Make a plane of the investigation and a report for the investigation Assignment

Make a plane of the investigation and a report for the investigation There should be two sections in this . In this in - Assignment Example Basically, the duration of burning of the candle is dependent on the amount of oxygen. The word equation for the burning candle wax that supports this explanation is as given (Oldham, 2005). (Hydrocarbons) + Oxygen ----> Carbon dioxide + Water (Hydrocarbons). This experiment entails burning candles. One, two and three, candles would simultaneously be held on a tray while confined in a jar. Time taken by each of the candles before going off would be recorded. This experiment is considered following a thorough review of many literatures that show that there is lacking experiments done to explore the differences in the rates of Oxygen consumption between one, two or more candles. As a result, it has not been clear whether if the sets are set running under constrained Oxygen, which of the three would go off first. This experiment, therefore, helps correlate the amount of oxygen consumed and the number of candles. This in effect, would help steer clear any double concerning the dependency of candles on oxygen gas during the burning process. Moreover, the experiment can help ascertain the components of a candle as a bi-product of hydrocarbons. This experimental set up is divided into two sections: The experimental plan and the report section. Title The Burning Candles Experiment. Aim The aim of this experiment is to investigate the differences in the rate of Oxygen consumption between one, two and three candles. ... Time taken by the one, two and three candles before going off served as the independent variable. Material you need to carry out the experiment Materials to be used in this experiment include a tray, a stop watch, one, two, and three same sized candles, jar and match box for lighting the candles. Methods Observation as a method is considered to be the most and, therefore, the applied method in this experiment for data collection. Raw data/observations No of Candles Time taken for the Lambs to go off in Seconds 1 60 2 35 3 15 Results It was found out that one candle took the relatively longest time to go off followed by two candles and finally, three candles, which took the shortest time before going off. Discussion From the graph shown below, there is a linear correlation between the number of candles and the time taken for the candles to go off. It is clear that increase in the number of candles causes a significant decrease in time the candles take to go off. Taking into considerat ion the fact that the number of candles is directly proportional to the rate of the amount of Oxygen consumed, it implies that increase in the number of candles results into an increase in of the amount of Oxygen consumed. On the other hand, the less the number of candles used, the less the rate of amount of oxygen consumed thus the higher the time taken for the candles to go off. This is because the burning up of candles is purely depended on the amount of Oxygen confined in the jar. Therefore, increasing the number of candles causes a proportional increase in the rate of consumption of Oxygen. This causes the candles to go off at shortest time possible. This is explained by the linear graph shown below. The

School Discipline Essay Example for Free

School Discipline Essay Recently, in elementary and lower secondary schools, much effort has been made in Japan to accomplish the aims of moral education, by requiring separate scheduled hours for moral education. The purposes of moral education are shown in the following summary of general principles established in the Course of Study issued by the Ministry of Education. Moral education aims to develop a Japanese citizen who will never lose the consistent spirit of respect for his fellow man; who will realize this spirit at home, at school and in other actural life situations in the society of which he is a member; who strives for the creation of a culture rich in individuality and for the development of a democratic nation and society; and who is able to make a voluntary contribution to the peaceful international society. In order to attain this aim, the following contents is sought in moral instruction in elementary schools. 1) Contents mainly related to the fundamental patterns of behavior in daily life: to maintain safety and secure good health; to develop self-reliance; to observe good manners; to keep oneself neat; to improve the environment; to use things and money effectively; to recognize the value of time. 2) Contents mainly related to moral sentiment and moral judgement: to respect others personality; to control oneself and act according to ones beliefs; to act freely according to ones own judgement or wishes and on ones own responsibility; to be honest and sincere; to love justice and be courageous; to over come difficulties in order to accomplish right aims; to reflect on oneself, listen to the advice of others, and to act with deeper consideration; to act moderately, without selfishness; to behave always with alertness, courtesy and alacrity; to take good care of animals and plants; to have a pure mind. 3) Contents mainly concerned with the development of personality and a creative attitude toward life: to recognize ones own special ability, and try to strengthen it; to strive for the achievement of worthy purposes, and to set for oneself a high goal; to act rationally; to tr3r to improve life with original ideas; always to maintain a studious attitude, and try to pursue truth; to apply positively new ideas. 4) Contents mainly related to the concept that good manners and practical will are indispensable for the member of a nation or a society: to be kind to everybody and to care for the weak or unfortunate; to respect those who devote themselves to the service of others and to appreciate their work; to trust each other and to be friendly; to be fair and impartial to everybody; to be generous; to observe rules and promises; to differentiate between rights and duties; to appreciate labor; to protect public property and public morality; to love ones family; to love ones school; to love the nation with a pride as a Japanese; to understand correctly the people of all the world and cooperate in a friendly manner with them. The contents of moral education for lower secondary schools are almost the same as those for the elementary schools. However, in considering the stages of pupils development, the following objectives are added: To build an attitude of constructive criticism; to develop mutual under-standing and respect between the sexes; to promote open and pure friendship between the sexes; to promote love of truth; to lead pupils to consider what true happiness is and to seek it; to help pupils to enrich their own sentiments; to aid in understanding the inherited culture and to contribute to cultural improvement; to teach pupils to hold humanity in mind always; to train pupils to challenge evil with courage; and not have a narrow fellow-mindedness, but to act with consciousness of being a member of the large community. In upper secondary schools, ethics-civics created as a new subject in the social studies, is intended to develop students who know the human relations in the present society, understands humanity and pursues the ideal in the life of the world. Moral education is to be conducted from the broad point of view through all the activities of the school. Consequently, moral instruction is provided by combining properly various teaching methods, such as discussion, stories to1d by teachers, reading Of b00ks, audio-visual aids, dramatizing and non-classroom activities. In 1963, in order to aid in effectuating the new program of moral instruction, the Ministry of Education published Teachers Manual for Moral instruction and distributed it through the country to guide classroom teachers at each level in the preparation of their moral education hour. CHAPTER IMPROVEMENT OF CONTENT OF- EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENTOF ABILITY (2) Moral Education in Other Countries In most foreign countries, religion makes a valuable contribution to the moral spirit. In those countries studied, moral education is generally given to pupils through religious instruction in assigned religion classes. In several countries including the U. S. A. and France, religious instruction in public schools is prohibited. Whether the religious instruction in public school is conducted or not, moral and ethical education is given in many cases as a part of other subject, usually civics. In communist countries including the U. S. S. R., it is regarded as a purpose of education to build a citizen who can contribute to the maintenance of a socialist state. For this purpose, moral and ethical trainings given through all educational activities in the schools. Table 30 shows the extent of ofFerings in religious education in ele-mentary and secondary schools in the U. S. A. , the U. K. , and an extensivegroup of European countries. In 13 of the 17 countries listed in Table 30, religion is offered as a separate subject in almost all grades in public elementary and secondary schools. In 11 of the 17 countries, civics is taught in elementary school or secondary school or both. In France, civics at primary level is included in the subject known as education civique et morale. In the U. S. A. civics is usually taught in the 8th grade and upper grades of secondary schools. There is no instruction in separate moral education classes. It is taught through all subjects. Also, in the U. S. S. R. , moral education is not treated separately, but moral training of pupils is given through the whole curriculum. It is a characteristic feature of school education in the U. S. S. R. to provide child labor training at all levels. This labor training aims to give pupils moral training. Moreover, Rules for Pupils, which pupils elementary and secondary schools must obey, are specified by the Department of Education of the R. S. F. S. R. In Rules for Pupils, objectives of moral education are prescribed along with the school principles which pupils must observe. Civics teaching in each country aims to elevate moral sentiments, and to give pupils knowledge and understanding of government, economics and social problems necessary for citizenship. Moral education and civics in the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, France and Belgium are as follows: Federal Republic of Germany Basic principles of civic education in schools and universities were decided by the Conference of Lander Ministers of Education of 15 June 1950as follows: Civic education should awaken in pupils both a moral response and a determination to act as a responsible member of society. Italy The primary school syllabus published by the Ministry of Education in 1955 states that civics teaching is designed to give the child a general moral, religious and social training. It also emphasizes that religious instruction must enable the child to acquire basic habits of morality, civic and social behavior and hygiene at home, at school and in society; and to give the child a sense of personal responsibility and membership of a group. Regarding civic education courses in upper classes it is stated: love of ones country must be a natural extension of love of ones family, and the awareness of national values should be related to the ideal of international understanding. France. The syllabus in primary education published by the Ministry of Education in 1923 states that moral education must enable the child to grow up as a man with a balanced development of sentiment, intelligence, and conscience. It is also stated that moral instruction is to be designed not only to give the child moral spirit, but also to lead him to realize this spirit in daily life. In primary schools in France, the subject known as education civique et morale is taught as outlined below: 1st grade: Listening to stories (Fontaines fables, Hans Christian Andersons tales, etc. ) and to biographies of great men told by teachers. 2nd and 3rd grades: To accustom the child to acquire good habits through reading of book-lets followed by discussion, and discussion on school events. At third grade the same themes as those of second grade are dealt with more intensively 4th and 5th grades: To listen to narratives or discuss deeds of the individuta1 and social morality concerned with moderation, sincerity, simplicity, kindness, courage, and generosity. To give the child an understanding of the value of labor, a spirit of cooperation with others, observance of promises, understanding of other persons and appreciation of duties to ones family and ones nation. At fifth grade, the same themes as those of forth grade are dealt with more intensively. 6th8th grades: To provide the child consciousness and respect for man, character formation, main duties in life of the individual, at home and in society, and inculcate patriotism, justice and mutual assistance, respect for labor, organization of government and its activities, elementary knowledge of contracts and labor laws in daily life, elementary knowledge of the legislative, administrative and judicial systems, citizens rights and duties and international understanding. Belgium In the middle school of Belgium (3rd and 4th secondary years, age 14 to15), citizenship and patriotism are taught under the following themes: l) Citizens rights: advantages of the democratic and parliamentary system. The chief freedoms guaranteed by the Belgian Constitution. 2) The citizens duties: the ballot; obedience to the Law, military service; paying taxes; giving evidence in court. 3) Patriotism: the countrys prestige and its heritage; the dangers of misguided patriotism. 4) International understanding and a sense of the brotherhood of man. Aids for Civics Teaching in European Countries In a number of countries, separate textbooks are used. Audio-visual aids such as slides, films, radio broadcasts, television, etc. are also used. Table 30. Comparative Table Showing Extent of Offering Of Separate Classes in Religion and Civics Table 31. Teaching Aids for Civics Education in European Countries.

Motorola inc. six sigma approach

Motorola inc. six sigma approach EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The first part of the project contains information about Motorola.   The information includes the companys mission, vision statement, their values of Motorola and a brief view of their TQM beliefs. Motorola, Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications company, headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, United States. The main purpose of this report is to analyze Total Quality Management (TQM) tools and techniques practiced by Motorola, Inc. for achievement of competitive edge in this intense competitive environment. The second part of the project talks about Motorolas Total Quality Management practices like Six Sigma Approach, Continuous improvement, Employee involvement and Customer focus, Quality standards, Management, Supplier standards, Counterfeit products etc. The third part of the project contains information about Motorolas key performance indicators and quality standards. The final part of the project talks about Motorolas successes and weaknesses. All the information I used for this project was received at www.motorola.com. INTRODUCTION Motorola Inc. is one of the largest telecommunication manufacturer companies of the world. Motorola is in telecommunication industry for more than 80 years.   Motorola net sales in 2008 were U.S. $ 30.1 billion and it employed approximately 65,000 people all over the world. The company manufactures telecommunication products like Microprocessors, Mobile phones, Smartphones, Two-way radios, Networking systems and Satellite phones etc. This report examines the efficiency and effectiveness of the TQM tools practice by Motorola i.e. Six Sigma Approach, Continuous improvement, Employee involvement and Customer focus etc. It also analyzes the quality standard of Motorola, Inc. Product quality for Motorola is the most important factor of business profitability and importance of ensuring the quality of the products cannot be underestimated. Strategy of quality improvement usually increases innovative products that meet the expanding needs of Motorola customers around the world and also increases market share of company. Motorola sees things from a global perspective, always motivated to create and produce innovative products of the highest quality at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction. Motorola is also trying to develop environmental friendly products in order to show responsible corporate citizen image. Furthermore, new ways are found out by Motorola to reduce raw material requirements and at the same time keep wastage level at minimum. Vision Statement: Our history is rich. Our future is dynamic. We are Motorola and the spirit of invention is what drives us. Mission Statement: We are a global communications leader powered by a passion to invent and an unceasing commitment to advance the way the world connects. Our communication solutions allow people, businesses and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Values of Motorola:  § Receive customer loyalty by delivering on our promises.  § Build quality associations with companies that contribute to our values.  § Take care of the investment of our shareholders as if it were our own.  § Compete aggressively but with integrity.  § Provide products and services that benefit people.  § Business decisions must be based on the best interests of Motorola.  § Report business conduct concerns immediately.  § Business must be conducted legally and ethically, without accepting or giving bribes. Strategy: As a global corporate citizen, Motorola tries to create products and technologies that benefit society by making things smarter and life healthier for people around the world. Motorola is devoted to operate ethically, defending the environment and supporting the communities in which Motorola do business. They are guided by our Code of Business Conduct, which is based on our key beliefs of unbending reliability and constant respect for people. As a global corporate citizen, Motorola strives to:  § Create innovative technological solutions that benefit people at home, at work and on the move.  § Increase shareholder value through profitable growth, technological innovation and market leadership.  § Operating with precision and the top standards of ethics and law.  § Protect the environment by improving our environmental performance and designing environmentally conscious products.  § Maintain a safe and healthy workplace, fostering a globally diverse workforce and supporting our employees work-life balance.  § Promote economic opportunities and growth in regions where Motorola conduct business, through products, services and operations.  § Set expectations for our suppliers to conduct their operations in agreement with the law. KEY STAKEHOLDERS The key stake holders who directly or indirect affect Motorola company LTD according to CSR report 2008 are:  § Customers  § Employees  § Suppliers  § Labor unions  § Investors/share holders  § Industry organizations  § Government TQM TOOLS USED BY MOTOROLA 1. Six Sigma Approach: Motorola knows Six Sigma is a very good approach but not perfect for achievement of the quality goals. Thats why being the founder of the Six Sigma technique; Motorola practices lots of useful tools of TQM. â€Å"Six Sigma, an approach developed by Motorola to improve business processes by minimizing defects. 2. Customer focus: Customer focus is the major concern of Motorola. Motorola has always worked well with its supplier to maximize the customer satisfaction. Motorola services and products are focused on market share and loyalty of customers. Customer satisfaction index help Motorola in measuring the satisfaction level of its customers. Customer complaints not only represent the problem of Motorola customer face but also are a big opportunity for improvement. Motorola tries to find the root causes of the problem and remove that, so as to enhance services and reduce complaints of customer in long run. Customer relation centers help Motorola in handling the enquiries from customers quickly, respectfully and clearly. 3. Continuous improvement and Supplier Standards: Supplier produce necessary parts and materials for the products, maintaining close cooperation is very important for stable production and enhancement of quality. Motorola knows the importance of relationship with its supplier thats why Motorola is building long term relationship with its business partners. Motorola follows strict processes to ensure the quality of finished products regardless of whether it is from the internal or external suppliers. For Motorola it is also very crucial that working conditions are safe for employees, and employees are treated as partner, this will assure the quality and continuity of supply. 4. Benchmarking: Benchmarking is one of the effective tools of Motorola that enables to gain competitive edge by building strengths and reducing weaknesses of company. Benchmarking inspire Motorola managers to compete, it is useful tool of quality because the objectives are set on the basis of external information, due to information access personnel of the organization is much more motivated to attain the goals and objective. Motorola know that Benchmarking is time and cost efficient because the process involves imitation and adaptation rather than pure invention. 5. Environmental concern: Motorola is working with its supplier to produce smart products which is not harmful for environment, Motorola produce energy efficient products to promote environmental management systems. Motorola is supporting the suppliers efforts to achieve the ISO 14000 Certification which is very helpful for sustainable environment. Motorola follows all countries, regions and localities laws regarding environment and trying to find out the cheap ways to minimize energy usage. 6. Education and Training: Employee development is very important for continues improvement, therefore Motorola gives ongoing education and training to its employees. This not only keeps employees up-to-date with new trends applied to job but also help increase the productivity. Motorola monitor the effectiveness of training programmes to ensure that its useful for employees. 7. Employee involvement: The performance of organization directly depend on the employee involvement, therefore success of company is dependent on the involvement of employees. Motorola Employees are the source of creativity and problem solving. Employee must be given authority which motivates employees to own the company / Process of Company. Motorola staff knows they play vital role in the success of the company, that why they effectively participate in all processes of organization. Employee involvement efficiently increased quality of the products produced by Motorola. PERFROMANCE INDICATORS OF MOTOROLA Motorola puts its efforts to provide the society with superior products and services by developing innovations that improve the quality of life and satisfy customer needs, provides employees with meaningful work environment and advancement opportunities and investors with a superior return. Motorola is also playing a role to make sure that their products are accessible and affordable to the people who need them. They are taking different initiatives and forming partnerships in this regard. All people at Motorola are responsible for adhering to business practices that are in accordance with the law and the ethical principles. The Company strives to use outside technology resources as well. Motorolas manufacturing division will further focus its capabilities on core products. In addition, Motorola is enhancing its research operations to expand access to worldwide external science. It works with its employees to understand their concerns, needs and thoughts on companys strengths and weaknesses and incorporate these findings into the strategies, processes and programs. In order to do this, Motorola carries out surveys of employees. Motorola promotes the human rights of its employees. The main focus is to encourage justice, equal opportunity and dignity without discrimination. This is a step towards promoting economic development. SUCCESSES OF MOTOROLA Motorola is a world-renowned company that services the US and several international countries. Their organizational structure puts them on top of the rest with strong values for their employees and customers. I learned that there is a huge competition between Nokia and Motorola for market share in the manufacturing of handheld devices. Starting out in 1928 as a small battery powered radio producer, Motorola is truly a company building a foundation for the next up and coming technology. Motorola is a company that has been around a long time and one of its main key factors to success is that that you can see the brand name any where you go. Motorola is the second leading producer of wireless handsets and is the top supplier of wireless infrastructure equipment such as cellular transmissions base stations, amplifiers, and network switching. Its also helpful in many new products such as the new Star Tac cell phone that has the market wondering if Motorola is back in the game and ready to regain market share. Motorola is also the top producer of fixed chips that are used in wireless networking, automotive, and customer products. A key success for many annalists is how much market share a company has. Motorola has the no. one global market share in semiconductors for automotive applications, in communications processors, and in radio frequency power products for cellular base station markets. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS To remain competitive in these extremely competitive economic situations that exist in todays telecommunication industry, telecommunication companies must look for excellence. New style of management helps in achieving the excellence which focuses on cycle time reduction, employee involvement, the reduction of waste, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction. To gain competitive edge in twenty first century market, it is crucial for telecommunication companies to supply more reliable quality and value to their customers. It is the time to expand better and more direct relationships with clients, to start teamwork at the jobsite, and to generate better quality work. The recommendations are that Motorola must continue to sustain the position of cost leadership by focusing on quality of the products, as it helps in producing high volumes of mature products, which lead to lower prices. Motorola should apply differentiation strategy to gain competitive advantage to charge premium prices.

Anabolic Steroids :: essays research papers fc

In today’s modern age muscle supplements have become the answer for many young people to develop the body which they want to achieve. Younger users are taking supplements without thinking about the consequences that go along with taking them. Young athletes are choosing to buy muscle substances that they know nothing about. To get to the solutions on how to fix the supplement problem among young athletes, it is most important that we educate both the athletes, and their parents about the risks involved with taking muscle supplements. It is vitally important to understand what the supplements are and why athletes take them. Creatine is an amino acid that is produced in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys, and it helps muscles replenish adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which fuels muscle contraction (Balsom). Creatine was made famous by the Major League Baseball player Mark Maguire, who openly shared with the public his daily use of Creatine. Mark Maguire broke the record for homeruns hit in a season, and since then Creatine has become the most widely used supplement out on the market. No one is sure about the long term side effects of Creatine. Some scientists believe that when being used by young athletes it may stunt the growth of the adolescent. Some of the short term side effects include cramps, especially in the legs, and upset stomach. I used Creatine when I was 16 years old, and built up an extra 15 pounds of muscle while on the supplement. My main sport was soccer, and the extra muscle was great and helped me tremendously at first. Then problems started occurring in the lower half of my body. My legs would cramp while I was in the middle of a game, which had never happened to me before. It was then that I realized that Creatine was causing the cramps. Soccer requires a large amount of running, and with constant leg cramps I was unable to perform at the level I needed, so I stopped using the supplement. Within two weeks I had lost the extra 15 pounds, which was disappointing, but I was cramp free in the legs, which was a relief. Several of my friends who played football were also using Creatine, but the sport they played required less running, and more muscle. Therefore the supplement aided them in becoming better football players. The key to using supplements lies in the results you want to achieve, and the risks you are willing to take.

Mercedes Benz All Activity Vehicle Essay

The target costing case literature contains numerous examples of Japanese cost management practices; however, few cases describe the use of target costing by large companies outside Japan. The purpose of the Mercedes-Benz AAV case is to consider the competitive environment of a leading German automotive manufacturer and the company’s response to changing competitive conditions. The teaching plan generally follows the suggested student assignment questions. In places, I recommend considering additional material during the case discussion. These questions are identified by a check mark. Student Assignment Questions 1. What is the competitive environment faced by MB? Students will identify a number of changes, including significant market share lost to Japanese companies such as Lexus. Stress the importance of a cultural change taking place within top management at Mercedes. Reinforce that Mercedes is a company that had never lost money. They simply built the best car their engineers could design and priced it above cost. Demand often exceeded supply. As a result, cost had never been a primary consideration. Changes include: cost competition; product innovation. 2. How has MB reacted to the changing world market for luxury automobiles? Students should identify the following changes implemented by management at Mercedes; try to get them to explain how different these approaches were from traditional strategies at Mercedes: many new product introductions; partnering with suppliers; reduced system complexity; new emphasis on cost control; layers of management reduced; lead time from concept to introduction reduced. 3. Using Cooper’s cost, quality, functionality chart, discuss the factors on which MB competes with other automobile producers such as Jeep, Ford, and GM. If the instructor wishes to give a brief mini-lecture on Robin Cooper’s  survival triplet and confrontation strategy, this is a good point in the case discussion to do so. (Robin Cooper, When Lean Enterprises Collide, Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1995.) The factors are: price-at mid to upper range of zone; quality-at upper range of zone; functionality-at upper range of zone. An interesting point to discuss is that Mercedes does not produce the most expensive sports utility vehicle. This distinction is reserved for the Land Rover; however, they strategically placed themselves toward the luxury end of the spectrum. Also, unlike many Japanese examples, Mercedes does not use target costing as a strict cost control mechanism to produce the lowest priced product in its class. 4. How does the AAV project link with MB strategy in terms of market coverage? The new introductions expand the product line of the traditionally luxury-oriented manufacturer. Recent product introductions include the following: A class; C class; SLK; E class; M class. These new introductions include new sports cars and off-road vehicles. The C-class is a mid-sized vehicle sometimes referred to as the baby-Benz. Let’s discuss the elements of the target costing model and how these elements are developed. At this point in the discussion I usually write the target costing formula on the board and ask students to consider sources of various inputs: selling price; margin; target cost. What are the sources of input for the projected selling price? Students will most likely identify the following sources of information: customer focus groups comparable products: – existing; – potential. Stress the broad, cross-functional aspects of acquiring consumer information. To compare products, the company had to evaluate existing competitive vehicles as well as vehicles under development. What factors are considered when developing the required margin? This question provides a link to finance classes. Most students have studied the concepts of weighted-average cost of capital. I recommend spending a few minutes reviewing these concepts and linking cost of capital to net present value (NPV) analysis. Because of the capital-intensive structure of automobile manufacturing, production volume is a critical factor in determining each model’s NPV. Students may identify the following points for determining a required margin. long-run profitability; cost of capital; profitability across the entire product mix (classes of vehicles); sales volume by class. The MB case suggests the target cost is â€Å"alive.† Is this consistent with the ideals of target costing? I generally emphasize that Mercedes did not consider the target cost to be locked in. It was a moving target. As engineering changes became necessary, the target cost was allowed to move. However, before making a change, market forces were considered. For example, changes included the addition of side airbags. In addition, the European press was critical of a simulated wood-grain part. Management decided the part would remain plastic because costs could not be passed on to the consumer. The main point to emphasize is the design of the vehicle is dynamic; thus costs must evolve to reflect the changing design characteristics. 5. Explain the process of developing a component importance index. How can such an index guide managers in making cost reduction decisions? The index development process has five steps, as follows: consumer importance category rankings; target cost percentage by function group; category: function group matrix; importance index; target cost index; I recommend making slides of Tables 1-5 to facilitate discussion. Index development is an important element in the early conceptualization phase of the AAV. The indexes help to quantify some very abstract concepts. Table 1. From conversations with potential consumer groups, a list of key categories was developed. Next, potential customers were asked to rate the importance of each category. Their responses were computed as a percentage. Thus, safety and comfort of the AAV were viewed as significantly more important than economy and styling. Table 2 represents a rough estimate of the cost by function group and the relative percentage. The information is used later to create a target cost index. Table 3 is best understood by reading each category as a column. The rows explain the relative importance of each function group to satisfying each category defined by customers. An interesting aspect of this table is that the link between consumer preferences and engineering components is made explicit. Table 4 builds on Table 3 by weighting the percentages computed in Table 3 by the importance percentage calculated in Table 1. The key point is to understand which function groups contribute the most (least) to important (less important) consumer categories. Table 5 results in a target cost index that attempts to capture cost and benefit trade-offs. As discussed in the case, this index may indicate a cost in excess of the perceived value of a function group. Thus, opportunities for cost reduction (aligned with customer requirements) may be identified. 6. How does MB approach cost reduction to achieve target costs? At this point, ask students to identify various value-engineering strategies. At Mercedes, reducing the cost of each function group was accomplished by reducing costs of various components that make up the function group. Stress the importance of this approach over an â€Å"across-the-board† cut. 7. How do suppliers factor into the target costing process? Why are they so critically important to the success of the MB AAV? From the conceptual phase through the production phase, the suppliers of systems for the AAV truly were partners. Suppliers attended regular meetings with the cost planners throughout the entire process. Thus, suppliers were design and development partners from very early stages of development, responsible for meeting cost targets. Why is the relationship with suppliers a crucial element in the success of the AAV? Suppliers provide entire systems for the AAV. The facility uses a JIT production system. In fact, many suppliers deliver directly to the assembly line, rather than to a small warehouse. The Black Warrior River separated Mercedes and a major system supplier. This supplier built a new production facility on the same side of the river as the Mercedes Benz plant to avoid possible delays associated with accidents on a major bridge. 8. What role does the accounting department play in the target costing process? Stress the fact that accountants were watchdogs in the target costing process. Their primary responsibility was to ensure costs did not exceed targets during the production phase. Thus, the accountants’ role was as follows: cost control; actual vs. target: development stage; production stage. What are some of the organizational barriers that may challenge managers attempting to introduce TC systems? Try to get students to identify various impediments to target costing systems in the United States. Examples may include: willingness to share cost data with suppliers; suppliers treated as adversaries; government regulations affecting exchange of information.

What is Psychopathy?

Psychopathy is a problem for society as a whole, seeing that it could easily lead individuals that are suffering from this personality disorder to violent and criminal acts. The bases of psychopathy are known to be biological, sociological, and psychological. Whereas amygdala dysfunction is thought to be responsible for psychopathy, an individual’s frustration with his or her low socioeconomic status may also lead him or her to commit acts of crime revealing psychopathic features in the process. Psychologists believe that low IQ may similarly be responsible for psychopathic behavior. Additionally, they have extensively studied personality traits, such as those on the Big Five personality dimensions, to understand psychopathic traits in particular. Apart from the above, this paper also discusses therapeutic interventions with respect to psychopathy. Introduction In children as well as adults, psychopathy is defined on the basis of three dimensions: (1) an â€Å"arrogant deceitful interpersonal style†¦including glibness or superficial charm, self-centeredness or a grandiose sense of self-worth, lying, conning, manipulation, and deceitfulness; (2) deficient affective experience†¦including low remorse, low guilt, a weak conscience, callousness, low empathy, shallow affect, and a failure to accept responsibility for actions (denials, excuses, etc. ; and (3) an impulsive or irresponsible behavioral style†¦including boredom, excitement-seeking, a lack of long-term goals, impulsiveness, failing to think before acting, and a parasitic lifestyle (debts, unsatisfactory work habits, etc. )† (Cooke & Michie, 2001). No wonder, psychopathy is rigorously investigated with reference to criminal behavior. Psychologists are also very interested in learning about the roots of psychopathy in children. These studies are based on the premise that it is impossible to try to solve a problem without a thorough understanding of its roots. Psychopathy in Literature Blair (2001) explains that the roots of psychopathy may very well lie in amygdala dysfunction. The amygdala is related to the emotional response, in particular, the flight or fight response to threats. With impairment in this essential area of the human brain, the individual is unable to make appropriate emotional responses to threats. The emotional dysfunction in the person suffering from psychopathy is enough to serve as evidence that the parts of the brain connected with emotions are impaired in the case of those suffering from psychopathy (Blair). Moreover, Blair connects the conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder with psychopathy to describe that there are similarities between the problems. The author adds to our previous definition of psychopathy by stating that those that are suffering from this particular disorder reveal â€Å"emotional shallowness† in addition to antisocial behaviors that are often marked by aggression and taking of offence (Blair). Antisocial behavior is often related to the Intelligence Quotient as well as the socioeconomic status of the person that displays it. Thus, psychopathy may similarly be connected with the IQ and socioeconomic status of those that suffer from it. In particular, those who are less intelligent and who also suffer from lacks due to their present socioeconomic status, may express their emotional frustrations through antisocial behavior, thereby getting very close to the definition of psychopathy (Blair). Rutter (2005) argues that although antisocial behavior is not exactly the same as psychopathy, the importance of investigating the latter lies in the evidence that those that are classified as â€Å"psychopathic offenders† tend to begin their â€Å"criminal careers† at an early age. Besides, these individuals â€Å"are more likely to become persistent offenders than the criminals without psychopathy features† (Rutter). What is more, psychopathic offenders or criminals are often known to be violent and to resist therapeutic intervention. The author also mentions new instruments that have been developed to measure the traits of psychopathy in children as well as adults. These instruments include the â€Å"Antisocial Process Screening Device† (Rutter). Also according to Rutter, child psychiatrists and child psychologists have shown reluctance in diagnosing psychopathy in children and adolescents, based on the belief that the diagnosis might inevitably lead young individuals to bad outcomes in the days to come. On the other hand, it is thought that adults that are suffering from the personality disorder we understand as psychopathy, may have had the problem traits even in childhood. Hence, it is also believed to be easier to start therapeutic programs in childhood so as to help the young in avoiding bad outcomes in future (Rutter). Salekin & Frick (2005) state that young individuals with psychopathic characteristics may be suffering from a particular set of cognitive as well as affective deficits. Knowledge of the â€Å"specific causal pathway† of psychopathy in children and adolescents could prove to be consequential in the design of â€Å"individualized interventions† for such youths (Salekin & Frick). After all, the most important reason why psychologists would like to understand more about psychopathic traits in youths is that these traits help to â€Å"predict future antisocial, criminal, and violent behavior† (Salekin & Frick). Psychologists are also aware that children with psychopathic traits exhibit the â€Å"highest rates of conduct problems, self-reported delinquency, and police contacts† (Salekin & Frick). Salekin, Rogers, & Machin (2001) conducted a study on youths with psychopathic traits. This research was conducted through a survey that was sent out to more than five hundred clinical psychologists, asking them to describe psychopathic traits in youths; gender differences between youths with psychopathic traits; and also the kinds of interventions that psychologists had used with such youths. The results of the study revealed that children with psychopathic features tend to share these features with adults that are also suffering from psychopathy. The mean age of the youngster with psychopathic traits is a little over fourteen years. The average youth with psychopathic features has an 8th grade level education. Moreover, there are more boys than girls showing psychopathic traits. Although the boys with psychopathic characteristics are more aggressive, and often violent; girls with psychopathic features tend to be less aggressive. Such girls reveal their psychopathic traits through antisocial behavior as well as hostility (Salekin, Rogers, & Machin). The study further revealed the prevailing belief of clinical psychologists that it is quite difficult for them to treat psychopathy. Therapeutic interventions are also believed to work more effectively for youths as compared to adults. This is because the personality of children is often thought to be more fluid than the personality of adults. Hence, clinical psychologists reported that they had seen â€Å"moderate-to-marked gains† of psychotherapy in children and adolescents treated for psychopathy (Salekin, Rogers, & Machin). Girls in general were seen to benefit more from psychotherapy than boys. Clinical psychologists found a marked reduction in violence, delinquency, in addition to verbal aggression, even after one year of psychotherapeutic treatment for children and adolescents suffering from psychopathy. Even so, the psychologists reported that antisocial behaviors are sometimes hidden in the natures of the youths and â€Å"outside the purview of psychotherapists† (Salekin, Rogers, & Machin). Hence, this study called for further research to augment our understanding of psychotherapeutic treatment for youths with psychopathic features. Farrington (2005) points out that even though psychotherapeutic treatment for psychopathy should begin early, and should be extensive, there are various problems that make therapeutic intervention difficult. First, â€Å"psychopathy is extremely persistent throughout life,† and so, even though clinical psychologists have observed improvements in youths with psychopathic features after psychotherapy, the problem traits of such youths may not entirely go away (Farrington). Second, psychopathy is also believed to have a biological cause, i. e. amygdala dysfunction, and biological causes cannot be reversed through psychological interventions. Furthermore, psychopaths are manipulative individuals, and they are often able to lie to and deceive psychotherapists so as to become â€Å"treatment-resistant† (Farrington). Farrington also mentions the Big Five personality dimensions that psychologists have often used in an attempt to understand the problem traits of individuals suffering from psychopathy, before they can devise better therapeutic models to help them. The five personality dimensions are: â€Å"Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness† (Farrington). Out of these five dimensions, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism are most relevant to studies on psychopathy. The author describes how individuals with psychopathic characteristics are expected to fare on the Big Five personality dimensions: Agreeableness includes straightforwardness (with deceitfulness at the negative end), altruism (v. exploitativeness), modesty (v. arrogance), and tendermindedness (v. callousness). Conscientiousness includes dutifulness (with poor dependability at the negative end), achievement striving (v. aimlessness), self-discipline (v. hedonism), and deliberation (v. arelessness). Neuroticism includes impulsiveness and angry hostility, although it also includes self-consciousness (with glibness and shamelessness at the negative end) and vulnerability (with fearlessness at the negative end). Conclusion Indeed, with better understanding of the personality traits of individuals suffering from psychopathy – a problem with biological, sociolo gical, and psychological roots – psychologists are in a better position to help them. Yet, it is bad news for psychotherapists that psychopathy may have a biological cause that they would not be able to work their way around. Moreover, psychopaths are often able to escape treatment by conning and lying during psychotherapeutic interventions. Nevertheless, even the knowledge that psychopaths are able to do this is essential in devising new treatments for them. Our literature review has revealed the importance of understanding psychopathy especially in children and adolescents. Psychologists believe that early intervention is crucial in psychopathy, and youths that are suffering from this personality disorder should be treated extensively. This is because personalities are understood to be more fluid in youth. By helping children and adolescents to change their problem traits, psychologists may be able to save them from negative outcomes in the future. All the same, psychologists have reported that the problem traits of children and adolescents with psychopathic features may never entirely go away. Children and adolescents with psychopathic traits may easily turn out to be criminals in = future. Hence, it is even more important to understand the problem of psychopathy now before better treatments may be developed for the problem in question.

food problem essays

food problem essays The population of human beings had been showing a rapid increasing during the past several hundred years due to the adequate food supply and the top position where human species is in the food chain. However, many people are concerned about that one day the Mother Earth may not be able to provide adequate food for the increasing population on the Earth, as the number of people is growing unlimitedly. After reading the article, I realized that the food problem created by rapid increasing population wasn ¡t as serious as many people are concerned about in the past several centuries. However, I believe that because the natural resources is limited, sooner or later there won ¡t be enough food for all people on Earth. Some actions must be taken by the governments of any countries to prevent this problem from happening in the future. One way is to increase the supply of food so that people can have enough food to eat and in the meantime, government should make plan to decrease the popu lation that need to be fed on food. In order to increase the food supply for more and more people on the Earth. We should have better ways to use the limited resource on Earth such as lands and water. We should not open up new lands by cutting down trees and destroying animals ¡ habitat. Scientists can research new ways to plant more crops on existing land by using biological technology. And the government of all countries should also build a system that can transport the food left to another country where people is starving so that the food wouldn ¡t be wasted. By using the existing resources more efficiently, we can increase the amount of food that can be produced. The other way to solve the problem is by preventing overpopulation. There are several things that the government can do to prevent overpopulation, and the most effective way is through birth control. Today most population grows very fast in developing countries because people in those areas don...

7 Workplace Tips For Getting a Promotion

7 Workplace Tips For Getting a Promotion Getting a promotion is often a matter of taking the right strategy. Here are a few workplace tips that will make sure you stay at the top of your game at the office and beyond.Dont flaunt your latenessOkay, so you’re running a few minutes late. No big deal. But if you’re running a few minutes late because you wanted to stop at Starbucks and there was a huge line? Problem. Whatever your reason for swanning in tardy, don’t come in with a cup of freshly purchased coffee in your hand.Watch your email toneYou think you’re being professional, but your client is persnickety. Or even if they aren’t- you just want to double check. Reread your email to yourself out loud in the snarkiest, most sarcastic tone possible. Still pass muster? Send away. But if you noticed any red flags where even you would see yourself getting offended, it might be prudent to rephrase.Coworkers stealing your pens?Be super devious and buy a bunch of red (refillable) pens and a bunch of blue ink cartridge refills. (This only works with a brand that has the same model pen in both colors, but it’s a great cheat.) Then put the blue cartridges in the red pens. No one ever â€Å"borrows† a red pen. You’ll never find yourself at your desk without a pen again!Coworkers asking for money for their kids?You know the drill. â€Å"My kid is selling ____ for ______.† Or worse! â€Å"My kid is raising money for the ________.† Instead of coughing up money to your coworker, give them your phone number and ask that their kids call you themselves, any time after 6pm. You won’t get many phone calls. And the kids that do call will have learned to put in the extra work.Coworkers stealing your milk?Put your milk in a jar or other container you’ve brought from home. No one is going to open up the fridge and take your milk if it isn’t in a recognizable milk container. They won’t know how long it’s been in there, for one, and for two? It could come from a sheep or a human or something- hardly worth the risk. You’ll drink your milk in peace.Pay your  job search forwardAs soon as you get hired at one job, copy and save the job description to a running file you store on your personal computer. When it comes time to update your resume and job search, you’ll be very glad you have it.Strike a poseBefore that big presentation, meeting, or interview, take two minutes in the privacy of the restroom or your car and strike a power pose. Hold that power in your body and your face and then walk in with your head held high. Even if you get nervous, your body will remember how you felt going in.flair:Careers Work

The Spread Of Nuclear Weapons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Spread Of Nuclear Weapons - Essay Example (Waltz, 1981) Nuclear weapons had played a vital role during the cold war. When the cold war had ended in late 1980s and the early 1990s, there was a sense of relief as a great threat to the world was over. However, right after that, the idea that the possession of nuclear weapons by some country might lead to the spread of nuclear technology in the world did worry people. People believed that this might lead to great destruction and harm to world if the usage became common, thus, making the world a dangerous place to live in. (Sir Laurence Martin) Defense - Almost every nation in today's world is under threat by one or the other nation for various reasons, example; political, resources, history and religion. Every civilian needs the head of state to take responsibility of their security and to let peace prevail. State security requires a good military force and arsenal, so that if it is attacked by a rival state, they can fight back and protect their nation and people. Nuclear weapon is although dangerous, but it is a very strong type of weaponry which gives a sense of security that fighting back will not be a problem at all. Prestige - In the post cold war world, only very strong nations such as the UK, USA, France, Russia and China possess nuclear weapons. Being a part of the nuclear block and becoming a nuclear power is a matter of pride, as you are then counted among the few dominant states of the world. For example, India and Pakistan wanted to join the nuclear club because they wanted to be declared as independent states that would stand up against their adversary without fear. Deterrence - Simply any person ruling a state that does not possess nuclear power would think a million times before attacking a state that has nuclear power. Or if both rival states possess nuclear power, both would know that their opponent is equally potent, and if nuclear weapons are used to settle the dispute, the world will face major destruction. For example, India and Pakistan have been on hostile terms for a long time now and have also had many wars with other another; but ever since both of them became nuclear powers, they don't even consider attacking the other, as they know that they will be answered back with a nuclear attack too. Thus, it can be said, that nuclear power brings about 'Balance of Terror' in the world. Disadvantages of Nuclear Power: Hazardous - The abbreviations 'MAD' and 'WMD' are often attached to nuclear weapons, which stand for 'Mutually Assured Destruction' and 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' respectively. It is common knowledge that nuclear weapons are extremely destructible, so much that alone Russia's nuclear weapons can destroy the world three to four times. The incident of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is a very appropriate example to show the extent of annihilation that can be caused by nuclear weapons. Compellent - If a nation's rival becomes a nuclear power, it is an evident threat for its rivals, as no nation can fight back nuclear weapons using conventional weapons. This compels one nation to another to take a step towards the possession of nuclear weapons. India became a nuclear power because it had antagonistic relations with China, which was a nuclear power. Following that, Pakistan became a nuclear

Barriers to Successful Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Barriers to Successful Strategy - Essay Example The paper tells that the implementation of strategies might turn out to be difficult given that the organization is large or complex but, in either case, monitoring and control the execution process of strategies is vital to the organization. Complex strategy implementation becomes a confusion to implementers and might also call for additional resources in forms of human, time and financial resources for successful implementation. Dyer and Singh refer to such situations as complex decision-making strategies which require being high attention during the implementation of strategies although it might take longer to implement and require more attention from employees and manager, its implementation will see the profit margin of an organization increase tremendously. Kaplan and Norton, also identify the importance of strategy execution and describe strategy execution as of equal importance to the strategy itself. Paul Nutt also studied the matter and explains that more than half of the d ecisions made in organization result in failure mainly due to wrong execution of a strategy in the implementation phase. BRF is one such company that has identified the importance of monitoring and controlling its strategy execution process. According to research by Kaplan and Norton, 70% of failures in the execution of a strategy is from the bad implementation, not the strategy itself. They identified four major barriers to the execution of strategies such as lack of vision, resource barrier, management barrier and people barrier. In addition to the four barriers, Jones and Kaplan and Norton emphasize the importance of a communicating strategy due to its critical value of aligning individuals and organizational units. In most organizations, managers are trained on how to plan strategies, not execute them. Managers in most organizations have the know-how on how to plan and develop strategies that would uplift an organization but mostly they lack the technical know-how of how to impl ement their strategies to achieve the intended organizational goals.

Personal Perspectives of Death and Dying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal Perspectives of Death and Dying - Essay Example Man doesn’t know from where he comes and doesn’t know when and where he goes. He has come to the world unknowingly and disappearing from the world knowingly. The only thing most of the people does not want in their life is death. I have accepted all the realities mentioned above and most of the times I hated to think about death since such thoughts about death will never give us the opportunity to concentrate in our mission on earth. For me, I came to the earth unknowingly and I strongly believe that some unknown force might have sent me to the earth for some mission. It is our duty to identify the mission and execute it successfully. I believe that once our mission is completed the force which sends us will call us back. Earth is not a permanent place for us and hence what all we received from the earth need to be dispose here itself before going for another mission at another place. In other words the material things which were acquired from the earth will not help us in our future assignment. I believe that the spirit does not have death and hence only the spiritual improvements will help us in our future missions. Those who work on spiritual things also along with other activities on earth will be the wise persons for me. Even though science and technology has advanced a lot, still it was not able to decode the secrets of life. Even the science and technology do not know where our spirit lies or what type of forces driving us. Religions and their teachings will have values till the science discloses the secrets of life and after death situations. Till then it is better not to question the beliefs of religions in my opinion. What is going to happen after death is a question which is unanswered so far and it will remain like that only for ever in my opinion. Religions have defined death and after death situations in their own views. Though most of the beliefs among religions are

Rrisoners choice in Les Miserables and Crito Essay

Rrisoners choice in Les Miserables and Crito - Essay Example Willing to help the friend and to save the righteous man, Crito tried to persuade him to escape from prison and promised him any possible assistance in his further life. Moreover, Crito as a noble devoted fried was ready to sacrifice his wellbeing for the sake of Socrates’ salvation. In this way, Socrates faced an intricate choice, the choice between life and death, between reputation and salvation. The story of Jean Valjean depicted in the novel seems to be more complicated and rather different, with several turning points offering their dilemmas. The protagonist is a former convict who has carried his burden for nineteen years and was finally released with an overwhelming feeling of disappointment and resentment towards the world and society. The very origin of his story implies the theme of justice and an individual, as Valjean was convicted for the crime he – similar to Robin Hood – committed in order to recover justice and help those who were in need. Having stolen a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving children, the man became a criminal in the eyes of law (created by the strongs, as it has always been) and was punished. Although Valjean bears enormous contempt in his soul after being released, his outlook on life changes as he meets the bishop, and probably this is the factor influencing his further decisions.As he became a wealthy noble man running a factory, holding the post of a mayor and hiding behind the false name, he learns that there is a man facing trial in the neighbor city as Jean Valjean.

Analysis Of My Antonia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis Of My Antonia - Essay Example But as the story progresses and he comes to understand the reality of the situation, he shows his appreciation for immigrants like Antonia by stating –‘One result of this family solidarity was that the foreign farmers in our county were the first to become prosperous". As Jim blossoms in his youth, he undergoes a lot of changes in his life especially the areas where his personal life is concerned. His experiences in the West are interwoven with his academic education which is what makes the story all the more interesting.Antonia to Jim is someone whom he respects and loves a lot. In fact, Jim’s memoir is titled ‘My Antonia’ and is dedicated to her, proving the depth of his admiration and love for her. His memoir is not just about the story of his childhood and his experiences but it focuses on Antonia and what she had meant to him. The beauty of this memoir lies in the ambiguity of love. Jim’s feelings and emotions towards Antonia are very stro ng and though he does admit his deep love for her, yet it does not explicitly advertise it. Jim takes pride in her strong physical appearance and her sexual appeal, but he is also very protective of her, from the other ‘creepy guys’ in the neighborhood. However, now and then he is filled with flashes of passion and this is evident when he tries to kiss her one night near the gate, while Antonia jokingly pushes him away. But, whatever his feelings were towards Antonia, it had a great impact on him for the rest of his life.... Jim takes pride in her strong physical appearance and her sexual appeal, but he is also very protective of her, from the other ‘creepy guys’ in the neighborhood. However, now and then he is filled with flashes of passion and this is evident when he tries to kiss her one night near the gate, while Antonia jokingly pushes him away. But, whatever his feelings were towards Antonia, it had a great impact on him for the rest of his life. The following lines testify Jim’s feelings for Antonia -"I'd have liked to have you for a sweetheart, or a wife, or my mother or my sister – anything that a woman can be to a man" (4.4.7).   Antonia’s influence over Jim helps to change his life. The impact is clearly evident when Jim states -"You influence my likes and dislikes, all my tastes, hundreds of times when I don't realize it. You really are a part of me" (4.4.7) Both Antonia and Jim have opposing characteristics. While Antonia is strong and decisive, Jim is mor e emotional, passive and indecisive. All the above points show that Antonia represents a part of his past which was simple, pure and innocent. Representing yet another part of his life which is his adolescence and adulthood is the character of Mr. Shimerda who was the father of Antonia, Marek, Ambrosch, and Yulka well. He was an intelligent and dignified gentleman who loved his life in Bohemia and hated his new life in America. Mr. Shimerda became heart broken because he could not adjust to the hard life on the farm. Jim took a great liking to Mr. Shimerda because he understood the sadness and exhaustion that he was experiencing by feeling alone in this world. Jim admired Mr. Shimerda and was

Miscommunication about transfer funds Case Study

Miscommunication about transfer funds - Case Study Example The message receiver should exert enough efforts to clarify any vague or confusing message by contacting the message sender. Evidently, all parties must contribute to the clear message sending process of business communication. Introduction Task-related organization communication includes message sending factors within the organizational framework. The research delves on wrong message organization communication sending. The research delves on resolving wrong organization message sending. The affected parties must contribute to making sure the organization communication messages are received the same way as the message sender, the manager, intends. Statement of the Investigation Issue There was miscommunication in the task-related transfer of funds aspect of the business organization’s communication channel. The organization’s manager did not indicate which currency should be used in the transfer of funds. Consequently, the organization employees erroneously deposited th e funds using the wrong United Arab Emirates Dirhams currency, instead of the correct United States dollars currency. Consequently, the finance department moved to correct the erroneous transfer funds deposit. ... One such common barrier is noise. Often noise blurs out the vivid message from being received in the original context. The noise will block one or more words from reaching the message receiver’s ears. Another message barrier is document smudge. The smudge may hide or misrepresent a letter or letters on the document. A huge smudge may cover an entire word resulting to the distortion of the original document. Lastly, the appearance of the entire document may obscure the true message of the documents. For example, the general message did not mention the exceptions to the main message. Another barrier to the effective task-related organizational communication is culture (Kutz, 2012). The culture of one county, United States, is different from the culture of another country, country where Dirhams currency is used. The countries that use Dirhams include the United Arab Emirates and Morroco. If the United Arab Emirates plans to send money to the United States, there is confusion as t o whether the money sent will be in United Arab Emirates Dirhams currency or in United States dollars currency. To resolve the currency issue, the message sender and the message receiver should include the currency in the message. When sending messages between two different cultures, one word or group of words may have different meanings. The United Arab Emirates may interpret a payment of 200 as to mean payment in Dirhams currency. On the other hand, the United States individual who receives a message that he or she will be paid 250 may interpret the amount is $250 United States currency. Furthermore, communication structures contribute to effective business communication. The use of special language

Rrisoners choice in Les Miserables and Crito Essay

Rrisoners choice in Les Miserables and Crito - Essay Example Willing to help the friend and to save the righteous man, Crito tried to persuade him to escape from prison and promised him any possible assistance in his further life. Moreover, Crito as a noble devoted fried was ready to sacrifice his wellbeing for the sake of Socrates’ salvation. In this way, Socrates faced an intricate choice, the choice between life and death, between reputation and salvation. The story of Jean Valjean depicted in the novel seems to be more complicated and rather different, with several turning points offering their dilemmas. The protagonist is a former convict who has carried his burden for nineteen years and was finally released with an overwhelming feeling of disappointment and resentment towards the world and society. The very origin of his story implies the theme of justice and an individual, as Valjean was convicted for the crime he – similar to Robin Hood – committed in order to recover justice and help those who were in need. Having stolen a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving children, the man became a criminal in the eyes of law (created by the strongs, as it has always been) and was punished. Although Valjean bears enormous contempt in his soul after being released, his outlook on life changes as he meets the bishop, and probably this is the factor influencing his further decisions.As he became a wealthy noble man running a factory, holding the post of a mayor and hiding behind the false name, he learns that there is a man facing trial in the neighbor city as Jean Valjean.

Miscommunication about transfer funds Case Study

Miscommunication about transfer funds - Case Study Example The message receiver should exert enough efforts to clarify any vague or confusing message by contacting the message sender. Evidently, all parties must contribute to the clear message sending process of business communication. Introduction Task-related organization communication includes message sending factors within the organizational framework. The research delves on wrong message organization communication sending. The research delves on resolving wrong organization message sending. The affected parties must contribute to making sure the organization communication messages are received the same way as the message sender, the manager, intends. Statement of the Investigation Issue There was miscommunication in the task-related transfer of funds aspect of the business organization’s communication channel. The organization’s manager did not indicate which currency should be used in the transfer of funds. Consequently, the organization employees erroneously deposited th e funds using the wrong United Arab Emirates Dirhams currency, instead of the correct United States dollars currency. Consequently, the finance department moved to correct the erroneous transfer funds deposit. ... One such common barrier is noise. Often noise blurs out the vivid message from being received in the original context. The noise will block one or more words from reaching the message receiver’s ears. Another message barrier is document smudge. The smudge may hide or misrepresent a letter or letters on the document. A huge smudge may cover an entire word resulting to the distortion of the original document. Lastly, the appearance of the entire document may obscure the true message of the documents. For example, the general message did not mention the exceptions to the main message. Another barrier to the effective task-related organizational communication is culture (Kutz, 2012). The culture of one county, United States, is different from the culture of another country, country where Dirhams currency is used. The countries that use Dirhams include the United Arab Emirates and Morroco. If the United Arab Emirates plans to send money to the United States, there is confusion as t o whether the money sent will be in United Arab Emirates Dirhams currency or in United States dollars currency. To resolve the currency issue, the message sender and the message receiver should include the currency in the message. When sending messages between two different cultures, one word or group of words may have different meanings. The United Arab Emirates may interpret a payment of 200 as to mean payment in Dirhams currency. On the other hand, the United States individual who receives a message that he or she will be paid 250 may interpret the amount is $250 United States currency. Furthermore, communication structures contribute to effective business communication. The use of special language

Life Cycle Stages Essay Example for Free

Life Cycle Stages Essay There are four stages in the financial life cycle of an individual. The accumulation, saving, pre-retirement and retirement stages. Judging from the financial ratios of Winston and Yvonne, we concluded that Winston and Yvonne are in stage 2: the savings stage of the financial life cycle phase. This stage of the life cycle is usually characterized by the increase of assets, net worth and the decline in the use of debts, as by this stage Winston and Yvonne have already accumulated more assets over the years and would seek to protect their wealth and priorities and at the same time seek to be more risk adverse than before. People in this stage are usually concerned in saving for the future like children’s education, retirement etc. As the savings Ratio can be easily explained by the amount of money a person saves as a percentage of their total income. The level of savings as a percentage of Winstons and Yvonnes income is 60.41% as calculated is expected of the couple in their mid 30s falling in this stage of the life cycle as it portrayed high savings planning for the future of their children’s education. In the savings stage of the life cycle, we could expect an increase in net worth and assets as those had been accumulated before reaching conservation phases in that cycle. The increase in assets meant that Winston and Yvonne have a relatively high net worth as calculated at 74.51%. As Winston and Yvonne have a relatively high net worth ratio, their financial solvency is lower as most of their funds are being tied up with their fixed assets and their high net worth ratio also showed that their investments and commitments are being funded by debts and trade payables that are not proportionate. Winston and Yvonne might also face problems such as liquidity problems as their high ratio meant that they do not have immediate access to their cash. Therefore any decline in value of their investments or in any aspect that is relevant to their assets would cause them to have the inability to pay back their debt, thus lead to bankruptcy. Winston and Yvonne should seek to lower their net worth ratio by diversifying their funds in lesser fixed assets like property, home contents and education funds as lowering the ratio of their net worth would help them have more f inancial flexibility and ability to meet their financial payment obligations. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/interpret-assetstonetworth-ratios-57281.html. http://www.accountingtools.com/net-worth-ratio. As Winston and Yvonne are in their wealth protection phase, we explained that there would be an indication of a high net worth and a decrease in the use of debts. The debt Service ratio is the monthly debt commitments in comparison to total income and expressed in a percentage. In other words it is the ratio of the ability to repay loans over a period of time. If a debt service ratio is too high it would mean that one is too highly leveraged and has a high amount of loan and in the long run might run into difficulties in repaying off the loan commitment in the future. In this stage we expected financial prudence and a high risk adversity. The low debt service ratio of Winston and Yvonne at 14.21% indicated the low dependability on debt and increases their ability to service their debt, reducing the risk of them not being able to continue going in the long run. This could be expected of them as they are seeking to save for the future and make sure that they are able to service their l iabilities in the long run and not exhausted halfway through by limiting their commitments and slowly getting a debt free approach when it comes to their retirement. http://www.e-conomic.co.uk/accountingsystem/glossary/debt-ratio.

Human resource Management in International Expansion

Human resource Management in International Expansion In todays global environment when expanding a business in to another country IHRM would play a handle new key role. There can be identified very clear 6 differences between domestic and international HRM. They are more HR activities, need for broader perspectives, the more involve with employees personal life, risk exposure, broader external influence, changes in emphasis as work force mix of expatriates and locals. IHRM is concern with staffing policies, recruitment and selection, remuneration, motivation, training and development, performance appraisals, promotion, retirement, redundancy and lay off, industrial relations and foreign assignments. Expatriates are the employees who is working and temporarily residing in a foreign country. They could be PCNs, TCNs or HCNs. Due to the development of technologies such as telecommunication, satellite and computer technology and lower cost in going business globally has made the IHRM much more important and easy to manage when compared to the last to few decades. For any organization that have global operations all around the world IHRM would play a Key factor for the company success. Session 2 When a organization do business internationally, understanding the cultural deferences among the countries is very essential to be successful in the long run. This is because operations starting in another country, if there are huge cultural difference among the parent and the subsidiary companies would face varies implications. According to the Hofsteds there are 5 cultural damnations. Power distance This is the extent to which power is distributed unequally among the employees in between the higher positions and the lower positions. Eg India is a high power distance culture (even have a cast system) and USA is a lower power distance culture. Individualism vs collectivisms In a individualistic country people would priorities them self ( USA) where as collectivism country people would priorities group needs. Uncertainty avoidance People would try to minimize risk they face in a situation ( avoiding paralysis through analysis ) usually countries with long history and traditions have a high uncertainty avoidance. Countries such as USA well come higher risks. Masculinity/femininity Masculine- tough value dominant Eg; success, money, satiates, competition Feminine- tender values dominant such as personal relationships, care for others, quality of life etc. When we take Sri Lanka for a example I think we have feminine culture even though have many masculinity futures. The best example for this is during the tsunami situation whole county get together to help the tsunami victims within ours. Cross-cultural communication Similarly, among various countries cross-cultural communication is very necessary so that they can understand each others through religion, culture, art, literature, foreign policies, fiscal polices, etc. such type of bridges of understanding will help to lessen and minimize the gap between two culture. Thirukkural, a noted tamil poet, who has been translated in more than twenty five languages and who had been famous for ethical themes and brevity, has very aptly remarked on power of speech: The goodness called goodness of speech IS goodness which nothing can reach Since gain or ruin speeches brings Guard against the slips of tongue Weight the words and, speak, because No wealth or virtue words surpass. They overspeak who do not seek A few and flawless words to speak (Gupta .reprint 2004) It is said that speech is grater than words, mind is greater than speech, will is grater than mind consciousness is greater than will, meditation is greater than will and power of understanding is greater than meditation.sanakumara, surmonzing narad atma vidya or brahmavidya (knowledge of the supreme) says : power of understanding beings sine quo non for proper meditation, thats is greater than meditation. If we cannot correctly understand and discriminate good and bad, truth and untruth and discriminate between good and bad, truth and untruth, and the like pairs of opposites, how can we meditate? Thus there is no doubt that the power of understanding is linked with speech, one of the tools of communication. Session 3 There are many activities effecting the IHRM in a organizational context. Industrial relations, health and safety, management style, authority structure, organizational structure, leader ship style and etc. And organization could implement a different structures such as global product division, global area division and global matrix structure depends on the situation, subsidiary age and size structure adopted. Controlling of subsidiary would have both formal and informal control systems. Formal methods would be structure, reporting systems, budget and targets where as informal methods would be cooperate culture and personal relationships. we know some of the transferable HRM policies such as physical layouts, use of technologies, holiday entitlements, quality circles depending on the culture, motivation and leadership style, performance appraisals and etc. company expatriates would have to perform the key activities when implementing the procedures in subsidiary an at the same time adopt the suitable local norms, standards and value in to the system to make it more localize the operations. Improving the performance, implementation of corporate culture, solve technical problems, handling of sensitive information, reduces risk, improve trust and team working skills are some of the important functions that expatriates should perform during a foreign assignment. Future more political stability, country infrastructure, technology and resources available in the country, organizational and national cultural differences should be looking to when implementing IHRM policies. Session 4 When starting a subsidiary in a foreign country, there are many reasons why expatriates are needed. Teaching a new process, setting up a new branch, facilitating the knowledge transfer between parent and the subsidiary, helping branch to implement a matrix integration is some of the purposes. This would also depend on the relationship between parent and subsidiary, amount of investment, other host country environment factors. Depending on the host culture, size and the maturity of firm, relative importance of the subsidiary, moral and ethics balancing of standardization and localization of HRM could be done. Localization would be the recruitments, holidays, leave procedures and etc. according to Huo the best IHRM practice ought to be the ones best adopted to culture and national environment. Developing staff members investing in human capital, career development, good working conditions and good management practice could help the organization to retain and attract skilled and qualified labour force in to the organizations. In Sri Lanka Mas holdings is a very good example for a organization which is practicing this method Session 5 There are many ways of staffing international operations. They are ethnocentric, polycentric, geocentric and regiocentric. Each of this method has it own advantages and disadvantages. Most of the companies use ethnocentric approach at the initial stage and move to polycentric approach after some time. Eg;- after operating Sri Lanka for many years Coca Cola has appointed a Sri Lankan as a country head for the first time. Organizations use expatriate for international assignment as position filling, management and development and for organizational development. They could be assigned for varies time periods and would have many roles to play as expatriate such as agent of control/socialization, network builder, boundary spanner, language node, transfer of knowledge etc. Non-expatriates are people who travel internationally, yet no conceder as expatriate as they do not relocate to another county.. Examples for non-expatriates are auditors, inspection department, regional managers etc. even though its a glimmers life on first site non- expatriates would have high level of stress because of family working arrangements, health concern and host culture issues. Even expatriates would face lot of difficulties such as spouse and family problems, lack of cultural sensitivity, reluctant to change and adopt, them us mentality, home country mentality and etc. There for organizations must use most appropriate method when selecting a person for a expatriate job. Session 6 When recruiting a expatriate for a international assignment organizations has to be extremely concern. This is because expatriate failure is extremely costly for an organization. Career advancements financial incentives, interest in countries, interest to travel are the factors that motivate the expatriates. For expatriate to be successful in a foreign assignment they have to have the job knowledge and motivation, job related skills, be flexible and adoptable, helpful family situations and extra cultural openness. Expatriate failure could be defined as premature return or under performance during the a foreign assignment. There could be varies reasons for early return of a expatriate but direct cost of the failure is extremely high for the organization. Eg- salary and training cost, airfares, relocation expenses, exchange rates, replacing the failed manager etc. indirect costs would be the damagers to the relationship with stake holders, family relationships, and negative effects on the local staff members. There are four phases in cultural adjustments which expatriate has to go through in a foreign assignment. They are, Tourist every thing is new and enjoyable Crisis/ cultural shock see differences and negative side off the new culture Pulling up Adjustment There is a high possibility of expatriate to exit during the cultural shock period. There for in this each stage organizations would have to take many steps to easy the situation.. Eg- food, customs, cultural values(seniority), home sickness etc. Session 7 Training and development of expatriates is essential for the success of a intentional assignment. This is because expatriates are send to subsidiaries to show how systems and procedures work, ensure adoption and motivation of performance. There for cultural differences and business out comes attitudes and how it effects the behavior, facts about the target country, skill building and language is some of the areas that organization should look in to. Effective pre-departure training should include cultural awareness programmes, preliminary visits, language training, non traditional assignments and training etc. future more practical assistance for relocation, find accommodation and schooling, future language training, would also contribute to adaptation of expatriates and his family members to settle down. Many methods could be use ot train the expatriates and many examples Some off them was showing videos, giving case studies, role play and anointing a experience mentor. Session 8 Multinational organizations would face lots of performance management issues and expatriate re-entering career issues. Performance management is also a way of controlling the subsidiaries. It also contribute shape the organizational culture. HCNs and non-expatriate performance would have to be evaluated separately. Appraisal of host country nationals could be done with standardizes company evaluation form. But customization of the form according to the local staff should be done to get the maximum benefits to the all parties. Performance evaluation criteria would be done on hard goals, soft goals and contextual goals. When evaluating the performance of a non- expatriate stress associated with constent air travel, family relationship issues should also be considered. Expatriate performance would be evaluated on how well he/she achieve organizational targets, relationship and network build up with key parties, implementation of cooperate culture in the organization and etc. evaluation results would also have a impact from who is doing the appraisal, frequency, timeliness and use of standards and customization of the appraisal form. Re-entry of expatriate after completion of foreign assignment would also have to be given consideration. Preparation, physical relocation, transactional readjustments are the phases which have to go through again. To retain the staff in the organization and repatriation pre-departure career discussions, naming a contact person, succession planning and etc could be done. Eg- decrease of living standards, children schooling issues and etc. Session 9 For a multinational organization to be successful they should have a good compensation package in place for their employees. This is because different countries different currencies, labour laws and customs are in place. There for expatriate pay should be determine according to cost of living, hardship, currency fluctuations, health care, housing, taxation and education expense of children. To determine the compensation package awarded to the expectorates going rate approach and balance sheet approach can be used. Even though both approaches have its advantages and disadvantages the balance sheet approach is the most commonly used system in multinationals. Balance sheet approach would consider about the goods and services cost, housing cost, income tax and reserves when determining the benefit package. Session 10 When a organization do business with a another country to make this transactions successful knowing the business ethics and social customs are very essential. Different countries have different values, practices, and taboos which you have to understand and be respectful. From country to country the way they use first name, title, position and states, dining practices, tipping, gift giving, and that an traveling etiquettes, greetings, superstitions and taboos differ. Japanese people shows and have a grate respect to the business card and exchange and consider are in tipping as a insult. Different countries have different meal times, number of courses. Eating every thing in the plate or leaving some thing in the plate could be reason to be offended in some cultures. Some times its better not to know what is in your plate which you are serve to eat and be restrain form giving comments on the foods. ( it is better to eat without knowing whats in the plate (eg- dog meat, snake meat) without offending your counter party.) When going abroad for business deal proper dressing, footwear and packing and even and quality luggage could add some value to your transaction. Male and female relationships would also in a differ from culture to culture and it is wise not to use you are hummer during a business meetings . holidays and holy days also differ from country to country according to the religion they and practice and the traditions. And organization should looking to this because many cultures do not make any business decisions in holy days. Even though bribery is conceder illegal, unethical and immoral it almost take place all over the world. But if an organization is doing this kind of transactions they would have to be extremely careful because it could lead to fines and damage of organization reputation.

An Investigation and a Report into the Customer Services at Sainsburys :: Business and Management Studies: Case Studies

An Investigation and a Report into the Customer Services at Sainsburys Introduction For my business report on customer service I have chosen to investigate Sainsburys. Sainsburys is a leading UK and US food retailer; although Sainsbury's main business activity consists of food sales they also have interests in financial and property markets. The Sainsbury's group consists of Sainsburys supermarkets and bank in the UK and Shaws supermarkets in the US and employ a total of 172,900 people throughout their company. What is Customer service? Customer service is very important to every company and keeping customers satisfied can lead to a big increase in profit. A survey carried out by NOP showed that reducing customer defections can raise profits by 25-85% and in 73% of cases the organisation in question made no attempt to persuade dissatisfied customers to stay with their company, despite 35% of them saying a simple apology would prevent them from moving to their competitors. Another survey carried out by HENL showed that a 1% cut in customer service problems could generate a 16 million pound profit for a medium sized business over 5 years. This shows that customer satisfaction can actually generate money. Another example of the benefits of keeping current customers satisfied are the surveys produced by TARP and PriceWaterhouseCooper. This TARP survey showed that 68% of customer defection takes place because the customer feels that they have been poorly treated and that it can cost up to five times more to buy new customers than to retain existing ones. Customer satisfaction not only benefits sales of goods and services but can also lead to bills being paid earlier by the customer. PriceWaterhouseCooper and the university of Bradfordsurveyed 3000 businessmen and the results show that if there was high customer satisfaction then bills were paid up to 14 days earlier than where there was poor customer satisfaction. All of this evidence shows that customer service is an integral part of a successful company. The importance of customer service to Sainsburys is reflected in their mission statement: 'Our mission is to be the customers first choice for food, delivering products of outstanding quality and great service at a competitive cost through working faster, simpler and together'. Types of customers There are many different types of customer and they fall mainly into two categories; external and internal. Â · External customers These are people who visit the store to buy their products or services and they all have different needs to be catered for. They are people such as the. Children (families)- Their need is equipment to be designed with their children's safety in mind. There will be a lot of families visiting Sainsburys to purchase

Symbols and Symbolism in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart Dar

Use of Symbolism in Heart of Darkness       Joseph Conrad played a major role in the development of the twentieth-century novel.   Many devices that Conrad applied for the first time to his novels gained wide usage in the literary period he helped to create.   Perhaps the most effective of his pioneering techniques was his application of symbolism in his novels.   In Heart of Darkness, Conrad's symbolism plays a dominant role in the advancement of themes in the novel.   These themes are revealed not through plot, but instead through the symbolic characters and elements present in the narrative.   Joseph Conrad's use of symbolism in his portrayal of the Africans, the Company, and Kurtz in Heart of Darkness illustrates the value of had work and self-restraint.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The format of Heart of Darkness is a narrative of the ship captain Charlie Marlow's experiences in the Congo Free State, told to companions on a ship moored at the mouth of the Thames River, southeast of London.   As the vast majority of the text is the story told by Marlow, the reader is intimately acquainted with Marlow‚s opinions and judgments throughout his first-person account.   Thus the relationships between Marlow and other characters in the novel are of greater importance than the characters themselves.   The actions that Marlow takes notice of are used chiefly to serve a symbolic purpose rather than to advance the plot.   The flow of the novel itself is rough and illogical at times, as Marlow's chain of thought is not entirely chronological.   This is one stylistic technique that other authors of the twentieth century, particularly James Joyce and William Faulkner, would make greater use of in their literature (Jericho 23).      Ã‚  Ã‚   The first of the ma... ...ction is not as important as the effects of that action, a world that would be exploited in the years to come.    Works Cited: Conrad, Joseph Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer, 1902. Signet Classic, New York 1997. Jericho, Jeremy, Tessa Krailing Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness Barron's 1985.    Works Consulted: Adelman, Gary. Heart of Darkness: Search for the Unconscious. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1987. Fothergill, Anthony. Open Guides to Literature: Heart of Darkness. Philadelphia: Open University Press, 1989. Glassman, Peter J. Language and Being: Joseph Conrad and the Literature of the Personality. New York and London: Columbia: University Press, 1976. Tindall, W.Y. "The Duty of Marlow." In Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the Critics. Ed. Bruce Harkness. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company Inc., 1968.

My Significant Other

Art is composed of many different elements. There are many different styles of art that can be taught. Art has been used for thousands of years. Art is a way of expressing life. My favorite kinds of art are expressed through drawings and paintings. In Expressionist Art the artist tries to show strong certain feelings about something important. This can be done through sculptures, paintings, drawings, etc.When I am drawing I tend to draw people and things that relate to a person or multiple people. My sketches are complete with shading. Shading is to show shadows and contrast. My paintings are always outdoors and have to do with animals, plants, and scenery. Painting the sky and ocean have a lot of patience to be dealt with because It takes a right mixture of colors to make It feel lively. Pop art Is the most common art. It has to do with very popular seen people, places, or things.My favorite pop artist is Andy Warhol. The way he deals with the colors and shapes are amazing. I really enjoy the piece he did with Marilyn Monroe and the Campbell soup piece too. Surrealism is a type of art enjoy doing. When I have a strange dream I will take the most particular thing about my dream and turn it into art. I make it very mysterious and lifelike so everyone can witness what I saw in my sleep. I like to leave wonders and thoughts in others minds. Abstract art is also a favorite of mine.I will get a whole munch of random objects and glue them together and make another random object out of all these other pieces. It is very fun and creative. I once went outside and collect things to make a birds nest. Leaves, sucks, and other outdoors objects were collected and my masterpiece was finished. I received an excellent grade. Art Is different for everyone. Some use music as an art form, others use dance as an art form. Any way art is used it is still expressed through the artist. Art has and will always be around.