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Operations Management at Walmart
BusinessManagementMarketingScholarlyWriting

Operations Management at Walmart

by Shamsul June 1, 2023

Operations Management at Walmart

Contents

Introduction.

Walmart Inc.

Operational management in Walmart.

Format.

Product.

Value.

Personal.

Communication.

Providers.

Quality management principles at Walmart. 5

✔️Principle 1: Customer Focus.

✔️Principle 2: System approach to management.

o Principle 3: Process-based approach.

Walmart’s Supply Chain Management.

Cross Docking As a Method for Inventory Tracking.

Technology.

Purchasing policy.

Procurement policy.

Sustainability in Supply Chain.

The Role of the Information System and Its Impact on the Supply Chain.

International expansion and logistics.

References.

Introduction

Walmart Inc.

Walmart is a US-based multinational retailer that operates chains of discount stores founded in 1962 by Sam Walton in Rogers, Arkansas, based on a strategy of low prices; its expansion occurred quickly, boosting productivity, helping in large part to reduce inflation and increasing purchasing power of Americans (WalMart, 2016). Since its inception, the company has heavily invested in logistics and information infrastructure to facilitate the efficient flow of goods and information (Chopra, Meindl, 2008, p. 7). Furthermore, the company has been the leader in the planning, design, and operation of a supply chain aimed at success.

Even so, the changing market and the endless views on quality management and consumer rights forced the supermarket chain to implement more expensive logistics models. Therefore Walmart developed a new one to support the supply chain and traditional logistics activities; the System Reverse Logistics, which seeks to optimize round trips to the centers of distribution and supermarkets to carry out a selective collection of both defective products such as packaging and packing, avoiding as much as possible that there are trips without load, this practice has allowed them in recent years to reduce costs. It even reduces CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions by contributing to sustainable environmental policies (Dunne & Lusch, 2005).

Walmart took 30 years to net the territory of the flat logistic system from which the systematic conquest of local markets was launched. The company passed the billion mark dollars in turnover per year in 1980, from billion per month in 1986 to billion per week in 1992. It is now more than five billion US dollars in weekly sales (Chandran, 2003). It collects an average of almost 100 million customers per week. The strength of the corporation is remarkable: the sales are higher in comparison to its direct competitors combined (Sears, Target, Kmart, Kroger, Safeway, J.C. Penney), and lastly, in the US, sales denote 7.5% of all those in the die trade tails (excluding auto parts) (Emiliani et al., 2007).

For over 40 years, Walmart management has had only one obsession: reducing costs to maintain low prices and selling more. This goal inspires the innovations implemented by Wal-Mart. To this end, the frugality of the bosses of Wal-Mart, who continue to share their hotel rooms to reduce costs, is legendary, and the head office of the inter-outlet is a drab building without extravagance (Chiles & Dau, 2005).

Finally, another characteristic of Walmart’s structure is its strategy of continuous lower prices, which eradicates promotions. In this manner, the corporation ensures more stability within its sales, avoiding over-stocking or out-of-stock issues arising from the hazards of demand (Johnson, 2008). 

Operational Management in Walmart

Format: Walmart operates different branches: Discount Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart International, and Walmart.com. All of these with different areas. Additionally, it handles various formats of points of sale (neighborhood, international and express).

Product: This team conducts market research; for example, they shop at the competition, present the points of sale, attend merchandise shows, and analyze their packaging. Inside the warehouse, they also focus on ensuring that their items are adequately and assertively displayed and that their performance appeals to the customers. 

Value: For its visitors, the retailer giant offers lower prices, a wide range of products and services, and high quality.

Personal: Employees are motivated and trained by encounters and celebrations with renowned personalities. 

Communication: The company appropriates the new slogan: “Save Money, Live Better.” Every element present in the store seeks to communicate something to the customers. Walmart cares about serving three kinds of target segment: the common North American, the more cultured customer, and the consumer whose only priority are organic products. In addition, their main interest is to remain associated with the community through activities like supporting youth groups, helping in emergencies, and support for the soldiers’ families. 

Providers: It operates with small suppliers to that of larger companies such as Procter & Gamble and with foreign suppliers.  

Source: Gattorna (2006)

Challenges of organizational management at Walmart

 

Attracting Talent

In the current volatile economic environment, businesses are forced to develop and implement effective organizational strategies to manage endowed individuals. This situation is particularly acute for those businesses that continue to expand in new markets (Kohlbacher, 2010). Building and sustaining a management team that can remain effective even when the store plans to expand activities in other regions is very challenging for Walmart. According to a survey carried out by Ernst and Young, organizations operating in multiple regions find it very difficult to create an effective management team mainly because of cultural differences, inconsistencies in impending talent management, difficulties in using both international as well as local talent in a balanced way as well as the lack of reliable leadership (Cania, 2011).

 

Performance Management | Walmart

This is a relatively novel concept that is assimilated with performance evaluation results. These reports help the management team assess the degree to which the employee holds responsibilities concerning the position (Agulles & Prats, 2011). The management style in Wal-Mart involves minimal consultation or discussions related to change with the employees. The senior staff level and the management levels have different management styles. In addition, wages and salaries are not aligned with the change in working hours, and very minimum compensation is allowed for any extra work done.

Walmart should address the needs of the employees’ welfare and ensure that their compensation is a fair reflection of the services they offer. Other programs should also be initiated to appreciate efforts and encourage the employees’ hard work. In addition, increasing or revising the pay scale will encourage and motivate them to attain organizational goals even in harsh economic times like the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The current state needs to address issues that are related to the number of increased grievance cases. Additionally, the turnout is relatively high. This eventually results in bad performance on the part of the company. This can be associated with a management theory presented by Henri Fayol, which discusses equity and remuneration; the stability of the employees’ tenure is the key to developing effective organizations (Akbar, 2012). Hence, Wal-Mart should continue to implement the main principles presented by Fayol to overcome this organizational challenge.

 

Total Quality Management | Walmart

Total quality management (TQM) is a continuous improvement process that is committed to constantly improving product quality (Decenzo, Robbins, & Verhulst, 2010). This strategy requires the organization to ensure that the product or service meets the standard agreed upon by both the company and the consumers. This approach is different from the traditional approach where a quality department would check and monitor the quality and then dispose of those which are not in accordance with TQM and requires the employees and the whole company to maintain the reasonable levels that the management desires (Jafar, Mohammad, Fariba, & Mehrdad, 2010). When a company enacts the TQM approach, the entire process becomes seamless. Innovation is a by-product of a higher quality (Perdomo-Ortiz, Gonza´ lez-Benito, & Galende, 2009).

Total Quality Management as a Strategy in Walmart

Quality appears as the principle of a company in the 21st century and is linked to that organization that seeks to consolidate, grow and develop to be successful. The principles of quality management are the great premises used to transmit by the organization’s top management.

The quality management principles cannot be closed; when the ISO 9001 standard is implemented, the company should not suffer. For this standard to be helpful to the organization, it must be taken not as a system to be implemented but as a reference system. The desirable thing is that it is a continuous improvement process in which the ISO 9001 standard acts as part of the principle of a quality organization (Natto, 2014).

 

Principle 1: Customer Focus in Walmart

Businesses depend on customers and hence should have an in-depth understanding of the present and future needs of these customers, make efforts for customer requirement satisfaction, and endeavor to exceed employee expectations. Additionally, the business should also ensure that the customer needs are not static and dynamic, which means that they are changing with time and becoming increasingly informed and demanding customers. The company has to strive to meet using offering products and services as well as managing them and trying to exceed expectations regularly (Narayanan & Raman, 2004). 

This retailer offers its customers a wide selection of products from recognized brands with the best quality. To make this happen, the organization has a supply and distribution network equipped with high technology, standards, and quality, guaranteeing that consumers will always be provided with what they want. Moreover, the concepts of quality and guarantee are also applied to the entire market. An example of its customer service is that if a customer does not find its meat products to be fresh (cold cuts, fresh products, meat and bakery), they can make a purchase return. This policy is valid for 15 days from purchase, and only the receipt or expiration date of the products must be presented; if the customer is not satisfied with the merchandise, they will be given double the value of the merchandise or two identical products (Lee, 2004).

 

Principle 2: System Approach to Management in Walmart

The ultimate goal pursued is the achievement of the objectives set. Identifying, understanding, and managing interconnected procedures as a system contributes to an organization’s effectiveness and efficiency in attaining its set objectives. It will, hence, be essential for the company to notice and manage all the interrelated processes correctly.

The chain is the leader in costs since it is that supplier who tends to assume that the items are generated through inventory, promotional activities within the warehouse, space leasing, and the restocking of the point of sale. If the spaces are misused – either because there is no product rotation or because there are exhausted ones – the supplier must assume the equivalent that the company ceases to receive. Additionally, this must be adjusted to Wal-Mart’s requirements. This retailer invests permanently in technological aspects, which helps reduce costs (for example, “chips” for merchandise, which allows the supplier to review inventory in real-time and thus can restock the shelf) (Krajewski, Ritzman and Malhotra, 2013).

 

Principle 3: Process-Based Approach in Walmart

A desired result is most efficiently achieved when the events and related resources are managed seamlessly. The actual change can be traced from the idea of the company. It has halted serving as an organization with functional areas or departments to be a company by processes to create value for customers.

Walmart has a division focused on company logistics and has several distribution centers. Some logistics concepts handled by this chain of warehouses are: 

“From there to here” logistics is how the retailer obtains its products from suppliers to the shelves and the heart of the supply chain of warehouses. The retail giant shifts several millions of products for its consumers and uses the most advanced sustainable and ecological practices for each procedure. 

Distribution Centers: The retailers’ chain comprises one of the biggest distribution operations. Walmart owns more than forty regional distribution centers, and each of the distribution center space measures more than a million square meters and is operated round the clock, 24 hours a day7 days a week, to maintain the movement of its trailers and tractors. In every distribution center, the conveyor belt installed is more than five miles long, which moves 9 thousand different product lines. One must note that these distribution centers supply between 75 and 100 warehouses within a 250-mile radius. 

Additional Distribution Centers: The Company has also set up distribution centers for particular product classifications, like jewelry, food, medicine, and shoes/wardrobe. There is also the recognized “DotCom Distribution Center,” which extends support towards the operation of Walmart.com, and the “Site-to-Store” program, the subdivision with the most accelerated growth of the whole supply network of the retailer giant. Focusing on the distribution work, the company maintains its focus on three core fundamentals: Cross docking, concentrating, and distributing itself. It also has its fleet of trucks; they deliver 24 hours a day and have 60% of trips compensated.

Source: Mark (2014)

 

Workflow and Productivity | Walmart

Workflow is a repeatable pattern of business activity enabled by the systemic organization of the resources within processes, which tends to transform materials, process information, or provide services. It can be considered as a sequence of operations or one or more complex or straightforward mechanisms (Eder, 2009).

Productivity can be defined as a concept determined by the ratio of what is received after what was invested. It is basically the ‘output versus input. This can involve several factors, like the performance of the employees or workforce, time involved in manufacturing products and services, use of equipment, and the return on capital (Iona et al., 2008).

 

Walmart’s Supply Chain Management

Wal-Mart concentrated its efforts on expanding a highly organized supply chain management strategy and improving its competitive advantage, thereby assuming a leadership position in the market.

Strategic and Efficient Association:   Establishes alliances with most of its suppliers. The network of warehouses, suppliers, and stores is determined as one firm. Their focus on its control is less centralized than frequent and informal cooperation (Wal-Mart, 2012).

Value concepts: To add value, Walmart has designed a format to handle various points of sale (neighborhood, international, express, and web). For the design of its Products, it conducts market research; for example, they shop at the competition, present the points of sale, attends merchandise shows, and analyzes merchandise packaging. Customers can appreciate the value of its high quality, low prices, wide variety, and trendy products (McNally, 2005).

Back Haul Logistics Service: Wal-Mart’s transportation goes to the supplier’s warehouse and takes it to the corresponding distribution center.

Inbound Logistics Service: The staff that goes through the merchandise to the supplier’s warehouse reviews it in more detail; it is a specialized service for shipping merchandise to the distribution center (Market Wire, 2006).

Porting Logistics Service: Refers to the porting service, a trustworthy pre-receipt area that sends the merchandise to a destination CEDIS; the charge is per pallet depending on the CEDIS that was sent.

CEDI – Distribution Center: In logistics and traffic, CEDIS is used as an alternative to improve freight and freight costs, both raw material and finished product (Global 500, 2017).

Innovation in Walmart’s supply chain was initiated when the company abolished certain links within it. In the 1980s, Walmart began directly functioning with the manufacturers to lower costs and better manage the supply chain.

Manufacturers manage products in Walmart warehouses as part of the Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) initiative. Walmart expected to close with 100% merchandise restocking (Grean & Shaw, 2002).

 

A Strategic and Efficient Partnership | Walmart

In exchange for the lowest prices possible, wal-Mart institutes strategic coalitions with many suppliers by giving them the probability of long-term, high-volume purchases. Additionally, Walmart improved its supply chain network by developing communication networks with suppliers to improvise the material flow with low inventories.

The behavior of Wal-Mart’s network of warehouses, suppliers, and retail stores is defined as if it were a single firm. Suppliers operating in the supply chain network align their demand predictions to be a part of a collaborative forecasting, planning, and resupply scheme. It can be said that all links within the supply chain are linked through technological tools, inclusive of a central database, a satellite network, and a store-level point-of-sale system (Freeman et al., 2011).

In recent years, Walmart has used radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags and numerical codes, which are assessed from a certain distance for tracking product movement during the supply chain. Since Walmart and the suppliers should manage inventory levels, Walmart has invigorated its suppliers to use RFID technology (Jones et al., 2005).

Wal-Mart’s approach results in less centralized control of informal and frequent cooperation between the distribution centers, stores, and suppliers. What makes Walmart so innovative is that it has been constantly sharing all this information with its partners when previously, no organization did. Many even paid third parties to obtain that information.

Taken together, these exemplary supplier relationship techniques allow a company to deliver products of higher quality in a timely fashion, eventually resulting in customer satisfaction.

 

Cross Docking As a Method for Inventory Tracking

In logistics, cross-docking relates to order planning (a function of a logistics warehouse) devoid of employing merchandise in the stock or inventory or receiving. It allows the transit of materials to various places or combines goods bought from different regions (Manuj & Mentzer, 2008).

The logistics practice of cross-docking is an integral component of Walmart’s strategy to restock inventory effectively. It states the un-deviated product transfer from an inbound truck to an outbound truck without using an extra storage facility.

Suppliers tend to deliver products to the distribution centers of Wal-Mart, where they will be shifted to another truck, which is on the duty of delivering those products to the stores. The cross-docking keeps transportation and inventory costs lower, reducing time to transport and eliminating inefficiencies.

Cross-docking makes it possible to avoid resting the inventory idle for longer periods; since the suppliers send the products to the Wal-Mart warehouses, they are automatically sent to the stores. The procedure involves 24 hours or less. This strategy allows Wal-Mart to reduce costs considerably and transforms them into exceedingly competitive consumer prices (Magretta, 2002).

 

Technology in Walmart

Technology plays an essential role at Wal-Mart by being a fundamental basis of its supply chain network. In its persistent quest to reduce prices, the retail giant has embraced technology to emerge as an innovator in tracking store inventory or merchandise and restocking shelves, allowing them to cut costs. The retailer has the most extended technological infrastructure than any other corporation internationally. Its network designing and state-of-the-art technology lets it accurately predict demand, control and envisage inventory levels, create highly effective transportation routes, and manage logistics for customer service and relationships (Traub, 2012).

For example, Walmart was the first to implement UPC (Universal Product Code) barcodes throughout the company, with which information can be gathered at the store level and immediately analyzed. Moreover, the retailer has developed a technological facility called the Retail Link, a global satellite network database system. This technology is linked with the analysts who forecast demand, which displays information on real-time sales from the cash registers to the distribution centers.

Even recently, the company initiated the application of intelligent labels, read by a handheld scanner, through which the employees can immediately know which product needs to be supplanted to make the shelves constantly filled up and inventory tracked closely.

As per the University of Arkansas analysts, there has been an almost 16% drop in out-of-stock issues since Walmart implemented RFID technology within its network supply chain. Experts also identified that brands applying electronic product codes restocked three times quicker than items using only traditional barcode technology (Perret et al., 2007).

Additionally, Wal-Mart also connected its suppliers through computers. For example, they created a collaboration model with Proctor and Gamble for maintaining inventory in stores. They created an automated reordering system, which connects all systems in the factory of P&G through satellites. In such a way, P&G delivers products to Wal-Mart, either in one of its distribution centers or shipping directly to that outlet or store where it is required.

Wal-Mart’s underlying management strategy has given it a chain of competitive advantages, inclusive of improved product costs, lower inventory management costs, improved selection within the stores, and hence, a low price that is competitive for the consumers. This management strategy has helped the company remain dominant in a highly competitive international market. As technology progresses, Wal-Mart emphasizes implementing innovative processes or systems to improve the supply chain for increased efficiency (Wal-Mart Corporation, 2003).

 

Purchasing Policy of Walmart

Walmart’s policy is based upon the simple norm of “cutting” costs to the lowest price possible and selling more. The group’s purchasing policy is hence predisposed to this principle. Wal-Mart defines two angles of thinking to keep prices low:

First, Wal-Mart does a market analysis. It ensures specific stability of its sales by practicing a policy of constant low prices. Thus, it avoids delicate situations of overstocking or out of stock, a consequence of fluctuations in demand. Secondly, it makes a rigorous selection of suppliers. The giant rarely takes the first step to finding a new supplier. It takes a leadership position and is placed in a position of strength by letting others take the initiative. The selection of suppliers is made according to Wal-Mart standards and criteria. Some suppliers have reformed their products so that their products are a better match for the Wal-Mart image.

For the giant, being a specialist in its sector, knowing your market perfectly, offering targeted products, and being ready for anything are the essential characteristics of a good supplier. Following this first choice, Wal-Mart analyzes the company’s politics and functioning. The corporation invests time with potential suppliers to understand their cost structures (Wal-Mart International, 2006).

Finally, the negotiations start. Once common ground is established, a “Win-Win” relationship develops between the supplier and Walmart. The giant imposes minimized margins, and profitability is based on volumes. Suppliers commit to prices; in return, Wal-Mart ensures their production. Thus some suppliers manage to obtain a monopoly on the manufacture of a product. In conclusion, the giant’s purchasing policy can be concluded with a stern selection of its suppliers and establishing a win-win relationship while imposing minimum margins to offer low prices. It is also characterized by containing contingencies due to the variations in stocks undergone by an uncontrolled demand (Lu, 2014).

 

Procurement Policy

Wal-Mart provides its partners with a computerized system (Retail Link) to link all stores. With real-time sales information, suppliers can anticipate and optimize supplies. Between processing information, ordering, and delivering the products to the store. Priority is given to information and processed as quickly as possible. In Wal-Mart warehouses, more than half of the products processed only pass through. They stay for a few minutes and are sent directly to the stores. Upon arrival in the stores, the goods are immediately placed on the shelves.

 

Sustainability in Supply Chain in Walmart

In the aspect of sustainability within operations, Walmart announced that from 2010 they have managed to eliminate 120 thousand metric tons of emissions. Thereby saving $231 million by recycling packages and doubling its supply of local produce (Mujtaba, 2007). In addition, the Global Responsibility Report (GRR) indicates that Walmart’s ecological initiatives have reduced their environmental impact. However, increased the effectiveness of its supply chain and points of sale and addressed social issues. The three main goals are using 100 percent renewable energy, generating zero waste, and selling products. It will bring benefit both people and the ecosystem.

The company declared that in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2013-14. It obtained profits of 3,742 million dollars, which is equivalent to a year-on-year increase of 10.1%. This result is partly due to the 2.6% increase in sales made in its stores located in the US.

During this period, the retailer experienced a 9% increase in its cost of production, which amounted to 85,186 million dollars (whereas in a similar period in 2011, this figure was only 78,177 million dollars) (Jones, 2006). The company announced that it expects that, in the 2nd quarter of the same fiscal year, can achieve a net profit per share that in 2012, it was confirmed by Fortune magazine that the oil company Exxon Mobil positioned itself as the biggest corporation in the United States, dethroning Wal-Mart from this privileged position. According to prominent publications in North America, Exxon Mobil reached a turnover of 452,926 million dollars in the last fiscal year, and Walmart – in this same period – reached 446,950 million dollars (Wailgum, 2014).

On the other hand – referring to the expansion plans that this retailer has – Rob Walton (President of the United States Board of Directors of the retail chain) stated that he does not rule out that this franchise decides to start operations in other countries; the ideal conditions must exist to allow this opening. Additionally, Wal-Mart evaluates that it could increase its sales in the United States by approximately 5 billion dollars annually, thanks to the strategy of fully supplying its points of sale.

The retailer has been working on improving its sales and inventory level for more than a year and thus made a decision to hire Retail In-sight (in England) as well as Acosta Inc. (in the US) for both firms to take a tour of the stores and analyze the level of stocks. Expert sources say that the five thousand million in additional sales would be above the income reported in 2011 by Wal-Mart stores in the United States (3,930 million dollars) (Clara, 2014). 

The Role of the Information System and Its Impact on the Walmart Supply Chain

The retailer’s information system is at the core of its network of supply chains. When its first distribution center was set up, it had a warehouse management system (retail link). This high-tech device links all suppliers to all the stores of Wal-Mart. Thus, they can keep up-to-date on daily product sales and react in real time to store restocking. Maintaining a history of several weeks also helps them manage their stocks better. This information saved allows for optimizing, adjusting, and even anticipating supplies. Good management of the sales network demands the automation of business operations (Johnson, 2002).

One of Wal-Mart’s successes is also logistics management. Walmart entrusted this part to SCM Supply, a British giant Tibett & Britten subsidiary. This one counts as prestigious client brands such as IBM, Nike, Gap, Carrefour, or Metro. In this area, too, information is at the center of concerns. No aspect is left to chance; the whole thing is planned. The movement of all the goods is recorded and documented. At a given time, more than 80,000 references are managed, recorded, and traced (Handfield & Nichols, 2002).

In warehouses, more than half of the products only pass through and return to the stores. This notion of speed is at the heart of supply chain management at WalMart. The main objective is to sell the merchandise quickly so that customers pay it before the supplier pays. It is the customers who ensure the cash flow of the firm.

 

International Expansion and Logistics | Walmart

Sam Walton founded Walmart in the seventies; its growth level registered strength for the company until it became the biggest retailer in the US, having an annual sale of approximately 32.6 million dollars registered in the early 1990s. This growth to a potential level that led a mid-sized Arkansas retailer to emerge as a company that is recognized nationally was based on a top-notch management team, which established a series of operating strategies that were highly innovative, thus extending support to the commitment of the company to offer the consumer a varied selection of high-value merchandise at a low cost (Mujtaba, 2006).

Wal-Mart ventured into a circular distribution system, in which the central warehouse distributions are strategically situated for supply groups of stores; such a situation was used to reduce inventory and logistics costs. In addition, Wal-Mart was the pioneering organization that implemented a computerized information system for tracing the sales of stores and immediately communicated this information to the suppliers. Information obtained from these computer-based systems is used for determining both the pricing and the storage strategy, along with improving the management and control of inventories.

Therefore, Walmart remains to be a leader in information systems presently. WalMart stores, suppliers, and distribution centers are interlinked by sophisticated information systems as well as communication systems through satellite, which allow the adjustment of stock prices and orders on a daily basis.

Its success rests on the nature of the strategic control systems that its founder, established for the company, Sam Walton, created a strategic control system that provided employees at every level with feedback related to their ongoing performance and that of the company (Mujtaba, 2007).

Walmart has developed a culture and a control system that creates incentives for both associates and managers to do their best for the company. This culture is supported by a generous plan of stock ownership and profit sharing with all the employees, including managers. In addition, Wal-Mart, a pillar in the development of a dynamic and egalitarian culture, provides authority to warehouse managers, heads of departments, as well as individual employees (known as associates); they are given special treatment however at the same time, a higher level of, as well as excellent performance, is required.

To achieve this, a system of financial control was developed which gave managers the power to monitor performance daily in all aspects of the business; The information regarding the store’s profits and the turnover rate of the goods is provided to the managers who, in turn, communicate it to the employees; Thus, by information sharing, the Walton Method enables all the managers to understand the basics of the retail business to improve it. If a store has underperforming associates or managers, the associated reasons can be discussed, and a solution can be derived to enhance the performance level (Leenders et al., 2006).

Walton devised and established an intricate control system based on rules and budgets to determine the behavior of employees. Top-level managers visit stores that report problems and dedicate Saturdays to meetings debating the financial results of the week and its implications in the future. To do this, Walton insisted on linking performance with the level of rewards. The individual performance of each manager is measured by their capability to meet precise production goals or objectives and is reflected in salary increases and promotion opportunities. To do this, Walmart promotes and incentivizes from inside the company rather than hiring managers from other companies. In the same way that top-level managers are given huge stock options related to the performance objectives and the price of the shares of the company; ordinary associates can also benefit from such action;

For example, a manager who joined in the 1970s, by this time may have gathered more than $ 250,000 in stocks due to the rise in the stock of Walmart over time. Each store will perform its undertakings in a similar manner. All the employees will be receiving similar training so as to train them how to behave in front of customers, so Walmart can handle standardized operations, which records greater cost savings and allows making changes in stores with greater flexibility; Walmart is not satisfied with just using behavioral controls and monetary rewards.

They are engaging their employees in business and encouraging them to develop such behaviors at work which is more focused on the provision of quality customer service, developing strong cultural values ​​and company norms, most notably the ten-foot attitude developed by Walton during his visits to stores, where he encouraged his managers to pledge that as long as they were within ten feet of the distance of a client, they would look them in the eye, greet them and ask if they could help him; the rule of the fall of the sun, which establishes that employees must endeavor to respond to customer requests at sunset on the same day they receive them; and the Wal-Mart cheer (give me a W, give me an A and so on) that is used in all stores (Simchi-Levi et al., 2003).

Irrespective of successes Walmart faced significant problems in 1991. With more than 1,500 stores operating nationwide, the company’s growth prospects in the US are minimal; as a result, it decided to start expanding its business operations outside the US, hence creating an international brand. Walmart considered Several options closely related to its expansion, including providing licenses to franchisees. However, they immediately decided that it would be a lot better to expand operations by means of wholly owned subsidiaries in the countries whose local regulations made it possible.

Finally, the management concluded that the competitive advantage is based upon a blend of information systems, culture, and supporting logistics. This strategy can be a tough job to convey to the franchisees; it was also considered that the managerial knowledge that underpinned its system and culture failed to correspond to the concept of franchising (Peterson, 2014).

As part of its penetration strategy, once a store in a foreign country has been established or attained, the retailer transfers some American managers to that particular store for at least 2 – 3 years to establish the administrative systems and transfer its culture to the new associates. The strategy has worked; Walmart’s international stores contributed around five billion dollars in sales and 120 billion dollars in revenue, representing their profits. Today the giant Walmart has several stores worldwide, from Canada to Latin America and from the United States to Asia, including “old Europe” (Wal-Mart Inc., 2014). 

 
 

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Know the Impact of IoT on Business and Society

by Shamsul May 26, 2023

Impact of IoT on Business and Society

Abstract

The literature review highlights how IoT has transformed how organizations do business today. How society functions, along with discussing the potential of IoT in transforming the world we live in today.

The literature review discusses the potential of IoT use and the risks and challenges faced. It touches on how society and organizations as a whole benefit from IoT implementation and what challenges and risks can be waiting around the corner if proper IoT implementation and related rules and regulations are not followed.

The literature review discusses IoT’s benefits, challenges, and risks

to organizations and society, along with the possible actions that should be taken to derive maximum benefits from IoT while eliminating involved risks and challenges to all possible extents.

Extensive analysis of the literature reveals that while almost all researchers agree on the importance and beneficial nature of IoT, almost all present some concerns over its adoption strategies and the need to develop a use infrastructure system with the right rules and regulations, that will overcome challenges and risks and offer the maximized benefit of the technology.

Table Of Contents

Abstract 1

Introduction. 3

Emergence of IoT.. 3

Paradigm Shift in Technology and Its Effect On Business. 4

Potential Benefits Organizations Can Derive From IoT Use. 5

Potential Risks Of IoT Use. 6

Future Actions To Support IoT Implementation. 8

Create Global Value in B2B.. 8

Optimizing Operations. 9

Create Innovative Economic Models. 9

References. 11

Introduction

Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of connected objects that are able to link and communicate with each other, along with other devices that are internet enabled (Ramos, Augusto & Sharipo, 2008). Ramos, et.al., (2008) evaluate IoT as offering the capability of controlling and monitoring the physical world in a remote manner. 

Hashem, et.al., (2015) further adds that the adoption of IoT will enable businesses to yield immense benefits, in addition of the Big Data that will be gained as a result offering valuable insights and the potential to obtain value from them. This however does not mean that scholars and researchers are not concerned about the risks involved as Scarfo (2014) points out that there may be factors and risks associated with IoT use that may have unintended effects on its use by organizations.

IoT is clearly generating great interest. The number of related devices is predicted to reach 55 billion by 2025, and companies recognize that a connected workplace would offer several opportunities. Realizing that IoT can have a major impact on a company, its mode of operation, its personnel and its flexibility is fundamental for its adoption (Challal, 2012). Soon all the devices owned and virtually all of the things that exist – will be connected to the Internet. Whether it is via a mobile phone, “clothing” devices or ordinary household appliances, everything will be linked to the Internet of Things (IoT) by means that cannot be imagined yet.

 

Emergence of IoT

Attaran (2017) defines the evolution of technology as being in its third wave currently. The first wave included the worldwide web connecting computers with various networks and connecting people with people in the second wave. IoT is the third and current wave that has connected everything with everything else. May it be people, devices, types of machinery, environments or virtual objects, everything today is interconnected.

The thermostat, alarm system, smoke detector, doorbell and refrigerator in your home may already be connected, but changes are also beginning to be seen across cities. Thanks to better management of energy, water, transport and security, residents are closer to their environment, which brings us to realize a fully integrated, intelligent and sustainable city. In addition to this, an incredible bubbling of activity and innovation at the level of production plants is also witnessed, where the potential of cyber-physical systems to improve productivity and efficiency in the production process is immense (Vermesan et al., 2011).

 

Paradigm Shift in Technology and Its Effect On Business

According to consulting firm Gartner, Inc., (2013), 6.4 billion connected devices will be used worldwide this year, up 30% from last year. This figure is expected to triple to almost 21 billion by the end of 2020 (Gartner Inc, 2013).

The impact of IoT is ever-expansive as technology rapidly gains acceptance and adds to the functionality. There are three major economic sectors that will experience a phenomenal boom in terms of IoT solutions, e.g., businesses, governments and consumers. Businesses by far will adopt IoT solutions owed mostly to the potential it offers with respect to enhancing productivity, lowering costs of production and exploring and expanding to newer markets, besides aiding in the development of new products or adding value to existing ones (Shim, et.al., 2019)

On an international level, major developments are taking place in the conventional manufacturing industry, marking the dawn of intelligent manufacturing, also known as Industry 4.0. (Sen, 2010). IoT provides manufacturers the ability to track objects, to find out how consumers use certain products, and to determine which features are paramount. They can thus better understand the adjustments to be made to increase the adoption and purchase rates. Businesses want to know what users are doing with the products to take advantage of them, and IoT gives them the opportunity.

 

Potential Benefits Organizations Can Derive From IoT Use

The biggest benefit IoT offers organizations by far is the Big Data abundancy. Fleisch (2010) identified 7 drivers of value related to IoT’s use by businesses, also partially discussed in further literature on the topic. These include

1. Enhancement of job satisfaction, consumer empowerment, reduced labor cost and improved quality of data received (Bi, Da Xu, & Wang, 2014; Fleisch, 2010).

2. Reduction in costs of process failure, fraud and labor cost, along with offering high granularity information that enables achieving of efficiency through enabling improvement of process (Fleisch, 2010)

3. Improvement of quality of service by means of prompt control of service and identification of potential areas that require improvement of the process (Brous & Janssen, 2015, Fleisch, 2010)

4. Reduction in cost of process security and process failure, enhancing trust in consumers (Fleisch, 2010)

5. Direct feedback enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of service through flexible, robust and accurate processes (Fleisch, 2010)

6. Widely ranging feedback from users offering opportunities of advertising to new consumer segments and seeking new revenue streams (Fleisch, 2010)

7. Identification of trends through customer feedback, ideas on new product features and enhancements and selection of new segments that attract consumers (Fleisch, 2010).

Chui, et.al. (2010) further add on that the IoT applications of Automation and Control and Information and Analysis have contributed tremendously to enhancing the efficiency of organizations and enforcing compliance through the amount of processed data IoT has offered and respectively the base for analyzing that data. Further on Information and Analysis ability IoT has offered organizations has enabled them to experience effective decision-making based on quality data received from various networked physical objects and analytics driven by sensor-based tracking devices.

Harrison (2011) also stresses on the benefits IoT offers for eCommerce and Commerce entities as the granular data collected automatically and in real-time, with the ability to share instantly has transformed the business scenario completely.  

IoT offers a vast variety of benefits offering analysis and real-time data measurement offering tactical, political, strategic and operational benefits that have completely transformed how businesses operate today (Brous & Janssen, 2015).

 

Potential Risks Of IoT Use

Although there is no denying the tremendous benefits IoT has offered organizations, yet there are risks, challenges and barriers to its complete adoption. Organizations are turning towards IoT to observe new data sources; however, as Scarfo (2014) put it, one great challenge faced is the security, information sharing and privacy of this data. Security and privacy have been a major concern. Moreover, they are the main obstacle to the complete adoption of IoT (Skarmeta, et.al., 2014).

There are concerns related to the disclosure of user information as there is a possibility of revealing sensitive information in the process, related to personal or financial data, etc. Unauthorized access can put many users at risk of being exploited and will impact the privacy of users severely (Fan, et.al., 2014; Kranenburg, et.al., 2014).

Misuraca (2009) explains that there is no second opinion that IoT has brought a wealth of opportunities for businesses; however, there is a need to develop regulations and policies related to IoT that are drafted sensibly, as poorly coordinated regulations and policies can actually hinder its adoption and impede its implementation. Also, organizations need to place themselves very carefully among these regulations (Stephan, et.al., 2013).

Another challenge organizations face in the implementation of IoT is the high implementation and development costs. Though overall cost reduction is a benefit of IoT initial implementation and development is a costly affair, coming as a challenge to organizations (Yazici, 2014). According to estimation, Walmart’s vendors had to spend around $1 million to $3 million on RFID implementation, signaling that a fully functional system of IoT can be substantial for organizations. (Yazici, 2014).

Like any new technology, IoT can be confusing and a little scary, especially when the debates revolve around standardization. Currently, the biggest problem in the field is the lack of consistent standards.

There are no standards for certain layers of IoT technology, but others are the subject of many competing standards, none of which is clearly decisive. Without a “common communication method”, devices will only be able to communicate with their own brands, which will seriously reduce the interest in connected machines. It is enough to consider connectivity issues to understand how difficult the lack of stable standards can complicate product development and industry growth. For example, if an organization that develops smart clothing technologies differs from a company that develops technology for smart buildings, the chances of communicating their products are minimal (Khan, Khan and Khan, 2012).

Future Actions To Support IoT Implementation

Create Global Value in B2B

To make the IoT more understandable for the general public, society is enthusiastic about the release of various “wearables” (activity trackers, connected watches, etc.) and equipment for the connected home. It is true that these areas carry considerable value where the global wearable market is expected to “more than double” in 2015. However, the fact is the essentials: in the next ten years 70% of the value will come from applications in B2B. Experts estimate that around $ 11.1 billion in value will be created every year, $ 5 billion of which will come from B2B alone, such as production in the broadest sense, that is, manufacturing, agriculture and even health structures, extraction of raw materials (mines, gas, oil), construction and finally, in offices (Chen, et.al., 2014).

The potential of IoT is therefore global. Emerging markets with their intensive manufacturing production will be the first to adopt it. 38% of the global estimated value is likely to be generated in developing economies. These countries having less legacy technologies, their economies will skip stages. Quantitatively, the deployment of IoT (factories, extraction, oil and gas, construction) could exceed that in post-industrial economies (Stankovic, 2014).

 

Optimizing Operations

Investing in IoT hardware is just a starting point in the value creation chain. Most of the competitiveness gains will be realized elsewhere: the IoT will provide a constant flow of essential data in decision-making and which will optimize operations, work organization and staff allocation.

According to (Chen et al., 2014), IoT systems will centralize all data concerning the operation and actual use of the equipment. This data will then be more precise than the information collected from consumers or during studies. Manufacturers will be able to understand which functions of their products are more or less frequently used, in order to modify the design to make them more functional. In addition, improving the iterative loop (e.g. updating online connected products) will make the whole more robust and more relevant. So, instead of depreciating, the object will continue to increase in value (Chen et al., 2014).

Currently, most of the data generated by the IoT sensors is not in use. Usually on an oil drilling site, a traditionally “early adopter” area, 30,000 detectors are installed. Only 1% of the data is in practice, yet this data is an important source of additional value.

 

Create Innovative Economic Models

IoT can lead to the creation of new business models that would be game-changing in various industry sectors. For example, the use of IoT connectivity and data can transform the sale of industrial capital goods into a service. There are many ways to create new economic models. First, knowing when and how the equipment is used allows manufacturers to optimize and monetize a new use-consumption. Second, the data set obtained from all these objects helps the supplier to gain performance in the management and use of its equipment. For example, analyzing IoT data would help improve maintenance forecasts, reduce downtime and anticipate peak usage (Hui et al, 2012).

This change in the economic model will encourage companies to strengthen their service offer. Product development turns into service development, where value is co-created with the customer. It will not be enough to focus on the product features for which customers will pay the most. Understanding customers’ expected results will be vital to formulate the most effective offer.

 
 

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References

Attaran, M. (2017) The Inter of Things: Limitless Opportunities For Business And Society. Journal of Strategic Innovation And Sustainability. 12(1), pp. 10-29.

Bi, Z., Da Xu, L., & Wang, C. (2014) ‘Internet of Things For Enterprise Systems Of Modern Manufacturing’, Industrial Informatics, IEEE Transactions. 10(2), pp. 1537–1546.

Brous, P., & Janssen, M. (2015) Effects Of The Internet Of Things (IoT): A Systematic Review Of The Benefits And Risks. The 2015 International Conference On Electronic Business. [online] Available at file:///C:/Users/MSE/Downloads/dualityofIoT-benefitsandrisks-shortversion.pdf

Challal Y. (2012) Security Of The Internet of Things: Towards A Cognitive And Systemic Approach. HDR, June, UTC.

Chen, S., Xu, H., Liu, D, Hu, B., & Wang, H. (2014) A Vision Of IoT: Applications, Challenges, And Opportunities With China Perspective. IEEE Internet Things. 1(4), pp. 349–359.

Chui, M., Löffler, M., & Roberts, R. (2010) The Internet Of Things. McKinsey Quarterly. 2 , pp. 1-9

Fan, P. F., Wang, L. L., Zhang, S. Y., & Lin, T. T. (2014) ‘The Research On The Internet Of Things Industry Chain For Barriers And Solutions. 441, pp. 1030–1035.

Fleisch, E. (2010) ‘What Is The Internet Of Things? An Economic Perspective’, Economics, Management, and Financial Markets. 2, pp. 125–157.

Gartner (2017) Forecast: Internet of Things — Endpoints and Associated Services, Worldwide. [online] Available at  www.gartner.com.

Hashem, I. A. T., Yaqoob, I., Anuar, N. B., Mokhtar, S., Gani, A., & Khan, S. U. (2015) The Rise Of “Big Data” On Cloud Computing: Review And Open Research Issues Information Systems, 47, pp. 98-115.

Harrison, M. (2011) The Internet of Things’ And Commerce XRDS: Crossroads, The ACM Magazine for Students. 17 (3) pp. 19-22.

Hui, S., Wan, J., Zou, C., & Liu, J. (2012) Security in the Internet of Things: A Review. IEEE.

Kranenburg, R.V., Stembert, N., Victoria Moreno, M., Skarmeta, A.F., Lopez, C., Elicegui, I., & S´anchez, L. (2014) CoCreation as the Key to a Public, Thriving, Inclusive and Meaningful EU IoT.

Ramos, C., Augusto, J. C., & Shapiro, D. (2008) Ambient Intelligence-The Next Step For Artificial Intelligence. IEEE Intelligent Systems. 23 (2), pp. 15-18.

Scarfo, A. Internet of Things, The Smart X Enabler. (2014) International Conference on Intelligent Networking and Collaborative Systems (INCoS).pp. 569-574.

Sen, J. (2010) Internet of Things – A Standardization Perspective. [online] Available at www.gisfi.org/wg_documents/GISFI_IoT_2010062.pdf.

Shim, J. P., Avital, M., Dennis, A. R., Rossi, M., Sorensen, C., & French, A. (2019) The Transformative Effect Of The Internet Of Things On Business And Society. Communications Of The Association For Information Systems. 44.

Skarmeta, A, F., Hernandez-Ramos, J. L., & Moreno, M. V. (2014) A Decentralized Approach For Security And Privacy Challenges In The Internet Of Things. IEEE World Forum On Internet Of Things (WF-IoT). pp. 67-72.

Stankovic, J. A. (2014). Research Directions For The Internet of Things. IEEE Internet Of Things. 1(1).

Stephan, E.G.,  Elsethagen, T. O., Wynne, A. S., Sivaraman, C., Macduff, M. C., Berg, L. K., & Shaw, W. J. (2013) A Linked Fusion Of Things, Services, And Data To Support A Collaborative Data Management Facility. 9th International Conference Conference on Collaborative Computing: Networking, Applications and Worksharing (Collaboratecom), pp. 579–584.

Vermesan, O., et al. (2011) “Internet of Things Strategic Research Roadmap”, Cluster of European Research Projects on the Internet of Things.

Yazici, H. J. (2014) An Exploratory Analysis Of Hospital Perspectives On Real Time Information Requirements And Perceived Benefits Of RFID Technology For Future Adoption. International Journal of Information Management. 34 (5), pp. 603-621.

May 26, 2023 0 comment
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BusinessManagementMarketingScholarlyWriting

Continuous Professional Development is Part of HR Practitioners

by Shamsul May 15, 2023

Continuous Professional Development is Part of HR Practitioners

Q.1 Critically assess if HR Practitioners need to be ‘professional.’ Does continuous professional development have a part to play? Justify your answers by referring to yourself as a future HR Practitioner and to current debates about the future of the HR profession.

Introduction 

Today, it is challenging to ignore the ethical question that runs through our society and to which the company is not immune. Is this an “ethical wave” sweeping? A question that arises following a scandal or, more generally, when things are not going well? Is this a new management? The names of sustainable development, social responsibility, and ethical management are different; practices and expectations may vary or be similar (Greenwood, 2001). All sectors of the company are affected: finance, marketing, production, and human resources; all the “stakeholders” of the company are concerned: those who work or govern it, customers, suppliers, competitors, neighbors, various associations, and others. What is the role of human resources managers? How are they affected? These questions are indeed helpful and need to be answered.

The Image of the Leader 

Staff’s perception of their leader as a “moral” leader is essential. This encourages staff to follow the leader and enables a process of change. The leader’s role is “to articulate and personify the values ​​and standards to which the organization aspires, to inspire and motivate employees to follow their leader.” If we think first of all of the company’s managers, each of them is now called upon to play a leadership role at their level of responsibility. “Staff needs to recognize the moral characteristics of the leader: his honesty, his integrity.” “This will allow the leader to focus the attention of the organization over ethics and values ​​and to disseminate in the organization those principles which will guide the actions of the employees” (Crane & Matten, 2004).

Certain practices related to organizations and human resources can be qualified as “unethical.” These applications discredit the entire company: in theory, we are talking about new working models; in practice, this may be accompanied by part-time jobs rather than full-time jobs; In theory, we can speak of flexibility; in practice, it may be for management to “do whatever it wants”; In theory, we can talk about delegation, empowerment and, in practice, making someone else take risks and responsibilities; In theory, we can speak of training and development and, in practice, of manipulation; In theory, we can speak of the recognition of the work of individuals and, in practice, we “underestimate unions and collective disputes”; In theory, we can speak of work teams and, in practice, be less respectful towards individuals (Werhane, Radin and Bowie, 2004).

The HR professional suggests strategically managing staff as business resources to the management team. This includes managing the recruitment and hiring of employees, coordinating employee benefits, and suggesting training and development strategies for staff. In this way, HR professionals are consultants, not workers with an isolated business function; they advise managers on many employee-related issues and how to help the organization achieve its objectives (Billett, 2001).

Role of Continuous Professional Development

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is “a combination of approaches, ideas and techniques to help you manage your learning and growth.” The emphasis is on the results and benefits such training can bring in the real world (Collin, 2006).

For HR practitioners, the appeal of CPD is evident as they demonstrate that they have been proactive in safekeeping their skills up to date while keeping abreast of the latest developments in the industry. For the candidates themselves, investing time and energy in CPD increases motivation, productivity, and job satisfaction, so it is a valuable quest whether or not you are actively looking for an employment opportunity.

The objectives of CPD are to ensure that their knowledge, skills, and abilities are up to date, to gain confidence in their professional role, and will take on more challenging roles and possibly change roles or jobs. In some professions, it is compulsory to meet a given quota of CPD activities to continue to be certified or authorized to practice as a professional (CIOB, 2007). 

Increase Earning Potential

CPD can benefit an HR practitioner for many reasons because it results in higher career earnings. Academic upgrades allow graduates and working professionals to increase their earning potential by updating their skills or learning new ones relevant to the workplace. After all, many graduates only know what is expected once they enter the workforce and assess the daily task required to succeed. Continuous professional development provides a flexible and easy way to improve one’s skills and a thirst for development (Briggs & Sommefeldt, 2002). 

Communication, as well as the maintenance of an excellent working atmosphere, is an essential element for an HR practitioner. Through CPD, practitioners can better understand what professionals mean and better appreciate work implications since knowledge will increase with the profession (Chiangmai, 2005). This is because, in this way, the manager can get the most from their employees, broadening their skill sets and adding value to the organization.

Investing effort, time, and training have become essential for establishing an effective and strong HR department and professionals (Latham & Wexley, 2001). Being a human resource manager imposes a responsibility that the company’s policies are being enforced consistently. A company lacking human resources may open itself to serious issues, where expertise, skills, and knowledge are only possible if regularly updated, ultimately impacting productivity.

Continuous Professional Development can help review, reflect, document the learning process, and update professional skills and knowledge (Nägele & Hasler, 2010). This can also serve as an excellent tool for motivation since it tends to remind the practitioners to work on their development, which will result in an enhanced level of confidence and strengthened professional credibility, along with helping the employees to be creative and innovative in handling new challenges. Moreover, diversity and flexibility offer HR practitioners an opportunity to get a learning approach that best suits the capabilities of the individual (Noorazah & Juhana, 2012).

 
 

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References

  1. Billett, S. (2001), Learning in the Workplace. Strategies for Effective Practice (Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin
  2. Briggs, A. R., & Sommefeldt, D. (2002). Managing Effective Learning and Teaching. London: Paul Chapman Publishing
  3. Chiangmai, C. N. (2005). Human-Focused Management For Future Progress. In Abdul Ghani PG Hj Metusin & O. K. Beng (Eds.), HRD for Developing States and Companies (pp. 32–43). Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
  4. CIOB (2007) Continuing Professional Development: Underpinning your commitment to your career [Internet], Ascot, Berkshire. Available from < http://www.ciob.org.uk > [Accessed 23rd July, 2007]
  5. Collin, K. (2006), ‘Connecting work and learning – design engineers’ learning at work’, Journal of Workplace Learning, 18, 7/8, 403–13
  6. Collin, Kaija & van der Heijden, Beatrice & Lewis, Paul. (2012). Continuing professional development. International Journal of Training and Development. 16. 10.1111/j.1468-2419.2012.00410.x.
  7. CRANE Andrew et MATTEN Dirk, (2004) Business Ethics, New York, Oxford
  8. Greenwood, M.R. 2001. Community as a stakeholder: Focusing on corporate social and environmental reporting. Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 1(4): 31-45
  9. Latham, G. P., & Wexley, K. N. (2001). Developing and Training Human Resources in Organizations (Prentice Hall Series in Human Resources)(3rd Ed.). Prentice Hall
  10. Nägele, C., & Hasler, P. (2010). Learning at the workplace and development of professional competences. In L. Deitmer, M.-L. Stenström, & S. Manning (Eds.), ECER VETNET Conference 2010 (pp. 1–29). Helsinki.
  11. Noorazah, M. N., & Juhana, S. (2012). The Influence of Theories on Factors Affecting Knowledge Sharing and Its Relationship with Innovation and Organizational Performance. In 6th Knowledge Management International Conference (KMICe) (pp. 509–514). Johor Bahru, Malaysia: Universiti Utara Malaysia
  12. Werhane, P. H., T. J. Radin, and N. E. Bowie. (2004). Employment and Employee Rights. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.
May 15, 2023 0 comment
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Madame Tussauds London Museum
CelebritiesManagementMarketingScholarlyTravelWriting

Attractive Madame Tussauds Museum Analysis

by Shamsul May 15, 2023

Attractive Madame Tussauds London Analysis

Executive Summary

The Madame Tussauds Museum London is an attraction hotbed for tourists, residents, and locals. However, the destination has changed its positioning strategy as its visitors were declining compared to earlier periods. Forcing the goal to reposition its strategy and include residents and locals in the loop. Who was largely ignored earlier on, as the main emphasis was on tourists?

Madame Tussauds market itself as an entertainment-filled experience of premium level. Visitors can get a lifetime experience during the visit. They are in awe at the mesmerizing life-like wax figures that offer the real feel of almost all grade personalities and celebrities that one could admire.

Madame Tussauds Museum London aims to highlight its global expansion and attract visitors to the sheer excellence the wax figures offer, ensuring that the destination remains competitive in all aspects.  

 

Selection of Organization | Madame Tussauds Museum

The selected organization Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London was initially opened in 1835. It was originally located at the ‘Baker Street Bazar’ in London. It was located at its present place on Marylebone Road in 1884. The London Madame Tussauds Museum is the first of the many attractions that have opened up the world over. They have welcomed over 200 million visits to the museum, currently welcoming 2.5 million visitors annually (Sandys, 2017). It offers a star-struck world of top celebrities carved in wax and tailored to perfection. It offers visitors a chance to come face to face with their favorite celebrity wax figures and has pictures taken that they can cherish for a lifetime (Madame Tussauds, 2019).

The destination has also been widely recognized both at national and international levels and is one of the most thrilling and preferred tourist destinations. The operating company markets its products and services through various platforms, including websites and social media, using the website as the main source of strategic moves. Owed to access information and is an ideal situation for brand positioning, this destination was chosen for study in this report.

 

Current Position | Madame Tussauds Museum

Madame Tussauds Museum is one of its kind of tourist attraction as even though there are branches of the museum located at different points throughout the world; however, the wax figures of top celebrities belonging to different spheres of life are unique life-like figures that define the quality of art to a new level, besides offering visitors a chance to embrace their favorite celebrities through their wax figure versions. The destination has been appreciated for its unique offering the world over, and as an independent company, the positioning of the company is very high in terms of marketing. The destination serves as a national heritage and attracts tourists visiting the country on a regular basis.

The Madame Tussauds Museum serves as a must-visit attraction in London. Formerly, the branding position of the museum was largely based on the brand’s visual identity, which spawned several branches of the museum in Asia, Australia, North America, and Europe. Currently, the museum has engaged in brand repositioning by representing the experiential and immersive art of Madame Tussauds by means of photographic imagery of the different galleries of the Museum (Madame Tussauds, 2019a). This is done to reflect the global expansion of the unique waxwork displayed in the different branches of the museum (Sandys, 2017).

 

Brand Symbol | Madame Tussauds Museum

The brand symbol of the destination is the specific name of Madame Tussauds, written in red, white, and golden, and slightly engineered in 2017, offering it a new look. The brand logo was also translated into different languages, including Turkish and Arabic, to offer the same symbol positioning technique in all branches worldwide (Madame Tussauds, 2019).  

 

Product of Madame Tussauds Museum

The products of Madame Tussauds Museum are professionally crafted wax figures. It offers intricate detail and an absolute finish to wax models that can easily replicate the live version of those figures. The Madame Tussauds wax statue museum, is well known for the exact likeness of well-known celebrities, either living or dead. The museum has several wax figures, including sporting legends, a list of celebrities, political stars, historical icons, and royal figures (Madame Tussauds, 2019). The museum has forever stored a moment in history where the respective star has experienced the glory and the world enjoyed it. The wax statues of the museum offer people the chance to relive the moment.

The Madame Tussauds wax museum has upgraded its positioning. Instead of portraying the museum as a mere tourist attraction with wax figures, the museum has offered a new visual identity to the museum to boost the count of visitors (Dawood, 2017). While previously, the only form used by the museum to attract tourists was the visual-led strategy; however, now the brand’s visual identity is modified and reflects diverse and modern experiences by means of introducing striking photographic images of some of the famous works present in the galleries of the museum (Sandys, 2017).

 

Brand Personality of Madame Tussauds

The brand personality of Madame Tussauds is a premium brand that carries a unique identity of its own. The museum presents itself as a compelling attraction for tourists and local visitors. All attractions and marketing efforts being put up by the destination on its website are towards presenting the entire experience as a whole new adventure that the visitors will go through once they are inside. The website offers a sneak peek of the different galleries, including superheroes, Hollywood and Bollywood stars, Sportsmen, politicians, the Royal family, etc.

Madame Tussauds presents itself as a whole new world where visitors can enter and make their dream of meeting anyone special on the planet in the museum. Also, visitors click pictures with their almost life-like favorite celebrities. It offers them a sense of pride and accomplishment. This excitement is not available anywhere else, as access to so many stars from the world over is not possible anywhere else, according to the website.

 

Brand Depth And Width

 The museum offers 5 different offerings for tickets with differing values, with

  1. The standard ticket costs £29, offering access to more than 250 wax figures of famous personalities; however, you need to wait for your turn in a queue to access the museum figures.
  2. The second ticket costs £39 and offers the same attractions as the standard ticket, however with fast access and without the wait.
  3. The third ticket costs £44 and offers a standard ticket with royal tea, where visitors have the chance to spend the entire afternoon in the royals gallery and enjoy tea with the royal family wax figures, where visitors will be offered a selection of sandwiches, hot drinks, scones and cakes.
  4. The fourth ticket option is the Premium ticket, costing £45. Without any wait, access to the museum is given, along with complimentary popcorn to enjoy the Marvel 4D experiences while accessing the Sherlock Holmes experience in the gallery.
  5. The fifth and last variant of the tickets is the Family ticket priced at £27, accommodating at least 5 people with a maximum of two adults and a minimum of two kids (Madame Tussauds, 2019b).

There are also other options for enjoying the museum galleries, which are offered as packages, including pairing the Madame Tussauds museum experience with other sights of the cities. The pairing is available in two, three, and four other destination pairings. All bookings can be made online via the destination website.

 

Brand Communication Strategies

Website is the prime communication strategy; however, Madame Tussauds Museum also engages with its visitors via social media. Recently after re-engineering the brand position, global print communication and advertising were in practice as an option to communicate with customers. It is changing the perception of the brand and inducing it as a more premium experience that makes a visitor feel grand. All communication efforts centered on presenting a more colorful and glamorous. It is emphasizing that everyone, local or tourist, must visit the place.  

 

Analysis of Positioning | Madame Tussauds Museum

The Madame Tussauds, brand positioning strategy focuses on attracting more visitors to the museum by exploring their fascination with their favorite celebrities and presenting the entire experience as one that makes the destination a compelling option for every tourist and local resident. The inputs used in promoting destination branding and its expected effects are defined in the diagram below.

Engaging On Social Media through Educating People on New Attractions and special offers introduced by the museum.

The above diagram explains the techniques and positioning methods Madame Tussauds used to market its attractions. The reason for using these positioning tactics is that the museum offers a premium-level experience to its visitors, which is only available here. The level of skill required and the finesse that is offered as the main attraction in the destination positioning strategy of Madame Tussauds is a kind of service that is unique to the destination only. To offer the same experience to others, branches of the museum have been opened in multiple locations worldwide, following the same positioning strategy, which has worked well for the museum to date.

Madame Tussauds Museum directs all its branding efforts towards the fact that it is the only destination of its kind available anywhere in the world. This is an exceptional experience for visitors in which they should engage at all costs. The wax figures available in the museum are of premium quality and are nearly life-like figures. People should feel pride when they click a photo with any wax figure. It looks like the admirer is taking a picture with a real person or object in the world, making the entire experience exciting and fun.

Such immense is the uniqueness and attraction of the destination that it manages several branches of the destination in different parts of the world. This is yet another aspect that the destination uses as it offers personalities in every branch that admires highly by the people of those areas. They visit the different areas where the Madame Tussauds Museum has branches. The company does not directly communicate this aspect of the brand. However, it is subtly implied through the delivery process (Chaudhuri & Holbrook, 2001, p.88).

 

Feedback | Madame Tussauds Museum

Madame Tussauds is a famous destination. Its destination branding efforts have worked well for it, evidenced by the many branches the brand has opened up worldwide. Even though every branch follows its own branding strategies based on the requirement of its target customers. The Madame Tussauds Museum London, besides being the pioneer of the brand, is also a significant landmark. It has managed to maintain a strong position among several other attractions in the country.

Regarding positioning strategy, the museum displays itself as a good premium attraction. However, it should target all customer segments and introduce more figures that are more informative. It will help to attract the attention of young kids or school trips. It will further stimulate marketing effects, as kids tend to have ripple effects. If they like something, they will urge their parents toward it. This will satisfy the aim of the destination to target the local population in its loop as well.

Regularly adding attractions further builds the interest of people who repeatedly visit to see what is new. Targeting only one segment of customers, e.g., tourists, will only utilize the potential partially. They will act as a loss on the destination’s part, especially when competing with other giant features in the country.

 
 

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Read More:

WANT TO VISIT SRI LANKA – MY 3-WEEK ITINERARY

FROM EMPERORS TO XI JINPING: THE FORBIDDEN CITY, THE CHINESE SOUL IN A PALACE

MIGRATION! LIFE AS AN EXPAT – THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

References

Chaudhuri, A. & Holbrook, M., 2001. The chain of effects from brand trust and brand affect to brand performance: the role of brand loyalty. Journal of Marketing, 65 (April), 65(April ), pp. 81-93.

Dawood, S. (2017) Madame Tussauds Reveals New look To Show “its” More Than Just A Wax Museum.[online] Available at  https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/24-30-april-2017/madame-tussauds-reveals-new-look-show-just-wax-museum/ [Accessed: 28 April, 2019].

Katz, N. (2015) Madame Tussauds. [online] Available at http://madame-tussauds.visit-london-england.com/ [Accessed: 28 April, 2019].

Madame Tussauds. (2019) Who Is Madame Tussauds? [online] Available at https://www.madametussauds.com/london/en/latest-news-and-about/our-history/] [Accessed: 28 April, 2019].

Madame Tussauds. (2019a) Latest news and About. [online] Available at https://www.madametussauds.com/london/en/latest-news-and-about/ [Accessed: 28 April, 2019].

Madame Tussauds. (2019) Tickets. [online] Available at https://www.madametussauds.com/london/en/tickets/. [Accessed: 28 April, 2019].

Sandys, A. (2017) New Brand Position For Madame Tussauds. [online] Available at http://www.transformmagazine.net/articles/2017/new-brand-position-for-madame-tussauds/ [accessed: 28 April, 2019].

May 15, 2023 0 comment
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Disease And Nutrition | Scholarly Article

by Shamsul May 9, 2023

Disease And Nutrition

Diet and Nutrition: Atherosclerosis and hypertension are at the heart of developed countries’ most prevalent cardiovascular diseases. These two diseases are overwhelmingly influenced by diet and can be addressed with nutritional help and the rising obesity epidemic. The nutrients in the diet are a complex mixture with the potential for interaction. It can be challenging to comprehensively study diet essentials or nutrients and how they affect cardiovascular disease.


In various racial and environmental contexts, a number of dietary factors play a critical role in these illnesses. Early prevention must be practiced since these risks are frequently present in young people. Even though studies in developed countries provide the majority of the knowledge about cardiovascular disease and nutritional risk factors, the situation is quickly escalating to epidemic levels in developing countries, placing a heavy burden on health services and the economy.
Diet has a significant impact on a number of cardiovascular disease risk factors. Although studies in developed countries account for the majority of data about nutritional risk factors, the condition is hastily intensifying in developing countries to epidemic levels, putting a huge strain on the financial condition and the availability of healthcare services.

Part 1 – The Diet | Disease And Nutrition

Criterion 1 – Deficiency or excess of CHO, PRO, and Fat

To assess the nutritional requirements of an individual, especially if some kind of health disorder is also present, health professionals generally refer to the RDA as the base using which the diet is adjusted according to the patient’s individual case (Dudek, 2014). The patient is a 60-year-old, 6 ft tall, African American male weighing 230 lbs (104 kg approx). His diet consists of fast food, which is generally low in carbohydrates, with a single patty burger offering 34 grams of carbohydrates, equaling only 11% of an adult’s daily value percentage. Our patient should consume enough carbohydrates to offer 45% to 50% of his required calories.

For example, if the patient aims to consume 2,000 calories, 225 grams to 325 grams should come from the carbohydrates taken in the daily diet (Coleman, N.A). This is also necessary as the patient is overweight and aiming to lose weight. Also, since his diet is high in calories and low in nutrients, there is no doubt that calorie intake is coming from sources other than carbohydrates. The patient needs to enhance his intake of carbohydrates in his daily diet.

Disease And Nutrition

Regarding protein requirements, the patient consumes a diet offering excess protein, surpassing his daily requirements. The RDA suggests 0.8 grams of protein intake per kilogram weight of an individual, which allows our patient to consume 83.2 grams of protein daily, however since he leads a sedentary lifestyle, this consumption pattern is decreased even further, as active individuals require more protein compared to ones leading a sedentary lifestyle (Bragg, 2017), however, currently the patient is taking much higher than recommended protein intake, which is another reason of weight increase in the patient. It is also significant to indicate that weight increase will also adversely affect the diabetes condition of the patient.

Fat intake again is in excess as the patient follows a diet that includes a lot of high-calorie food. The daily fat consumption of the patient depends on the number of calories he is to take daily, which is around 20% to 35% of the daily calorie count. Assuming he is to take a 2,000 calories diet daily, this would total 44 to 78 grams of fat to be taken daily (St John, 2017). The patient currently is taking much more fat than required. Also, since he requires losing weight, the fat consumption should be reduced even more.

Disease And Nutrition

Criterion 2 – RDA Requirements for Micronutrients

RDA or Recommended Dietary Allowances are the daily average dietary intake levels that are required at sufficient levels to meet 97% to 98% of the daily nutrient requirement for healthy individuals based on gender group and life stage (Dudek, 2014).

The amount of intake varies from person to person, depending on the diet and quantity consumed. However, insufficiencies and dietary malnutrition can lead to the development of few chronic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes (Azadbakht & Esmailzadeh, 2012). 

The patient is already overweight and suffers from type 2 diabetes. Thus, his nutritional requirement is even more essential to maintain.

The patient follows a fast food diet that is high in calories and low in nutrients. Fast food offers very low micronutrient-related benefits and is a variety of essential nutrients such as zinc, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and, in some cases, healthy fat sources (El-Seweidy, et al., 2008). The bread wraps or similar items provided with fast food are often white bread, which offers little to no protein or fiber for the body, whereas vitamins and minerals are almost extinct in fast food (Dray, 2017).

Disease And Nutrition

Though salads, fruits, vegetables, and grains are a big source of nutrients; however, these things are seldom ever found in fast foods. Even in some cases where salads may offer some nutrients, more is needed to cover the dietary requirement of the person. Essential minerals such as calcium and iron can be found in some fast foods with cheese, but not in sufficient quantities. Other minerals like zinc, copper, and potassium are absent. Also, even though fast foods are a big source of fat; however, almost all of this fat is saturated fats, and no healthy fat in the form of mono-saturated or poly-saturated fats can be found in fast food (Dray, 2017).

While many essential micronutrients are deficient in the patient, others, such as Sodium, can be found in abundance. Fast food offers notoriously high levels of sodium, weighing down on your kidneys and heart, which perform the duty of ridding the body of excess sodium. It is a source of high blood pressure (which our patient suffers from) and increases the chances of heart disease, osteoporosis, and kidney stones. Fast food also offers an abundance of transfats and sugars, both of which are fatal for heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. Even though a lot of calories are offered from fast food; however, the nutrient count is very low, leading to weight gain (McDermott, 2014). Thus our patient’s diet is deficient in essential micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, copper, zinc, calcium, etc, and very high in trans fats, sodium and sugar.

Part 2 – Disease And Nutrition

Criterion 1 – Nutrition and Pathophysiology

Salt or sodium content is the leading reason behind elevated blood pressure, though numerous other reasons can contribute to its rise. The patient is hypertensive and suffers from Type 2 diabetes, and continuing a fast food diet would increase the level of blood pressure and, to an extent, blood sugar also. However, sodium is largely considered as being a key contributor (Blood Pressure UK, 2008).

Blood pressure is referred to the force of blood that forces against the walls of the blood vessels. HTN or High Blood Pressure also referred to as hypertension, is when this pressure rises above the normal range in the arteries. An individual’s diet affects high blood pressure tremendously as some foods increase, while others can help decrease the blood pressure. Also, gain in weight contributes to high blood pressure and vice versa. It is suggested to high blood pressure patients that they eat foods low in fats, sodium, and calories. Since the patient is also suffering from Type 2 Diabetes, food rich in fats, sugar, and sodium also has adverse effects on the patient. Sugar contributes directly to the increase of glucose in the body, worsening its symptoms, whereas sodium and fats increase body weight, which also affects diabetic patients.

Disease And Nutrition

Fast food contains sodium in abundance, which increases the level of salt in the body. Excess salt puts stress on the kidneys, which have the duty of washing off excess salt from the body. The body retains water to wash off excess salt, and this, in many individuals, can lead to a rise in blood pressure. The extra retained water puts stress on the heart, kidney, arteries, and brain and requires them to work harder than usual. The kidneys remove the fluids from the body through urine, using the osmosis process that draws the extra fluid out of the body. This process takes place under a delicate balance of potassium and sodium. The more the amount of salt consumed, the more the delicate balance of osmosis is wrecked, affecting the capability of the kidneys.

The result of all this is high blood pressure which is a result of strain on the delicate blood vessels. Also, over time, this unbalance starts to affect the functioning of the kidneys, which loses its effectiveness in flushing out the toxins from the body that start accumulating (Blood Pressure UK, 2008a). Following a salt-free or low-sodium diet is one quick way to lower blood pressure.

A human requires a set amount of cholesterol to function normally; however, exceeding the amount of cholesterol means building it up in the arteries. This blocks or narrows them, increasing the chances of stroke or heart attack. Another thing is that fast food diets are rich in saturated fats. The body transforms saturated fats into cholesterol and enhances the risks mentioned above (Blood Pressure UK, 2008c). Fast food is the biggest source of saturated fats contributing to HTN conditions in the patient.

Disease And Nutrition

Eating high sodium and trans fat-loaded foods results directly in gaining weight, making it impossible for the patient’s body to regulate the amount of sugar present in it. Weight gain is one of the high risks associated with Type 2 diabetes, as when the body contains a lot of fat tissue, especially in the mid-section area, the body increasingly begins to resist insulin. Insulin helps for removing sugar from the blood and body cells (Hepler, 2016). Initially, when this starts to happen, the body does not prepare enough insulin to monitor sugar levels. The pancreas mistakes this as a need to produce more insulin, which wears the pancreas out over time, and the body stops producing insulin. The sugar level develops in the blood, causing the patient to become diabetic, characterized by high blood sugar in the body.

Fast foods are high in calories, are processed, and contain large amounts of sugar and saturated and trans fats, increasing sugar levels in the body. They also increase bad cholesterol that induces weight gain, again contributing to the elevation of diabetes conditions.  

 

Disease And Nutrition

The patient must eat foods that are low in sodium and calories, such as fresh vegetables and salads without dressing or lean white meat (chicken, fish) broiled or boiled. Also, the use of herbs and lemon juice should be encouraged to season food instead of salt. Oily and bakery products should be avoided. To counter the diabetic symptoms, food rich in sugars should also be avoided along with foods that contribute to high blood pressure or weight gain, as it together contributes to worsening diabetic situations.

Foods that should be taken include Greek yogurt, or 1% skimmed milk, to balance calcium requirements, which also lowers blood pressure and aids diabetic patients. Lean meat, skinless chicken meat, cereals, grains, low fat, unsalted cheeses, fresh fruits (that are low in sugars), and vegetables, plain rice, and pasta, are all good foods for HTN, type 2 diabetic patients. Patients should refrain from using too many fruits and control their intake as fructose produces a higher postprandial glucose rise than sucrose (Dudek, 2014). Unsalted seeds such as squash, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds are also healthy food options as they are rich in minerals, lowers blood pressure, and do not harm diabetic patients.

Also, foods rich in dietary fibers are very good for the patient. The patient should ideally take 5 to 7 servings of vegetables per day. Though butter and margarine should be avoided, they can only be taken once a week in small quantities.

Disease And Nutrition

Criterion 2 – Medical and Nutrients Related Interventions and Dietary Needs

Metformin is a known medication often prescribed to people with diabetes. It lowers blood sugar levels, decreasing glucose in the blood. It also enhances the insulin capability of the body to push out excess sugar from the body. The patient takes 500mg of Metformin twice a day and Metoprolol 200 g daily with a multivitamin. Though there is no need to avoid any foods when on Metformin, however, consuming alcohol, along with the medication, is not recommended. Alcohol consumption is limited when on Metformin, as too much alcohol, including wine, beer, and hard liquor, breaks up Metformin, affecting its performance.

Metformin is having an antihyperglycemic agent that improves glucose tolerance levels in a patient suffering from Type 2 diabetes. It lowers both postprandial and basal glucose. Its pharmacologic mechanisms are very different from other oral antihyperglycemic agent classes. It decreases the production of hepatic glucose in the patient’s body and enhances the sensitivity towards insulin by increasing peripheral glucose utilization and uptake. Unlike other sulfonylureas, Metformin does not contribute to the production of hypoglycemia in either diabetes type 2 patients or normal patients alike.  

Disease And Nutrition

Metformin therapy does not affect the body’s insulin secretion, and its levels remain the same as fasting insulin levels. In contrast, the day-long response of plasma insulin has been seen to decrease. A fast food diet disrupts this balance and adds excessive sugar to the patient, requiring him to take more medicine dosages to regulate blood sugar (Metformin Hydrochloride Tablets, N.A.). Moreover, the fatty and sodium-laden diet affects the patient’s blood pressure, which in turn increases blood glucose in the patient, requiring him to take two dosages of 500 mg of Metformin daily.

Metformin is also prescribed to be taken with multivitamins as Metformin interacts with some well-known nutrients such as calcium, Vitamin B12, folic acid, and chromium. Since patients taking Metformin are often seen to suffer from deficiencies of these nutrients, especially B12, which leads to deficiency of calcium as well, Metformin is often prescribed along with a multivitamin (Briggs, 2017). One side effect of Metformin is weight loss as it induces appetite loss in patients and a feeling of fullness. To overcome this, fiber-rich food should be taken that offer the feeling of fullness for a longer time and offer more nutrients to the body.

 

Disease And Nutrition

Metoprolol is a beta blocker that affects blood circulation in the veins and the heart. It is a medication used to monitor high blood pressure and angina. It is also used to treat patients that are at high risk of heart attack. This medicine, when taken by diabetic patients, makes it hard to identify low blood sugar; however, since that is rarely a case in Type 2 diabetes, it is safely prescribed to patients. There are no food reactions that occur with Metoprolol. However, the medication should be taken right after meals at a certain time every day, even if no symptoms occur as blood pressure medications continue for life (Drugs.com, 2017).

The patient also takes multivitamins regularly, which means either it should be supplemented with a diet that offers sufficient nutrients or foods that will overload certain vitamins in the body, causing harm should be avoided. For example, if iron supplements are being taken, foods rich in iron, like spinach and red meat, should be avoided or taken rarely. Similarly, Vitamin A overdose can also harm the human body; thus, if doses of Vitamin A are present in dosages enough for daily requirements, foods containing Vitamin A should be avoided, such as liver, sweet potato, carrots, spinach, etc.

Disease And Nutrition

Part 3 – Patient Education

Criterion 1 – Nutrient Calculations

The patient is a 60 years old male, weighing 230 lbs (104 kg approx) at 6” height.

BMI

After calculating BMI, the patient’s BMI rests at 31.2, which is way over the healthy weight BMI which should be between 18.5 to 24.9 (Dudek, 2014).

BMI = weight in pounds ÷ height in inches 2 X 703

            = 230/ (72 X 72) (703) = 31.2

BMR

The patient’s BMI shows him as an obese individual, and thus, his caloric needs would be assessed for a sedentary old age male individual. The right amount of calories the patient can consume to stay healthy is 2005 calories a day; however, since he is leading a sedentary lifestyle, he is also aiming to lose weight; the calculations below depict the number of calories needed to maintain the current weight. Since each pound contains 3500 calories, aiming to lose one pound per week requires eating 500 fewer pounds every day. Calculations from further on will be calculated based on (2406 – 500) 1906 calories intake daily.

1- BMR = 66.47 + (6.23 X weight in pounds) + (12.7 X height in inches) – (6.8 X age in years)

2- BMR = 66.47 + (6.23 X 230) + (12.7 X 72) – (6.8 X 60) X (sedentary lifestyle 1.2)

3- BMR = 66.47 + (1432.9) + (914.4) – (408) X (1.2)

4- BMR = 2410.19 – 408 X (1.2)

5- BMR = 2005 X 1.2

6- BMR = 2406 calories per day

CHO

Intake of carbohydrates varies from person to person, and carbohydrates are not restricted for the patient however should be taken with precaution monitoring the glycemic effects and spreading those carbohydrates over the entire day’s meals.

Least amount of carbs/day = 1906 X 0.45 = 858/4 (calories/gram) 214 grams of carbohydrates/day

The maximum amount of carbs/day = 1906 X 0.65 = 1239/4 (calories/grams) 310 grams of carbohydrates/day

The daily range of CHO for the patient lies between 214 – 310 grams/day, indicating that around 858 to 1239 calories should come from carbohydrates on a daily basis.

PRO

The protein intake according to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is calculated based on the weight of the individual 0.8 g per kg weight. According to Dudek (2014), the acceptable macronutrient distribution range for protein lies between 10% to 35% of the total calories required.

PRO = weight in kg X 0.8 = total grams of protein intake

PRO = 104.3 X 0.8 = 83.44 grams/day or 334 calories/day

FAT

According to Dudek (2014), the Acceptable Macronutrients Distribution Range (AMDR) for fats is estimated at 20% to 35% of the total calorie intake for adults. Based on the calculation below, the patient should take 42 grams to 74 grams of fat daily.

Least amount of FATS/day = 1906 X 20% = 381 calories/9 calories in 1gm fat = 42.3 gm/day

Maximum amount of FATS /day= 1906 X 35% = 667 calories/9 calories in 1gm fat = 74 gm/day

Disease And Nutrition

Criterion 2 – Patient Care Plan with SMART Goals

SMART Goal 1

The patient will make a two-day menu consisting of three meals a day, choosing protein and carbohydrates rich foods and white meat, legumes, whole grains, and fresh vegetables. A small amount of nuts and seeds (unsalted) will also be the part of diet on a weekly basis. Goal met.

SMART Goal 2

The patient will spread his diet in small portions spread over the entire day, focusing on eating a larger portion (75%) of the meal in the daytime. The patient will consume large amounts of vegetables 4 to 5 times a day, with fruit consumption restricted to a slice of low fructose fruit once daily, due to diabetic conditions. Whole grains in small portions can be consumed in 6 to 8 servings a day; for example, a piece of whole grain bread will suffice for one serving of the day.

SMART Goal 3

Low-fat and sugar-free dairy products, such as skimmed cheese or low-fat yogurt, can be consumed daily. Nuts, legumes, and seeds can be consumed 3 to 4 times a week. Two servings of unsaturated fat sources per day can be taken to cover the daily requirements of fats.

The patient is a 60-year-old, 6 feet tall, African American Male who is a type 2 diabetic patient, hypertensive, and dealing with obesity. He came in with increased sugar levels and enhanced blood pressure of 160/100, with a temperature of 98.8 degrees Fahrenheit.

The patient had been a diabetic patient for the past 12 years, with high blood pressure prevailing for an even longer period. This patient is a regular fast food eater, indicating continuously elevated blood pressure trends. The patient currently consumes Metformin 500 mg twice a day to control blood pressure, and a multivitamin is also being taken to overcome the nutrient deficiency. To control sugar levels, 200 mg of Metoprolol is also taken daily. The patient leads a sedentary lifestyle with no exercise at all. He travels moderately, has a family with kids, and consumes large amounts of calories, almost varying nutrients.

Initial attempts were made to normalize the patient’s blood pressure, and sugar levels were checked to offer medications. After Blood pressure normalization, the patient was offered a sugar-free, fiber-rich diet to offer him the energy he needed to stabilize, after which he was educated on the need for physical exercise and a healthy diet (George & Hazle, 2016). The food types he should take in abundance and the ones that should be avoided were also explained to him. The patient was also guided that medications are to be taken throughout their lifetime and the consequences that the patient will have to bear if he discontinues.  

This is the end of the academic post on Disease And Nutrition. You can read more here.

 
 

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References

Azadbakht, L., & Esmailzadeh, A. (2012) Macro and Micro-Nutrients Intake, Food Groups Consumption And Dietary Habits Among female Students In Asfahan University Of Medical Sciences. Iran red crescent Medical Journal. 14(4), pp. 204-209.

Blood Pressure UK. (2008) Eat Less Salt To Lower Blood Pressure. Retrieved from http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Yourlifestyle/Eatingwell/Salt

Blood Pressure UK (2008a) Salt Effects on Your Body. Retrieved from http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/microsites/salt/Home/Whysaltisbad/Saltseffects

Blood Pressure UK. (2008c) Limit Your Intake Of Saturated Fat. Retrieved from http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Yourlifestyle/Eatingwell/Fatsandcholesterol

Bragg, N. (2017) Fast Food And Protein. Retrieved from https://www.livestrong.com/article/285380-fast-food-and-protein/

Briggs, A. (2017) Foods To Avoid When On Metformin. Retrieved from https://www.livestrong.com/article/40440-foods-avoid-metformin/

Coleman, E. (N.A.) How Much Protein & Carbs Per Day If Over 50? Retrieved from http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/much-protein-carbs-per-day-over-50-7708.html

Dray, T. (2017) What Nutrients Are Lacking In Fast Foods. Retrieved from https://www.livestrong.com/article/324105-what-nutrients-are-lacking-in-fast-foods/

Drugs.com (2017) Metoprolol. Retrieved from https://www.drugs.com/metoprolol.html

Dudek, S. G. (2014). Nutrition essentials for nursing practice (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

El-eidy, M. M., Hashem, R. M., Abo-El-Matty, D. M., & Mohamed, R. H. (2008) Frequent Inadequate Supply Of Micronutrients In Fast Food Induces Oxidative Stress And Inflammation In Testicular Tissues Of Weaning Rats. J Pharm Phamacol. 60(9), pp. 1237-1242.

George, C., & Hazle, L. (2016). Cystic fibrosis: Nurses act as a healthcare provider, advocate and educator for CF patients. Advance Healthcare Network for Nurses. Retrieved from http://nursing.advanceweb.com/Continuing-Education/CE-Articles/Cystic-Fibrosis.aspx

Hepler, L. (2016) Junk Food And Diabetes. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes/junk-food#Overview1

McDermott, A. (2014) Reasons Fast Foods Are Bad For You. Retrieved from http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Fast_Foods_Bad_for_You

Metformin Hydrochloride Tablets. (N.A.) Metformin Hydrochloride Tablets. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/02/May02/053102/800471e6.pdf St John, T. M. (2017) How Many Fat Grams Per Day? Retrieved from http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/many-fat-grams-per-day-4137.html

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