Growth strategies and key fundamentals

Growth strategy is a tactical plan devised and executed for the purpose of business expansion. Growth strategies should be part and parcel of every business whether small or big.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Growth strategies and key fundamentals specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Expansion strategies are specifically essential for small business ventures which get easily influenced even by the slightest alterations in the market. Changes in the customers, price and competition can negatively affect the growth of any business. Having a strategic plan of growth provides a sense of direction for a business and helps a lot in the minimization of the effects of market place changes (Sabharwal, n.d). This paper compares and contrasts different growth strategies and key fundamentals that should be considered before embarking on an important strategy of growth and wealth building. Every organization has the responsibil ity of formulating its specific expansion strategy according to its own uniqueness in order to function more competitively. The main growth strategies include expansion, diversification and modernization. Expansion entails escalation of the market share and increasing profits and sales returns of present products and services. This can be successfully done through increased production of existing products and services so as to satisfy a larger market hence increase in sales and profit. The expansion strategy is beneficial especially for those businesses that have a smaller share in the market (Sabharwal, n.d).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Besides expansion, diversification is a good growth strategy which involves the development of fresh products and services for fresh markets. It reaches a point where a business can no longer expand its existing products and services. Th erefore, for the purpose of increasing sales, the business should opt for diversification as a growth strategy. Moreover, diversification is not only about changing the outlook of a product or service but also adding completely different products and services. It is evident that there is a major difference between expansion and diversification. Expansion involves an increase in the production and sales of existing products while diversification entails the addition of entirely fresh products and fresh markets. A business can also use modernization as a strategy to realize growth. Modernization involves the improvement of technology to intensify production, enrich value and to trim down wastage and production expenses. The dilapidated and old-fashioned machines and equipment are exchanged with recent ones in order to guarantee efficiency and effectiveness. Moreover, modernization enables a business to become more competitive and enhances acquisition of up to date skills by employees. In addition, modernization enhances growth by ensuring that the profitability of a business is increased because of heightened efficiency and minimized wastage (Sabharwal, n.d). There are key fundamentals that should be considered in any business before embarking on the important strategy of growth.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Growth strategies and key fundamentals specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They fundamentals include the people that make up the business, the purpose for operating the business, the business processes that are undertaken to fulfill the purpose, the physical resources required to accomplish the processes and the customer who is willing to buy the products and services of a business. All these factors should be considered in order to determine the success of any growth strategy (McKaskill, 2010). Conclusion Every business should have a strategic action plan for the purpose of achieving a competitive advantage and to acquire a good share in the market. Therefore, growth strategies should be included in future plans of a business in order to enhance efficiency. A business without a growth strategy will be unable to survive in the market in this technological era. Businesses always choose their growth strategies depending on their individual needs. For instance, a business that faces the risk of its products becoming obsolete should opt for diversification as a way out. It is evident from the research that there are key aspects that should be in place in order to ensure a successful implementation of a growth strategy. The aspects which include the people, the resources and the customers work hand in hand in ensuring the survival and success of any business venture. Reference List McKaskill, T. (2010, February). Ultimate Growth Strategies. Web.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sabharwal, S. (n.d). Alternative Growth Strategies for Small Business. Web. This essay on Growth strategies and key fundamentals was written and submitted by user Gloria F. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Gender Discrimination At The Work Place

Abstract Gender discrimination prevails in society in general and at workplace in particular and the worst affected remains the women workforce to date. This research assignment presents statistics and arguments in support of its thesis statement thereby discussing the element of discrimination that exists in the corporate world on the basis of gender differences. The works cited page appends seven sources in MLA format. Outline I. Introduction II. Research findings: How big is the problem? III. Cause and effect chain of workplace discrimination IV. Conclusion Gender Discrimination in the Workplace Discrimination in any field of life is unjust as well as highly disturbing. However, workplace discrimination is a challenge faced by various organizations world over as well as a social dilemma and a professional hurdle that uncountable employees experience in today’s highly competitive work environment. The passages below throw light upon the extent to which gender discrimination exists in the U.S. work environment and the entire research assignment supports the thesis statement which claims that women are largely affected by gender discrimination in the workplace; a fact that has led to wage and power inequalities in the workplace between men and women and has resulted in other problems including psychological hazards and unjustified career constraints for women. Discussion is based on the extensive research conducted by the experts in the related field. Research Findings on Gender Discrimination: How big is the Problem? Although times have changed and so has the general mentality of the employers as well as the employees. However, the situation at the corporate level still needs to change. Women to date complain of gender discrimination at workplace particularly in the areas including â€Å"income, unemployment, and occupational distribution† (Trentham & Larwood). Statistics derived... Free Essays on Gender Discrimination At The Work Place Free Essays on Gender Discrimination At The Work Place Abstract Gender discrimination prevails in society in general and at workplace in particular and the worst affected remains the women workforce to date. This research assignment presents statistics and arguments in support of its thesis statement thereby discussing the element of discrimination that exists in the corporate world on the basis of gender differences. The works cited page appends seven sources in MLA format. Outline I. Introduction II. Research findings: How big is the problem? III. Cause and effect chain of workplace discrimination IV. Conclusion Gender Discrimination in the Workplace Discrimination in any field of life is unjust as well as highly disturbing. However, workplace discrimination is a challenge faced by various organizations world over as well as a social dilemma and a professional hurdle that uncountable employees experience in today’s highly competitive work environment. The passages below throw light upon the extent to which gender discrimination exists in the U.S. work environment and the entire research assignment supports the thesis statement which claims that women are largely affected by gender discrimination in the workplace; a fact that has led to wage and power inequalities in the workplace between men and women and has resulted in other problems including psychological hazards and unjustified career constraints for women. Discussion is based on the extensive research conducted by the experts in the related field. Research Findings on Gender Discrimination: How big is the Problem? Although times have changed and so has the general mentality of the employers as well as the employees. However, the situation at the corporate level still needs to change. Women to date complain of gender discrimination at workplace particularly in the areas including â€Å"income, unemployment, and occupational distribution† (Trentham & Larwood). Statistics derived...

Woman and Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Woman and Human Rights - Essay Example It was acclaimed in New York on18 December 1979 (Haan, 2010). This document proclaims that women should be protected by the government against discrimination. Numerous aspects connected with gender discrimination are considered in this document. Another regulative document is Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict acclaimed on 14 December 1974 (Haan, 2010). This document guarantees protection of women and children rights in armed conflicts. Thus inhuman acts violating the rights of women and children are considered to be destructive in this document. Very often civilians suffer from armed conflicts for liberation or a struggle against an enemy. This issue is considered in the document in detail. Another document is Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women acclaimed by General Assembly resolution 48/104 on 20 December 1993 (Haan, 2010). This document propagates that â€Å"the rights and principles with regard to equality, s ecurity, liberty, integrity and dignity of all human beings† are practically and legally applied to women. Basically, the violence against women is understood as violation of rights and basic freedoms of women. As far as this document propagates non-violation against women it can be claimed that this document would practically help a ‘full advancement’ of women.... In accordance with world’s analysts, â€Å"unless we empower and render justice to women we stand little chance of making a dent on the problems of conflicts, underdevelopment and injustice† (Women Gaining Voice). Therefore there is a need to focus attention of the International Commission on human rights and other related organs on the necessity to centralize women interests and rights. On their behalf, Women’s organizations around the world should proclaim their rights and appeal to the society to support all women in the world. The situation is better in EU and America, but the countries of the Third World experience even greater complexities connected with women’s rights regulations (Pillai et al, 1999). For example, in Africa there is a fast development of women’s movement directed on development of women’s partnership with media, educational and training institutions etc. Thus, it is evident that hindering factors of promotion and prote ction of human rights in Africa are facilitated by active participation of women’s organizations in that country. The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) is a non-governmental organization though it has a strong goal: â€Å"to participate effectively the development of our continent and †¦ensuring that African women voices influence decisions made at different levels that impact of their lives† (Women Gaining Voice). Therefore it is evident that a struggle against oppression of human rights in Africa conducted locally is a sign of advancement of ‘women’s empowerment, development, equality and peace in Africa’ (Women Gaining Voice). Basically, reforms of women’s attitudes to their rights

Canada Employment Labor & Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Canada Employment Labor & Law - Essay Example Canadian labor laws require every employer to implement programs that are helpful to employees, the employer, the dependents of the employee and the community (the Canadian Charter for Occupational Health and Safety Act). This act obliges employers to provide a safe work place from sexual harassment and discrimination. On the employee and his dependents, occupational health programs should facilitate low personal health care costs, sustained earnings and increased productivity. It is the duty of the employer to offer safe work place from incidents such as discrimination and sexual harassment. The employer needs to probe incidents and take relevant actions to prevent similar event from happening in future. For instance, in this case, the employer should terminate work contract with Marcus Marques because his behaviors are dangerous and might lead to injury of other employees at the work place. The position of other nurses should not make the employer reinstate Marcus since they did not complain to the management. The situation would not be different if the Union was supporting Marcus reinstatement because his work relationship with nurses has proved futile. Marcus has violated the law by sexually harassing the two nurses at work. Even if the Union defended him, it would be hard for him to positively relate with fellow workers. The union needs to represent the interests of all employees including the two nurses; they should not be discriminated against. However, based on collective bargaining agreement between Marcus and Lester William hospital, his firing was not justified. Therefore, the union needs to step in and represent the grievances of the worker against the employer for failure to honor the collective bargaining agreement. Despite the fact that the two nurses are against Marcus reinstatement, it is the duty of the union not discriminate against him until the case is heard and

The Importance Of IHRM Management Essay

The Importance Of IHRM Management Essay Introduction Increasingly, companies are being wooed to expand into foreign lands and globalisation; a word so commonly hear nowadays till it seems to be a facet of modern business model. Some underlying reasons for companies to go global are technologies advancement, cost efficiency and trade specialisation. The above mentioned are just the tip of an iceberg as there are much more incentives which attract companies to globalize. However, as organisations reach outward for the market, many failed to recognise the importance of international human resource management (IHRM). Those organisations which hold little regard or no importance for IHRM often suffered setbacks and chain effect consequences. According to Stening et al (1997), while internationalisation of business has increased opportunities for organisations and staff, it has inevitability created a myriad of Human resource management (HRM) challenges related to multicultural workforce that is diverse. More then often, these challenges prove to be much complex and subtle in nature. In this essay, we will first look into the disparity between domestic and international HRM, the factors and elements that impetus the importance of IHRM and the knowledge and skill that are so relevant, yet scarce in our modern organisations structure. On top of that, we will be looking into the areas of problems and challenges that HR managers and the expatriates constantly faced. Disparity between Domestic and International HRM (IHRM) Many organisations often have a misconception when it comes to IHRM. They often think that they could simply applied domestic HRM policies overseas and attaining the same desire result back home. As a matter of fact, there is a vast difference between domestic HRM and IHRM, where the latter being much more complex and challenging. According to Stone(2008), domestic HRM is being defined as: HRM as practised within the geographical boundaries of one country. Its focus is the management of people in a single-country context While International HRM is being defined as: HRM as practised by multinational organisations. Its focus is the management of people in a multi-country context From Stones definitions, we can roughly tell the difference between domestic HRM and IHRM. Where domestic HRM is only practical in a single-country context, IHRM is applicable globally. Conceptualisation of International HRM policies Deriving from the basic of Human Resource Management (HRM), International HRM can be view as add on to the already existing HRM policies. Stone(2008), posed some valid questions with regard to developing international HRM policies. Some examples were: what kind of organisation are we looking at? Are we looking at a home country organisation, a multinational organisation or a truly global organisation? What are the organisations mission and vision? What is the organisation core business and how can the organisation be successful? And lastly, what type of culture is desired in the organisation. By answering Stone questions, HR managers can then conceptualise the basic foundation of the organisation, so as to set and streamline their HR policies to the organisation objectives. With that, we will be able to ensure that the organisation and their people are moving in the same direction. Challenges faced by International HRM Practising HRM in a different environment, culture and ethics background is sure challenging. Nevertheless, if IHRM is being executed appropriately, the reward reaped will contribute to the organisations growth indirectly. Some typical challenges that the HR managers faced are cross-cultural issues; training and development, remuneration package, performance appraisal and international staffing process. To fulfil these challenges, it is imperative that the HR managers are sensitive to the people and adaptable to the environment while their organisation establishes foothold globally. Cross-cultural issues Cross-cultural issues can turn disastrous if the HR managers are ignorant or refuse to spend efforts to understand the situations. Often so, this is the starting point where most misunderstanding and problems spawn. We will examine the few aspect of cross-cultural issues namely: communications, ethics and management style. Cross-cultural communications According to Stone(2008), cross-cultural communications occur when a person from one culture communicates with a person from another culture. Simple gestures, facial expressions and words can turn out to be very different in meaning, depending on the individual culture and priority they have for what and how things are being said or written. Stone went on further to break cross-cultural communications into two parts, high-context cultures and low-context cultures. Quoting from Stone(2008), high-context cultures can be defined as: Cultures where non-verbal communications (such as body language and gestures) and indirect language are use to transfer meaning And low-context cultures are being defined as: Cultures where verbal communications are explicit and direct. What is said is what is meant. High-context cultures can be commonly found in Asia countries where great importance is being placed in personal relationship like family relationship and friendships. It is crucial for HR managers to interpret the true meaning of what is being said over what the other party actually mean. Failure to do so will lead to unnecessary misunderstanding and confusion. Low-context cultures on the other hand are straight forward and simple. This culture is most prevalence in the western country where YES mean yes and NO simply mean no. HR managers should not beat around the bush when handling such situations. A direct and concise approach will lead to the progression of the matters on hand. Ethics Ethics can be explained as the ability to differentiate between right and wrong. It is a moral value instilled in one since young, and changes constantly due to environmental, religion influences and education level. What may seem right to you may be a big taboo to the others. As there are many grey areas where ethics is concern, extra sensitivity should always be bear in mind. This is especially so in situations where organisation do business in places where bribery and corruption are the key to business success or should organisation exploits the workers to their advantage when there is no worker union remains unanswered. HR managers should always refer back to the organisation values and direction so as to align their own judgment and ethics to the best of the organisation. Management style Management style can be greatly influence by the culture and the organisation structure. For example in Singapore Arm Forces (SAF), a military organisation; the management style has to be a top-down approach. When the commander has given a specific instruction, the rest will follow with no question asked and this management style is extremely critical especially during war time. Interestingly, this top-down approach or autocratic style is very common in Asia, mainly due to the respect and trust a subordinate has for their superiors, a clear display of cultural influence. Another management style which is a contrast to the top-down approach is the paternalistic style. This particular management style allows subordinates and their superiors to be on equal ground, allowing decision making to be distributed equally. This kind of management thrives in sectors where collative ideas are imperative to the success of the organisation. A good example will be the engineering or research sectors where there might be chances of a better idea coming from the subordinates instead. This kind of management style is widely practice in the western countries like United States, where children are taught to ask questions whenever they dont understand. Whichever management style to be apply will have to depend on the host country and their cultural background as well as the organisation core business. HR managers will have to be open minded and flexible as there is no one medicine that cure all illness. Training and development Training and development in foreign country can be a tricky issue. According to Stone(2008), diversity of the workforce, language and cultural differences will influence how the training and development program be structured. A very good example will be the language of the program to be conducted, should English or the host-country language be used? Are there any taboo topics which should be avoided? Which type of leaning style will attain the most desired result, instructional or facilitative style? These are the few areas of concerns that HR managers will tend to encounter frequently. As a general rule of thumb, new and innovative training and development can be good, but at the same time it should not deviate too much from the cultural norms. So as to ensure that the best end result can be achieve while not creating confusion and difficulties for the participants. Remuneration package National culture is an important consideration in strategic remuneration (Stone, 2008) Remuneration package will varies in different part of the world, depending heavily on the cultural environment of the host country. In places where seniority is valued, the remuneration style will be based on the rank and the number of years in service to the companies. Such remuneration style is prevalent in Asia countries and in organisation that adopt the hierarchy concept. A stark difference to this will be the meritocracy concept of remuneration package, where remuneration will be based on the individual achievement and contribution to the organisation. This style of remuneration is widely practice in the western country and in organisation where achievement and contribution can be quantified. Adopting the right remuneration package will not only spur employees to give their best but more importantly, it can retain the talents and boost the organisations reputation. Performance Appraisal Conventionally, performance appraisal was considered as a knotty problem in the HR function and internationalisation of organisation simply complicate this function further. Different cultures will have different appreciation for performance and it is virtually impossible to set a standard for performance. For example, to get a good performance appraisal in China, one will need to have good personal relationship with their superiors. (Lu et al, 1998) Knowing strong and influential people will also ensure a smooth work life. But this might not be the case in organisation where good performance simply mean high sales figure or other factors which can be quantified. Performance appraisal for expatriate is much more elaborated. The scarcity of resources available( eg. Poor infrastructure and communication) and the expatriate soft skill( eg. Adaptability and resourcefulness) must also be taken into account when doing their performance appraisal so as to establish a system of fairness to the expatriate. A reliable method to ensure that a professional and unbiased performance appraisal is being carried out is to have a set of guiding questions. These questions will act as a guide as to how a performance appraisal should be done. Stone(2008), listed a few questions which is fundamental to performance appraisal. Questions akin to definition of performance; what is the performance criteria; will the same criteria be use across all level of in the organisation and will the performance appraisal be assessed on a group or individual basis. International staffing process International staffing can also be term as international recruitment process. Organisations typically have three options of candidates namely the home country nationals, host country nationals and third country nationals. The home country nationals are the natural choice when it comes to international staffing as they are much well versed in the organisation goals, objectives and culture. Expatriate are constantly employed in global organisations. But what are the problems faced when employing expatriate? We can broadly classify the problems into expatriate selection and expatriate failure. Expatriate selection process Expatriate selection can be very complex in nature. Expatriate are constantly being expose to a spectrum of social and personal problems examples language barrier, culture differences and physical environment. If these are unanswered, it will ultimately lead to the failure of the expatriate. Organisation often perceive that a high flyer back home will do equally well in a foreign country, therefore emphasis is always on the expatriates work experience and capability rather than focusing on the expatriate ability to blend into the new environment. Stone (2008) did a survey from different HR managers all over the world. Stones survey was to determine the essential selection criteria on expatriate. Stones study revealed that different countries HR managers have different emphasis on the selection criteria, Stone went on further to suggested that this may be due to the different cultural values which the HR managers held. Stone concluded a list of desired selection criteria for expatriate and here are some of the criteria: effective communication; listening skill; stress tolerance; empathy; flexibility in dealing with foreign cultures; political skill and previous international experience. Expatriate failure Expatriate often fail due to their partner and their inability to adapt. (Stone, 2008) Adaptability seems to be the determinant factor for expatriate to make or break. Other factors include sub-standard performance, poor healthcare, safety implication and unattractive remuneration. (Insch et al, 2002) Such situations can be reduced if organisations have some pre-departure programs for their expatriates and families. Programs like cross cultural orientation where expatriate will gain knowledge of the cultural aspect of the host country so as to avoid cultural shock. Allowing the expatriates and their families to stay in the host country for about a month will enable the expatriates to adapt to the physical environment and slowly immense themselves into the countrys culture. To add on, providing a factual job scope and environment description to the expatriates will have them prepared mentally. All these will give the expatriates an expectation of the host country and avoid any unnecessary shock. Conclusion With the increasing of globalisation, international human resource management (IHRM) plays an important role in achieving the organisations goals. Organisations which recognise the importance of IHRM will definitely benefit than those who do not. They will be more ready to move their operations into another country and effectively manage their employees to achieve smooth operations of the organisations. As a HR manager, one has to be very sensitive and flexible to the cultural aspects. Besides that, having a good knowledge and positive attitude towards the host country will make the HR managers job less tedious. Organisations which rely heavily on expatriate must know the expatriate selection criteria well so as to send the best candidate out and reduce the chances of an expatriate failure. Comprehensive expatriate program must also be implemented in order to assist and prepare the expatriates for their long and scabrous journey. By preparing the expatriates adequately in terms of both physically and mentally will ensure that a pleasant job experience for the expatriate while maximising the expatriate capability and contributions to the organisation.

Effects of Gene p53 the Tumor Repressor Essay -- Biology Cancer

"Induction of Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Antitumor Immunity with DNA Vaccines Expressing Single T Cell Epitopes," by Frank Ciernik, Jay A. Berzofsky, and David P. Carbone explores the uses of the gene gun and how it can induce both humoral and cellular immunity. The paper specifically explores the effects of p53, a tumor repressor which gets its name from its molecular weight( p53 is a protein that has a molecular weight of 53). It is tremendously important because fifty percent of known cancer types stem from a mutation in this gene. A Brief History of Immunization Vaccines came about some 200 years ago when Jenner discovered that if someone caught a mild case of cowpox they would not get smallpox. In 1879, another scientist, Louis Pasteur, accidentally discovered the vaccine for fowl cholera by leaving cultures out in his laboratory. Later, Pasteur went on to develop an effective vaccine for rabies. The typhoid and cholera vaccines were produced by Wilhelm Kolle in 1896. The groundwork for tetanus and diptheria toxid vaccines was laid by Emil von Behring and Emile Roux in the early 20th century. In 1955, the polio vaccine, developed by Jonas Salk, was licensed. The Contagious and Non-Contagious Infectious Diseases Sourcebook estimates that a vaccine for chickenpox developed by Merrick Sharp Dohme will soon be available. ADVANTAGES There are many advantages to using gene immunization rather than protein immunization. For example, it is more effective at inducing cellular and humoral responses than protein. More importantly, it is safer. By targeting only the desired epitope, this method of immunization avoids the induction of unwanted responses. A current example of an unwelcome response would be... ... tumor cells in the mice. Modern Applications of Genetic Immunization The implications of the proposed vaccines introduced by this research could be immense. Along with the advantages over traditional vaccines, they may be applicable to infectious diseases of which no preventative measures are currently known. Effective immunization for infectious diseases could include innoculation from: BSE/ Cholera, Dengue, Ebola virus, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Hepatitis B, C viruses; Herpes simplex virus, HIV, Influenza, Malaria, Meningitis-causing enteroviruses, Papilloma virus, Rabies virus, Tuberculosis, and Yellow Fever. In addition, DNA epitope vaccines may elicit protective immune responses against cancer. Induced response against identified T cell epitopes including the inhibition of tumor growth could be the result of this break-through technology.

The Impact of Daycare on Infants

55% of American mothers now return to work by the time their children are one years old — out of either financial, professional, or personal necessity. In today’s society, there are concerns as to whether attending daycare during infancy produces negative or positive effects on the development of children. Many of these concerns are influenced by the fear that separating an infant from its mother may cause emotional harm to the child or disrupt the mother-infant bond. No study finds that children of employed mothers suffer solely because their mothers are working. Research has shown that mothers who work spend as much time playing with their babies as do mothers without outside jobs (Huston & Aronson, 2005). It has also been questioned as to whether home-based maternal care or nonrelatives day-care provide the child with more opportunity to develop cognitively and socially (Belsky and Steinberg 1978, Field 1991, Lamb 1996, Peisner-Feinberg et al. 2001). There has been research that has found positive effects of day-care on children’s social and cognitive development and suggests that perhaps child-care centers encourage more social interaction than the environment of a home-reared child. There may be more stimulation in day-care and more communication and sharing to be learned, therefore enhancing these abilities of the children who attend them (Peisner-Feinberg et al. 2001). Evidence shows that a good preschool education is beneficial to young children. Children who attend preschool have a head start when they begin elementary school having learned basic concepts in a preschool center. Some of the negative effects a child may experience while attending a child care center include high child to adult ratios, insufficient materials and equipment, staff with inadequate training and experience, and caregiver burnout. There are truly some wonderful and caregivers and daycares out there. Choosing the best one is a very important decision that a parent has to make. How Do You Choose A Good Day Care Center Choosing a day care center is one of the more important decisions parents can make on behalf of their child. While it may be tempting to be swayed by a center based on rates, location or even decor, there are several other factors to consider. When visiting a center there are several questions one can ask the director of the facility to determine if it’s the right one for your child or if you should keep looking (Maughan, 2008). 1. What are the operating hours of the facility 2. How are the children grouped in classes 3. What is the teacher to child ratio for each class 4. What is the centers check in and check out procedures 5. What is the centers policy on disciplinary action for children In addition to these questions a parent should tour the facility and go over the safety procedures for the facility. Word of mouth is also a good resource. Talk to family and friends and find out if and where their infant went to daycare. What would you tell a parent of an infant who is concerned about harming their baby by placing them in Day Care, but must work because of economic necessity? I would tell a parent who must place there infant in daycare to not worry. It won’t cause any harm to their child. As long as they put them in a good quality childcare facility the infant will be ok. The important thing for the parent is to do there homework ahead of time when looking for a facility. The parent can call the facility to see how there child is doing throughout the day. Some facilities even have cameras so the parent can actually see what there child is doing. This may ease the parents mind throughout the day so they won’t be so worried about what is going on with their child. According to the NICHD daycare seems detrimental only when the mother is insensitive and the infant spends more than 20 hours a week in a poor quality program (NICHD, 2005).