Smoking in work place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Smoking in work place - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that in the United States, the negative effects of cigarette smoke were first mentioned in the 1960s, by the first Surgeon General. This report initiated the gradual disenchantment with cigarettes among the members of the American public. Today, advertisements, as well as cigarette packets, are required by law to contain warning labels. In many developed nations, advertisements of cigarettes are also banned on television. There are also messages against smoking that are carried across many media channels which speak of the detrimental effects of smoking on the human body. Â  According to Kim, Kamyab, Zhu, Volpp, Kim, and Kamyab, public health organizations in America spend millions of dollars on an annual basis in efforts to help addicted smokers to leave their destructive habits. Smoking is very addictive and many smokers try, unsuccessfully, every year, to stop their habits. They use books, group therapy, skin patches and even nicotine g um to try and stop their smoking habits. For those who cannot stop this habit, there is the very real possibility of having to contend with carcinogenic effects of ingesting the poisonous compounds that are found in the process of smoking cigarettes. Many medical authorities have also conducted a multitude of studies that have established that second-hand smoke can also affect the individuals who work around smokers.

Aspects of Cultural, Leadership and Shareholder Differences in a Research Paper

Aspects of Cultural, Leadership and Shareholder Differences in a Merger - Research Paper Example Cultural difference was defined by the American Heritage English Dictionary as â€Å"The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions and all other products of human work or thought† (Barrett and Eneroth, 2012). This signifies that when a group of people work together or spend time together, they develop a pattern of habits that become the culture of an organization. Now when another company merges to form a joint venture, the human resource of both the companies have to work in coordination with one another, although they are used to different ways of working or spending time. This is where diversity or difference arises in an organization. Culture in case of private companies are usually quite random and is highly influenced by the decisions of the senior managers, while in case of public companies, group dependability is higher. In such cases, cultural difference is considered to be an obstacle to the success of the alliance (DeChesare, 20 13). In a survey conducted by CFO Research Services in 2004, it was found that among every five respondents, one of them considered cultural clashes to be the primary reason for alliance failure. This raises a question in the minds of readers about the true perception regarding cultural difference during joint ventures or mergers (Chanlat, Davel and Dupuis, 2013, P. 250-251).     Vebego and Risse successfully drove this joint venture for a span of two years. However, the problem had started with the entry of a third party called Westrom Group, which was a similar company like, The Risse Group. The intention of a public-private joint venture was to bring in the knowledge and experience of the public company and since private companies are good at handling business aspect, they can take care of marketing and administration segment carefully. However, the issues were created after the entrance of the third party because the existing companies made the new organization responsible f or many significant decisions, but only the support staffs were considered within the joint venture to handle the operations. The policies and framework for including a third partner were not rightly decided which had augmented the challenges for the joint venture. In this scenario, the cultural transformation tool (CTT) developed by Richard Barrett would be the best way to discuss the lesson learned from this situation, thereby stating the probable recommendations in this context. The CTT assist in the cultural evolution of the organization, which further helps the leaders to manage the operations. Barrett introduced a consciousness model with seven levels, which are evolutionary in character. He did some modifications to Maslow’s Hierarchy model. In 1998, he had developed a model, which was also called CTT. As can be seen in Figure 1 below, there are seven levels of consciousness such as service, making a difference, transformation, cohesion, self-esteem, relationship and s urvival (Barrett Values Centre, 2009a).

Effective Communication In Workplaces

Effective Communication In Workplaces Effective communication has its own benefits in the workplace. Effective communication from managers to employees will result in the employees doing their job well. A good management style together with a positive communication approach will be quite effective in the workplace and will lead to better understanding between the employee and manager. For an organization to be successful communication should happen both internally and externally. Internal communication: between management and employees. External communication: this takes place between staff and clients. Let us consider Vodafone as a case study to illustrate the effective communication skills[3] Internal Communication[2]: this takes place inside the organization between the employees and management. Here the employees act as stakeholders. This communication may take place in any of the forms listed below: Vertically: this the top down approach which happens from the senior employees to juniors associates. The ultimate goal here is to improve the performance of tasks and make the junior employees understand the companys priorities and requirements. Horizontally: this takes places between various teams and across departments. The goal here is to make sure roles are effectively carried out and tasks completed. Intranet with restricted access to people within the business is a great tool for promoting better communication. External communication[1] :this takes place with customers. Vodafone has laid a principle for communication as We will communicate openly and transparently with all of our stakeholders within the bounds of commercial confidentiality. Vodafone believes that this will reduce the barriers to communication. It makes sure that its messages are conveyed both verbally and non verbally. For verbal communication the company has set contact centers so that the staff can be in direct contact with the customers and further giving an opportunity for its staff to talk to the customers about the issues. Non verbal communication can take place through various methods such as advertisements in television, newspapers and other media, the Vodafone logo. This also acts as a method of determining the position of the brand. Further methods of non verbal communication include SMS to contact certain customers. Sales information can be reached out to customers through literature in the Vodafone shops. The many forms of communication through which Vodafone reaches out to its customers are as below: Promotion and sales material- Vodafone makes sure that the advertising material is correct and follows its Business principles. This also helps the information reaches out responsibly to its stakeholders together with promoting its products and services. Awareness and Information: Vodafone promoted the use of mobile phones responsibly in the cars. It took the complex material and translated the information in easy to understand form and made the public aware of the new law and appropriate use of phones in the car. Explanation and guidance: mobile phones have health effects on human beings. But the latest scientific research has something new and Vodafone needs to convey these findings clearly to the customers. Motivation to dedicate Employees A well motivated staff is a key to a productive and pleasant environment in a workplace. Motivating the employees must be one of the key responsibilities of a manager. An effective management and leadership reflect through effective motivation of employees in the workplace. Understanding the human nature is a key to effective employee motivation. The key to performance improvement in an organization is motivation. Motivation is very essential for any business to survive and excel. Motivation is a skill and must be learnt. Performance can be defined as a function of ability and motivation as below Job performance= function (ability)(motivation) Ability depends on education and training. Motivation has the following seven strategies through which it can be initiated: Fair treatment of people Positive and high expectations Discipline Satisfying the needs of the employees Setting goals at work To restructure the jobs Set rewards and recognition for performance Every organization has its own ways to motivate the employees to ensure that goals and targets are reached [4]. Obstacles to Effective Performance The main obstacles to effective performance in an organization are as follows: Culture Change Conflict Culture Culture is related to beliefs, values and customary ways of doing things. The main reason for employees leaving the company is cultural mismatch. According to the present culture employees are required to have a clear understanding of short term and long term goals. The employees are required to have a shared vision and values as well as being productive and motivated. The organizational culture is determined by the leadership style and practices in an organization and hence plays an important role especially during acquisitions and mergers. Every organization has a set of values and beliefs. When an employee is exposed to a new culture, the individual goes through a state known as culture shock. When the companies merge the employees from the non dominant company need to adapt themselves to the new culture of the dominant company. Let us consider Barclay Plc for instance. Barclay acquired Lehman Brothers and one of the major issues for Barclay after this acquisition is to take into consideration the two different cultures in these two companies. Most of the employees of Lehman Brothers have left Barclay and a few did not join Barclay. This makes it clear that the employees are not ready to adapt to the new values, leadership styles, beliefs and practices of the Barclay culture. One of the biggest challenges to the management at Barclay is to make employees accept the new culture. The change in culture ultimately has an effect on the motivation level of the employees, their commitment to the organization and their engagement in work. Another consequence of an acquisition is that the individuals from the non dominant organization will feel like loss of identity and the others will have a superior feeling. This will ultimately affect the company achieve its goals and objectives. Another major issue of culture when the two organizations were merged is it will divert the attention of the employees and make the less productive. The attention of employees will be diverted to issues such as job security , feeling of discomfort working with new employees. Job security is the main issue as there will be duplication of departments and to manage the staff, the organization can reduce the manpower. The job profiles may be redesigned which may have an impact on the performance of the employees. The employees motivation, attitude and performance are determined by the culture. Motivation and culture go hand in hand. More an employee is motivated; the culture will be healthier. The key factor to be dealt in any organization is motivation. If an employee is not motivated properly then the employee will have problem accepting the new culture which will impact the individuals ability to do the job effectively and efficiently. The company should have flexible culture if a decision of acquisition is taken. This will allow the new employees to adjust to the new culture. Culture reflects the style of management and leadership. A slight change in the values, leadership style and ideas will help the new employees adjust to the new environment. This is not easy task, but since Barclays has taken a decision of merger it should be ready to consider changes in its culture and leadership style. Change Except for change nothing is constant in this world. Every activity in an organization results in some change. It can have a positive or negative effect depending on the communication made through change. The acquisition of Barclay and Lehman Brothers bought together a huge change in both organizations. New strategies and policies, procedures and work environment were created for work in both organizations. Change should involve people and not be imposed on people. Preparing the employees of an organization for change is a very vital task and it is the responsibility of the management to do this. This can be done through various methods such as through oral communication, via training programs or through counseling. The major reason for the Lehman employees leaving Barclays when the two organizations were merged is that the change was not managed properly. The key principles needed when planning to manage change are as follows: Every person reacts to change differently. Each person is different and has its own perceptions and preferences. A few people always look forward to change and new things and it easy to handle them. But it is a very difficult to handle people who always like things the way they were. These kind of people will experience stress and dissatisfaction and negative attitude towards their counterparts preferences. Every person has his own needs and priorities A few people work just for money but a few for the self and social identification. Change can be managed effectively by designing jobs in a better way through job redesign, job rotation management etc. Managing expectations realistically The organization should make clear to its employees that it cannot make everyone happy at the same time and this should be communicated effectively and realistically. The relation between expectations and reality is very important. The management should do the tasks listed below in order to manage change effectively: The management should inspire people and set certain objectives, goals and values for the organization It should set up a communication network such as face to face interaction so that new ideas and policies can be easily communicated. If there are any obstacles in the way of communication then those should be removed as this will help people accept change. Change can be made inevitable by promotions, recruitments and rewards. Conflicts When Barclays merges with Lehman conflicts were natural to arise as people from two different cultures and two different companies were merging. Starting with small disputes, conflicts may reach to higher levels which will ultimately affect the organization. Since the culture of both organizations is different each will have its own ideas, strategies, perspectives and goals. The different types of conflict that may arise when people of two different cultures merge are as follows: Conflict with boss Since the manager has a more experience and bigger perspective it will not be good to encounter conflict with the boss. In order to avoid such a conflict it is better not to question his authority and any ideas and views should be presented in the form of suggestions. Conflict with colleagues Different point of view will lead to conflict between employees. This can be done resolved through proper communication. Conflicts with the subordinates Conflicts can be handles effectively by one of the following ways: Each person should be given freedom to express their views. Conflicts can be sorted to a greater level by identifying positive minded people. Not everyone may have a broad vision as ours. So communicating and discussing our vision will help keep conflicts away. Changing nature of Modern Work Organizations [9] There many factors that contribute to the changing nature of work at organization, but the two main factors are: Current market scenario requires organizations to be more competitive and customer focused, hence there is an increased pressure on the organization The breakthrough in IT and communication is another factor. For example mobile and internet have made work to be separated from time and space. Organizations have changed their focus and their main principles are: Defining vision and values from the consumers perspective Creating a value chain i.e., defining activities and process that add value to customers and link them Remove activities that add no value to the organization. Reducing inefficiencies in the tasks in an organization. These principles have added value to the organization enabling them to respond rapidly to customers needs and supporting change and encouraging innovation. Conclusion The base of any organization depends on the policy, the values, the vision, the philosophy and goals set by the management. These act as the driving force for the organizational culture. Culture in a workplace determines the leadership style, the type of communication and group dynamics within the organization. The employees in the organization perceive the culture as a quality essential at work which has an impact on the degree of the employees motivation. This ultimately affects the performance, personal growth and self development which ultimately affect the organization from achieving its goals. The above discussed concepts such as communication, motivation, culture etc, make up only a small part of the theories of organizational behavior and theory. The success of any organization is determined by the application of the concepts of organizational behavior in the organization. The best way to handle conflicts in a workplace is to address them through discussions and debates. Conflict can have a positive effect within the organization if it is addressed effectively. A successful manager is one who takes time to address and deal with the conflict. This in turn will lead to a healthy and diverse work environment.

Republican Plan Should be Vetoed :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers

Republican Plan Should be Vetoed I think that the Republican should be vetoed because to me, their proposed tax cuts in education, the environment, and other areas are not the way to go. There are probably other government functions that could use a decrease in spending. Raising medicare premiums (http://www.yahoo.com/headlines/951114/news/stories/budget_42.html) seems alright, but there could be a better way. In general, today's Congress is in so much deadlock over balancing the budget, they will end up watching it go to about $6 billion by the start of the new millenium!!! The debt's already too high now. President Johnson was able to halve the deficit and keep his budget under $100 million during his first year in office (http://pathfinder.com/time/special/moy/1964.html); but he achieved this through some manipulation of others - something of which Bill Clinton is not a master. Though the proposed increase of $9 a month may seem small to some,many older Americans in the long run will not be able to keep up with the payments and will trim down their disposable income (isn't this what Keynes would think?) Stimulating the economy at the expense of a certain group of people does not constitute favorable domestic policy for politicans of any party. Why is it that the U.S. has such a hard time trying to keep a stable economy when Germany has historically had pretty strong currency and is perhaps the best economic nation in all of Europe? (http://pathfinder.com/time/international/ 1995/950925/economies.html) They do have tougher regulations, but not a lot of capitalistic ways that we do here. The country's central bank managed to step in after unification with tough-minded economic management; and even though the eastern side of the country has spend a little more than necessary, Germany today remains financially stable (without huge increases in inflation). The temporary stop-gap spending bills that Clinton vetoed, causing the current partialgovernment shutdown, has made the U.S. look bad in the eyes of the world because of party gridlock. I doubt if countries such as Germany ever have this much trouble. Are there any solutions to solving the national debt that will completely satify everyone involved? Probably not. I proved that by stating my support for the President's veto of the Republican's spending bills. However, the oneitem that really bugs me is that if the Republicans want to lower the debt so much, why

Benefits of Fast Food Restaurants I Essay

The popularity of fast food restaurants is growing every day. The popularity of fast food restaurants is growing because of three main causes: the low cost, the fast service, and how fast food restaurants are available anywhere. The most evident advantage of fast food is than it saves time. In today’s fast-paced life, there is nothing better than getting a ready meal. No matter how much the chefs praise the benefits of fresh food, at the end of a hard-working day, when one returns home all tiered and hungry? A pizza or a burger can be godsend. Besides the time an individual has to spend in the kitchen, cooking a meal also requires one to make a trip to the supermarket to buy the ingredients for the dish. Then there is the added effort and time consumed in washing and reeling the vegetables. All this makes eating fast food score more preferably over cooking a meal for a busy individual. Besides time, cost saving gives fast food an edge over the meal prepared in the kitchen. If one lives alone, then it is cheaper to buy or order a meal in the fast foods’ restaurant instead of cooking it at home. Also certain fast foods like fries and burgers come pretty cheap. Fast food does raised health concerns. However if careful, you can find some options on the menu of fast food restaurant that could be healthier. Salads are a smart choice. Go for bread products that are made from wheat bread. Opt for lean meat. If you could choose between the fried and boiled options, order the boiled preparation. Avoid ordering carbonic drinks, when you are thirsty. Go for fruit juices, low-fat milk, diet soda. It there anything better than plain water to quench your always resort to the â€Å" make to order† option that certain fast food outlets offer, where you could restrict the use of ingredients that are not healthy. As dessert does not play on important role in the fast food meal menu, you can keep yourself away from delicious and tempting sugary dishes.

Small Business Ent. 1. Investigate Performance of a...

1. Investigate performance of a selected small business enterprise. 1.1 JS furniture is a furniture manufacturing company owned by two brothers John and Smith. JS started operations in 2006 and there is a satisfactory growth in this business since then. However there are fall in turnover in some months as well. JS import wood from Asian countries and manufacture furniture. Company had been able to get massive discounts from its suppliers because of bulk buying so this had helped them to keep their cost under control. However government policies such as taxes on imports, interest rates and exchange rates have had negative impact on this business. Taxes on imports Since UK government is taxing heavily on imports from non EU countries†¦show more content†¦Since internet has a global reach J S should advertise in the internet because it will help them to increase their market share. J S should carry out a market research and find out customers needs and give offers according to their needs. If this approach is used J S can maximize its sales revenue in all the branches. 3. Revise business objectives and plans to incorporate proposed changes. 3.1 Since UK is in a economic crisis company is planning to open up at least two branches in another EU country such as France and Germany in order to increase the market share and spread the risk J S is planning to fund these new projects from their retained profits. Action plan 1st Nov 2008- Have a meeting with all the partners and discuss their opinions in order to do necessary amendments to the plan. 15th Nov 2008- Explain the workers about the new project and make them understand the benefits of this. 31st Nov 2008-Examine the new market and identify the needs of the new customers. 15th Dec 2008-Contact the suppliers and order the raw materials needed for the products. 1st Jan 2009- Open up only one new branch. 1st June 2009-Compare the actual results of the new shops with budgeted figures of the first six months if they are achieved the targets that means the company is functioningShow MoreRelatedHbr When Your Core Business Is Dying74686 Words   |  299 PagesTOP-TEAM POLITICS†¦page 90 WHEN YOUR CORE BUSINESS IS DYING†¦page 66 Y GE SE PA IN DS CK R M WA A 53 www.hbr.org April 2007 58 What Your Leader Expects of You Larry Bossidy 66 Finding Your Next Core Business Chris Zook 78 Promise-Based Management: The Essence of Execution Donald N. Sull and Charles Spinosa 90 The Leadership Team: Complementary Strengths or Conï ¬â€šicting Agendas? Stephen A. Miles and Michael D. Watkins 100 Avoiding Integrity Land Mines BenRead MoreManaging Information Technology (7th Edition)239873 Words   |  960 PagesCONTENTS: CASE STUDIES CASE STUDY 1 Midsouth Chamber of Commerce (A): The Role of the Operating Manager in Information Systems CASE STUDY I-1 IMT Custom Machine Company, Inc.: Selection of an Information Technology Platform CASE STUDY I-2 VoIP2.biz, Inc.: Deciding on the Next Steps for a VoIP Supplier CASE STUDY I-3 The VoIP Adoption at Butler University CASE STUDY I-4 Supporting Mobile Health Clinics: The Children’s Health Fund of New York City CASE STUDY I-5 Read MoreOverview of Hrm93778 Words   |  376 Pagesmust be able to communicate, think creatively, plan effectively and deal with people. Copyright  © Virtual University of Pakistan 1 Human Resource Management (MGT501) INTRODUCTION TO HRM After studying this chapter, students should be able to understand the following: Describe HRM? Explain why are we concerned about HRM? Discuss Road-map of HRM VU Lesson 1 LESSON OVERVIEW This chapter introduces the students with the basic concepts of the human resource management (HRM). During the lectureRead MoreMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 PagesDBA 1652 Marketing Management UNIT -- I Unit No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Unit Title Marketing management – an introduction Marketing environment Marketing with other functional areas of management Market segmentation Market targeting and positioning Product management Brand management Pricing Channel design and management Retailing and Wholesaling Integrated Marketing Communication Advertising management Sales promotion Personal selling PublicRead MoreSwot Analysis of Logistics Company15634 Words   |  63 PagesANALYSIS OF THE LOGISTICS PROCESS OF SHUN YUE CEMENT COMPANY LIMITED Thesis JIA NI CHEN Degree Programme in International Business International Marketing Management Accepted ___.___._____ __________________________________ 1 SAVONIA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES Business and Administration, Varkaus Degree Programme, option Bachelor of Business Administration, International Business, International Marketing Management Author(s) Jia ni Chen Title of study SWOT analysis of the logistics process of ShunRead MoreValuation of Integrated Oil Gas Companies Msc Thesis33042 Words   |  133 PagesValuation of Integrated Oil Gas Companies Irakli Menabde Valuation of Integrated Oil Gas Companies A comparative analysis of methodologies and empirical practices MSc Thesis MSc in International Business and Economics: Cand. Merc Finance and Strategic Management (FSM) Copenhagen Business School Date 09/10/2008 Author: Irakli Menabde MSc Thesis: Valuation of Integrated Oil Gas Companies Irakli Menabde Abstract The paper examines a number of empirically utilised and academicallyRead MoreCHAPTER 1112607 Words   |  51 Pagesthe details on the new sales commission policy and prepared his program. 1 Jason used the sales transaction data from the last payroll period to run his pro- gram. To his surprise, his calculations were 95,000 less than those produced by Sppt new program. Individual differences existed for about half of the company,s salespeo- ple. Jason double-checked his program code but could not locate any errors. He 322 I selected a salesperson with a discrepancy and calculated the commission by hand. TheRead MoreMonsanto: Better Living Through Genetic Engineering96204 Words   |  385 PagesC A S E T E N Whole Foods Market, 2005: Will there be enough organic food to satisfy the C A S E E L E V E N growing demand? Wal-Mart Stores Inc.: Dominating global retailing C A S E T W E L V E 14_Hanson_3ed_SB_3869_TXT.indd 441 8/29/07 1:09:33 PM 442 INTRODUCTION A SUMMARY OF THE CASE ANALYSIS PROCESS Case analysis is an essential part of a strategic management course and is also perhaps the most entertaining part of such a course. The ‘full story’ that follows this summaryRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 PagesRobert D. Library and information center management / Robert D. Stueart and Barbara B. Moran. — 7th ed. p. cm. — (Library and information science text series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978–1–59158–408–7 (alk. paper) ISBN 978–1–59158–406–3 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Library administration—United States. 2. Information services— United States—Management. I. Moran, Barbara B. II. Title. Z678.S799 2007 025.1—dc22 2007007922 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is availableRead MoreBhopal Gas Disaster84210 Words   |  337 Pagesmore than 25,000 people have died of gas-related illnesses, several thousands more maimed for life since. Union Carbide negotiated a settlement with the Indian Government in 1989 for $470 million - a total of only $370 to $533 per victim - a sum too small to pay for most medical bills. In 1996, t elve years after the disaster, Union Carbide became part of the Dow Chemical w Corporation, which flatly refused to assume any liabilities in India - or clean up the toxic poisons left behind saying that it

Saying Could in Spanish Using Poder and Other Verbs

Although the English auxiliary verb could is typically thought of as the past tense of the verb can, it shouldnt always be translated to Spanish as a past tense of poder. Could usually can be translated as a form of poder (a verb typically meaning to be able), however. Following are some of the common ways that could is used in English and various ways the idea can be expressed in Spanish. Translating Could When It Means Was Able or Were Able Usually, you can use the preterite tense of poder if youre talking about a one-time event or a specific period in time, but the imperfect tense should be used if youre talking about an indefinite period. The miner couldnt leave the tunnel. El minero no pudo salir del tà ºnel. (The sentence refers to an ability that existed at a particular and limited time, so the preterite is used.)I couldnt leave the city more than once a year. Yo no podà ­a salir de la ciudad mà ¡s que una vez por aà ±o. (The sentence refers to a ability that existed over an indefiite time, so the imperfect is used.)We could always count on him for advice. Siempre podà ­amos contar con à ©l para sugerencias.After five hours I could finally do it. Despuà ©s de cinco horas por fin pude hacerlo.I thought I could do it better. Pensà © que yo podà ­a hacerlo mejor.Couldnt you see the solar eclipse?  ¿No pudiste ver el eclipse solar? Although the distinction isnt always a clear one, if by saying was able or were able you mean knew how to, the verb saber is often preferable, usually in the imperfect tense: Obviously, he thought I could drive. Obviamente, à ©l creà ­a que yo sabà ­a manejar.We could make fantastic sand castles. Sabà ­amos construir fantà ¡sticos castillos de arena. Translating Could as a Suggestion or Request In English we often use could as a substitute for can in order to be polite or to soften the tone of what were saying. You can do much the same thing in Spanish by using the conditional tense of poder, although often the present tense works just as well. For example, to say, You could come with me to fish for trout, you could say either Puedes ir conmigo a pescar truchas or Podrà ­as ir conmigo a pescar truchas. Translating Expressions Such as If I Could Expressions such as if I could usually use the imperfect subjunctive: If I could turn back time, I wouldnt have answered the telephone. Si yo pudiera regresar el tiempo, no habrà ­a contestado el telà ©fono.If he could eat cake instead of vegetables he would be very happy. Si à ©l pudiera comer el postre en vez de vegetales à ©l serà ­a muy feliz.If we could see it, we would buy it. Si pudià ©ramos verlo, lo comprarà ­amos. Discussing What Could Have Been A common way of saying that something could have been, but wasnt, is to use the preterite of poder followed by haber. If something might have occurred over an indefinite time, the imperfect might also be used. It could have been worse. Pudo haber sido peor.The team could have been much more aggressive. El equipo pudo haber sido mucho mà ¡s agresivo.With more time, we could have eliminated more of the mistakes. Con mà ¡s tiempo, pudià ©ramos haber eliminado algunos mà ¡s de los errores.They could have saved my son. Podà ­an haber a mi hijo. Translating Could in Expressions of Possibility Various expressions of possibility can often be used to translate could when it means that something is possible. Often the present tense of poder can be used as well. One way to translate sentences using could in that way is to think of an alternative way of expressing the idea in English, and then translating to Spanish. The following translations arent the only ones possible: They could be the same person. Es posible que sean las mismas personas. (Literally, it is possible that they are the same persons.)It could be my imagination. Posiblemente sea mi imaginacià ³n. (Literally, it is possible that it is my imagination.)I could leave now. Ahora puedo salir. (Literally, I can leave now.)If we want to, we could take a walk through the city. Si queremos, podemos dar un paseo por la ciudad. (Literally, if we want to, we can take a walk through the city.)