Basic Implementation of OpenStack

Basic Implementation of OpenStack 3.1 Basic Installation   Ã‚   In this project Open stack was installed through pack stack that is a repository module, help to implement various parts of OpenStack. It represents a utility which facilitates the deployment on multiple nodes for different components of OpenStack via SSH. This requires multiple pre-installed servers. In our case it is CentOS. There are two ways to work with packsack. As follows. Packstack Interactively: the Interactive way is the user commands are run at same time as he gives the command. The user enters the command Packstack Non-Interactively: the Non-Interactive way is the way when the user updates the file known as answer file. Enables and customize the options in the answer file, that customize file is run for OpenStack. In this project, Non interactive is used to install pack stack. Answer file will be applied on our controller node, as all service will work in controller node. The answer file is a file that pack stack takes in order to take decisions that we put in the script, that we want to setup in OpenStack. Services will be enabled such as Glance, Cinder, Nova, Horizon, Swift, Ceilometer, and Heat as shown in FIG 3.1 and FIG 3.2 FIG.3.1 (Answer File with services) FIG.3.2 (Answer File with heat services enabled) Answer file also consists of IP addresses of the three main nodes, Compute, Controller, and Neutron. Compute node, in this project the three nodes are on one single node as shown in FIG.3.3. All these nodes should be interconnected. FIG.3.3(Answer File with all IP address) Moreover, the answer file also consists of keystone authentication user and password in plain text as well as the token that is discussed in the previous chapter as well. This token allows the user to the services that user is allowed to get access. After Answer file is modified the file is run through pack stack through the following in FIG3.4 . FIG.3.4(Run Answer File over pack stack ) Then access the dashboard through GUI as it is successfully installed after as shown in FIG 3.5 FIG.3.5 (User Authentication by open stack (Keystone)) As discussed before keystone plays the authentication role, known as identity service as well. It ask for username and password when this authentication is done the keystone provides the token to the user that consist of the services that are been allowed to the user to access 3.2 Implantation Projects and Other services FIG.3.2 (Different projects of OpenStack) After getting access we can see different projects. OpenStack can deal with different project at a time. Every project has different members as shown is FIG 3.3.A member can be a part of two different projects. FIG.3.3 (Project Members) The cinder volume is the block storage that is provided to the user related to different projects. This is a logical storage to every user that can be attached or detached to the user. This memory can be reused for another user as user finished his work and memory is deleted. The user can be given different memory chunk according to the use. FIG.3.4 (OpenStack Volumes attached to different users) As in FIG.3.4 different volumes are attached to different users for the project admin, their IDs are showing as their name with size of their volume, with the contrast of their instances those are attached to. The next service will be glance service in OpenStack picture. Glance is the storage service that is responsible for keeping images for different instances. All the instances will run through the image file that will be stored in Glance. There can be more than one image but in our scenario its just one image as shown in FIG.3.5 FIG.3.5 (Openstack Glance service) 3.3 Networks and Router The network is the neutron service of the OpenStack that provides the interfaces for different user and services to connect with each other. Since OpenStack deals with cloud computing with private and public cloud, therefore there will be a big role to play for NATing. As shown in FIG 3.6a. OpenStack not only provides compute and data storage service but also understands the role of networks to connect these services. In the following FIG it clearly shows the instances those are connected to a private cloud, on one side of the router with all private IP addresses, will be nated on the other side of the router through public cloud. FIG.3.6a (OpenStack Network) In other words, these private instances can also be accessed through external network. In this unit, this will be explained further. FIG.3.6b (OpenStack Network) As shown in FIG.3.6b private and public IP addresses are shown that will be used for nating. Furthermore, router is also available is OpenStack networking services that not only help in nating but also manages the external and internal networks of OpenStack services. FIG.3.7 (Openstack Router) Unlike other vendor routers, it does not need so much of command configuration, which is the best part of OpenStack router. It is capable of doing all basic required routing functions. These all capabilities plays great role in OpenStack. As shown in FIG.3.7, FIG.3.8 and FIG.3.9 some of the routing capabilities. FIG.3.8 (Openstack Router) In the FIG.3.6 you can easily identify the router ports, where the ports are assigned with the IP addresses, these are the IP addresses from the private and public cloud as shown in FIG.3.4. Moreover, this clarifies that NATing has done by the router, where one port is towards external gateway of the network. This is towards the internet in our scenario. The port is defined on internal or private network. FIG.3.9 (Openstack Router) Public IP addresses are defined as floating IP for the project that needs to be accessed from external network. In the given FIG 3.10 following floating public IP addresses are shown that are for the admin projects, where instances are also defined with their tagged names, as well as their status. FIG.3.10 (Floating IP addresses) For any network it very important to have systematic way of deployments and organize the way of understanding the deployment of any network. This cannot be possible without a graphical representation of network topology diagram as shown in FIG.3.11, as well as in FIG.3.6a in the beginning. FIG.3.11 (Floating IP addresses)

Relations of the Ascending Aorta :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ascending aorta, or aorta ascendens, along with its constituents, amounts to about five centimeters in length. It constitutes the initial division of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. It originates from the upper portion of the left ventricle of the heart at the aortic valve â€Å"on a level with the lower border of the third costal cartilage behind the left half of the sternum; it passes obliquely upward, forward, and to the right, in the direction of the heart’s axis, as high as the upper border of the second right costal cartilage, describing a slight curve in its course, and being situated, about 6 cm. behind the posterior surface of the sternum.† (Gray† 1) It then gives rise to the right and left coronary arteries, which supply the heart muscle. It then curves left continuing into the arch of the aorta. Originating from the aorta are the right brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid, and left subclavian arteries. The corona ry arteries, thus being, the only branches of the ascending aorta.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the entrance of the ascending aorta are three minute aortic sinuses and the Aortic Semilunar Valve, a three-cusped valve located at the base of the ascending aorta behind the sternum at the level of the third intercostal space (Grine 273). The point at which the ascending aorta converges with the aortic arch is termed the bulb of the aorta, a swelling due to vessel increasement on the right wall. Lying superior to the ascending aorta is the trunk of the pulmonary artery and the auricular appendage of the right atrium. It is partitioned from the sternum by the serous pericardium, the right pleura, the anterior margin of the right lung, some loose areolar tissue, and the remains of the thymus. Posteriorly, it is propped upon the left atrium and right pulmonary artery. Lying adjacent on the right border is the superior vena cava and right atrium.

Sports, Athletes, and Weight Loss: Health Concerns Essay -- Health Nut

Weight Loss by Athletes and Health Concerns Waking up, sophomore Mike Fumagalli would peel off the garbage bags and layers of clothing he had worn to bed the night before hoping to "sweat away" some extra weight. Throughout the day, he would ask teachers to use their trashcans and would spit constantly. Sometimes, he would even cut his hair or sit in a sauna, all to lose a couple more pounds. Many people may wonder why someone would go to such extreme measures just to lose a few pounds. For Fumagalli, the answer was simply: "Everyone likes to win. That's why you cut weight." "Cutting weight" is a term that refers to a wrestler's attempt to lose a certain amount of weight in order to compete in a particular weight category in wrestling competitions. Some wrestlers choose to lose weight so they can find a spot on the team, said Keith Healy, varsity wrestling coach of the nationally ranked team at Smallville High School. Since only a certain number of slots are open per weight class, a wrestler may be beat out of a spot at one weight but perhaps can drop down to a lower weight where more openings are available. Junior Sean Randich said that cutting weight also could be important because as one moves down in weight classes it is easier to win. A common weight-loss method among the athletes is to wrap their body in garbage bags during exercise to maximize sweat loss, said Randich. He added that while the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) prohibits this method, it is still commonly practiced. JT wrestling coach "Mac" McLaughlin said that although he could not control what athletes did at home, at practice, garbage bags are not allowed. He added that most of his wrestlers, in fact, wear onl... ... children's bodies," said Haas. McLaughlin said that he tells parents, "If your kid looks like he's getting tired, souped out, stop." Healy also consults parents about their child's weight loss and said that before any wrestler on his team makes the decision to cut a large amount of weight, he first consults the parents. "Because of cutting weight, my mom doesn't like the whole sport," said Fumagalli. He said that while his mom was supportive in helping him cut weight by doing such things as making salads, she drew the line when he began to get sick. Fumagalli, who said he frequently cut weight in junior high, said he lost 12 pounds before this season but stopped when he started to get light-headed and dizzy. "There is a fine line between determination of sport and health," said Fumagalli. "Strength is more important than losing two pounds."

Ernest Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants Essay -- Ernest Hemingwa

Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ernest Hemingway's short story 'Hills Like White Elephants' is a story about a couple who are having some trouble in their relationship. The main characters in the story are an American man and a girl. The whole story is mostly a dialogue between the couple. They are trying to have a fine time, but there is a tension between them and some kind of operation needs to be done. The operation can easily be done and if it's going to happen it will be done on the girl. In the story it's not being said what the operation is. The second time I read it I understand that they are talking about an abortion. The man wants the girl to do the abortion while the girl is not sure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting of the story is well described; the couple is waiting at a little train station between Barcelona and Madrid. The couple is sitting outside a bar 'at a table in the shade'. (171) They are having a cold drink. It?s warm outside and the view is beautiful, in the distance they see white hills.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story doesn?t give very much information about the characters. The American man and the girl, whose name is Jig, are a couple, but they are not married. The man are probably a bit older than the girl, he is mention as an American man while Jig is just mention as the girl, the story doesn?t say what her nationality is. But she can?t be Spanish because she doesn?t speak Spanish. They are traveling around because they have bags with ?label... Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants Essay -- Ernest Hemingwa Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ernest Hemingway's short story 'Hills Like White Elephants' is a story about a couple who are having some trouble in their relationship. The main characters in the story are an American man and a girl. The whole story is mostly a dialogue between the couple. They are trying to have a fine time, but there is a tension between them and some kind of operation needs to be done. The operation can easily be done and if it's going to happen it will be done on the girl. In the story it's not being said what the operation is. The second time I read it I understand that they are talking about an abortion. The man wants the girl to do the abortion while the girl is not sure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting of the story is well described; the couple is waiting at a little train station between Barcelona and Madrid. The couple is sitting outside a bar 'at a table in the shade'. (171) They are having a cold drink. It?s warm outside and the view is beautiful, in the distance they see white hills.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story doesn?t give very much information about the characters. The American man and the girl, whose name is Jig, are a couple, but they are not married. The man are probably a bit older than the girl, he is mention as an American man while Jig is just mention as the girl, the story doesn?t say what her nationality is. But she can?t be Spanish because she doesn?t speak Spanish. They are traveling around because they have bags with ?label...

A Discussion on the Dialectical in Hero

Discuss the usefulness of the idea of the ‘dialectical’ with regard to any of the texts on this module. ‘Dialectic’ refers to the dialogue between two or more positions, holding different perspectives about a subject, who wish to establish the truth of the matter by dialogue with reasoned arguments. It may be postulated that Hero works on a Hegelian dialectic model, in that the tensions between the protagonist and antagonist of the film are constantly reworking the other, till a synthesis of their essence is achieved. Aufhebung† or sublation, being the motor by which the Hegelian dialectic functions (Palm, 2009) indicates the preservation of a useful portion of an idea, while moving beyond its limitations. The dialectic of Hero is realized in two ways; multiple narratives and multiple forms of dialogue-and suggests that there is no absolute truth, and that we arrive at the final truth through the dialectical interplay of different truths that challenge , change and preserve each other at once.The framed narrative structure of Hero displays the dialectic that exists between the King and Nameless as multiple narratives are being set up to communicate the different points of view existing between Nameless and the King. The celebration of the multiplicity of perspectives, or points of view, serves to highlight the nature of truth as a product of dialectical interplay between multiple presented truths. Hero functions as a prism, as seen from the division of the film into various vibrantly colored narratives as emblems of different truths.The self-similar fractal dimension each narrative holds highlights the fact that each narrative contains elements of the narrative before it, and each truth is derived from the truth before it, where each progressive narrative retains select elements of the previous one but changes others to create a different story. This is evident in the dialogical exchange between Nameless and the King, where the Ki ng chooses to accept parts of Nameless’ story as true and other parts as false.This fragmentation and subsequent reinvention of the truth creates a disjoint between the perceived truth and the accepted truth, suggesting that truth consists of many individual parts, and that in order for a unified truth to be assembled, deconstruction of it into its individual parts must happen before it can be reconstructed into a larger whole. Hence, the dialectical interplay between the multiple truths creates a new composite truth that retains the essence of each truth before it.Sublation occurs in the interaction between Nameless and the King, where both of them have their own truths in terms of ideologies, and the dialectical interaction of the two allows the two truths to interact and change each other as a result. For example, in order to get within 10 feet of the King, a limitation Sky, Broken Sword and Flying Snow could not breach, Nameless presents their weapons and in Broken Swordà ¢â‚¬â„¢s case his calligraphy. The items here are symbolic of each swordsman’s ideologies, and Nameless through accepting their weapons has similarly internalized their ideologies, hence changing his own truth as a result.Nameless as the bearer of Broken Sword’s truth then influences the King, so much so that the latter places his life in his would-be killer’s hands. Broken Sword’s truth resonates strongly with the King’s truth here, and this unification of their truths represents the power of the unification the King is striving to achieve, in the sense that it is powerful enough to make Nameless give up his goal of killing the King, something he had trained for more than 10 years for and defined himself by.Therefore even though Nameless has to be killed for the preservation of the social order, the King who is left standing at the end of the film has been changed, and this is evident from his hesitance in sentencing Nameless to death, something h e would not have hesitated to do prior to their meeting. Truth is seen here as something that we define ourselves by, and when our truth is changed, so do our definitions of ourselves and hence our identity.The dialectic in Hero finds physical form through the dialogical form that fighting takes on in the sense that there is an oppositional structural clash between two people holding on to different ideals. Over the course of the film, fighting is seen as a form of self-expression, and it shows how two people, charged with different ideals, clash, with the result that the one left standing has been changed in some manner by the other.The fight at the end of the film, between Broken Sword, who has forsaken his revenge for the sake of unification, and Flying Snow, who holds on to her revenge and blames Broken Sword for giving up his, represents exactly this point. The dichotomization between opposite ideals creates a cognitive dissonant effect which highlights the struggle between per sonal ideals and greater ideals that supersede the self. This conflict is ealized in Flying Snow whose triumph over Broken Sword grants her the unfortunate belated realization that at some level she yearned for coexistence with his ideal despite its clash with hers, as connoted by the repetition of â€Å"why didn’t you defend yourself? †, and this dissonance leads her to commit suicide to be reunited with her lover. Ultimately the clash of two people representing their own ideals has resulted in the prevalence of one person whose ideal has changed as a result.The communicative exchange between Nameless and Broken Sword as seen in the swordfight, over the water’s surface, in which calligraphic elements are embedded, signals a dialogic exchange not only of martial arts but also in terms of ideals. The constant parallelism of each other’s movements in the water signals that it is not a swordfight of conflict but rather conversation, as seen from the sword st rokes through the water akin to the strokes of a calligraphy brush on a canvas.Significantly the fight climaxes in the back-and-forth hitting of the water droplet, where the fluidity of water alludes to the fluid nature of truth and how it can be molded to serve one’s purpose. The fight ends when the water droplet hits Flying Snow’s face, and Nameless who turns back from his original purpose of striking Broken Sword also ends up with water droplets on his face.By drawing a parallel between Flying Snow and Nameless, who both sought revenge against the King for the destruction of their homelands, we see a tension between Nameless and Flying Snow’s common ideal and Broken Sword’s ideal. This tension is only resolved through Flying Snow’s death, and Nameless’s act of turning away, suggesting that when one holds on to a particular ideal such that it becomes one’s truth and identity, the inevitable clash of this truth with another’s will result in the deconstruction of one and the reconstruction of another.In conclusion, when we view things through different lens, we will come away with different truths each time. Hero exemplifies this for us and causes us to examine the nature of truth through the dialectical intercourse of each truth. Truth serves an existential purpose and it is important for each and every one of us to derive our own truth and hence determine our identity and purpose in life.The message of Hero is that though there are forces in existence that are greater than ourselves, the power of a common truth of all the nameless citizens can sometimes influence the truth of the one in power, in this case the King, and determine his actions. Everyone’s truth is different, but it is the meaning that we attach to it that defines us and sets us apart. Bibliography Palm, R. (2009). Retrieved October 17, 2012, from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven: https://lirias. kuleuven. be/bitstream/123456789/23467 0/1/PALM+dissertat..

Employee Recognition and Reward Program Essay

Abstract I believe that a robust employee recognition program can/will increase employee satisfaction and increase the organization’s customer service rating. In the past, employees were recognized according to their section leadership. Some were recognized and others were not. Since the implementation of the group wide recognition program, I believe the employees are happier. I will verify this through an electronically administered survey, observing the customer service trends, and comparing the rate of recognition now versus recognition prior to program implementation. Reviews of the training expectations (make the experience, do it with style, and go above and beyond) will be conducted to ensure their compliance. The 375th Medical Group (MDG) â€Å"Your Medical Home for Healthcare† initiated a new employee recognition program in 2011. They implemented the program while achieving; in 2011 the 375 MDG received NCQA Recognition as Patient Centered Medical Home. In 2010 & 2011 it was named AMC Best Patient Safety Program of the Year. In 2010 it was named as AMC Best Clinic of the Year, awarded 3 year Accreditation by AAAHC, and rated excellent by Health Services Inspection. So, in order to determine if the program was successful we must first look at the background of the MDG. (Saunders, 2012) The medical group is proud to provide many services and consists of different programs as well. â€Å"The 375 MDG supports the 375th Air Mobility Wing and 31 tenant units in the global reach mission by providing, expanding, and deploying medical capability for contingency tasking. The 375 MDG trains healthcare professionals annually through four specialty training programs and sustains the readiness skills of more than 476 active duty and Air Reserve Component personnel. Additionally, the 375 MDG provides health services for more than 26,000 beneficiaries. The 375 MDG is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care,  American Dental Association, and College of American Pathologists and has affiliations with the American Hospital Association, and American Medical Association.† (375th Medical Group, 2012) This organization was formally a hospital with emergency and inpatient services. Today the 375 MDG is a clinic with outpatient services only. With commanders coming and going every two years, all the quantum changes were taking their toll on the staff that remained behind. This was primarily your civilian staff in the world of the military. (Saunders, 2012) Method The commander1 had arrived right after an exhausting inspection, which granted the MDG a 3 year accreditation (no inspections for 3 more years). Everyone could breathe easier knowing that the inspection was done. But, wait the commander1 saw things that could be improved. She formed groups and committees. Changed/rearranged meeting names, dates and times. The new commander1 left no stone over looked except staff happiness when it came to changing the organization. The commander1 should have used Lewin’s 3 step change model. The change process would have made the change go smoother. Lewin’s Planned Change Model 3 step process is as follows: step 1) Unfreezing, prepare for the change. This is the most critical and hardest step. Step 2) Movement, implement the change. This is the easiest step. Step 3) Refreezing, reinforce the change. This step is the second most important and difficult step. This may have kept the staff from being so upset with the many changes from above without any real information about the organizations direction from the commander1 herself. A leadership survey was conducted; it identified commander1 visibility and lack of organization direction as key areas of focus. In October 2011, commander1 made some changes so that she was more visible and delivered information to the staff herself. Even though commander1 made these changes, complaints came in about staff attitude and rudeness. The patient satisfaction surveys were showing signs of unhappy followers. That is when commander1 did something about the staff’s happiness. She formed a customer service group to help with all the complaints about rude service. The patients were happy with the care they received, they were not happy with the way in which it  was being delivered. Discussion The first meeting of the group went very well. Commander1 had given clear goals; develop/implement a customer service program by 1 Jan 2012. There are five members of the group which is the average size. Groups normally go through four stages; forming – people are coming together on the team, storming – struggle for leadership role, norming – clear emergence of leader, and performing – members were focused on the task. Our group seemed as though it did these four roles in a matter of minutes. This could be because there were no less than three executive staff members in the group. The ranking member lead and we moved to performing due to the tight time schedule. The group first decided on a name for themselves. They tossed around several ideas until â€Å"375 MDG Star Council† became the official name. Then, they decided on how to replace members of the group as each member left. Commander1 had sent several members of the organization to a formal cu stomer service course, so we decide these staff members would be the replacement pool when needed. Now, we needed to figure out what the staff finds rewarding. We conducted a survey of the entire 375 MDG staff. We collected survey forms from everywhere. When we tallied the forms, it was discovered that we had received less than a third of the forms back. Plan B had been hatched; catch all of the 375 MDG staff members while they are in attendance at commander’s call. A captured audience! Without even counting the surveys, it was obvious that we had a much better collection rate. In the survey we asked only one question; what type of recognition would you like to receive and how would you like to receive it? The staff of the 375 MDG results were as follows from the highest votes to the least: a day off presented by the Group Commander, a certificate of Appreciation from the Group Commander, a written note of appreciation from their respective Squadron Commander, recognition in the weekly Commander’s blog and to be recognized by the Executive Team in front of peers. The se were the top five results of the survey the 375 MDG Star Council had to work with. The 375 MDG Star Council had to develop a set of standards which could be used as guidelines for the recognition process. They challenged themselves with the following: â€Å"To recognize those individuals who demonstrate the values and  objectives of the 375 MDG STAR program. To identify methodologies to foster a climate and atmosphere where customer focus and service permeates the organization with the ultimate goal of quality healthcare, service excellence and customer satisfaction. To understand the range of options and actions necessary to affect a cultural change in our approach to customer service.† (MDGI36-2803) â€Å"The Quality Services Office will oversee the 375 MDG STAR Customer Service awards program. Each member assigned to the 375 MDG may nominate anyone displaying outstanding customer service by completing the nomination form found on the MDG’s Enterprise Information Management (EIM) homepage. 375 MDG military and civilian employees will be recognize d under the 375 MDG STAR program. For 375 MDG contract employees, the 375 MDG STAR council will forward their nomination to the 375 MDG Contracting Services Office for entry into the Contract Tracking and Reporting (CTAR) system.† (MDGI36-2803) A set of guidelines, training, and marketing of the program needed to be developed. The 375 MDG Star Council started with the MDG acronym. The â€Å"M† stands for â€Å"Make the experience.† A positive customer hand-off would give the person you are sending the customer to information about what is needed and what has been done. It would also send a message to the customer that they are valued because they would not need to explain their situation to another person. The â€Å"D† stands for â€Å"Do it with Style.† Greet all customers with a smile as you come in contact with them. Remember the â€Å"10 foot rule†; if you come within 10 feet of a customer greet them. Take pride in yourself and your job. If you look professional and act pr ofessional then you are a professional. The â€Å"G† stands for â€Å"Go above and beyond.† When giving directions to a customer escort when possible. Stay aware and attentive to the customer’s situations such as letting them know if their provider is running late. The council then had to turn their attention to training. How do we train the entire staff of the 375 MDG? We decided to start as Kurt Lewin’s would, with his 3-step change process. (Kurt, 2012) This first stage of change involves preparing the organization to accept that change which involves breaking down the existing status quo before you can build up a new way of operating. The key to this is developing a compelling message showing why the existing way of doing things cannot continue. This is easiest to frame when you can point to declining customer satisfaction surveys: These show that things  have to change in a way that everyone can understand. To prepare the organization successfully, you need to start at its core. You need to challenge the beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors that currently define it. Using the analogy of a building, you must examine and be prepared to change the existing foundations as they might not support additional levels; unless this is done, the whole building may risk collapse. The transition from unfreeze to change does not happen overnight: People take time to embrace the new direction and participate proactively in the change. In order to accept the change and contribute to making the change successful, people need to understand how the changes will benefit them. Not everyone will fall in line just because the change is necessary and will benefit the company. This is a common assumption and pitfall that should be avoided. Time and communication are the keys to a successful change campaign. People need time to understand the changes and they also need to feel highly connected to the organization throughout the transition period. When you are managing change, this can require a great deal of time and effort and hands-on management is usually the best approach. When the changes are taking shape and people have embraced the new ways of working, the organization is ready to refreeze. The outward signs of the refreeze are a stable organization chart, consisten t job descriptions, and so on. The refreeze stage also needs to help people and the organization internalize or institutionalize the changes. This means making sure that the changes are used all the time; and that they are incorporated into everyday business. With a new sense of stability, employees feel confident and comfortable with the new ways of working. The rationale for creating a new sense of stability in our every changing world is often questioned. Even though change is a constant in many organizations, this refreezing stage is still important. Without it, employees get caught in a transition trap where they aren’t sure how things should be done, so nothing ever gets done to full capacity. In the absence of a new frozen state, it is very difficult to tackle the next change initiative effectively. How do you go about convincing people that something needs changing if you haven’t allowed the most recent changes to sink in? Change will be perceived as change for change’s sake, and the m otivation required to implement new changes simply won’t be there. As part of the Refreezing process, make sure that you  celebrate the success of the change this helps people to find closure, thank them for enduring a painful time, and help them believe that future change will be successful. With the unfreeze step of Kurt Lewin’s change process being the most difficult and stressful. The 375 MDG Star Council lead the way by cutting down the â€Å"way things are done† which put everyone off balance. This evoked strong reactions in the staff, and that’s exactly what needed to done. By forcing the organization to re-examine its core, the 375 MDG Star Council effectively created a crisis, which in turn can build a strong motivation to seek out a new equilibrium. Without this motivation, you won’t get the buy-in and the participation necessary to effect any meaningful change. What better way to get buy-in, than to start with the top down process. The 375 MDG Star Council trained the Executive Team, who would then in-turn preached the new concept to their respective squadrons. Each squadron commander would then gather their managers to be trained within the next two-weeks. The squadron commander would lead off the training program with their support and motivation on how important the program is to the organization. The 375 MDG Star Council then co nducted the training for the management staff. This took place within all five squadrons and their management teams. No more than a week later each manager had to go back and deliver the training to their sections and report back to the Executive Team when the training was completed and what percentage of staff was captured. To sustain the training it will be conducted during newcomers orientation and as requested by leadership or if trends dictate the need. While the training was being conducted on all levels the 375 MDG Star Council initiated the marketing campaign which transformed into the development of the wall of fame, an â€Å"I got caught† campaign which asks the question, â€Å"How do you serve our nation’s heroes and their families?† (MDGI36-2803) The 375 MDG Star Council purchased and distributed chrome plated name plates at each clinical patient check-in desk. The 375 MDG Star Council needed to develop a way to show at a glance that 375 MDG staff member was recognized for displaying outstanding customer service. A plastic blue card with the MDG logo and explanation on one side and the phrase â€Å"The 375th Medical Group is proud to serve our Nation’s Heroes and their families.† (MDGI36-2803) On the bottom of the card is â€Å"MDG STARS† each time a staff member is recognized one of the letters is  punched in the shape of a Star. This will cause our customers to ask about the card and a way for 375 MDG staff to recognize one another. What is considered worthy of a nomination? â€Å"An act that goes above and beyond the normal expectations of daily customer service actions. These actions may be towards either our internal or external customers.† (MDGI36-2803) â€Å"The individual making the nomination may send, through electronic means or in writing, the justification as to why they believe the individual warrants this award to any member of the 375 MDG Star Council. Electronic nominations are accomplished by selecting the â€Å"STAR Catcher† banner found on the MDG STAR EIM homepage. Customer service comments provided on the 375 Medical Group Customer Satisfaction Survey forms and Service Delivery Assessment (SDA) will be transferred into the MDG STAR Catcher database.† (MDGI36-2803) â€Å"All customer service submissions will be compiled monthly and validated by the 375 MDG Star Council. The 375 MDG Star Council will punch individuals’ Star badges based on valid submissions. Additionally, the council will maintain a system to track all Star punches for MDG personnel. Individuals who receive their initial punch will earn a blue Star badge holder; individuals who receive their third punch will be recognized in the weekly MDG Commander’s blog. Individuals who receive their fifth punch will receive a written note of appreciation for their respective squadron commander. Individuals who receive their seventh punch will receive a certificate from the group commander. Individuals who receive their tenth punch will earn a one day pass for military personnel and one-day time-off incentive award for civilian employees. Individuals who receive more than ten punches will Start back at third punch for recognition. For example, individuals who receive their thirteenth punch will be recognized in the weekly MDG Commander’s blog.† (MDGI36-2803) â€Å"Monthly, the 375 MDG Star Council will determine the top three customer service submissions. These top three personnel will be showcased on the Wall of Fame board and on the 375 MDG Star EIM site . In addition, they will be nominated for the Wing’s Quarterly Customer Service recognition program. Quarterly, the 375 MDG Star Council will submit three individuals for the wing’s quarterly customer service recognition program. These individuals will be selected from the three months prior nominees. Monthly, the 375 MDG Star Council will randomly identify three 375 MDG employees for the â€Å"I got caught†¦ Serving our  Nation’s Heroes and Their Families† program. Their picture and comments will be posted on the Wall of Fame and at their duty locations.† (MDGI36-2803) Results The customer satisfaction rate is extremely important for the success of any organization. The 375 MDG Star Council will use SDA, customer surveys, patient advocate contacts and secret shopper to validate the employee recognition and reward program. The organizations standard satisfaction rate is 90%. The 375 MDG commander1 wants there to be at a minimum a 90% satisfaction rate at all times; on any given day, at any given time. The top trends/issues for patients contacting the Patient Advocate are; PCM change, Information, Assistance, Communication, Kudos/Access. From this information it would appear that the program is working well. In March 2011 there were a total of 3 positive contacts, 22 negative contacts, and 9 neutral contacts for a total of 34 individuals contacting the patient advocate for assistance of some kind. These numbers have decreased from the same timeframe as last year. (Patient Advocate, 2012) Not only are the patient advocate contacts tracked, there are feedback forms around the clinic that patients can fill out, in the month of March 2012 there were a total of 136 forms filled out with 14 individuals requesting feedback. 122 forms were positive, 12 were negative, and 2 were neutral. A snapshot of the negative feedbacks were wait time at the pharmacy was too long, waiting too long for an appointment, being told the wrong appointment time and being told to reschedule. Snapshots of the positive feedbacks were prompt and professional, great and very responsive to patients needs. (Patient Advocate, 2012) Not only is the patient advocate available along with paper surveys around the clinic, there is also a contracted company that calls patients and ask ten questions about the visit you had this week. The contracted company has no information in regards to the visit or the patient’s personal information, to ensure Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is complied with, but they ask 10 questions on a 1 – 5 scale to get feedback about the facility and its services. Some of those questions are: How many days did you wait for an  appointment; were you satisfied with the care received, management of healthcare needs, and the provider you saw. (Patient Advocate, 2012) Customer satisfaction is very important to this organization and they ensure there are many ways available for customers to voice their concerns; whether good or bad. Communicating with your customers is vital to the success of the organization and providing quality care. This is an important aspect to maintain with all of the cutbacks when it comes to the healthcare industry. Quality care is essential to patient satisfaction and to the delivery of healthcare. There has been a major focus on the delivery of healthcare and the satisfaction of patients in the healthcare industry as a whole. The 375 MDG Star Council is still in the process of implementing the secret shopper program to assist with validation. They have made progress and will have the program in progress before the end of November 2012. The data from this program is unavailable at the time of publishing. If the data were available I would speculate that it would show a positive trend with a dip here or there. Overall, the SDA data, patient advocate data, and customer satisfaction surveys all show a positive trend toward program success. The 375 MDG now has a new commander who is very visible, and not just focused on how well the numbers say the organization is doing. The new commander wants to see what bad is being said and if it has a trend. He does like that the organization is maintaining well over the 90% standard, but what is the one or two percent who is not satisfied saying? How can you be sure about the staff and their approval or acceptance of the program? The 375 MDG employees will be surveyed by the year’s end to validate the program. The survey will be based on the Likert Scale. Likert developed the principle of measuring attitudes by asking people to respond to a series of statements about a topic, in terms of the extent to which they agree with them, and so tapping into the cognitive and affective components of attitudes. (McLeod, 2008) It will contain no more than five questions. The questions will be phrased to ascertain if the employee is aware of the program, knows how the program works, and how frequently do they utilize the  program. The information collected will then be analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the program. Once the determination is made is either for or against the program, appropriate adjustment will be made. The adjustments can range from staff education and training to changing the incentive awards presented to each Star recipient. The Employee Recognition and Reward Program started on 1 Jan 2012 as was charged by the former 375 MDG Commander1. The MDG instruction for the program is posted on the EIM site for all to view at their leisure. The star tracking system has successfully tracked over 1000 star submissions since the January 2012 kick-off. With Commander2 the customer satisfaction rates at 90% or higher the 375 MDG is meeting or exceeding its goal of the program. 2013 began as it did 3 years ago. In 2012 & 2013 we were named AMC’s Best Patient Safety Program of the Year. In 2013 we were awarded 3 year Accreditation by AAAHC, and currently pending the excellent rating by Health Services Inspection in September 2013. (Saunders, 2012) So, I believe the program to be a success, because with all the leadership changes that has taken place in the organization over the last few years. The organization would not rate as high as it does in customer satisfaction if the program was not working. In January 2013 Commander2 met with the 375 MDG Star Council to discuss the Employee Recognition Program and its current status. Commander2 gave his wish which was to have the Mystery Patient Program operational by 1 May 2013. The Star Council invited the Patient Safety Representative to assist with the development of the questionnaire. The staff was informed that the Mystery Patient Program was being developed and would be operational by 1 May 2013. The organization began its Mystery Patient Program on 1 May 2013 as commander2 wished. With only one month of data collected and reported. It is this author’s belief that the 375 MDG will see similar results over the next few months to prove the program’s success. Continued education and training of the program will help to increase the patient satisfaction rating over time.

Competition Between Companies

For years many companies have struggled to be and to remain the best. To do this they had to go through advertising their products; televisions, radio, internet and sports. This is called competition; the main purpose for this is mainly to attract customers. These procedures can benefit but also be harmful towards the company. Thus brings the main concern of this essay which shall discus both sides of this situation opposing and supporting it. Firstly, brand quality of products sometimes does not matter to consumers; just as long as it is affordable.For instance there are many varieties of brands such as Nike, Adidas, Coca cola and so forth. Yet commercials show all these products and companies do not realize that the price of the product gets higher as the cost of advertising contributes to the products cost thus making it expensive. This leads consumers shopping elsewhere for instance, MARANELLO – Manufacturers of super sports cars have just announced a host of new models, b ut many of them may not reach the showrooms, as the global financial crisis hits a customer segment previously immune to economic downturns. Haupt, 2009: 1) This statement proves that consumers prefer cheaper products than fancy cars as it is too expensive. Furthermore on flexibility; Flexibility means the company’s â€Å"ability to respond to changes† (Stevenson, 2007: 38). These can be seasonal changes; winter, summer or maybe economical changes. Nevertheless they also contribute to the company’s competitiveness thus leads sometimes to price wars. Take for example; Adverse weather conditions could reduce the demand for our products.The sales of our products are influenced to some extent by weather conditions in the markets in which we operate Unusually cold or rainy weather during the summer months may have a temporary effect on the demand for our Products and contribute to lower sales, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations for such p eriods. (Coca cola company, 2009: 6) This explains that during competition companies are very flexible thus should be alert and find ways to be the best thus sometimes lowering the products cost by forty percent as to keep up with the market.This incident shows that companies such as coca cola are overdoing it thus facing a major lose. Moreover on location, during competition companies look for a marketable location. From here they start of by looking at the customer’s convenience; like closest to shop thus less travel expense for consumer. However they don’t look at the side as when location of company is way crowded other customers will shop elsewhere due to less space to park cars and so forth. Furthermore other companies go to famous foreign countries or new location as their products are in demand over there.Yet as foreign companies they must find ways to introduce their production thus using advertisement again. In the end either companies, will lose a lot of pro fit. This same case happened to Toyota according in his writing of Ford outsells GM, Toyota in February sales, J. Ewing (2010: 1) claims that while Toyota and Honda where busy competing in America, another company called Ford which is originally an American car business took over by most recently, during the summer last year 2009. Thus, leaving Toyota to report a record annual net loss of 4. billion, this misfortune of Toyota’s occurred as it did not realize that it was consuming too many expenses hence; contributing to another disadvantage for companies when they compete. However these are true yet if considering another side to this argument, these may show the disadvantages of competition, but the advantages outweighs it as competition actually promotes the brand quality, flexibility and locations. In addition to Brand quality, consumers always buy the best as they believe it is worth the expense as it last for a very long time.Yet how do the consumer know which brand is t he best; simply as companies compete they broadcast the latest shoes, bikes, food and so forth. From here consumers try and differentiate one company after another due to the quality of its product. Take for example Article base (2007) states that Honda and Toyota knows America wants fuel-efficient vehicles. This case made the two companies work hard thus producing a vehicle that gets more and more mile per gallon. It is very expensive but a lot of people are waiting in line to get this product.This example shows that consumers go for the best brand quality no matter what. Another point is Flexibility; companies know that season changes thus consumer’s demands also changes. Therefore Coca cola and Pepsi two competing companies produce besides soft drinks, water, ice tea etc. This was to resolve the problem they faced during seasonal change that their soft drinks coca cola or Pepsi sales decreased; from this solution they remarkably still continued selling and earning profit a s they produced other products which will be essential during that particular season.This is also the advantage of flexibility and competition to a company. Finally is the location, Companies compete for the best location as it ensures the flow of profits, by one; marketable areas such as America are good places to locate business Thus most famous companies are located there for instance Toyota number one and holding fifteen percent of Americans sales. Honda, Nike and Adidas all these companies also go to a marketable location thus becoming the most famous companies in the world.Therefore the competition expenses for good spots to place business is worth it, as it will eventually repay the companies ten times the amount of money it has spent, just like Honda and Toyota which are now leading the world car manufacturing business. In conclusion the advantages of competition between companies when marketing products seems to be much favourable than the disadvantages hence, the practice should continue or be more creative with their competition strategies as the more competitive they are the more flow of profits there will be.