Thursday, December 26, 2019
A Case Study on Cost Estimation and Profitability Analysis...
ISSUES IN ACCOUNTING EDUCATION Vol. 26, No. 1 2011 pp. 181ââ¬â200 American Accounting Association DOI: 10.2308/iace.2011.26.1.181 A Case Study on Cost Estimation and Proï ¬ tability Analysis at Continental Airlines Francisco J. Romà ¡n ABSTRACT: This case exposes students to the application of regression analyses to be used as a tool pursuant to understanding cost behavior and forecasting future costs using publicly available data from Continental Airlines. Speciï ¬ cally, the case focuses on the harsh ï ¬ nancial situation faced by Continental as a result of the recent ï ¬ nancial crisis and the challenges it faces to remain proï ¬ table. It then highlights the importance of reducing and controlling costs as a viable strategy to restoreâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Continentalââ¬â¢s internal forecasts indicated that a further decline in passenger volume should be anticipated throughout 2009, with a recovery in travel possibly occurring by the middle of 2010. To summarize, adverse economic conditions in the U.S., coupled with the rise in fuel costs, were dragging down Continentalââ¬â¢s proï ¬ ts and relief was unlikely through the foreseeable future. THE DECISION TO REDUCE FLYING CAPACITY AND THE IMPACT ON OPERATING COSTS Given the situation described above, management needed to act swiftly to restore proï ¬ tability. Several strategic options were evaluated. Since the U.S. and much of the world was facing a severe recession, the prospect for growing revenues by either raising airfares or passenger volume seemed futile. Contrary to raising revenue, Continentalââ¬â¢s managers believed that raising fares could potentially erode future revenues beyond the present level. Discounting fares did not seem a plausible solution either, because given the severity of the economic situation a fare cut could fall short in stimulating additional passenger demand and lead to lowering revenues. Thus, because management anticipated that revenues would remain ï ¬âat for most of the year, the only viable short-term solution to restoring proï ¬ ts was a substantial and swift reduction in operating costs. This could most effectively be accomplished in two ways. First, through a reduction in ï ¬âyingShow MoreRelatedA Case Study on Cost Estimation and Profitability Analysis at Continental Airlines8979 Words à |à 36 PagesA Case Study on Cost Estimation and Profitability Analysis at Continental Airlines Francisco J. Romà ¡n Introduction In 2008, the senior management team at Continental Airlines, commanded by Lawrence Kellner, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, convened a special meeting to discuss the firmââ¬â¢s latest quarterly financial results. A bleak situation lay before them. Continental had incurred an operating loss of $71 million dollarsââ¬âits second consecutive quarterly earnings decline that yearRead MoreThe Financial Performance of Low-Cost and Full-Service Airlines in Times of Crisis8844 Words à |à 36 PagesThe Financial Performance of Low-Cost and Full-Service Airlines in Times of Crisis Triant Flouris, Thomas John Walker. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences. Halifax: Mar 2005. Vol. 22, Iss. 1; pg. 3, 18 pgs Abstract This paper examines the stock and accounting performance of three major airlines in the United States in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. September 11 (9/11) resulted in dramatic changes in the airline industry and had significant implications forRead MoreDerivatives Market2534 Words à |à 11 PagesHOW MUCH SHOULD WE USE DERIVATIVES HEDGES? 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The report then identifies and discusses the influence of the environmental factors that have given it a dominant position in the global airlines industry. A criticalRead MoreEasyjet Case Study7059 Words à |à 29 Pagesreserved Printed in Great Britain S0263-2373(98)00059-0 0263-2373/99 $19.00 0.00 Case Study easyJetââ¬â¢s $500 Million Gamble DON SULL, London Business School, and Commentators, Constantinos Markides, Walter Kuemmerle, Luis Cabral. This Case Study details the rapid growth of easyJet which started operations in November 1995 from Londonââ¬â¢s Luton airport. In two years, it was widely regarded as the model low-cost European airline and a strong competitor to ï ¬âag carriers. The company has clearly identiï ¬ ableRead MoreSwot Analysis for Air China5368 Words à |à 22 PagesThe current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/1463-5771.htm BIJ 13,1/2 SWOT analysis for Air China performance and its experience with quality A.M. Ahmed The European Centre for Total Quality Management, University of Bradford School of Management, Bradford, UK 160 M. Zairi e-TQM College, Dubai, UAE, and K.S. Almarri The European Centre for Total Quality Management, University of Bradford School of Management, Bradford, UK Abstract Read MoreAnalysis of Financial Performance of Pz Cussons 20123336 Words à |à 14 PagesANALYSIS OF THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF PZ CUSSONS PLC AND RESEARCH MATRIX Background Information of the Company PZ Cussons Plc. is a UK based consumer products group. The principal activities of the group are the manufacture and distribution of soaps, detergents, toiletries, beauty products, pharmaceuticals, edible oils, fats, electrical goods and nutritional products. 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Wednesday, December 18, 2019
The Illusion that Money Brings Happiness - 803 Words
Some would say we are slaves to our primal urges, shackled in our endless pursuit of gratification and shaping our very existence around them. We gravitate towards the things in life that bring us pleasure, and recoil from those that cause us pain. People always show a feeling of wanting everything their way, as to wanting something. Just like everything else there are always limits. In order to obtain these things that people believe will bring them happiness, many go over the line. Many believe that with money they can have anything they desire. Though it may be true to an extent, sometimes the desires eventually turn into greed and people lose some of the most valuable things life has to offer. Focusing on the illusion that money brings happiness may have an unexpected turn later down the road. For instance, when someone reflects on how money would change their sense of well-being, they would probably think about spending more time in leisurely pursuits such as traveling abroad. But in reality, they would have to spend a large amount of time working and less time engaged in experienced happiness. Robert H. Frank says in his book Luxury Fever: Money and Happiness in an Era of Excess: ââ¬Å"Even among those who can easily afford todayââ¬â¢s luxury offerings, there has been a price to pay. All of us- rich and poor alike, but especially the rich- are spending more time at the office and taking shorter vacations; we are spending less time with our families and friends; and we haveShow MoreRelatedF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby Essay1295 Words à |à 6 PagesScott Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s famous novel, The Great Gatsby, accurately re-creates this time period yet criticizes the changes of societal attitudes and its values that occurred, making Fitzgerald the first ââ¬Å"American writer to write seriously about money and the effects of money on characterâ⬠(Bruccoli). The two main characters, Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby, both made the decision to reside in New York in hopes of obtaining their own fortune in order to achieve the wealthy, comfortable lifestyle they always desiredRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby Essay1459 Words à |à 6 Pagest o obtain the affection go the beloved and deeply flawed Daisy. Regrettably, throughout his conquest for Daisyââ¬â¢s affection, Gatsby falsely presumes that through his accumulation of wealth he will be able to acquire his deeply embedded desires for happiness, which mainly revolve around his acquisition of Daisy Buchanan. Eventually, Gatsbyââ¬â¢s wealth ultimately results in his cataclysmic demise, as it is unable to provide him Daisyââ¬â¢s unconditional and boundless love, social acceptance, and personal integrityRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1588 Words à |à 7 Pagesassociated with the idea of envy. Faithful followers of the American Dream are often spurred by the envy they had towards what others had therefore they are willing to work hard in hopes of reaching the same level as well. While the American Dream brings about hope for them, Fitzgerald felt that members of the society were constantly in search of their dreams which in reality were very diff icult to achieve and even appeared to be unattainable due to how ââ¬Å"minute and far awayâ⬠(pg. 25) they were. TheRead MoreThe Death Of A Salesman By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay1100 Words à |à 5 Pagesby Arthur Miller. The Death of a Salesman is a well composed play about a family in the struggles financially and a old man getting odd illusions remembering the good and the bad of the past. Biff is a guy who is trying to build money to improve his social class and extend to great wealth and impress his father. His family living is constant struggles and illusions. The American dream is a process to live as they attempt to make new changes and improve each of their livings days. In both revolutionaryRead MoreEdward Albee s Who s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf1436 Words à |à 6 Pages Big Illusions Bring Big Endings Act three of Edward Albeeââ¬â¢s Whoââ¬â¢s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is called the Exorcism, however it would be better suited as a title for the play as a whole. As there are two couples both hiding behind illusions, the goal of the play is to rid them of those lies. Honey and Nick, the young guests have a facade to cover up their marital problems. George and Martha have a lie that is not meant to be seen by anyone. In both cases, the play is set to stop at nothing to takeRead MoreGreat Gatsby - the Green Light1554 Words à |à 7 Pagesin love with her. Unlike Gatsby, she is from a wealthy ââ¬Ëold moneyââ¬â¢ family and Gatsby misrepresents himself as being wealthy in his own right to win her heart. They fall in love, and when he leaves to go to the army, she promises to wait for him. However, before he returns she marries Tom Buchanan and Gatsbyââ¬â¢s dream is to recapture her heart. He realises he has to be wealthy to do this and resorts to various illegal ways of ma king money, including bootlegging and trading in stolen securities. HeRead MoreGreat Gatsby - the Green Light1560 Words à |à 7 Pagesin love with her. Unlike Gatsby, she is from a wealthy ââ¬Ëold moneyââ¬â¢ family and Gatsby misrepresents himself as being wealthy in his own right to win her heart. They fall in love, and when he leaves to go to the army, she promises to wait for him. However, before he returns she marries Tom Buchanan and Gatsbyââ¬â¢s dream is to recapture her heart. He realises he has to be wealthy to do this and resorts to various illegal ways of making money, including bootlegging and trading in stolen securities. HeRead MoreBuddhism And The Human Condition1289 Words à |à 6 Pagesand suffering. However, one cannot experience suffering without also knowing its opposite of love, joy, and happiness. Buddhist terminology refers to these emotional states as dukkha and sukha. Importantly, however, these emotional conditions are impermanent and deeply re lated to one another. Dukkha comes from the fruitless but eternal human plight of grasping at an ephemeral sense of happiness. Too many live without acknowledging that their endeavors of maintaining a static feeling of bliss, or sukhaRead MoreThe American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis758 Words à |à 4 Pagesillustrate the American Dream is the ââ¬Å"Valley of Ashesâ⬠. This unpleasant land portrays the awful consequences of the Americaââ¬â¢s fascination with money. It imitate the social and moral disrepair that results from pursuing the American Dream. Also, as many women of earlier generations, Daisy represents the ââ¬Å"American Dreamâ⬠she recognizes that this doesnt bring her happiness. Daisy marries Tom instead of Gatsby to achieve her dream. To have the perfect picture life even though she is unhappy. Many people wantRead MoreThe Illusion Of The American Dream946 Words à |à 4 Pages The Illusion of the American Dream 954 Money can not buy happiness, relationships, or life meaning. Multiple people in society base the success and meaning of a personââ¬â¢s life on the amount of money they possess. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, most characters make decisions based on how it will affect their wealth and reputations. One of the main characters, Daisy Buchanan, chooses money and status over others, even if it hurts her and the people around her. Daisyââ¬â¢s character reveals
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
More Than Me (ROUGH DRAFT) free essay sample
I am a student, an athlete, a member of my community, a son, a nephew, a brother. I am Victor from Potomac, Maryland and I am more than just a teenage boy. I am an explorer and cultural analyst. My entire life I have been living one big cultural experience. I am from the green pastures and tin roof houses in my motherââ¬â¢s home town of San Juan, Dominican Republic. I am from the fluffy snowflakes of Chile falling on my warm cheeks and melting away before I can grasp their beautiful shape. I am from the sleepless city of Lima, Peru. I have seen everything from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the deserts of Joshua Tree. But this is only part of my story, I have sailed the seven seas, spent an evening in the Amazon, and the next morning in China. How does a teenage boy fit that much travel into a mere 16 years of existence? Did I truly spend one night in Nepal, and the next morning in China? Perhaps not, but in my mind I am Ferdinand Magellan, master of the seas and first man to circumn avigate the globe. We will write a custom essay sample on More Than Me (ROUGH DRAFT) or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My fascination for different cultures and my own diverse background has lead me on an enterprise to study and learn as much as I can about the many different cultures that come together to build what we perceive as human nature. Whether it is in extrinsic foods, foreign films, language CDââ¬â¢s or foreign novels, I am constantly trying to enrich my knowledge of people. My story began early in middle school, when my interest in my own familyââ¬â¢s history became aroused. The black and white pictures of people I had never met decorated our living room walls. These pictures were the gateway drug into my fascination for culture. I soon began taking French in school, and becoming very interested in social science classes.
Monday, December 2, 2019
The relationship between Capulet and Juliet Essay Example
The relationship between Capulet and Juliet Essay One of the main themes in the play Romeo and Juliet is that of the generation gap between the young and the old. The younger generation have new and innovative ways of doing things, whilst the older generation tend to stick with the traditions they have grown up with. The misunderstanding between the younger and older characters in the play causes many of the dilemmas that the characters face.At the beginning of the play Lord Capulet (also referred to as Capulet) seems an honourable and welcoming character, who is willing to keep the peace between the house of Montague and of his own. When confronted at the start of the play by his son Tybalt about Romeos gate-crashing of the Capulets house party he shows a warm and welcoming attitude towards him and says Verona brags of him to be a virtuous and well governed youth, this is a peculiar thing for a Capulet to say about a Montague as there is such a high level of hatred between the two families. Capulet cares tremendously about his daug hter Juliet and only wants what is best for her. As all of Capulets children have died and Juliet is the only child remaining he is mildly overprotective of her. For example when he is speaking to Paris about marrying Juliet he says And too soon marriedall my hopes but she.Throughout the play Juliet faces a variety of emotional challenges; this ensures a young and naà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ve Juliet has to mature above her age in a short period of time. These obstacles include her marriage to Romeo and her relationship with her father Capulet. In Act 1 Scene 2 Capulet says to his daughter My child is yet a stranger in the world. This supports the idea that she is naà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ve and immature in the first half of the play. At the start of the play her language is normal and the fact she does not have much antithesis. As the play progresses her language intensifies and we see a humble, outgoing and responsible character that seems very different person to the Juliet earlier on in the play.Anothe r key feature of the play is the Ancient grudge. This ultimately leads to the death of the star crossed lovers. The younger generation do not understand the danger the hatred between the two houses can put them in. Romeo and Juliet could die if someone as much saw them together in the play. Romeo and Juliet overcome this dilemma as they are willing to risk their lives for the love they have for each other. Shakespeares play contains a great deal of dramatic irony, this gives the play a feeling of suspense as the two characters could get caught at any time. Just after the first fight scene in the play Lady Capulet says to Capulet A crutch, a crutch. Lady Capulet is implying that Capulet is too old to fight in a younger generations battle. This is yet another example of age vs youth.Many people would say that another major role in the outcome of the play is the urgency for Romeo and Juliet. In the Jacobean times that average life expectancy would be around the age of 35 and therefore you can see why Capulet is eager to marry off Juliet since she is at an age where she can bear children. We know this as Lady Capulet says Shes not fourteen. Although Lady Capulet is very strict and unforgiving throughout the play I believe that she cares immensely for her daughter and only wants a successful and happy marriage for her. When she mistakes Juliets tears as grief for Tybalts death at hands of Romeo she promises vengeance for his death by poisoning Romeo in Mantua We will have vengeance for it, fear thou not: Then weep no more. Ill send one to Mantua.Act 3 Scene 5 is where Capulets relationship with Juliet is broadly illustrated. At the start of the scene Lady Capulet enters her daughters room and puts forward the proposition of a marriage between her and Paris. Marry my child early next Thursday morn the gallant.county Parisshall happily make thee there a joyful bride. Juliet dismisses this offer without a thought of how much this marriage means to the Capulet househol d. Capulet then enters the room and is greeted by Juliets refusal to marry Paris.Lord Capulet then unleashes a flurry of hurtful outbursts which include If you do not go to Church on Thursdayhang, beg, starve, die in the streets for by my soul I will never acknowledge thee. This is a very hurtful and malicious to make his only remaining child and daughter Juliet is only trying to tell her father that she is not in love with Paris and wont marry him. We can make the assumption that Capulet thinks that Juliet is being ungrateful and rebellious by dismissing her fathers offer for her to marry Paris.Juliet also shows that she is an understanding and honourable character at various stages throughout the play both to her family and to people such as Romeo and the Nurse. One of these examples is in Act 4 Scene 1 where Juliet remains loyal and honourable to Romeo despite her conversation with Friar Lawrence about the arranged marriage to Paris and that of her committing suicide when she say s And I will.wife to my sweet love where she is talking about faking her own death just so she can be Romeos unstained wife.Juliets character goes through several life changing scenarios in one period of time that you would expect to encounter in a lifetime. This leads me to my conclusion where I can say that Juliet as a character shows great courage, maturity and self-awareness throughout the play. This statement could not be presented in a better example than that of Juliet faking her own death just so she can spend the rest of her life with her true love Romeo. Out of the characters among the play Romeo and Juliet, Juliet stands out as the true survivor although she died as she has overcome so many impediments and yet still matured and matured until she reached the point where she put her love before her well being and sacrificed her life, friends and family to be with her one true love Romeo.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
How to Distill Ethanol or Grain Alcohol
How to Distill Ethanol or Grain Alcohol Ethanol is also called ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol. Its made from a fermented mixture of corn, yeast, sugar, and water. The resulting alcohol is 100 to 200 proof (200 proof is pure alcohol). In addition to use in the lab, ethanol is a popular fuel alternative and gasoline additive. Because it is flammable, ethanol can be prohibitively expensive to ship, so it may make sense to distill your own. Anyone can have a still, but be advised you may need to get a permit in order to make ethanol. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 3 - 10 days, sometimes longer How-To Steps If you are starting with whole corn, you first need to convert the cornstarch into sugar by sprouting the corn. Place the corn in a container, cover it with warm water, and drape a cloth over the container to prevent contamination and conserve heat. Ideally, the container will have a slowly draining hole at the bottom. Add warm water from time to time as the liquid level falls. Maintain the setup ~3 days or until the corn has sprouts about 2 inches long.Allow the sprouted corn to dry. Then grind it into meal. Alternatively, start with cornmeal. Other grains can be prepared in much the same way (e.g. rye mash).Mash or mush is made by adding boiling water to the corn meal. The mash is kept warm to start the fermentation process. Yeast is added, if available (half pound yeast per 50 gallons of mash, for example), and sugar (variable recipe). With yeast, fermentation takes about 3 days. Without yeast, fermentation could require more than 10 days. The mash is ready to run once it stops bu bbling. The mash has been converted into carbonic acid and alcohol. It is called wash or beer or sour mash. The wash is placed into a cooker, which has a lid that is pasted shut so that it has a seal which can be blown off should internal pressure become too great. At the top of the cooker, there is a copper pipe or arm that projects to one side and tapers down from a 4-5 inch diameter to the same diameter as the worm (1 to 1-1/4 inch). The worm could be made by taking a 20 ft length of copper tubing, filling it with sand and stopping the ends, and then coiling it around a fence post.The sand prevents the tubing from kinking while being coiled. Once the worm is formed, the sand is flushed out of the tube. The worm is placed in a barrel and sealed to the end of the arm. The barrel is kept full of cold, running water, to condense the alcohol. Water runs in the top of the barrel and out an opening at the bottom. A fire is maintained under the cooker to vaporize the alcohol in the wash.The ethanol vaporizes at 173Ã °F, which is the target temperature for the mixture. The spirit will rise to t he top of the cooker, enter the arm, and will be cooled to the condensation point in the worm. The resulting liquid is collected at the end of the worm, traditionally into glass jars. This fluid will be translucent, and about the color of dark beer. The very first liquid contains volatile oil contaminants in addition to alcohol. After that, liquid is collected. The containers of liquid collected from over the wash are called singlings. Liquid collected toward the end of this run is called low wine. Low wine can be collected and returned to the still to be cooked again. The initial collections are higher proof than those collected as the distillation progresses.The singlings tend to have impurities and require double-distillation, so once the low wine has been run to the point where a tablespoon or so thrown on a flame wont burn (too low proof), the heat is removed from the still and the cooker is cleaned out. The liquid remaining in the still, the backings or slop, can be recovered and poured over new grain (and sugar, water, and possibly malt) in a mash barrel for future distillations. Discard mash after no more than eight uses.The singlings are poured into the cooker and the still is returned to operation. The initial collecti ons can approach pure alcohol (200 proof), with the end collections, using the flash test on the flame, at about 10 proof. The desired proof depends on the application. The highest proof usually obtained from a still is 190 proof. For using alcohol as a fuel alternative, for example, addition purification with a sieve may be required to obtain 200 proof ethanol. Tips If you live in the United States, a permit may be required in order to legally distill ethanol.Stills traditionally were operated close to a water source, like a stream or river, because the cool water was used to condense the alcohol in the tubing (called the worm)Stills needed to have removable tops so that they wouldnt explode when pressure built up from heating the mash. What You Need 25 lb corn meal or 25 lb shelled whole corn100 lb sugar (sucrose)100 gallons water6 oz yeast
Saturday, November 23, 2019
A Strategic Plan for Launching BMW 3 Series in USA and UK - Smart Custom Writing Samples
A Strategic Plan for Launching BMW 3 Series in USA and UK - Smart Custom Writing Ford VS ToyotaThe current paper deals with the question of productive flow and product quality of the two biggest and the most famous car producers in the world, Ford and Toyota and in what way improvements in productive flow and product quality lead to an increase in sales and profit of the companies. Both of them are worldwide famous manufacturers of the cars of different sizes and modifications. The main principles of the company are constant quality that is supplied by permanent quality control and improvement of the product line (Hales 2001, p.23). Toyota has been a foremost supplier of pioneering lift trucks for over 40 years already. According to latest data, the company has soldà à over 1 million cars to thousands of pleased customers in over 200 countries all over the world. It gained extreme popularity in every country. In every stage of the companyââ¬â¢s operation there is a complete devotion to quality and constant improvement of the product flow, as the experts working in the company realize that there two factors can lead to the direct increasing of sales and result in the augmented profits. The dedication to the quality has led to the companyââ¬â¢s popularity and recognition all over the world. Toyota is 100% devoted to delivering brilliance from product expansion to after sales service. Product quality and productive flow were put in place from the st art at the Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing capability in Columbus, Indiana. Improvement of a product quality authorize the employees of Toyota company to make quality their first priority and demonstrate devotion of the company commitment to quality in every stage of the production process. Needless to say, that product quality is essential for every company as it is a pledge of successful future. The latest researches of the Toyota activity, conducted in 2009 demonstrated that the company has implemented the innovative techniques for the product quality assurance.à By the quality-improvement program, the company will use the so-called go and see for yourself method to reinforce the ability to carry out technological investigations for every case of supposed malfunction of the product and to follow through with correct actions. à First, in the territory of United States, the company tried to be able to carry out on-site examinations within 24 hours of reported inciden ts by modification its information-gathering capabilities. In addition, the engineers of the company will conduct direct Customer Quality Engineering activities. Moreover, the company is planning to open technical offices in some U.S. towns that will hand out to reinforce the consumer service functions of Toyota local sales companies. Toyota Company is planning to undertake related initiatives in other regions of the world, increasing the functions of its technical offices and opening new ones as essential to maintain a solid, local reply in each region (Liker 2004, p. 24). These innovations in the sphere of quality control that the company managed to carry out during the last five years of its existence in the market have resulted in the increasing of sales and general profit of the company. It is understood that people need qualitative first class products. This is possible to achieve due to the constant improvement and quality control of the manufactured products. The company wil l equip its vehicles with an extended range of functionality for finding out the problems automatically and for recording the mistakes electronically, as well as conducting other tasks. This functionality will be very useful in quickly evaluating technological problems and in punctually taking counteractive measures. The next important issue under consideration of the company Toyota is the productive flaw .The managerial of the company understands that in order to preserve the positions in the market and provide the consumers with the permanent inventions and new products, it should maintain its production flow to avoid the stagnation of the manufacturing (Naughton, Takayama and Sparks 2005, p. 27).à The company tries to keep the production flow active. It leads to constant updating of the companyââ¬â¢s model range. As a result, keeping to the stable productive flow and introducing of the productive quality measures lead to the increase of sales and profits of the company, mak ing its production one of the most popular and demanded all over the world. The managerial of Toyota is sure that the more inventory, product quality control and productive flaw they have on hand, the longer their product lead time and the easier it will be for the company to react to the unexpected change in the marketplace. Considering the balance sheet of the company for 2009, it has 18 to 20 % of increased sales and is now the second foremost carmaker in the whole world. The margins of the company are approximately 17%. One of Toyota's main philosophies is the idea of constant improving both in production flaw and in quality of the products (Migliorato 2004, p.40). Employees at company Toyota production facilities are always encouraged to present new suggestions to improve their processes, modernize operations and then demonstrate devotion to the overall quality of its products. Another company under consideration is Ford Corporation. Probably, it is very difficult to find a person who does not know anything about this company. It has quite a long history making it world famous car manufacturer after Toyota and Crysler. Ford has production facilities in 22 countries on five continents in the world; it possesses 87 plants in North America and 41 in Europe. In 1995, in Europe, Ford's joint vehicle market share, at 12.2%, was the highest for the period of eleven years, with three of the eight best-selling vehicles. In 1995, Ford introduced as one of the leading and most popular vehicles in the country. It was one of the five vehicle producers (Banham 2002, p. 45). The company is not organized by geographic regions, and now it is realigned by product range, with five Vehicle Centers, every center is responsible for one group of products all over the world. The Company Ford, unlike Toyota, tries to spend as little time as possible for the development of new produ cts, thus making the process of production flow very quick. Ford is reducing the time needed for development of new vehicle from 48 to 24 months and reducing engines, transmissions, and essential car platforms by 30% all over the world. The company hopes that pooling worldwide skills and resources will lead to more variations on every car platform, increasing the number of cars introduced during the next five years by 50%. It is the essence of the permanent productive flaw of the company. Ford has introduced a variety of new initiatives all over the world, with joint ventures for the assembly of cars in such countries as China, India, Thailand and Vietnam. In China, Ford tries to launch the production of light trucks with a name of a company Jiangling Motors. In India, Mahindra Ford India Ltd. will start producing and distributing of Ford products, starting with the Ford Escort, in mid-1996 and Fiesta in 1998.à Thailand is known as country where Ford has a joint venture to manufa cture pick-up trucks (Ford 2004, p. 56).à Having the subsidiaries in different countries, the company tries to develop its productive flow. The more countries are engaged in the business of vehicles production of the company, the more vivid and permanent the productive flaw is. Needless to say, that such strategy leads to the increase of companyââ¬â¢s sales and profits consequently. Probably, this is one of the key reasons of the companyââ¬â¢s popularity and success in the market. One more important strategy for the companyââ¬â¢s development is production quality and constant quality control. The managerial of the company pays particular attention to the control and testing of the manufactured vehicles. That is why, before entering to the market, the cars are properly tested. Ford is known by its qualified and secure products and such fame is possible to gain only due to constant and reliable job over the problem of product quality. Therefore, it explains high revenues o f the company and increasing of its sales and profits. Company makes huge investments in the development of new ways of quality control and improvement of the quality of produced vehicles. It is understood that in the competitive market of vehicle production quality is essential factor, presupposing companyââ¬â¢s success. Managerial of the company should pay attention to these factors to be aware of the latest news in the market and develop the strategies that are necessary for company to be effective. References Banham, R. 2002, The Ford Century: Ford Motor Company and the Innovations that Shaped the World. New York: Artisan, p.43-46Ford, H., 2004, My Life and Work, London: Public Domain Books, p. 50-60Hales C. 2001, Managing Through Organization. 2nd ed. London: Thomson Learning Pressà Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 2010, p1-1, 1p Liker, J. 2004, The Toyota Way. New York: McGraw-Hill, p. 22-25 Naughton, C., Takayama, H. and Sparks, D. Toyota Triumph. Newsweek (Atlantic Edition), 2005, Vol. 145 Issue 19, p44-49, 6p Migliorato,P. Toyota Retools Japan, Business 2.0, 2004, Vol. 5 Issue 7, p39-41, 3p
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Museology of Natural History. Historic Museums And Climate Change Essay
Museology of Natural History. Historic Museums And Climate Change - Essay Example This pressing nature of the problem has necessitated the active participation of merely all sectors and institutions of the world towards alleviating the accompanying effects. Environmental organizations in the past have taken a leading role in informing the public, inspiring them as well as equipping them in manners appropriate to participate effectively in the challenge of controlling the climate change. This is because most of the recent findings point to human beings as being the main cause to the climatic change because of activities that lead to build up of green houses gases within the atmosphere. Burning of fossil fuels as well as deforestation has been majorly blamed on increasing the green house gases, which lead to global warming and in effect lead to the adverse effects that are seen from climate change and alteration of climate systems globally. However, lack of information by many people lead to the low participation towards curtailing the effects of climate change. Nev ertheless, the active participation of all human beings towards the problem necessitates that they are equally involved in finding the solution to the problem. Public awareness of the effects of personal activities towards rising levels of concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as well as other environmentally unfriendly activities would play a great role in the efforts to contain climate change across the globe. This is the active role that most of the museums (not all) are currently engaged in with efforts towards alleviating the effects of climate change. Discussion Despite the active participation and the evident efforts by many world governments to educate the citizens concerning the problem, much is still to be done. This has therefore necessitated the active participation of nongovernmental organizations, scientific agencies and other institutions towards the common goal of environmental conservation with a motive of alleviating the effects of climate change. In particular, such active participation has been seen in the recent past from the historical museums across the globe. Most of the museums are taking active role in educating the public on such emerging issues in a timely way. There is growing evidence of scientific museums actively participating in empowering the public alongside other agencies such as environmental organizations through information in efforts to control climate change and hence the effects (Ryan, 2005, p. 4-5). The nineteenth century saw great revolution in creation of public awareness by scientific expositions as well as world fairs, which would later trigger active participation of the historical museums into the good course. The growing sense of responsibility over the time slowly led to the strategic moves by museums to participate actively in controlling the menace. The process of adopting the role of educating the populace concerning global warming and effects by the museums have seen development of educationa l theories as well as visitor research. The outcome of such efforts has been seen in development and adoption of conservation related exhibitions, which has been very instrumental in creating public awareness on the topic (Ryan, 2005, p. 23). Museums role as custodians of rich history not only safeguards the history but also enables there to be a link between the past, the present as well as the future. Sustainability has therefore shaped many of the efforts by the museums as defined by
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in Men Research Paper
HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in Men - Research Paper Example Seppa (2011) explains that though the virus was previously believed to infect women and not men, observations, in history, have indicated high rates of infection among men. This means that while the infection was previously ââ¬Ënon-existentââ¬â¢ in men, or otherwise previously not detected in men, cases of viral infections have increasingly been reported among men to an extent that men are now equally vulnerable to the viral infection as women are. Further research has also proved that varieties of types of the HPV virus are sexually transmitted and hence the infection in men that occurs during contacts in sexual interactions. As a result, the viral infection in men is not a recent emergence, but has either been existed in history without being noticed, or has taken some time to rise from a zero prevalence rate to its current prevalence rate that equals the rate among women. The history of the relationship between HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men has also been significantly reported with an increasing trend in men bellow fifty years of age. Marur et al. explains that the cancer has particularly been increasing among the category of men in the past years (2010). The authors particularly relate the cancer to ââ¬Å"human papillomavirus 16 infectionâ⬠(p. 781). ... Research developments that have revealed the extent of vulnerability of men with respect to Oropharyngeal cancer have also identified HPV as an increasingly developing risk factor towards Oropharyngeal cancer infections (D'Souza, G., & Dempsey, A. 2011). Statement of problem This paper seeks to discuss significant research and data that has been developed over HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men with the aim of exploring HPV as a contemporary issue facing nurse practitioners and established relationship between HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men. The paper will also research into the role of nurse practitioner with respect to HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men. Literature review The general perception that has in the past existed that HPV infections are associated with women and not men is still felt as little research has been conducted to understand menââ¬â¢s opinions and knowledge over the infection. A research conducted by Brewer et al. indicated that a majority of men have not yet understood the relationship between HPV infections and cancer. In the research that sought to establish the perception among heterosexual men and homosexual men, the authors established that men are oblivious of the possible infections that are associated with HPV. Only about 40 percent of the respondents, for example, were aware that HPV could lead to genital warts. Similarly, less than a quarter of the respondents were aware that HPV could cause either anal cancer or oral cancer. There is therefore a high level of ignorance over the relationship between HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men. Though a significant majority of the respondents associated sexual interactions with infections such as ââ¬Å"genital warts and anal cancer,â⬠they did not specifically identify the
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Health & Social Care Essay Example for Free
Health Social Care Essay Physical abuse is classed as the hitting, shaking, choking, biting or other physical attack on an individual. It can lead to bruising, cuts, scratches burns, fractures and internal injuries. As well as these more immediate injuries, there can also be longer term ones. Someone who is being physically abused may show signs of it, but they may not be noticed by others if the victim is hiding the abuse. Signs and symptoms of physical abuse are cuts, brusies, burns grip marks, unusual pattern or location of injury, depression, fearfulness, withdrawn and anxiety. Sexual abuse Sexual abuse involves any sexual behaviour directed toward an adult without that adultââ¬â¢s knowledge and consent. Sexual abuse can happen to people of all ages, including the elderly. Sexual abuse is a way that a person tries to have control over someone and has nothing to do with consenting sex between adults. Sexual abuse is another form of physical and emotional control of one person over another person, and it has nothing to do with consensual sex between adults. Read more: Explain the roles of different agencies in safeguarding and protecting individuals from abuseà essay Signs and symptoms of sexual abuse are pain, itching or bruises around breasts or genital area, torn stained or bloody underclothing, sexually transmitted diseases, vaginal/anal bleeding, depression, withdrawal from regular activities, fear and anxiety. Emotional/psychological abuse ââ¬â Emotional abuse can be as painful and damaging as physical abuse because it diminishes an adultââ¬â¢s sense of identity, dignity and self-worth. Emotional abuse is when a person is verbally assaulted, insulted, yelled at, threatened or humiliated by someone close to them or by a caregiver. The abuser often confines a person or isolates them by preventing them from having visits from family and friends or by denying them the chance to attend doctor or other personal care appointments. Signs and symptoms of emotional/psychological abuse are depression, fear, anxiety and behaviour changes when a carer enters or leaves a room. Financial abuse ââ¬â financial abuse involves the improper, illegal or unauthorized use of an adultââ¬â¢s resources for the benefit of another. Signs and symptoms of financial abuse are unpaid bills, no money for food, clothing, or medication, unexplained withdrawal of money from someoneââ¬â¢s bank account, family member or representative refuses to spend money on the adultââ¬â¢s behalf, possessions disappear, family member or another person forces an adult to sign over Power of Attorney against their own will. Institutional abuse ââ¬â Institutional abuse refers to mistreatment of someone living in a facility for older persons. This includes nursing homes, foster homes, group homes, or board and care facilities. For example the abuse refers to the ââ¬Ëhomeââ¬â¢ and staff having set meal times, set places a resident can eat their meals, a certain time everyone must get up Rigid, routines, Inadequate staffing, Insufficient knowledge base within service etc. Signs and symptoms of institutional abuse could be Inability to make choices or decisions, agitation if routine broken, disorientation, patterns of challenging behaviour. Self neglect ââ¬â Adults are neglected when a caregiver does not provide the essential daily living needs of an adult dependent upon them, for things such as food, clothing, shelter, bathing, medication, health care, and doctor visits. Self-neglect happens when an adult can no longer take care of their own basic daily living needs. Signs and symptoms of neglect and self-neglect are malnourishment, dehydration, confusion, inappropriate clothing, under or over medication, skin sores, poor hygiene, absence of required aids, canes and walkers. Aiii / Aiv) If someone makes an allegation of abuse to you, the first and most important response is that you must believe what you are told. You must reassure the person that you believe what you have been told also reassure them that it is not their fault and that they are in no way to blame. Once youve reassured the person that you believe them, you should report the allegation immediately to a senior member of staff. Make sure you then make an accurate record of as much detailed information. Av) If the abuse is physical, no attempt should be made to clean anything such as clothes or residence. The client should be dissuaded to wash. Other people should be kept out of the way. With financial abuse, evidence could be paperwork such as bank statements so these should not be thrown away. You should only remove anything that could be evidence if you suspect the abuser might dispose of it before the authorities can see it. Avi) The national polices that relate to safeguarding and protection from abuse are the safeguarding board, the social services. The child protection agencies like the NSPCC Childline. The H.uman rights act 1998 and the Equalityact of 2000. Avii / Aviii) Different agencies and professionals play critical roles when involved in safe guarding individuals for example, Medical professionals such as GP, AE staff, nurses, doctors they can examine, diagnose treat, they can record. The local authority Social Services would carry out an assessment of needs. Safeguarding Team, within Social Services dept investigates and ensures safety, work with other agencies such as police. A Safeguarding Protection Officer would lead the Adult Protection Alert. Police to investigate/prosecute, to work with other agencies, to provide support to victims, to raise awareness of crimes, crime prevention. Care Quality Commission to regulate inspect care providers. Independent Safeguarding Authority. Aix) When seeking advice, support and information to help care workers understand their role in safeguarding good sources would be social workers, advocaces, further training, management, relevant laws and policies, CQC guidelines, care plans including risk assessments.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Sex in Ursula K. LeGuins The Left Hand of Darkness Essay -- essays re
Letââ¬â¢s Talk About Sex Ursula K. LeGuinââ¬â¢s The Left Hand of Darkness is the story of Genly Aiââ¬â¢s travels to a strange planet called Gethen, or Winter. His mission there is to persuade the nations of Gethen to join an alliance Genly Ai represents called the ââ¬Å"Ekumenâ⬠. However, his journey is rather difficult due to the great difference in societies from Genly Aiââ¬â¢s home planet, Earth, and this new one. In Gethen, he learns that the people are completely unsexed for the majority of their days. When they are sexed, it is only for a few days and each person is either male or female during this time. The different governments use Genly Ai as a pawn, but in the end they join the alliance. Unfortunately, it comes with the price of his friendââ¬â¢s life. LeGuin has Genly Aiââ¬â¢s descriptions of gender become less and less male or female for the purpose of showing his assimilation on Gethen. When Genly Ai first arrives on Gethen, LeGuin has him sex everyone to show how much of a stranger he is to the planet. LeGuin has Estraven and Genly Ai supper at Estravenââ¬â¢s house, at which time LeGuin has Genly Ai think about the androgynous people of Gethen and she has him realize that he sees ââ¬Å"a Gethenian first as a man, than as a woman, forcing him into those categories so irrelevant to his natureâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (12). When LeGuin has Genly Ai say this, she is showing the way Genly Aiââ¬â¢s understanding of sex being very set in place is also a representation of how he is mentally unfit with the rest of the Gethenians. Additionally, LeGuin has Genly Ai call everyone on Gethen ââ¬Å"manâ⬠, and â⬠heâ⬠because he cannot picture a culture that has no distinction between sexes at all times. When LeGuin has Genly Ai meet the King of Gethen, Argaven up close, she has him remark that ââ¬Å"Argaven ... ...raven] what women are likeâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (235). LeGuin has Genly Ai struggle with this thought as a show of how used to unsexed people he really is. When LeGuin has him see permanently sexed people from his home planet, LeGuin has him be so unfamiliar with it that he doesnââ¬â¢t like it. At first sight, LeGuin has Genly Ai describe them as ââ¬Å"â⬠¦a troupe of great, strange animals, of two different species, great apes with intelligent eyes, all of them in rut, in kemmerâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (296). LeGuin has Genly Ai experience these people in such a negative way because Genly Ai simply wasnââ¬â¢t used to the sight of such sexed people. LeGuin even went so far as to have Genly Ai include the Gethenian word ââ¬Å"kemmerâ⬠to show how much assimilation has taken place within him. It is in this way that LeGuin uses Genly Aiââ¬â¢s descriptions become less and less gendered to show that he has accepted the culture on Gethen.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Sartre, Jean Paul. Existence precedes essence Essay
Existence precedes essence Introduction à à à à à à à à à à à As much as Existentialism is a philosophy, existentialist emphasize on artistic creation as a crucial aspect of existence. As an outcome, Sartre often chose to combine both points of aesthetic concerns and that of philosophy in short stories and novels. Unlike the fiction of Sartre, the philosopher fiction is not mythical or allegorical, but it is a straightforward plan of his philosophical arguments. The dependence on artistic creation to understand oneself becomes Roquentinââ¬â¢s final cure to his Nausea. Rather than anguish, the inspirational piece of music gives him a reason to confront the bare existence of things and put them down in his novel. à à à à à à à à à à à Sartre slogan of existence precedes essence serve to bring out what is most distinctive of existentialism. The idea that non-formal account of what it relates to be human, can be given since its meaning is decided and existing by itself. Existence in a situation is self-making in itself, it constitutes that identity is formed neither by nature nor by culture (Sartre 95). The main theme of Sartreââ¬â¢s novel results from his belief that existence precedes essence. Rouquentin unsuspectingly gives a clear distinction between the intimate objects or a being in itself and the consciousness of the human. For instance, when he gives a stance on the purple bartenderââ¬â¢s suspenders, he is distraught to find that they appear blue in some parts. Sartreââ¬â¢s feeling of Nausea comes from moments like this when he is forming the essence or of the characteristics of the objects he glances at. He understands that color is an idea and purple is just a term that is used to describe something that Sartre has never come across in his entire life. He concludes that the essence of the objects is comforting that hides the unthinkable truth of existence. In effect, while having a close look at the Chestnut root tree, Roquentin finds out that the root first existed. Sartre attributed an essence to it by terming it as black (43). à à à à à à à à à à à Every new discovery that Roquentin makes continues from the epiphany that existence precedes essence. He thinks that the presence of overwhelming and fearful presence of existence is too much for individuals to handle. People ignore it and hide it by only seeing its essence. He therefore identifies the power of a being for itself to choose its own essence, just as the object decides what color it is. Because of the choice, Sartre strongly believed that the human race was fundamentally free to do whatsoever they felt to do regardless of the restricted mandate they had before. Indeed Roquentin continued to state that he wants freedom, freedom that will make things around the world become a reality. But with the freedom, it goes a great deal by the responsibility of oneââ¬â¢s action. Sartre strongly believed that the staggering responsibility makes people anxious and inevitably leads one to a path that denies them to a world with no freedo m and responsibility (Sartre 123). They total perceive themselves as total slaves on the hands of humans. For instance, Anny is afraid to take an action because she does not want to have the responsibility of breaking with her past. Responsibility condemns people to be free an earlier explanation by Sartre. à à à à à à à à à à à The broader themes of free will and time will also recur Roquentinââ¬â¢s search for the cause his Nausea. The inner desire to be self-sufficient and free provokes Roquentinââ¬â¢s to abandon the research that he started on the Marquis de Rellebon. He finds out that he has been attempting to resuscitate Rollebon in order to have justification on his own existence. He decides that the past life does not have meaning and that the concept does not exist. Instead, Roquentina embraces the present life as the only where things started and existed. He thinks that human emphasize their past in order to take a break from existence. For instance, when Anny terms herself in relation to the human Roquentin used to be. As Sartre explained earlier in the novel, this is an example of faith that is unacceptable to the human fraternity (65). Anny rejects her freedom to choose how own essence because the responsibility means a lot to her. She believes r esponsibility comes with the belief she has had during the past and present life (Sartre 45). Responsibility provides a vast array of opportunities that makes her feel recognized in the community. Roquentin also thinks that people give tales so as to put time in a standard measure and linear order, trying to grasp time by the tail. In effect while studying Rollebon, Roquentin not only deceived his own self by thinking à à à à à à à à à à à Rollebon was like him, but he could clearly understand and evaluate himself through the intermediary of a dead human being. Roquentinââ¬â¢s past rejection causes him to embrace the existence of the future and present. Roquentinââ¬â¢s wants to be successful in whatever he does not looking back at what hindered him at one point not to achieve his desired dreams and goals. He constantly repeats he exists and mocks the multitude of people in Bouville who in turn refuse to recognize their own existence (Sartre28). Later, he discovers existence is a deflection of his own self. He realizes that existence in nature is contingent and that there is no necessary reason for anything to come into existence. If evolution was to take place over and over again, the results would be completely different. Instead of the reasons, he found nothingness, an empty space that paradoxically comes into existence. Sartre uses the theme to criticize the individ ualism emphasis on the rational world with human existence as its main point of focus and reason (78). It is seen that human beings are accidental offspringââ¬â¢s to nature. Rather than surrender to nausea, Roquentin confronts his existential anguish in the broader face of nothingness. Although it cannot be clearly seen by him, nothingness is a force that makes up a purposeless reality which usually inspires action. Artistic creation emerges as a way of survival. Sartre asserts his freedom in defining his own essence by putting words down to the novels. à à à à à à à à à à à It is well examined that Jean Paul Sartre notion of the absurd, it is clearly seen in his philosophy and novel (76). The connection show that Sartre takes certain characteristics arises from the character Anny the Camus does the same to the character of Roquentin. The analogy used is circumscribed as a basic tenet of existentialist humor which consists of the historical irony. The powerful and distinct shape of Sartre literature and life certainly simplifies and reinforces the basic tenet. The theme exhibited by Sartre clearly helps one to understand the connection of the real world and that of existence precedes essence. References Sartre, Jean Paul. Nausea. New York: New Directions Publishing, 2013. Print Source document
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Brain Response of Behavior
The communication process of neurons in the brain is a complex electrochemical process from one neuron to the next in a series of chemical reaction to pass the message (Charles, 2002). However, the message to be passed precedes the process of communication involved. The message to be communicated to the brain neurons originates from the senses of sight, touch, taste, smell and sound.The neuronââ¬â¢s dendrites usually receive a chemical message from the neighboring neuron which generates or triggers off a chemical reaction to form nerve impulse.The generated nerve impulse or action potential travels down the neuron tube referred to as axon through the terminal button at the end of that neuron. At this end, the message carried is passed to the next adjacent neuron through a synapse. However, the synapse has a gap called synaptic cleft that message neurotransmitters should diffuse through to the next nerve cellââ¬â¢s dendrites. The electrical message to be diffused through synapti c cleft is contained in synaptic vesicles with several neurotransmitters.The neurotransmitters on the presynaptic neuron or neuron that has the message to diffuse through synaptic cleft to the postsynaptic neuron or on the receiving neuron must be in appropriate key and fit structures (Charles, 2002, p. 63). This is necessary to enhance successful neurotransmitters binding after diffusion. Once the neurotransmitters are diffused through the synaptic cleft, they bind to the dendrites of postsynaptic neuron and release the chemical message that triggers off or stimulates neuron chemical changes.Thereafter, the process repeats as the previous one for this neuron until it moves message to the next nerve cell and communication enhanced. It is a point of worth to note that, once message diffuses through the synaptic cleft to the postsynaptic neuron, there are several neurons that shall receive the message but only specific neuron that is compatible to the message is shall successfully rec eive and pass it by to the next neuron.For example, if there is need for body temperature control, the neurons that are specialized in body temperature control messaging only shall facilitate communication to the brain; and after interpretation by the brain the same neurons shall carry message to the hypothalamus. Then hypothalamus gland shall release hormones to increase liver activities, constriction or vasodilatation of blood vessel, follicle hair behavior and personal behavior to respond to cold by warming or wearing heavy clothes or hot weather by wearing light clothing (Albert, 2002).Neurotransmitters and their effect on behavior The observable behavior is a result of brain interpretation and stimulated action course. However, it should be noted that the brain ability to influence behavior is highly dependant on neurotransmitters contained in the synaptic vesicle. The neurotransmitters have the capacity to influence the message being passed and the outcome in terms of behavior exhibited. In this regard, neurotransmitters are chemical agent in the neurons that are responsible for facilitating message movement from one neuron to the adjacent one through axon (Charles, 2002).To this effect, neurotransmitters are either excitatory which allows communication or inhibitory that hinders information passage depending on the nature of message being passed on. But effects of neurotransmitters whether inhibitory or excitatory are different depending on the nature or receptor. Some common examples of neurotransmitters are: Acetylcholine which is an excitatory neurotransmitter dealing with the muscle tissues especially the heart muscles to facilitate blood pumping mechanism.Epinephrine is concerned with energy provision for urgent confrontation such as immediate flight or fight by producing glucose as a ready energy to an individual. Another neurotransmitter is the Serotonin which is concerned with personââ¬â¢s mood and insufficient leads to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. Oxytocin is concerned with maternal related behaviors such as mammary glands, sperm production and ovary release in sexual related behaviors. On contrary to excitatory neurotransmitters, Dopamine is an example of exhibitory neurotransmitter that inhibits action potential in motor neuron.Abnormal quantity of Dopamine results to Parkinsonââ¬â¢s disease and substance addition (Charles, 2002; Albert, 2002). Part II: major regions of the brain and their functions on behavior The brain is a complex structure that is divided into specialized parts or regions that perform specialized function. The importance of specialization and brain parts division is not only in brain processing information and generating responses, but the specific impact on behavior of an individual generated by each specialized part. In this regard, the brain has three main regions: cerebral cortex, limbic system and the brain stem (Charles, 2002).The brain stem is the most primit ive part of the brain that is located at the joint where the spinal cord enters the brain (Charles, 2002). This part of the brain contains such sub-parts as reticular activity system, medulla and the Pons. The main function of this part of the brain is for autonomic functions deemed as necessary for survival such as health, food, shelter and security seeking behaviors. For instance, when a person falls ill, the brain stem triggers off the course of action to seek medication or health care, thus such an individual shall move towards the hospital premises than to any other direction of food or security.The cerebral cortex is brain region that is on outer part that covers the brain (Charles, 2002). By virtue of covering the brain, the cerebral cortex is considered as the largest part of the brain. The behavioral function of the cerebral cortex involves higher cognitive processes such as memory process that enhances language, thought and learning. Therefore, behaviors such as performanc e in academic work, ability to retain and remember, verbal fluency and speech development are controlled and generated by the cerebral cortex.Limbic system (Charles, 2002) is the third region of the brain with structures such as hippocampus, thalamus, amygdale and hypothalamus. This part of the brain is responsible for emotional related behaviors of individuals such as motivation, memory functions, and physiological functions. For instance, amygdale is responsible for behaviors such as anger, fear and aggression. The hippocampus sub-structure involves the functions of memory such as information coding and processing into short term and long term memories. Hypothalamus is responsible for emotional behaviors such as hunger, sexual feelings, thirsty and reproduction behaviors.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Memory and Memorials
Memory and Memorials Memory and Memorials Memory and Memorials By Mark Nichol This post lists and defines the words derived from the Latin term memor, which means ââ¬Å"mindful of.â⬠Memory means ââ¬Å"the power or process of retaining things experienced or learnedâ⬠or refers to something, or all the things, so retained. It also pertains to information stored in a device or the capacity for doing so. Something that is significant enough in some way that it can easily be recalled is memorable (the adverbial form is memorably), while the quality or state of being easily recalled or worth recalling is memorability. Memorial is, like memorable, an adjective pertaining to the act of recall, but it most often refers to preserving the memory of an event or person; the word is also a noun referring to an object (often a sculpture or statue) or a place that serves to do so, or a ceremony or a speech honoring a memory. (In the United States, the Memorial Day holiday honors the memory of U.S. soldiers- originally, Union soldiers during the Civil War- who have died in battle.) Someone or something so honored is memorialized, and the action of doing so is memorialization. (A memorialist is someone who signs or writes a memorial.) The Latin phrase ââ¬Å"in memoriamâ⬠(literally, ââ¬Å"in memory ofâ⬠) is used in English, usually in documents such as programs distributed at a memorial for a deceased person, or on gravestones honoring the dead, though the English translation is often employed. Something that helps people remember a person or thing to be honored can also be described as being commemorative; the verb form is commemorate and the action is a commemoration. Memorabilia, in Latin, denoted notable achievements but in English came to merely describe things worth recalling before its meaning shifted to ââ¬Å"things that aid in recalling.â⬠The word usually applies to souvenirs pertaining to popular culture, such as objects commemorating a form of entertainment or an athletic competition. There is no singular form, so a single object might be referred to as ââ¬Å"a piece of memorabilia.â⬠Similarly, a memento is something that serves to remind one of someone or something; the plural is mementos (though mementoes is also common). Memoir usually applies to an autobiography or biography, though it is (rarely) used to refer to a memorandum or a report. A person who writes a biographical memoir is a memoirist or a memorialist. To memorize is to store information in oneââ¬â¢s memory; the act is called memorization. To remember is to place or retain information in oneââ¬â¢s memory. Remembrance can apply neutrally to any memory, though it usually has the connotation of honoring someone or something. To disremember, meanwhile, is to forget, while to misremember is to have a faulty memory of something. A memorandum (the word is derived directly from the Latin term meaning ââ¬Å"to be rememberedâ⬠) is a communication, often in written form, that serves as a record or reminder or that advises, directs, or informs; the plural in Latin is memoranda, though in English memorandums is prevalent, and the word is often truncated to memo (plural: memos). The newest word in this family is meme, coined in the mid-1970s on the model of gene and defined by its coiner, scientist Richard Dawkins, as ââ¬Å"a unit of cultural transmission,â⬠often an idea but sometimes a behavior or style. The definition has since extended among laypeople to encompass amusing or interesting images or videos, often accompanied by audio or by written messages, disseminated through social media. The adjectival form is memetic. Member and other words pertaining to a part or a unit are unrelated. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:85 Synonyms for ââ¬Å"Helpâ⬠Used To vs. Use To30 Words Invented by Shakespeare
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Reading Comprehension Worksheet 2
Reading Comprehension Worksheet 2 Reading comprehension is like anything; to get good at it, you need to practice. Luckily, you can do that, here, with this Reading Comprehension Worksheet 2 ââ¬â The End of Overeating. Directions: The passage below is followed by questions based on its content; answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage. Printable PDFs: The End of Overeating Reading Comprehension Worksheet | The End of Overeating Reading Comprehension Worksheet Answer Key From The End of Overeating by David Kessler. Copyright à © 2009 by David Kessler. Years of research had educated me about how sugar, fat, and salt change the brain. I understood some of the parallels between hyperpalatable foods and drugs of abuse, and about the links among sensory stimulation, cues, and memory. Id met enough people like Claudia and Maria to understand how even the thought of food could cause them to lose control. But I wasnt fully prepared for the discoveries I made about irresistibility and whoosh, the Monster Thickburger and Baked! Cheetos Flamin Hot, about indulgence and purple cows. Without necessarily understanding the underlying science, the food industry has discovered what sells. I was sitting at Chilis Grill Bar in Chicagos OHare Airport waiting for a late-night flight. At a nearby table a couple in their early forties was deep into a meal. The woman was overweight, with about 180 pounds on her five-foot-four-inch frame. The Southwestern Eggrolls she had ordered were listed as a starter course, but the enormous platter in front of her had been heaped with food. The dish was described on the menu as smoked chicken, black beans, corn, jalapeà ±o Jack cheese, red peppers, and spinach wrapped inside a crispy flour tortilla, and it was served with a creamy avocado-ranch dipping sauce. Despite its name, the dish looked more like a burrito than an egg roll, an only-in-America fusion approach. I watched as the woman attacked her food with vigor and speed. She held the egg roll in one hand, dunked it into the sauce, and brought it to her mouth while using the fork in her other hand to scoop up more sauce. Occasionally she reached over and speared some of her companions french fries. The woman ate steadily, working her way around the plate with scant pause for conversation or rest. When she finally paused, only a little lettuce was left. Had she known someone was watching her, Im sure she would have eaten differently. Had she been asked to describe what she had just eaten, she probably would have substantially underestimated her consumption. And she would probably have been surprised to learn what the ingredients in her meal really were. The woman might have been interested in how my industry source, who had called sugar, fat, and salt the three points of the compass, described her entree. Deep-frying the tortilla drives down its water content from 40 percent to about 5 percent and replaces the rest with fat. The tortilla is really going to absorb a lot of fat, he said. It looks like an egg roll is supposed to look, which is crispy and brown on the outside. The food consultant read through other ingredients on the label, keeping up a running commentary as he did. Cooked white meat chicken, binder added, smoke flavor. People like smoky flavor - its the caveman in them. Theres green stuff in there, he said, noting the spinach. That makes me feel like Im eating something healthy. Shredded Monterey Jack cheese.... The increase in per-capita consumption of cheese is off the chart. The hot peppers, he said, add a little spice, but not too much to kill everything else off. He believed the chicken had been chopped and formed much like a meat loaf, with binders added, which makes those calories easy to swallow. Ingredients that hold moisture, including autolyzed yeast extract, sodium phosphate, and soy protein concentrate, further soften the food. I noticed that salt appeared eight times on the label and that sweeteners were there five times, in the form of corn-syrup solids, molasses, honey, brown sugar, and sugar. This is highly processed? I asked. Absolutely, yes. All of this has been processed such that you can wolf it down fast...chopped up and made ultrapalatable.... Very appealing looking, very high pleasure in the food, very high caloric density. Rules out all that stuff you have to chew. By eliminating the need to chew, modern food processing techniques allow us to eat faster. When youre eating these things, youve had 500, 600, 800, 900 calories before you know it, said the consultant. Literally before you know it. Refined food simply melts in the mouth. Reading Comprehension Worksheet Questions 1. It can be inferred from the authors description of the woman eating in paragraph four that(A) The woman prefers to eat at Chilis vs. other restaurants.(B) The woman truly enjoys the foods that she chooses to eat.(C) The womans efficiency at cleaning her plate adds to her dining experience.(D) The author is disgusted by the womans consumption.(E) The author believes the woman should take a course in healthy eating. 2. According to the passage, the main reason people overeat is(A) because salt and sweeteners, like corn-syrup solids and brown sugar, are added to the food.(B) because we dont have to chew our food very much.(C) because people like smoky flavor.(D) because sugar, fat and salt change the brain.(E) because we are used to eating quickly in this modern society. 3. The following are all ingredients in the egg rolls, EXCEPT(A) salt(B) binders(C) honey(D) spinach(E) dark meat chicken 4. Which of the following statements best describes the main idea of the passage? (A) If you eat too much food too quickly, youll gain weight and become unhealthy.(B) Because refined food is irresistible and easy to eat, it masks how unhealthy it is, leaving people unaware of the poor food choices theyre making.(C) Chilis is one of the restaurants in the U.S. serving unhealthy food to consumers today.(D) Food consultants and authors are making Americans aware of their unhealthy eating habits, thus, creating healthier generations for years to come.(E) Refined foods, with salt, sugar, and fat hidden inside, are less nutritious and more damaging than whole foods. 5. In the first sentence of paragraph four, the word vigor most nearly means(A) pleasure(B) flamboyance(C) lethargy(D) energy(E) craftiness Answer and Explanation More Reading Comprehension Practice
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Nuclear Proliferation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Nuclear Proliferation - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the Kellogg- Briand Pact of 1928 was a treaty signed to bring to end wars between countries in Europe. The International safeguards system has attempted to contain the spread of nuclear weaponry. Later in 1968, a treaty on Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was signed to see to it that there were no cases of nuclear technology spreading especially to new states. This treaty is by far the only confirmation that nations using nuclear weapons were to see to it that disarmament was achieved. It was also to ensure that the spread of nuclear technology to careless and malicious people was curbed. Vertical and horizontal proliferation have been issues of concern. Over 190 parties are in consent with this treaty probably because of the fear that these nuclear weapons may end up in the hands of terrorists or failed states. The bombing of Hiroshima and then Nagasaki city three days later were considered the two single terror acts ever. The U.S.A planned to attack Japan so as to subdue it. Before America attacked Japan and other states, it sent leaflets around warning them of the impending attacks. The leaflets further said that the U.S.A was aware of these cities harboring warehouses and factories with nuclear weapons. The leaflets also said that there was need to end the war and that the only way this was going to be achieved is by sabotaging all the weapons of mass destruction. America administered this warning with the aim of making the civilians flee the mentioned cities before the attacks. This sanction that was placed on Japan was not out of spite for the Japanese people but the weapons that were made in that country. This event in history is important as it looks into the ways that different states used so as to curb the problem of weapons of mass destruction falling into the wrong hands. In this case, America was aware that the weapons under the custody of Japan were going to fuel the World War II further. The Japanese government sur rendered on 10th August 1945.
Friday, November 1, 2019
Reflection paper Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Reflection paper - Article Example The documentary also identifies the marketing effects of politics, it discusses how the politicians utilize the marketing perspectives to be elected and stay in their offices. Information in the documentary is presented in a manner that indicates all the aspects of marketing. Douglass Rushcoff , the correspondent is unbiased on the factors he attributes on marketing. He talks of issues that concern the relation between marketers and consumers. He also mentions that consumers tend to be trapped in marketing and they are usually confused by the diversity in advertisement. The film indicates that the type of advertisement that has occupied the marketing world and how they are convincing to individuals. The aspect of marketing in politics is legit and common in various parts of the world. Politicians have been note to manipulate the image they want the society to view so that they can secure their offices and maintain their
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
International business strategy (change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1
International business strategy (change - Essay Example with the global, national and industrial environment a business needs to change its internal structures and systems to gain the best of results from its operations. The changes in internal structures to attain this often affect organizational structures, systems of production, distribution and marketing. Smith & Graetz (2011) juxtapose businesses with organisms. They are in a population that includes other businesses which come together to form an industry. They have to build and maintain their areas of competitive advantage to survive and this is evident in the form of growth and the capture of market share. This is in the form of evolution, where the business finds new ways and methods of doing things to get the best of results and overcome competitors in terms of survival and profits. Porter (1998) states that change and innovation unfreezes and reshapes a businessââ¬â¢ internal systems to enable it to attain and sustain competitive advantage. This means that change causes an organization to dismantle its existing systems and structures and then put in place new systems and structures to enable it to meet changes in its external environment in the context of strategic planning. Kurt Lewin identifies three stages that businesses go through to create and sustain change (Shapiro, 2010). At the first the organization needs to ââ¬Ëunfreezeââ¬â¢. This involves the analysis of the external and internal environment and the identification of the need for change. This is followed by the sanctioning of the project by initiation with tope level management and core employees to be involved in the process. This is complemented by the need to examine and understand doubts and concerns. The second stage involves the actual change. At this point, the change is communicated to all the people concerned with it. The personnel in charge of the change need to work hard to dispel doubts and resistance. They then go ahead to empower the stakeholders involved in the actual change. From
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Ethical Issues In Operations Management Commerce Essay
Ethical Issues In Operations Management Commerce Essay Ethics in the business sector especially in the operations management is getting more popularity. Ethics is concerned about the rules of human behavior and considers whether or not there is any objective right or wrong. The study of ethics is divided into certain divisions which include descriptive morality, ethical theory, and applied ethics. In business, the concept of ethics is present for thousands of years now. The purpose of this research is to explore the body of knowledge with regards to ethics in operations management. Three questions are presented to set directions as follows: (1) what are ethical issues faced in operations management; (2) how do companies resolve ethical issues in their operations management; and (3) does ethical behavior within the operations function need management. Operations management refers to the approach of managing, designing, improving, and operating business processes or systems that are focused on producing or delivering goods and services. A review of literature about the operations management and the ethical issues within it is conducted to obtain answers to the research questions which are presented by the end part. Chapter I Introduction Ethics is a term which refers to moral philosophy that focuses on the aspects of good life and the difference between better and worse. Ethics is concerned about the rules of human behavior and considers whether or not there is any objective right or wrong. Furthermore, ethics is concerned about the foundations of moral principles and how it evolved. Vee and Skitmore (2003) listed three things that contitute ethics as follows: (1) ethics refers to a system of moral principles which serves as a basis for judging actions as right or wrong; (2) ethics refers to the rules of conduct which illustrates a particular accetable group of human actions; and (3) ethics refers to moral principles of an individual. Considering the definition of ethics, it can be deemed that its main objective is to guide the society on deciding what is good from bad and what is better from worse which is also referred to as normative ethics. This may be done in a general way or may address certain ethical issues o nly. Another form or ethics is termed as metaethics wherein the meaning of ethical language is analyzed to identify their true meaning. Simply speaking, the true meaning of referring to something as a moral act or a right act is analyzed. The study of ethics is divided into certain divisions which include descriptive morality, ethical theory, and applied ethics. The first division which is termed as descriptive morality refers to ethics which is based from the actual principles, customs, beliefs, and practices of the society. Cultural facts differ from certain societal groups to another around the world and these forms as the basis for their acts and what they believe should be right. Second division of ethics is ethical theory which refers to the understanding and justification of moral concepts, principles, and theories. Final division is applied ethics which is focused on the ethical issues in the society. This report belongs to the applied ethics division since its objective is to obtain an understanding on ethics in business and the ethical issues in operations management and how may these be resolved. To achieve this objective, some basic concepts on ethics shall first be discussed followed by its relation to th e business world specifically in operations management. Moreover, a literature review shall be conducted to examine the common ethical issues that occur in operations management and how these are faced by the business sector and other concerned societal groups. This report is expected to add in the body of knowledge which is concerned about ethics in the workplace with discussions that connect the three mentioned division of ethics. Its significance shall be seen in a way that it examines the ethical trends and changes that occur in the business sector from the traditional era to the modern era. Research questions that will serve as guides for the paper are as follows: (1) what are ethical issues faced in operations management; (2) how do companies resolve ethical issues in their operations management; and (3) does ethical behavior within the operations function need management. Some examples of ethical considerations in operations management decisions include customer safety, employee safety, materials recyclability, waste disposal, pollutions, repetitive tasks, stress in workplace, restrictive company cultures, employment policies, fluctuations in working hours, consumption of energy, energy efficiency, implications of plant location, closure, and vertical integration on employment, impact of process location on environment, and exploitation of resources. The next section shall present a literature review of the ethical issue in operations management that actually existed in the business sector and how are they resolved. It shall provide an overview of the ethical issues in the real world to offer a better understanding of the phenomenon. Chapter II Literature Review Businesses in todays world are faced with the pressure of having to comply with the ethical standards to ensure their continued market penetration without risk of being stripped out of the limelight. Businesses face this challenge through their own corporate social responsibility. In this review, the literature regarding the ethical issues in operations management is explored. Articles wrote by authors who focused on the topic of ethics in operations management are identified. Subtopics to be considered are the ethical issues that exist and challenge the operations management, the ethical leadership of an operations manager, their ethical decision-making, how the operations managers ethically influence the people under them, and how ethics in operations management can boost the morale and integrity of an organization as a whole. This review is structured to analyze ethics in operations management through a deeper examination on the mentioned subtopics and findings are considered in t he end. Ethical Reasoning Ethical views differ from one society to another due to the differences in religion. People more often take their religion as the basis for their ethical reasoning since religions present a certain standard for morality. For example, Christians are guided by the Ten Commandments found on the Bible. Other religions are also guided by their own religious books like the Koran and Bhagavad Gita which teaches what people ought to do. Models for good or moral acts are also established in some religions like the Saints or holy people. Despite the fact that the society seem to have grown with the tradition of basing their ethical standards with their own religions, philosophers believe that ethics can stand alone without religious grounds. In philosophy, ethics base its analysis on what is right or wrong on reasoning and experience rather than incorporating religious standards and teachings. This fact also articulates that people who have valid ethical views or ethical standards of living ar e not only those that belong to any religious sector but also those that do not believe to any religion at all. Moreover, the challenge for religious ethics is the idea that something is referred to as ethical because it is approved by God which makes it arbitrary. Ethics should be independent and saying that something is right or wrong should not be based on someones approval. For this reason, a person should learn to have his own skill of moral reasoning. The goal of philosophical ethics is to deal with ethical issues without regarding to any religious views. Ethics is evaluative. This means that referring to an act as either a rightful act or a wrongful act is equivalent to judging or evaluating it. However, it is not enough just judge or evaluate something. A judgment should be supported by certain norms or reason. Furthermore, it is not acceptable to say that a conclusion is given just because the speaker feels that way. A speaker who evaluates something is expected to explain deeper why he delivered such conclusion or attitude. Giving justifications to certain ethical conclusion is essential to ethics. A persons reasoning may be based from a prior experience regarding the said conclusion. Reasoning may not always be rational of objective since everyone can admit that in every decision making done, emotions and feelings always interfere. A person can conclude that say because he might have experienced the emotions that are accompanied in that certain situation. Ethical evaluation has several domains including action, consequences, character, and motive. In evaluating a certain situation, the actions of either the parties involved constitute either right or wrong deeds. When concluding who of the parties is right, it is necessary that a person know the meaning of the term right. Right actions are those that are permissible including those that are obligatory and optional while wrong actions are those that are not permissible. Another domain of evaluating an ethical situation is the analysis of the consequences. An action is considered right if the results are positive while it is considered wrong when the consequences are otherwise negative. This is studied in teteological ethics which is beyond the scope of this report. Another area of ethical evaluation is the analysis of character of the doer of an action. People with bad character traits usually has negative outlook on life and are likely to act in a way harmful to others. Last domain if ethical evaluation is the motive or intention behind an action. These ethical evaluation domains shall guide this report in analyzing the reasons behind ethical issues that exist in business. Ethics in Business Ethics in business is not a new trend. In fact, it is already present for over four thousand years now. With the changing trends in the business world, the society is getting more concerned about the corporate responsibility of businesses. Debates have also been conducted focusing on the social issue of poverty among the workers and the corresponding responsibility of the employers about the issue. Even in the ancient times, issues on ethics in business can be observed just like in the teachings of Aristotle about the harmful effects of the gaps that exist between the economical utilization of goods and the profit making objective of many merchants. At present, the rise of the concept of corporate social responsibility among the business sector constitutes corporate initiatives of integrating several ethical aspects such as establishment of codes of conduct, environment management system measures, health and safety in the workplace, compliance to financial reporting standards, certif ications schemes, company partnerships with community groups, and support for projects that are aimed for community development. There are several factors for the demand of the society for business ethics as a corporate responsibility. Some of these include the changing social role of corporate entities, globalization, developments in technology, and moral authority democratization. In the past, the responsibility or regulating all aspects of social life rests in the hands of the government. However, with the evolution of time, some duties are being moved from the government to the other sectors of the society including the individuals, the social groups, and the business sector. With this trend, corporate entities are required to establish their own self-regulation policies especially that the government has recognized the fact that fully controlling the business sector is not always an efficient way of influencing corporate behavior. Increased pressure is put on the business sector about the possible consequences of their policies on the society. Globalization is another driving factor for the societys demand of business ethics among the business sector. Currently, many businesses enter the international market and corporations tend to invest worldwide since this gives them more opportunities to grow. However, with the trend of entering in different foreign markets, there are complex things to consider including ethics. Customs and traditions in foreign lands differ from each other and some business practices that may be acceptable to one nation may not be accepted in the same sense in another. Businesses are often expected to adapt with the customs and values of the foreign land that they are trying to penetrate. Pressure on companys corporate social responsibility is high since there is still no firm and effective supervision governing the international business behavior. Developments in technology seem to be a great source of questions of morality. Technology at the current time is considered advanced and it provides a way for people to experience things that are thought to be impossible before. Technological development brings convenience to the society and contributes to the establishment of a kind of life that is better than before. Ethics come to picture as the society examines the real consequences of technology to the way of life. The effect of technology to the world is complex and the government has not enough capacity to handle the issues accompanying it which makes it necessary for the business sector to take actions on whatever consequences their own technology may bring. In the past, moral authority often rests among a few groups in the society including the Church, the government, and the theorists. At present, the opinions of the mentioned authorities are now considered as a regular opinion which can be aligned with the opinions of a regular entity. The power and control they once had over judging and handling ethical issues has faded and now there is a democratization of moral authority. This again puts pressure on the business sector to manage their ethical affairs seriously since everyone seem to have the authority to criticize their business practices are compliance to ethical standards. Businesses are compelled to open their policies to the public when questioned about their business ethics. Moreover, with the intrusion of media, the businesses are more exposed to public which makes them susceptible to any ethical criticism. The relationship of a business to its stakeholders is the primary concern of business ethics. Stakeholders may include all the entities that have interest on a company or are influenced by the company such as the shareholders, the customers, the employees, suppliers, competitors, the government, and others. Seeking business strategies that will consider the interest of all the stakeholders is not an easy task for a company but an important mission of every manager and all the high ranking company officials. Like any other company managers, operations manager has one of the most important duties of handling decision making processes regarding ethics in operations management. Ethics in Operations Management To obtain a better understanding of operations management, it is necessary to define what operations mean. Operations refer to the portion of business which is responsible for the production of goods and services. Operations management therefore refers to the approach of managing, designing, improving, and operating business processes or systems that are focused on producing or delivering goods and services. In other words, operations management involves the process of converting a set of inputs into outputs (Hassin, 2009). The term operations management originated from the concept of productions management used in the past which refers to the process of converting raw materials into finished products. However, with the evolution of time, the term expanded to production and operations management to integrate the operations in the servicing industry until currently, it is now termed as operations management. The main objective of the operations management is to ensure that products and services are delivered to customers at best quality but at lowest costs. Some huge organizations have separate operations management departments that do operations activities while some companies do not have, but regardless of this fact, all organizations have operations endeavors and every organizational member is involved in operations in some way. A companys operations management function is headed by the operations manager who has the primary duty of managing resources involved in operations. Some of the areas of decision making that are included in the duties of a companys operations management are formulation of operations strategy, setting of operations performance objectives, configuring process types, ensuring prompt service, layout design, planning for long-term capacity, facility location, technology to be adopted, designing of products and services, designing processes, and employee motivation. Business activities which are considered as operations include manufacturing, supply, transport, and service. Manufacturing activity involves the conversion of raw materials to final products which are eventually sold to customers. Supply is another business activity which involves the change of ownership of a certain physical good from the company to the customer. This is a usual business activity among the companies in the retail distribution industry. Third business activity described as included in operations is transport. This refers to the process of transferring of goods from one place to another. Finally, service is an operations activity which involves changing of the condition of the customers. Operations of a certain company may not only be limited to only one of the mentioned activities. For example, a company which manufactures a certain product also supplies the same to the end customers. In this company, several operations management activities involved are manufacturi ng, supply, and transport. Different organizations belonging to different industries adopt operations strategies that fit their businesses. However, some approaches adopted by different organizations in their operations strategies tend to be common and similar to each other. Certain requirements for an effective operations strategy include appropriateness, comprehensiveness, coherence, consistence, credibility, and ethicality. Appropriateness refers to the alignment of the operations strategy with the companys competitive strategy. This is especially necessary when operations strategy is formulated for the purpose of connecting the companys operations to its goal of developing a competitive edge over the competitors. An operations strategy is also required to be comprehensive where all aspect of operations is tackled. Operations management is included in a companys complex process of business and achieving excellent performance which makes it necessary for every strategy to deal with every aspect of operations rather than limiting tactics on minor operational decisions. Furthermore, it is not enough that operations strategy be comprehensive, it must also be coherent. Every element of the strategy which refers to specific operations function must point to the same direction for the strategy to be effective. From period to period, operations strategy may be modified but one important thing is noted, it should be consistent through time. Credibility is another factor for an effective operations strategy. It is important that every strategic goal is realizable to maintain credibility. A strategic objective which the operations management failed to achieve may give a negative impact on the strategy and the employees may be discouraged to support it subsequently. Finally, an effective operations strategy should be ethical. An operation strategy may have consequences after its implementation which makes it necessary to be formulated based of ethical standards. The role of ethics in operations management is important especially in world-class operations and it should be considered in corporate responsibility. This claim is based on the fact that most of the ethical issues in businesses originate from the operations level. Another reason for importance of ethics is the ethical consequences that arise from the strategy of some companies to obtain cost advantage by outsourcing. Ethics in operations management is concerned on the way how profit is obtained rather than on the quantity of profit which is considered enough. The tension is between profits and the responsibilities of the company. Steenkamp (2010) described operations management as a management function which receives least attention and understanding. Aspects in operations are often left to the engineers and other concerned professionals or especialists. The term is not even used among the organizations in the servicing industry. Realizing this gap, it is important to understand that operations management should be taken into consideration since it is one of the functions that helps an organization to create and increase its value. Ethical issues comes with the importance of understanding operations management. Ethical dilemmas refer to a certain situation or issue wherein a decision has to be made to adopt one of the two equally urgent yet incompatible alternatives (Mirwoba, 2009). One popular ethical issue discussed in the literature regarding operations management is opportunism. This issue has been a topic of many empirical studies conducted to focus on business and management field. Opportunism is considered in the literature as an unethical behavior which refers to the abuse of opportunity. In company operations, managers or other professionals involved are vulnerable to unethical choices due to plentiful number of opportunities which may be abused. Some of the factors that drive professionals to engage in unethical behaviors are the pressures brought by the demands for cost reduction and unrealizable strategic objectives. One area of operations which is faced with an increased vulnerability of engaging to unethical behavior is the procurement since the employee assigned in this proce ss handles a significant amount of company resources (Carter, 2000). Furthermore, the procurement process has an increased exposure to the external environment of a certain organization which makes it possible for easy conduct of an unethical act. This is not beneficial to the organization since its reputation is in jeopardy since the employee assigned in the procurement process acts in behalf of the organization as a whole when dealing with third parties. The empirical and conceptual research history of ethics in the procurement process of a business is affluent. The procurement activity within business operations is also the subject of another article by Ho (2012). The importance of ethics in managing business operations is stressed out in the article. Ethics is an essential requirement in order to build and maintain a good relationship between a business entity and other parties included in the conduct of its operations such as the suppliers. The procurement function in a business organization is critical for the achievement of business goals since. An organizations effective operations depend on the effective performance of the purchasing function while achieving global competitiveness depends on effective operations. It is therefore important that ethics is integrated in the whole process to ensure good relationship to suppliers and eventually to satisy the needs and wants of the customers. One ethical challenge by procurement off icers is the situation where many suppliers compete and offer different favors and gifts just to create a business deal. In many situations, the relationship of the procurement officer not only to the supplier but also to his employer may also be affected. More ethical challenges include having to exagerate the problem of either the buyer or the supplier in order to obtain a business deal, offering preferential treatment to certain parties, allowing certain personalities to interfere with business deals, engaging in reciprocity, and seeking and providing information of different qoutes from different competitors either in a fair or unfair manner. Bribery is another requently mentioned ethical issue in the literature (Vee Skitmore, 2003). Bribery refers to the act of offering payments, goods or opportunities in exchange for something favorable. Accepting gifts is not a bad act but the situation tells whether it is unethical. When in operations, accepting gifts from people who have direct influence on the operations functions maybe considered as unethical expecially when the person being gifted and have the ability to satisfy the interest of the gift giver. Other ethical issues to consider in operations are breach of confidence, negligence, and fraud. The establishment of a code of conduct within an organization can greatly help operations especialists to decide on a certain ethical issue. Everyday, everyone are faced with the need to decide on a certain ethical issue. Organizations are faced with the pressure of having to demonstrate to the public their ability to decide correctly on an ethical issue. Organizations need to maintain a good reputation and the public trust to ensure their existence on the market. In order to achieve this, it is important for an organization to develop their own ethical code of conduct to guide every employee to decide correctly and to instill discipline among them. Ethical leadership is seen as an important factor to instill ethics in a certain organization (Monahan, 2012). In the literature, ethical leadership is increasingly studied relevant to the operations of organizations. Many articles relating to the role of unethical behaviors in the failure of great companies take the example of Enron where thousands of employees were harmed due to the unethical actions of a few executives. Not only were the employees harmed but the ethical controversy also influenced other external factors such as the confidence of the public over the financial systems and the emergence of more strict government legislations. The increasing number of companies being involved in many ethical controversies which even brought them down made it possible for the others to realize the importance of integrating ethics in managing company operations in order to ensure profitability. Companies are more and more aware of this trend and have started to take actions to redirect their strategic plans to include ethical strategies in their paths to success. However, this move is never an easy way since in the current business environment where every company strives for international penetration or globalization and competition is getting tougher, ethical considerations are getting complex and extensive too. In this situation, ethical leadership in a company is needed to be headed by a charismatic leader (Mackie, Taylor, Finegold, Daar, Singer, 2006). In two studies mentioned by (Monahan, 2012), it was revealed that one problem among organizations that concerns ethics is the lack of ethical leadership. Employees often do unethical actions or misconducts due to their lack of trust over their company leaders and the situation is even worsened by the poverty and weak economy. Furthermore, survey results support the idea since a significant percentage of employees were observed to question themselves is ethics even exists within their own organizations. Actually, having to follow the standards is an easy task. However, everythings gets complicated when ethical dilemmas arise and there is no one in the organization to take responsibility. This prompted the need of every organization to have an ethical leader. Managing ethical behavior not only within operations management but within an organization as a whole is one of the nost pervasive and complex challenge of modern companies (Stead, Worrell, Stead, 1990). There are three theories introduced in the literature which describe ethical leadership (Plinio, 2009). These theories include transformational leadership, servant leadership, and authentic leadership. The first theory states that a leadership transforms both the leader and followers through increasing the level of conducts and aspirations. The second theory, on the other hand, states that the leader should possess the character of devotion to change the ethical views of the followers. Finally, the third theory states that ethics comes from every individual through being true to themselves. Ethical character within an organization will not be achieved unless every member develops their own ethical character within themselves. Every member of an organization should have the choice of analyzing their inner character in every mistakes done, career setbacks that occur, and failures on their jobs. In other words, every organizational leader should develop their integrity to foster ethics. Harris, Sapienza, and Bowie (2011) mentioned in their article the decision-making process of managers. Individual differ in ethical decision-making. In fact, those that belong to the business world even have greater differences than those that do not. The differences may be due to different influences such as socio-cultural factors. Decision-making in a certain ethical situation is really a dilemma. This is especially true when the operations manager is required to choose between two alternatives which are unfavorable. This can be considered a tough challenge for the person in the situation. In some cases, ethical dilemmas may be impossible to resolve due to reasons like disintegration of value system. In todays world when every company aims for globalization, companies are faced with conflicting issues between the company objective of profitability and their corporate social responsibility. Ethics in the global market is complicated, so is the decision-making that operations managers have to face. The literature proposes theoretical concepts regarding ethical decision-making including relativism, moral imperialism, and universalism (Mirwoba, 2009). Relativism refers to the principle that a company should follow the ethical standards and norms of the country where they do business. Companies, therefore, follow different sets of ethical standards depending on the culture of a certain nation. This can be unfavorable to a business since there is no constant standard that employees should remember. A company cannot establish its definite ethical standards since cultures in other nations may be conflicting. Complexity occurs when operations in home market differ from the operations done in foreign markets. In the theory of moral imperialism, things are done in the opposite way of relativism. Moral imperialists argue that individuals should retain their own ethical views even when doing business in foreign lands. Ethics applied in operations in the home market is done the same way in other company branches even in global markets. Some authors, however, argue that the mentioned theories can both serve as bases for an ethical decision making where a certain alternative is chosen considering the norms in the foreign market and the company standards. In the theory of universalism, universal guidelines are considered. These often include fundamental human rights issues, environmental protection, consumer protection, and basic freedoms. This foundation of code of ethics is the most advantageous to many corporations since serious mistakes in actions and uncertainties in operations may be avoided. Most of the discussions focused on the operations management in private corporations which are profit-oriented. However, ethical issues not only occur in profit-oriented companies but also with non-profit corporations (Robinson Yeh, 2007). The challenge of strict compliance to ethical standards among the non-profit corporations is driven by the attempt of doing the right things. Furthermore, non-profit organizations are inclined to achieving their social goals rather than maximizing profits. When people encounter the concept of soc
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