life through her artwork. She shows us the pain she feels, or how she may feel lonely in very few words. Frida Kahlo lived and died in the same place, in the â€Å"Blue House† at 247 Londres Street in Coyoacà ¡n. Her life was centered on this home, even though she did not live there her entire life she always ended up returning to the place where it all began. Frida Kahlo wasRead MoreLove as a Major Muse: Analyzing Frida Kahlos Relationship With Diego Rivera1054 Words   |  4 PagesFrida Kahlo is quoted as saying, I suffered two grave accidents in my life. One in which a streetcar knocked me down. The other accident is Diego, (cited by Botis 1). The love relationship between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera is one of the most famous in modern art. Their relationship was tumultuous, which seemed to be a good recipe for creativity and artistic self-expression. It is a well-known fact that they had a passionate and stormy relationship, filled with great love and also betrayalsRead MoreThe Disturbing Truth: Frida Kahlos My Dress Hangs There Essay2237 Words   |  9 PagesThe Disturbing Truth: Frida Kahlo’s My Dress Hangs There Art is not always pleasant, but neither is society. Art and society have a reflective relationship with one another. During social, religious, and political controversy, artists such as Frida Kahlo incorporated imagery into their portraits of society which are often disturbing to the viewer. The role of an artist often includes acting as a social critic, to show us aspects of our cultural landscape that are unpleasant. In this manner,Read MoreComparing and Contrasting Famous Artists and their Lives Essay1555 Words   |  7 Pagesforged into his artwork. Max Beckman has a more symbolic style of working and beautifully used black in his images as an outline and colour in perfect equilibrium with the artwork. Francis Bacons work can be extremely haunting and may be too powerful to have just hanging on your wall he is an aesthetically interesting artist whose biographical knowledge is needed for a greater impact when viewing his work. Frida Kahlo Frida was born in 1907 in Mexico City. She got polio was she was six. WhichRead MoreMuseum Of Art1928 Words   |  8 PagesInto the Wilds of Psychoanalysis† where in chapter one, Perversions, where the Poet Salvador Novo affirms his sexual orientation with such â€Å"exhibitionistic candor† but in Almaraz’s case it was different. He did embrace it but it was mostly within his inner circle that they knew that his sexual orientation was of being bisexual. The reason being is that due to his Chicanismo he knew that the culture would not embrace and fully accept who he was. Unlike the poet, Salvador Novo, who in the 19th century

In boards we trust Essay Example For Students

In boards we trust Essay Weve just witnessed a winter of considerable discontent, as several artistic and managing directors in various parts of the country were recently removed from their positions in ways that appeared to the profession and the public as callous, hasty, unprofessional or at best confusing. While it is not always possible to control the treatment of such situations in the press, or to silence the rumor mill, boards of trustees can do a great deal of damage control to avoid some of the trauma that has characterized these recent terminations. Thankfully, most boards do act sensitively in such cases, for there is no time when a boards role in the life of a theatre becomes more important than when a leader is hired or fired. I looked up board in my dictionary, and one of the definitions was a course sailed against the wind. Boards need to be sure they are sailing into the wind if we are to retain our best artists and managers in the terribly difficult job of leading nonprofit theatres. Boards of trustees have three overriding responsibilities. The first is fiscal responsibility for the institution. The buck stops with them. They are the financial guardians. Hopefully, this means that they accept the pragmatic responsibility to generate a significant portion of the contributed income, rather than just overseeing staff fund-raising efforts and demanding tighter and tighter budget control. A second primary board responsibility is to serve as a link between the theatre and the community. Artistic and management staffs are often imported to create and produce the work of the theatre. But the gloryand the challengeof creating theatres is resisting generic art. What is challenging to audiences in Berkeley, Calif. isnt necessarily going to have the same impact in Miami, Fla. A board is relied on to advise and help the professional leaders define how best to implement the theatres missionadvise, not direct. (The days of board playreading committees are thankfully an aberration of the past.) A nonprofit theatre receives tax exemption from the IRS by demonstrating that it provides educational and social services to the community. A board must not only monitor activities to be sure they are operating within nonprofit regulations, but must help the staff to extend the roots of the institution as deeply into the community as possible. The institution must serve the needs of its c ommunity as well as the needs of its artists, and the board is essential in that balancing act. The third and most important responsibility that has fallen to boards of most nonprofit organizations is the hiring and firing of its staff leadership. This responsibility begins with the recruiting process creating detailed job descriptions that include a list of qualifications necessary to fulfill the theatres mandate; a search process that includes, in the case of an artistic director especially, travel to see the artists work; consultation with other theatre professionals; and a clear agreement between the individual selected and the board of what is expected over what period of time. Setting forth a time frame is especially important; so is the establishment up front of a means of mutual evaluation and regular intervals for assessing progress. Two of the greatest dangers to a boards relationship with its staff and leaders are the temptation to micro-manage, and a tendency to be impatient for results. Ive written in this column before of my strong belief that it takes two or even three seasons for a new artistic leader to define and refine his or her vision for the theatre. A board needs to factor in such a time frame following any new appointment, and do all it can to help nurture an environment in which that vision can evolve. .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e , .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e .postImageUrl , .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e , .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e:hover , .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e:visited , .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e:active { border:0!important; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e:active , .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u46e0f51f0ad96fc56a394cb56702d44e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Kenny Raskin - gambling on Everyman EssayBut if an artistic or managing director really isnt working out, the problem may simply be that the search and courtship process were ineffective, and the blame may well fall equally at the feet of the board. When such mistakes are made, its absolutely essential that the board not compound the first error by making an even worse one in the termination process. Theatre is a very small community. An artist fired amidst rumor and innuendo may be severely handicapped in seeking future employment; yet the dismissal may simply have been caused by incompatibility between that particular artist and that particular theatre. There have been too many mishandled firings in recent years as we struggle to figure out how to fill the shoes of our theatre founders with succeeding generations of aspiring leaders in our relatively young movement. As a field, we must work together to develop a better means of selecting and, when necessary, parting ways with our institutional leaders. If we dont, who will want to risk leading a theatre in the future? What kind of signal is sent to artistic and managing directors when their peers are summarily dismissed? Surely, future recruitment could be jeopardized for those institutions and perhaps for others. More important, such events tend to put the successors on trial during what should be a transitional period. They feel that they have to succeed. Now. Forget about learning curves. Forget about the time necessary to refocus staffs and the board itself to new ways of working. Process, the one essential in the growth of a theatre, simply gets ignored. Instant Product becomes the overriding determinant. There is constant discussion about the talent drain from the theatre. Failure to treat professionals with respect will only increase the drain. To have been appointed to such high-level positions in the first place, artists and managers have to have substantial records of achievement and reputation within the field. Even if a board subsequently decides its selection was unwise, or the chemistry is wrong, surely a dismissal can be handled with civility.