Empowerment of women by migratory process Essay

Empowerment of women by migratory process - Essay Example This study was aimed at identifying the global care chain opportunities for women migrants and in the process how they are able to contribute to globalisation and to extend support for working mothers abroad, besides emancipation of themselves and dependant families back home. We have also seen the various aspects of migration and how it contributes to a nation’s economy and what are the impediments and hardships that a nanny has to experience while she remains part of the global care chain. And we have also seen various ways by which the women migrants can assert themselves having waited so long patiently for due recognition and rewards and how to command respect in the society and in the market. Ultimately the study convinces that the women migrants are becoming empowered by migrating to first world countries and finding employment as nannies for working mothers. Migration was until recently synonymous with men alone and women in migration as only followers of their men were invisible though they were also independently migratory. Migration of women was of no consequence as far as historians were concerned until Morokvasik M (1984) characterized women also as participants in the international migration process. The male authors treated both male and female migrators in male gender with the result women never caught the attention of the historians and anthropologists as an integral part of migration and independent of men Even women authors who began projection of women in the process have not been able to take the message out of women’s circle.

Relationship Between Argetina and the International Monetary Fund Essay

Relationship Between Argetina and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) - Essay Example The higher a countrys foreign debt level, the greater are the chances of default. According to World Bank, the Latin American Countries (LAC) would need US $ 60 million annually during 1991-2000 period. This translates into higher borrowing, higher debts and debt servicing. Budget cuts were immediately felt at the international financial institutions like the Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), which decreased access to officially supported credits. Global interest rates rose, which further increased foreign debts. Mexico, Brazil and Argentina could not sustain the economic growth and lurched from one financial crisis to another (Elstrodt, Lenero, and Urdapilleta). Debt has been the largest source of capital flows in the developing countries but despite that, economic development has not been successful. The causes and consequences of such debts have been the subject of debate over the years. This paper will examine the severity of Argentinas debt and the relationship between Argentina and the IMF. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, UK and France too had defaulted on the debt repayments but the problems in debt repayments in Latin American can be dated back to 1914 when Mexico suspended its payments (Dodd). Owing to a series of corrupt regimes, Argentina has experienced severe economic declines. In 1956, a group of wealthy nations met in Paris to find a solution to the looming debt problems of Argentina. In the 1970s, large amount of lending to Latin America was in the form of syndicate banks loans. Brady Bonds helped in the debt restructuring process and the Brady plan proposed exchanging the loans for bonds that would allow the debt to be traded in financial markets where it would be priced at market value. Macroeconomic management is essential if the country is to attain sustained growth. Argentina, besides pegging the peso to the US dollar at parity in

Patient Safety The Importance of good record keeping

Patient Safety The Importance of good record keeping The purpose of this essay is to look at four of the principles from the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) document, principles of good record keeping. The NMC is the United Kingdoms regulator for the nursing and midwifery professionals. It is a professionals responsibility to follow the NMC code, principles of good record keeping, to help safeguard the health and wellbeing of the public (NMC, 2009). These four principles chosen states, Individuals should record details of any assessments and reviews undertaken and provide clear evidence of the arrangements that have been made for future and ongoing care, including any details of information given about care or treatment (NMC, 2009). Ensure records should be accurate and recorded in such a way that the meaning is clear (NMC, 2009). Where appropriate the person in your care or their carer should be involved in the record keeping process (NMC, 2009) and finally Individuals have a duty to communicate fully and effectively with colleagues, ensuring that they have all the information they need about the people in their care (NMC, 2009). In addition to these four principles, this essay is going to discuss each principle and the impact that the principles have on a patients care plan and how the principles maintain within a patients care plan. Record keeping is a fundamental part of nursing practice (Giffiths et al, 2007:1324-1327). The role of good record keeping is to ensure that all healthcare professionals know what care and treatment the patient is receiving. The first principle of good record keeping being discussed states individuals should record details of any assessments and reviews undertaken and provide clear evidence of arrangements that have been made for the future of ongoing care. This should also include details of information given about care and treatment (NMC, 2009). One of the main evidenced based records in a care setting is a care plan. A care plan is a written record that informs individuals about the care and treatment of the patient (Barrett et al, 2009:5-6). Care plans develop using the nursing process. This involves a systematic approach involving assessment, planning, implementing and evaluating. This method provides a framework for professionals, which enables the making of a care plan to be developed, allowing professionals to meet the needs of the patient and protect their welfare (Wright, 2005:71-73). When admitting a patient into a care environment undergoing an assessment is essential. This should cover all basic needs such as hygiene, social, physical and safety needs of the patient, which would also include internal homeostasis needs, for instance temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure (Geyer, 2007:29-30). While patients care is ongoing, a document that is widely used within an acute side of the health care setting is EWS; this early warning sign document is a tool that protects the welfare of patients while receiving care from professionals. This tool can enable early detection of patients deterioration, based on measuring vital signs. This tool can highlight risk when monitoring patients and detect when the need for further intervention is required of skilled practitioners (Mohammed et al, 2009:18-24). Assessments can involve a variety of tools the purpose of these tools is to help professionals do their job properly and help toward assessing priority of care (Barrett et al, 2009:87-94). Assessing and planning are ongoing while the patient is receiving treatment. Documenting in a patients record while care is ongoing shows clear evidence of what as to be established, demonstrating the interaction that multi disciplinary teams provides, from the time a patient is admitted in to a care setting to when they are discharged (Barrett et al, 2009:20-23). Within a care plan relevant information is stored about the patient, this should enable all professionals to develop a knowledge of the patient and enable them to have an empathetic understanding of the social, psychological and physical wellbeing of that individual (Barrett et al, 2009:47-56). A patients individual file will also contain details about the history of the patient, this can highlight any risk apparent, ensuring all professionals delivering care to individuals are aware of the patients condition, any known allergies, care required to be delivered and any treatment the patient is receiving. The assessment and planning stage of the nursing process provides an accurate method of which the care plan document can guide professionals. The implementing stage enables professionals to deliver the care agreed and planned throughout written communication. The evaluating stage enables professionals to plan effectively. These four methods of the nursing process is a requirement when developing a care plan this then enables multi-disciplinary teams to be able to provide effective care when protecting the welfare of patients (Wright, 2005:71-73). Documenting the whole care planning process from assessment to evaluation as soon as it has happened is very important. Incomplete documents can cause the patients to suffer through no fault of their own; professionals have a legal responsibility to record documents. Documents need recording in multiple ways. However, written and electronic methods are the main ones widely used within a care environment, with whatever method used records sho uld remain accurate and easily understood. The principle of good record keeping from the NMC, 2009 also suggests, Records should be accurate and recorded in such a way that the meaning is clear (NMC, 2009). Implementing good record keeping in a care plan is relevant for the importance of promoting the welfare of patients. Clinical records shared the whole time a patient is receiving care or treatment and all health records should remain legible. Health professionals read records on a daily basis and it is important that the information in documents can be understood (Powell, 2009:300-301). Records can contain poor handwriting, which can then become very difficult to read, this can have an effect on care delivered to the patient. If individuals do not understand the writing within a patients records, mistakes can occur and put patients at greater risk. Health care records provide a lot of information about patients and it is vital it remains correct. The type of errors made when recording information can include, unreadable handwriting, jargon, spelling errors, typing errors and not recording essential information. Missing out information while documenting in records can put a patient at jeopardy and this highlights a cause for concern. For instance, a patient takes their medication but the nurse who g ave the medication forgot to document it. If professionals do not receive information of when, what time and the date medicines administered to a patient, it may mislead other nurses taking over from another shift causing professional errors and risk of an overdose may occur to the patient (Dimond, 2005:568-570). When recording in medical documents using medical abbreviations can be confusing, especially if the nurse is not familiar with the medical terminology. Professionals perform shortening down medical terminology into a variety of abbreviations throughout healthcare. The nursing and midwifery council makes it clear that abbreviations do not shorten, as there are dangers in using them. Professionals maybe mistaken by abbreviations in documents, this is when misunderstandings can occur. If abbreviations are mistaken and assumed to stand for something else, if implemented it can cause harm to the patient. For instance NFR; not for resuscitation or either way this could mean neurophysiological facilitation of respiration, which is a physical therapy. This abbreviation could cause fatal consequence if it suggests in a patient document that the patient is not required to have NFR and it does not make it clear within that record. Eliminating abbreviations when recording information is crucial as all records should express a clear detailed response (Dimond, 2008:196-198). Information in records should remain clear and accurate, as they are a legal document, for not only the safety of the patient but it also protects individuals from charges of negligence and other forms of malpractice. If a patient comes into any legal disputes, documents should remain professional as it is an individual responsibility as a professional to be legally responsible for what they write and all records should be legible to stand up in court if necessary (Powell, 2009:300-301), this shows how crucial record keeping is. Brooker Waugh 2007 states, If nursing care is not written down then it did not happen. When documents are being produced, where appropriate the person in your care, or their carer, should be involved in the record keeping process (NMC, 2009). This principle is an ongoing development throughout nursing practice, as well as involving patients in any decisions about care and treatment. Communication between nurse and patient develop to deliberate on the arrangement of care. Information within this discussion may come from close family members or carers, if the patients are not able to speak for themselves. Professionals require information from relatives and other individuals close to the family, this is vital within the process of record keeping. Exchanging information is essential to provide safe care towards the patient. During development of record keeping it is important to involve the patient or carers to confirm the care discussed, this is important because the clients care needs clarifying with the overall concept of the care plan and the process of its delivery. This enables the sharing of information throughout multi-disciplinary teams and allowing professionals throughout a variety of services to have access to medical records whenever they may require it (NMC, 2008). Patients records can be vital to staff who do not know the patient well, individuals giving consent for their file to be shared helps professionals to do their job. This then allows the individuals to provide a duty of care and enables professionals to protect the welfare of their patients. The last principle additionally advises, Individuals have a duty to communicate fully and effectively with colleagues, ensuring that they have all information they need about the people in their care (NMC, 2009). Nursing records are an evidence based communication tool; healthcare records are largely significant in communicating detailed information from one service to another. Clinical records are a source of communication throughout the healthcare sector, providing information to protect the wellbeing of individuals. It is essential that good communication is able to develop throughout multidisciplinary teams, ensuring all information exchanged concern patients for which professionals deliver care. When professionals are exchanging information, it provides a foundation for which the continuity of care to patients can continue. Information reported should be clear to professionals so they are up to date of the clients condition, not only verbally but also manually. (McGeehan, 2007:5 1-54). Verbal communication throughout handovers remains essential to practice; handing over information at the end of a shift can be quite brief and having written documentation gives professionals the opportunity to look up on patients information, which will hold important details regarding the patient. This is most valuable especially for staff covering shifts; on some occasions professionals contact relief staff members to cover staff shortage. If individuals giving care do not know the patient, it enables them to read up and gain an insight of the patient, including medical history, current treatment and what care to be delivered, therefore enabling them to deliver care confidently (Featherstone, 2008:860-864). However, discussing these four principles regarding the process of record keeping, it highlights the vast amount of impact these principles can have throughout a care plan document. This involves communicating throughout recorded documentation alerting multi-disciplinary teams of patients details based on facts. This allows professionals to know what the patient requires and continue the care agreed to protect the patient from any harm. Communication has an impact throughout a care plan; all recorded information helps towards the progression of the continuity of care, while delivering it throughout the healthcare sector enabling successful care delivery. Care plans are documents of evidence of the care agreed and the arrangements made by professionals who deliver the care. It provides stability to patients and professionals in connection to any medical intervention between those involved ensuring a secure environment so delivery of care can continue (Barrett et al, 2009:13-14). Recog nising the impacts these principles have on a care plan are standard but the acknowledgment of their impact become relevant throughout maintaining. Maintaining a care plan is a fundamental process established by reviewing and audits. Using these methods to maintain a care plan is essential, as it is an ongoing process to protect the welfare of patients. Reviewing and auditing can instigate the cause for professionals to look into a care plan further. Audits of records allows professionals to determine how well policies are implemented within a care environment and how standards of care delivery are set. This helps establish best practice in nursing records and helps to reduce any risk towards the patient safety, which can arise from poor record keeping (Griffiths et al, 2007:1324-1327). Information recorded draws attention upon the needs of the patient. If a patient was continually complaining of chest pain, this would alert nurses and doctors to investigate the problem and further medical intervention maybe required (Geyer, 2007:23-24). Simply doing an audit raises awareness of the need to improve practice. Regular audits on do cumentation have to take place to identify any necessary errors ensuring standards within healthcare facilities are ongoing and up to date. Reviewing is essential as ongoing factual records of a patients health status can highlight changes in a patients condition. Enabling professional has to amend changes for the best interest of the patient when reviewing documentation (Brooker Waugh, 2007:368-369). Reviews put in place help evaluate a patients plan of care, making sure that the care they receive is relevant to their needs at the time. The aim of reviewing documents and how maintaining them in a care plan is essential and is purposely to ensure that the safety of the patient. Reviewing documents in a care plan focuses very much on the individual receiving care. However, the persons involved in providing care to the patient play a big part in the reviewing process to ensure all care is specific to the needs of the patient (Miller Gibb, 2007:271-271). Reviews and audits play a big part in how records maintaining documents keeps practice current and up to date ensuring the best interest of the patient, and protect the p atients from any harm. Conclusion The purpose of record keeping is the care of the patient and is considered has a fundamental part of nursing practice. It is crucial to the well-being of the patient and the delivery of care; it also ensures that professional standards within a healthcare environment, challenging professionals ensuring the delivery of duty of care. Documents have an impact on everybody involved and written records are important and must comply within the record keeping principles and set standards to multidisciplinary teams, in turn, helping contribute to the quality of care being given. The consequences of poor record keeping are quite clear hence the requirement for medical staff to ensure that the proper procedures are undertaken. Professionals need to keep records to safe guard their patients while protecting their welfare, this highlights the need for this to remain as precise as possible throughout maintaining records while care is ongoing. Recording in documents can assist towards the continui ty of care, which provides a safe stable environment for the patient. Professionals working in a health care environment makes them aware that their workload can become very busy, it is important that they do not let this affect their need to keep records. Time should be set aside for record keeping, if records are rushed errors can develop, poor quality of records cannot show to reduce the quality of care. Good record keeping is a characteristic of a skilled practitioner and it is largely about the various forms of communication from one service to another. Records documented correctly appropriately to the NMC 2009 principle of good record keeping guidelines highlights the need of communication throughout written records. Following these principles enhances the fact of how vital record keeping is, and how record keeping is an essential method used to protect the welfare of the patient.

Virtuosity in Othello :: Literary Analysis, Shakespeare,

The character Desdemona in William Shakespeare’s play Othello holds on to her dignified behavior until the very end, when her life is taken by her jealous husband, is indicative not only of her chaste mind, but also of her virtuous fortitude. Women of that time were largely seen mostly one of two extremes – either virtuous or licentious. Desdemona’s strength as a virtuous woman are clearly illustrated in two pivotal scenes in Shakespeare’s play: in her poise when confronted with her husband’s collapse of his gentlemanly facade; and in the dignified way she faces her own demise head-on, feeble on affirmations, yet overflowing with grace. In Act 4, Scene 2, Desdemona proves herself as a lady in her discussion with the evil Iago, who, unbeknownst to her, is the cause of her chagrin. Although she bewails that Othello has called her a whore, she herself does not stoop to insults. Proudly, she declares, â€Å"Unkindness may do much† and, in a moment of disturbing foreshadowing, states â€Å"And his unkindness may defeat my life† (IV.ii. 164-65). Though virtuous to a fault, she remains dignified and affirms, â€Å"I cannot even say ‘whore.’ / It does abhor me now I speak the word; / To do the act that might the addition earn / Not the world’s mass of vanity could make me† (166-69). During the tragic conclusion of the play, in Act 5 scene 2, Othello suffocates his adored Desdemona in the erroneous belief of her infidelity. She nevertheless departs with dignity. She does not wail but instead she merely states: â€Å"O, falsely, falsely murdered!† (130). One is left to wonder if she is referring to herself or to Cassio; regardless, these words are simply matter-of-fact and are not the emotion-driven cries one would normally expect from a person facing her own execution. Through her dying breath, Desdemona states clearly, â€Å"A guiltless death I die† (136). Her mistress Emilia, obviously overcome with emotion, pleads to Desdemona to name the killer, crying, â€Å"Help! Help, ho! Help! O lady, speak again!† (134) and â€Å"O, who hath done this deed?† (137). With a quiet composure on her deathbed, Desdemona cryptically tells Emilia, â€Å"Nobody—I myself. Farewell† (138). Was she a self-loving character who had the ability to love others unconditionally? Or was she a fool who accepted her worldly fate in the belief that, by doing so, she was being righteous? Othello appears to be more of a weak character to succumb to misguided vanity and jealousy than Desdemona in meeting her own end with dignity.

John Taylor Gatto Against School Essay

When it comes to the traditional education, John Taylor Gatto’s â€Å"Against School† questions whether we really need the nine month, drawn out, traditional curriculum. Gatto goes on to name several successful people through history that were not products of a contemporary school system. When I think of Gatto’s theory of forced schooling, a friend of mine named John Smith who goes by the alias of Viper comes to mind. Viper is in his late 20’s, lives in South Philadelphia, and has worked as a Roofer for the past 10 years. Viper went to a public school in South Philadelphia. Viper went to a school where said, â€Å"It wasn’t easy. I was scrawny and white and we were poorer than the jigs that went to school wit us, so we caught alota shit.† Viper’s school was extremely underfunded. â€Å"Some days there would be trash laid out by the trash cans cause nobody would change the trash bags, the food was shit, and the bathrooms†¦forget i t.† He would walk twelve blocks back to his house just to go to the bathroom. There were no extracurricular activities like book clubs and band and the school was rundown and decrepit. Eventually he started to miss classes regularly. He felt that the teachers did not care. Classes were extremely boring to him. He was actually approached by his biology teacher and told he could cut class everyday as long as he turned in his work and he would receive a D at the end of the year. He was not amused by the offer, he was not even interested in graduating anymore. â€Å"I expected to be a laborer for the rest of my life so I felt like education was unimportant.† Viper’s education started taking a back seat to work around his sophomore year of high school. He was the middle child in a family of four, all of whom have dropped out of high school and are laborers today. â€Å"My parents made me get a job when I was thirteen, that’s the way it was with all my brothers,† says Viper. Eventually he started to make a decent amount of money and admits to being extremely naà ¯ve, saying â€Å"Why the fuck was I gonna go ta school for eight more years if I was makin’ 25-30 thousand dollars a year. Do the math, instead of spendin 100 thousand dollars in college and waste my time in school I coulda made 200 thousand dollars by the time I was 24.† One day Viper decided to make an appointment with a school counselor. He was hardly going to class, working every day when he was supposed to be in school, and partying every night and having fun. School was more of a social event. He was just going to school to see his friends and make plans for the weekend. When he told the school counselor that he was planning on dropping out the counselor stood up, looked him in the eye, extended his hand and said, â€Å"Good Luck!† â€Å"The guy didn’t even give a shit!† Viper said. By the time December came around of his sophomore year, he was a high school dropout. He was working everyday by that time already so he was not stagnant. He was still living with his parents. The fact that he dropped out was ok with them because he could â€Å"contribute to the house,† as his father put it. Viper eventually saved enough money to get his own place and now lives with his wife of three years and their two children who are two and five years of age. He said, â€Å"I always thought I learned more out of school than in high school, but it’s not what my kids are gonna do†. He aspires to open his own roofing company one day. Although I do not agree with the path that Viper chose in life, he is happy and successful today. He is a great father and happily married. He does not drink anymore and devotes every second of his free time to his family. In a way he is almost a survivor to me. He is not well spoken or the brightest guy in the world, but he would d o anything in his power to help any person in a bind.

The Rivalry Among Existing Firms: Strong

The Rivalry among existing firms: strong The office supply industry has a large number of players with a high diversity of rivals. Competition is very furies between them because the office supply industry is so divers in product and services they provide; they include high volume office supply, warehouse clubs, online retailers, copy and print businesses, discount retailers and local and regional contract stationers. The large number of competitors in this industry, along with a lack of product differences, with low switching coast for buyers and the ability of the buyers to shop around the internet for the best price.Had made this industry growth to become very slow. source http://360. datamonitor. com/Product? pid=4CA55D31-18F9-44E1-BB86-D1E5E5306887 Rivalry Figure 9: Drivers of degree of rivalry in the office services & supplies market in the United States, 2010 Players range in size and product diversity; they include high-volume office supply providers (e. g. Staples), warehous e clubs (e. g. Costco), copy and print businesses (e. g. FedEx Office), online retailers (e. g. Amazon. com), ink cartridge specialty stores, discount retailers, as well as several local and regional contract stationers. Related article: Evaluate External Corporate CommunicationsThe large number of players, along with low-cost switching for buyers, low product differentiation, easy expansion by utilizing the internet, and poor market growth in recent years, intensifies rivalry amongst incumbents. This is ameliorated somewhat by the diversity displayed in the product portfolio of some players, such as online retailers and discount retailers, who operate in other markets and are therefore not solely reliant on the revenues generated from the office services and supplies market.Relatively low storage costs and the non-specificity of players’ assets lowers barriers to exit and eases rivalry. Overall, rivalry is strong. FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS The office services & supplies market will be analyzed taking retailers of paper, storage, stationary, and office services, such as photocopying, printing and binding as players. The key buyers will be taken as businesses, and manufacturers of paper, storage, st ationary, and equipment for photocopying, printing and binding as the key suppliers. SummaryFigure 4: Forces driving competition in the office services & supplies market in the United States, 2010 The market is highly fragmented with players ranging from multinational high-volume office supply providers to local stationers. The abundance and diversity of buyers weakens buyer power, whilst low-cost switching, low product differentiation, and high price sensitivity strengthen it. Such factors, along with low brand loyalty and easy access to suppliers and distribution, also contribute to the high likelihood of new entrants.Suppliers are numerous, and low differentiation, along with some backwards integration by players who sell their own branded goods, weakens supplier power. The large number of players, along with low-cost switching for buyers, low product differentiation, easy expansion by utilizing the internet, and poor market growth in recent years, intensifies rivalry amongst inc umbents. Buyer power Figure 5: Drivers of buyer power in the office services & supplies market in the United States, 2010 Buyers are numerous and diverse.This, along with the importance of the products and services provided by players to buyers, weakens buyer power. Buyers can range in size from sole proprietors to multinational corporations and buyer power is boosted by larger buyers with greater financial muscle. Large businesses put office services and supplies out to tender bids while smaller businesses can negotiate discounts through trade associations. However, buyer power is sustained by low customer loyalty, low switching costs, low level product differentiation and high price sensitivity, giving customers a wide choice of retailers.The internet has made cost comparison easier, raising price transparency and increasing competition. Overall, buyer power is moderate. Supplier power Figure 6: Drivers of supplier power in the office services & supplies market in the United State s, 2010 Suppliers are numerous and diverse with a large array of goods. This scale of competition from low cost economies in the Asia-Pacific places restraints on other suppliers. Players tend to have several suppliers, and this, along with low switching costs, weakens supplier power, particularly in instances where larger players have greater negotiating power.On the other hand, suppliers can offer their products to a wide range of customers, and this serves to increase their supplier power. There are elements of integration within the industry as global players sell their own branded goods. For example, Staples own branded goods represented about 23% of their sales in 2009. The lower pricing of such activities undercuts the power of other suppliers. Overall, supplier power is moderate. New entrants Figure 7: Factors influencing the likelihood of new entrants in the office services & supplies market in the United States, 2010Most office supplies are commoditized products, which hav e little brand loyalty. This, along with low enduser switching costs, little government regulation, and easy access to suppliers and distribution channels, is conducive to the entry of new players into the market. Larger players benefit from scale economies that allow them to compete with high-volume office supply providers that lead the market. Larger players with greater financial muscle would be able to negotiate better contracts with suppliers and therefore achieve better profit margins.Entry can be achieved on a smaller scale by focusing on a specific product range (e. g. an ink cartridge specialty store) or by developing an online retail shop. Poor growth in recent years, with stagnant growth forecast for the 2010-2015 period, decreases the threat of new entrants into the market somewhat. Overall, the threat of new entrants is strong. Substitutes Figure 8: Factors influencing the threat of substitutes in the office services & supplies market in the United States, 2010Many mode rn companies are taking strategies to minimize costs and the environmental impact of their operations by moving towards a paperless office format: switching costs are not excessive, as most companies have already invested in appropriate ICT systems. This, therefore, constitutes a serious challenge to those operating primarily with paper-based office products. Storage and stationary may also be influenced by switching to a paperless office format. Office services such as photocopying, printing and binding may be substituted by electronic forms of communications.Overall, the threat of substitutes is moderate. Same source Office Depot, Inc. Table 10: Office Depot, Inc. : key facts Head office: 6600 North Military Trail, Boca Raton, Florida 33496, USA Telephone: 1 561 438 4800 Fax: 1 800 685 5010 Website: www. officedepot. com Financial year-end: January Ticker: ODP Stock exchange: New York Source: company website D A T A M O N I T O R Office Depot is engaged in the supply of office pro ducts and services. The company offers national branded and private labeled office products which includes business machines, computers and office furniture.Some of the private brands are Office Depot, Niceday, Foray, Ativa, Break Escapes, Worklife and Christopher Lowell. The company conducts its business through three business divisions: North American retail, North American business solutions and international. The North American retail division sells a range of branded and private branded merchandise including office supplies, business machines and computers, computer software, office furniture and other business related products and services. These products are sold through the company's chain of office supply stores in the US and Canada.The stores operated by the division also contain a copy, print and ship center which offers graphic designing, printing, reproduction, mailing, shipping, and other services. In 2008, Office Depot started PC support and network installation servi ces to provide in-home, in-office and in-store support for the technology needs of the customers. By the end of 2008, the company operated nearly 1,267 office supply stores in the US and Canada. Store replenishment is handled through cross dock facilities and the bulk merchandise is sorted and shipped within a day. By the end of 2008, the company operated 12 cross dock facilities.The North American business solutions division sells nationally branded and private brand office supplies, technology products, furniture and services through various channels: dedicated sales force; catalogs and internet sites. The division's direct business is tailored to service small and medium sized customers. These customers can order products from the catalogs through phone or through the company's websites. The North American business solutions division employs a dedicated sales force for the contract business which serves predominantly, medium sized to fortune 100 companies.The sales force LEADING COMPANIES United States – Office Services ; Supplies 0072 – 2115 – 2010 Â © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied Page 29 offer customers allied services of providing information, business-tools and problem solving. In addition, the division undertakes government contracts through a multi-state contract available to local and state government agencies, school districts, higher education and non-profit organizations across the US.The division operated 20 distribution centers at the end of 2008 and it fills in the contract and direct business orders through inventory maintained in these distribution centers. The international division offers office products and services in 48 countries throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Central America. Office Depot offers its products through wholly-owned and majorityowned entities or other ventures in 38 countries. This division sells its products and services through direct mail c atalogs, contract sales forces, internet sites and retail stores. Office Depot operated 162 retail stores in France, Japan,Hungary, Israel, Sweden and South Korea, as of January 2009. In addition, the company operated 98 stores under licensing and merchandise arrangements in South Korea and Thailand. Office Depot participates in the joint venture Office Depot de Mexico which operates 186 stores in Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. This division established regional headquarters for Europe/ Middle East and Asia to support its operations in these geographies. The company offers its products in the international market through more than 35 websites which cater to various geographical locations.It offers products through catalogs in 14 countries. Office Depot operated 43 wholly owned and majority owned distribution centers by the end of 2008 for providing inventory to fill in the orders of its international division. Source http://www. community. officedep ot. com/envpolicyqa. asp Clarifying Q ; A | Who are Office Depot's Stakeholders? | | Office Depot is committed to working with its stakeholders – our suppliers, employees, customers, shareholders and the conservation science community – to promote and advance environmental stewardship.This said, Office Depot will maintain an open communication channel with other organizations that wish to contribute to our process of continual improvement – a communications channel and process in which contributions are considered within the framework of conservation science, so that we may continue to strengthen our environmental performance by internalizing appropriate, scientifically based improvements to our environmental policies and programs.Office Depot's work with the conservation science community reflects our desire for a collaborative, scientific approach to identifying and addressing the issues of environmental stewardship. | | | Why Does Office Depot engage its Stak eholders and what is Office Depot's approach to stakeholder involvement? | | Office Depot's approach is one of inclusion and consultation for the mutual benefit of the environment and our stakeholders.Office Depot actively promotes the responsible use of our natural resources by working with these stakeholders in the ongoing pursuit of improvements and innovation that promote and advance the principles of environmental stewardship in ways that: * Produce solutions with integrity and purpose; * Are responsible, transparent, accountable, realistic and actionable; * Produce results that are tangible, measurable and reportable; and, * Reward innovation and leadership. |