Critically Assess the View That Natural Law Is of No Use When Discussing Sexual Ethics Essay

I believe that natural law is of no use when discussing sexual ethics as it is very vague and doesn’t take into account specific situations. Natural Law says that everything has a purpose, and that mankind was made by God with a specific design or objective in mind. It says that this purpose can be known through reason. As a result, fulfilling the purpose of our design is the only ‘good’ for humans. The Primary Precepts of Natural Law require us to ‘live in an ordered society’ to ‘reproduce’, to ‘educate our young’, to ‘protect the innocent’ and the most important to ‘worship God’. The most relevant of these in this subject is reproduction, and if you look at it as a duty to continue the re-population of God’s people than of course sex can be understood as a good and moral action. In fact there are many biblic references to sex and Gods opinion on it, in Genesis He says; ‘be fruitful and increase in number’ and through-out it shows that sex is necessary. The problem for a Natural Law supporter comes when sex is only done as an ‘efficient’ cause, e. g. or pleasure and enjoyment, this is not following God’s final cause of re-production. Contraception is seen as immoral in Natural law and for most Catholics. If contraception is used it splits the ‘efficient’ practice of sex from the ‘final cause’ of reproduction; this goes against that actions purpose and makes it wrong as not what God intended. However some Natural Law supporters would argue that sex is not about what humans gain from it but what God actually intended it to be about, which could be unity and love etc. Other philosophers/philosophies who argue that this way of thinking about contraception and sex can lead to situations of unnecessary suffering. For example, a utilitarian approach would assess how pain and pleasure can be maximised in a situation and so would probably sharply contrast with Natural Law. Another thing to consider when thinking about natural law and contraception is that they don’t take into account third world countries, for example, and how not using contraception will lead to a spreading of aids and children the parents can’t afford to give a good life. Homosexuality is another sexual issue that Natural Law calls immoral for the same reason as contraception, because it doesn’t fill in sex’s final cause and reproduction and so homosexual sex cannot produce any children it is not ethical. The Catholic Church has long supported this view and have declared that homosexual orientation is not in itself immoral but just like the infertile couple sex without the possibility of children makes it wrong. However another thing to consider as part of the ‘living in an ordered society’ precept is not being judgmental of other people. Pre-marital sex could be seen as either good or bad by natural law followers as if the couple is reproducing and being good nurturing parents then they’re fulfilling most of the primary precepts and that is good. However they aren’t fulfilling the main one, worshiping God, as the bible teaches that sex should be saved for marriage, so a lot of natural law followers would say it is wrong. Something to consider in this is if they’re actually planning to get married at all? Does it still count as pre-marital? Extra marital sex is also a contentious issue for Natural Law followers. In a wedding ceremony promises are made before God ‘to love and to cherish’ and most importantly ‘forsaking all others’ to stay married until ‘death do us part’. As a vow before God, this cannot be broken and still be part of the primary precept ‘worship’ God. The ultimate aim of life is to be ‘united with God’ through our moral actions, as society where immorality and deception are accepted is not a place where God is being worshipped effectively. Sex should be about reproduction and families and therefore bringing you closer to God not a violation of a sacred vow. To conclude, I would argue that Natural law is an overly harsh method of making ethical decisions. It does not take into account the most loving action for people and nor does he make any exception for circumstance or what will benefit the majority of people.

Degree of Operating Leverage

Operating Leverage:Operating Leverage is the term that describes the impact on operating income of a change in the level of output. Brigham says that â€Å"If a high percentage of a firm’s costs are fixed, and hence do not decline when demand decreases, this increases he company’s business risk. This factor is called operating leverage. If a high percentage of a firm’s total costs are fixed, the firm is said to have a high degree of operating leverage. The degree of operating leverage (DOL) is defined as the percentage change in operating income (or EBIT) that results from a given percentage change in sales†¦.In effect, the DOL is an index number which measures the effect of a change in sales [number of units] on operating income, or EBIT.†Autron:Generally, the higher the operating leverage, the more a company's income is affected by fluctuation in sales volume. The higher income vs. sales ratio results from a smaller portion of variable costs, which means the Company does not have to pay as much additional money for each unit produced or sold. The more significant the volume of sales, the more beneficial the investment in fixed costs becomes. Applying this principle the operating leverage of Autron is in a good position and any change in sales volume will not violently affect the income of this company.Ambertech:The position of this company with respect to the Operating Leverage is not advantageous to the company as the ratio is high. It signifies that the fixed costs are at a higher level. This means that any small change in sales volume will adversely affect the profitability of the company.Degree of Financial LeverageCompanyDegree of Financial LeverageFinancial Leverage:‘Financial leverage’ is the term used to describe the impact on returns of a change to the extent to which the firm’s assets are financed with borrowed money. In their 1997 article Buccino and Mckinley define operating leverage as the impa ct of a change in revenue on profit or cash flow. It arises, they say, whenever a firm can increase its revenues without a proportionate increase in operating expenses. Cash allocated to increasing revenue, such as marketing and business development expenditures, are quickly â€Å"consumed by high fixed expenses.†Autron:The degree to which a business is utilizing borrowed money. Companies that are highly leveraged may be at risk of bankruptcy if they are unable to make payments on their debt; they may also be unable to find new lenders in the future. Financial leverage is not always bad, however; it can increase the shareholders return on their investment and often there are tax advantages associated with borrowing. Applying this basic principle, with a low financial leverage, this company is utlising very lower level of borrowed funds. The interest burden on the company will naturally be less and the company is financing its operations from its own sources.Ambertech:As again st the company Autron, this company has high financial leverage which implies that the borrowings are more for this company and the company is running the risk of higher interest payments and meeting their debt commitments on dates.Combined Leverage:A leverage ratio that summarizes the combined effect the degree of operating leverage (DOL), and the degree of financial leverage has on earnings per share (EPS), given a particular change in sales. This ratio can be used to help determine the most optimal level of financial and operating leverage to use in any firm. This ratio can be very useful, as it summarizes the effects of combining both financial and operating leverage, and what effect this combination, or variations of this combination, has on the corporation's earningsAutron:It should be noted that a firm with a relatively high level of combined leverage is seen as  riskier than a firm with less combined leverage, as the  high leverage means more fixed costs to the firm. On the basis of the combined leverage ratio, it can be stated that the company Auton is less riskier as the leverage ratio of – 4.296 is highly advantageous to the firm signifying a lower level of fixed costs and better profitability. As we have seen in the Operating Leverage for this Company, any change in sales volume will result in more profits.Ambertech:In contrast to the company Autron, this company has a higher operating and financial leverage which has resulted in a higher combined leverage. This situation implies that the company’s fixed costs are very high leading to lower profitability. Any change in sales volume will adversely affect the earnings of the company.References:1. Brigham, Eugene F., Fundamentals of Financial Management (1995).2. Buccino, Gerald P. and Kraig S. McKinley, â€Å"The Importance of Operating Leverage in a Turnaround,† Secured Lender (Sept./Oct. 1997), p. 64-68.

Business Continuity Planning Pros and Cons

Business Continuity Planning Pros and Cons Advantages and Disadvantages of Business Continuity Planning In a Financial Organization under the Incident Command System Abstract This research paper is primarily focused on highlighting the specific pros and cons of a business continuity plan that is used in a financial organization under the incident management system. The advantages associated with the use of incident command systems in a BCP in any financial organization are paramount including being able to install preventive and corrective measures that can either reduce partial or complete impact in cases of disruptions. However still there exist some cons associated with its usage i.e. fast amounts of time required for its implementation, asset acquisition and in most cases the size of the organization might hinder the implementation of an incident command system. Introduction A business continuity plan is very critical in the facilitation of the smooth running of the organization or guidelines that can help reco ver from disruptions hence ensuring the provision of services even in cases of disturbances. The process focuses on assessment and identification of all the potential threats that might disrupt service delivery and their potential impacts with the aim of creating measures to ensure the resilience of the system. Technology should enable recovery of applications from disruptions and other critical data through the disaster recovery plan. An incident command system is the technical developments for a given company that entails its main functionality being to mitigate the impacts of the unforeseen incidents that can result in loss of critical data. Business continuity planning are corrective measures established in an organization or an institution to govern the daily and future activities within it (Ramakrishnan et al., 2015). These measures are for ensuring that there is smooth running of the necessary activities. Failure to establish the plan could lead to the company collapsing, l ow profit in the day to day sales or even shut down of the business which is a big loss to the business. Business continuity planning should be done to any organization that takes its customers or clients seriously. Continuous planning takes the owner of the business miles ahead of the other competitors within the same field (Heng, 2015). Advantages I. During planning the potential of the business booming up is established plus the possible weaknesses and challenges the company might face are outlined and effective solution are established in advance. II. The main advantage that any financial institution stands to gain from the use of an incident command system is the ability to identify potential threats and plan in advance hence avoiding suspension of critical financial operations. The threats might range from natural epidemics, cyber-attacks or just computer failures as a result of hardware or software issues. III. The financial organization has increased abilities to mai ntain effective coordination and to maintain the response directions. Besides, the organization can gain insights on the importance of coordination of resources and the ability to identify the incident priorities. IV. The financial institution has a good platform for testing and reviewing the most likely threat hence allowing for coordination of BCP with external stakeholders. V. The long-term use of incident command systems is an advantage in itself as it leads to gaining of experience hence I the long run will lead to higher efficiency in restoration and fast recoveries. However, the full implementation becomes a disadvantage as it is time-consuming. VI. The financial section of the organization if it implements the recovery systems well can work as a competitive advantage as it safeguards against financial losses of the organization VII. Although this is later on stipulated as a disadvantage, it can still be an advantage. Incident command system can be used to accomplish tasks that people couldn’t do in disaster – prone areas hence preventing payment disorder whereas reducing the risks associated with miscommunication between the responder. VIII. Embracing the current evolution computing technology brings efficient fast and timely delivery of the service given by the organization. This can help in record keeping and monitor the business activities. IX. Business continuity planning helps one in marking the best insurance cover that matches the criteria of business. The cover is of great help in case of disasters like fire or thefts or any other disaster that could strike the organization. X. Business continuity planning helps one building best platforms for marketing and branding of the business and products.one is in a position to establish the effective and most suitable mode of reaching out that is fault tolerant and can assure customers of uninterrupted service delivery. XI. The target audience is created. He/she is in a pos ition to outline the reach people or group one is aiming at. This helps one avoid going out of the set individuals. Disadvantages Failure to do business continuity planning one is at a significant risk of either: I. The implementation process is often considered as tedious hence requiring professionals to handle it. Besides the organization has to employ qualified personnel to handle that. No business intends to invest heavily in preparing for unknown threats as they rather wait for it to happen then defend (Systems, 2012). II. The process of using incident command systems as a business continuity planning tool is both costly and time-consuming. This may lead to over investment of funds that could have otherwise been dedicated to other business operations. III. Business collapsing or failure that is as a result of poor management skills, techniques, and evaluation techniques. Hence, one is not in a position to establish the coming danger and ends up regretting the already outcome. IV. The death of individuals could occur after the fire, building collapsing where the insurance covers have been ignored, have not been implemented by professionals or due to lack of adequate testing of the possible scenarios. Conclusions The implementation of a business continuity plan through incident command systems has been faced with numerous advantages and disadvantages. Some of the benefits include; response, recognition of threats, competitive benefits, coordination mechanisms, experience and an excellent testing platform with the option testing and reviewing. The main disadvantages include the need for specialized skills in handling the recovery systems. In addition to this, small businesses cannot implement the system as this may result in losses through maintenance cost. However, analysis of the pros and cons suggests that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. All this indicates the importance for all financial institutions to implement the incident c ommand system as part of the business continuity plan (Drennan, 2014). References Drennan, L., McConnell, A., & Stark, A. (2014). Risk and crisis management in the public sector . 2 nd ed. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group London and New York. Heng, Goh Moh. (2015) â€Å"Business Continuity Management Planning Methodology†. International Journal Of Disaster Recovery And Business Continuity , vol 6, 2015, pp. 9-16. Science And Engineering Research Support Society , doi:10.14257/ijdrbc.2015.6.02. Ramakrishnan, R. K., & Viswanathan, S. (2015). The Importance of Business Strategy in Business Continuity Planning. The Definitive Handbook of Business Continuity Management, 31-35. doi:10.1002/9781119205883.ch3 Systems, S. (2012) The CEO’s Guide to Succession Planning: Managing Risk & Ensuring Business Continuity. SSRN Electronic Journal . http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1633523

Understanding of health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Understanding of health - Essay Example As a result of the controversy surrounding the changes currently being proposed by the President of the United States, the issue of healthcare in America is particularly timely and relevant. Seeking to understand healthcare from an issue-based perspective and attempting a holistic analysis, this essay will compare and contrast the medical model of healthcare with the social model of health. Following this we will debate which model is the most important to health today giving examples as to why this might be. In the United States, health insurance coverage ensures that basic healthcare can be accessed by all. Individual comprehensive health insurance plans depend on an one’s age, employment status, residency, and race/ethnicity. Medicare is a federal government funded insurance program for disabled young adults, persons above the age of 65, and those with permanent disabilities who become eligible for Social Security. A racial difference in coverage among Medicare beneficiaries has also been found to influence difference in supplemental care. Most individuals rely on private healthcare plans for the coverage that they need and the Obama administration is seeking to implement a single payer government system of healthcare as part of his reform package as opposed to market-based reform. Decried by detractors as â€Å"socialism†, Obama’s plan proposes that the government become more actively involved in healthcare provision and argues that the reform will cost a total o f $1 trillion USD. Seeking to address the issues at stake, the following will provide a concise overview of theories of healthcare in America, as well as around the world, today (Smedley et al. 2003; Reuters, 2009). There are two important theoretical models of healthcare which will be discussed in this analysis. The first is the medical model of healthcare and it represents the

Ascertaining Organizational Behaviour of Contracting Firms Based on Article - 1

Ascertaining Organizational Behaviour of Contracting Firms Based on the Impact of Cultural Factors - Article Example 124). Constructions companies modify their organisational behaviours on account of its employees’ cultures. Experts argue that the development of a strong organisational culture is essential to the overall success of an organisation. It is rather evident there is a strong connection between people’s cultures and the behaviour within organisations. In the European Union (EU), for instance, behaviour noted in successful construction firms is largely due to the continually nourished and healthy organisational culture that not only appreciates the cultural backgrounds of its workforce, but also upholds such cultural characteristics (Tomek 2011, p. 12). This is, for instance, done by abiding to culturally significant events within the organisation, as well as allowing all persons from different cultures to maintain their unique cultural identities (Gold, Malhotra and Segars 2001, p. 46). Persons of different ethnicities and races have distinctive cultural beliefs, behaviours and ceremonies. Different governments of the EU member states, as well as the EU body, have established definite regulations that protect various aspects of different cultures from interference by other persons or organisations (Toole 2011, p. 37). This means that a construction company in the EU must abide by these regulations or face litigation. The culture of Muslims is to conduct prayers up to five times in a day and go to the Mosque on Fridays. In order to maintain effective organisational structures and employee satisfaction, construction companies must uphold such cultural practices among their Muslim employees. This means the provision for ample time to Muslim employees to attend religious services and conduct prayers without undue hindrance from company management or other members of the workforce. It is of paramount importance to appreciate the kinds of behaviour culture has the utmost impact

Toshiba BSX8R Rewritable Printer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Toshiba BSX8R Rewritable Printer - Essay Example Technology: It is using special kind of paper such as thermal paper which is used in the earlier fax machines. These sheets are made by plastic and there is a heat sensitive pigment. When the heat is about 130-170 degree, the color will be turned into white and thus the image will be erased. The printer first introduced in Japan. And company scared about venturing it in other market. "We're going to approach customers to see if there's an interest in the technology,' said Keane, who also admitted that the technology's limitations mean it 'will never trickle down to a consumer product." (Toshiba Rewrites Printer Rules with Reusable Paper). The company estimated they will launch the product in Europe only after the middle of 2007. And it will be done only after the critical analysis of the market and full fledged back support. "One thing that may put European consumers off is the cost. According to Toshiba's commercial manager for printers and related products, Michael Keene, the company is still some way off setting its European and UK pricing." (Barker). Environment friendly: "Toshiba is touting reduced CO2 emissions created during the paper production process. Traditional paper manufacture and waste creates 6.5kg of CO2 emissions per 1,000 sheets, compared to 1kg for the same quantity of rewritable paper pages." (Toshiba Printer Erases and Reprints on a Single Sheet). Since there are several problems associated with the op... Company is able to find a niche market in the initial stage itself. They are focusing on the commercial entities rather than single customers. And their product specification is suitable for that. Weakness: High cost: Since there are several problems associated with the operation of the printer, the company considering the launching as test marketing. The company finds its customers who need of more copies but having a shorter life period. Thus the main target market is the commercial entities rather than single customer. Work instructions, picking list, shipping instructions, inventory slips and process checklists etc. are the main beneficiaries Poor Technology: It is using old technology of thermal printer technology which is using in 1970 and 1980s. The printer using approximately 300C and the critics believe that this will offset the environmental goal. Another criticism was the inconvenience for handling the paper. Even after the erasing the previous content, there is a shadow in the paper. And if the paper is in the day light for a longer period the image will be permanently fixed. Again it should be collected separately and if it uses for several times it should be washed with a separate washing machine in order to remove the dust and other wastes. And it cannot be folded, or toned. If any damage is in the paper, the image also will not be quality one. Since these several problems are associated with the printer, there is need for monitoring also. (Barker; Toshiba Printer Erases and Reprints on a Single Sheet). Opportunity: As a pioneer in the field Toshiba can skim the market before others enter the arena Threat: The

Policy provision and legislation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Policy provision and legislation - Essay Example One that brings tears into our eyes than a smile on our faces, The human race is suspicious of our own kind that we are willing to spend exorbitant sums of money on the manufacturing and buying weapons of mass destruction and whole scale genocide without even giving it a second thought but find hundreds of thousands reasons and engage in heated debates when it comes to doling out money__ which is peanuts, as compared to the money we spend on tanks, aircrafts and guns__ for the education of our future generations and especially the nursery sector. Writer 2 The politicians in their ecstatic rhetoric at conferences, seminars, public rallies and cabinet meetings give great lectures on children being our most cherished and valuable resource. In fact we refer to them as the future of our nation but when the same politicians are confronted with the question of why they hesitate in adequately investing in our ‘bright future’ are rendered speechless. Further, they are all in unis on and speak in one voice when it comes to safeguarding their privileges and the issue of increase in their salaries and other fringe benefits they are entitled to being our elected representatives but are bitterly divided into factions on questions of child care, may it be health care or education. On this issue they seek the shelter of the umbrella of cliched terms and nomenclatures such as liberals, conservatives, neo-liberals, and the neo-cons. The introduction of an authoritative book on education titled Education Policy, Process, Themes and Impact, edited by Les Bell and Howard Stevenson, begins with this pithy quote: There was a time when educational policy was taken for granted †¦ Clearly that is no longer the case: Today, educational policies are Focus of considerable controversy and public contestation†¦ Educational policy-making has become highly politicized (Olsen et al 2004: 2-3). According to Gerhardt early child rearing is of prime importance in the social a nd cultural life of UK but because of a number of factors, unfortunately, among which political, social and economic factors are predominant the trend in child care, child rearing and child Writer 3 education are not child centered as it should be but instead are work oriented and money-centered. This is the crux of her argument and the main reason for making Britain a fragmented polis. Further Gerhardt is of the firm view that the negligence on the part of all the relevant stake holders, the government, the independent agencies, the teachers and the parents is responsible in bringing UK to this stage where to use a metaphor the early child education and child rearing has been completely neglected. This criminal negligence in not performing the task that is required of each stake holder honestly and with professional integrity and in case of parents criminal in fulfilling their parental duties that UK has been unable to produce good law knowing and law abiding citizens, who on the o ne hand are unaware of their respective rights and on the other hand their duties that they owe to the society, the recent London city riots are a good example. Our educational institutions have miserably failed in producing citizens that are less of an asset and more of a nuisance and liability and thereby are the cause of tremendous tension and threaten to rend to rags the fragile fabric of our polis. The most pertinent question that needs to be answered by all those

Conflict Theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Conflict Theory - Assignment Example As far as our roles are concerned, our society, community or group expects certain roles from us (Woznaik, 2009). An individual cannot be identified alone as he has no individuality or character on his own in isolation, but when he is part of a certain system. Whatever a person performs or does, it is according to some social or societal conditions or norms such as rules and regulations, conditions for playing and so on (Callahan, 2010). The idea of self is related to one’s positioning in a society. If a person regards himself delinquent, he has developed a self-concept of delinquency. If the self-concept is positive, the person shows avoidance of delinquent behaviour and if the self-concept is negative, he is more prone to be delinquent. Labelling of a person as delinquent or good also builds a self-concept that is either good or bad (Brownfield & Thompson, 2008). The societies who have lower crime rates promote shamefulness in a positive manner and those having higher crime rates promote shamefulness in a negative manner. There are two concepts, stigmatization and reintegrative shaming. Stigmatization leaves the wrong doer as a disrespectful person who should not be forgiven while reintegrative shaming allows wrong doers to be forgiven and gain respect again. The wrong doer is regarded as a person who has done a wrong deed, but is not overtly bad (Braithwaite, 2000). If labelling of a person is done using reintegrative shaming, the crime will be minimized while the labelling of a person by stigmatizing will make his situation worse and he will appear more delinquent. Overall, a person requires social support for keeping himself away from crime (Braithwaite, 2000). A person becomes a bully or victim when he is stigmatized in his childhood at some time by his parents or some other person in authority (Leyva & Bickel, 2010). Parents who are hostile,

Non-Profit Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Non-Profit Organizations - Essay Example In general, nonprofit organizations are a significant part of the society and strive for the betterment and development of society rather than as a business models. Usually, nonprofit organizations are categorized based on the beneficiaries of their organizations, which may include youth, senior citizens, disabled people, animals, environment etc. One such organization is the California Adolescent Health Collaborative (CAHC), a nonprofit organization focused on improving and supporting the adolescent health and well-being in California. Its office is head-quartered in Oakland, California. Like many other nonprofit organizations, CAHC is also a public-private state-wide partnership of individuals and organizations. CAHC had an inspiring start by a group of individuals after attending a conference in 1995 held to review states’ efforts to promote adolescent health. Adolescence is the most sensitive phase of human life because youth in this phase tend to adopt various patterns of behavior and attitudes about life, work, career, and other activities. During this phase, most of the adolescents tend to get driven towards risky behaviors and habits, which can turn out to be harmful during later years of life. Hence, adolescents have to be watched and guided at the right time and in the right manner so that they realize the importance of correct behavior and living. With this aim, CAHC was set up to address adolescents’ wellbeing, which was eventually supported by the California State Department in 2001. Currently, the Director Sandi Goldstein is assisted by four other members on the board. The CAHC is supported by about 15-member steering committee, each member associated with an external organization, like school, university, healthcare sector etc. These volunteers are appreciated and recognized for their contribution towards service deliver and achievement of the desired results. The directors on board are also volunteers that had come together for thi s common mission. The CAHC has received immense help and encouragement from various trusts and foundations like Lucile Packard Foundation and the State run MCAH Program. CAHC is funded by government grants and also receives some private philanthropy. The CAHC has a variety of goals and functions to support and promote adolescent health. For example, they help adolescents with issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, behavioral problems, injured and accident victims, homeless, malnutrition and physical health etc. They also provide care for adolescents that had been victims of relationship abuse, domestic and sexual abuse. The CAHC has been actively involved in providing sex education to teens, access to contraceptives, family PACT laws and policies to facilitate access to contraceptive information. In 2006, California ranked first in the US in overall efforts to help women avoid unintended pregnancy (CAHC, 2010). The CAHC’s efforts have also helped in reducing the number of sex ually transmitted diseases considerably. The size and scope of CAHC are very difficult to be determined. CAHC has a variety of goals and has included a variety of like-minded members into its group that want to serve for adolescent health. CAHC also works towards decreasing adolescent suicide rate. CAHC further aims to increase physical activity and

Patient satisfaction with dental care services Essay

Patient satisfaction with dental care services - Essay Example Infact, current core of modern marketing involves targeting consumer satisfaction because it is only through customer satisfaction that organizations can thrive, survive and grow. Dental service too like any other organization is concerned with consumer satisfaction or patient satisfaction. There is enough evidence to show that patient compliance, adherence to dentist and improved outcomes of treatment are related to patient satisfaction like in any other healthcare sector. Specifically, in dental services, a patient may need to meet the dentist several times, because many procedures are done in several sittings and can cause pain, distress and financial burden. Thus, it is only through patient satisfaction, that a patient can be made to come back to the same dentist. In this essay, patient satisfaction with dental care services with be discussed through review of suitable literature. Studies pertaining to consumer satisfaction were first done in 1960s and since there more than 15,000 articles have been published in this regard (Newsome and Wright, 1999a). According to Patterson et al (1997; cited in Newsome and Wright, 1999a), "the satisfied customer is an indispensable means of creating a sustainable advantage in the competitive environment." In the terrain of health care, consumer satisfaction has been widely recognized and is considered as a recognition of quality. Such a widespread importance for consumer satisfaction has occurred because of recognition of the need for involvement of the consumer in the process of health care. (Tuominene, and Tuominene, 1998). In health care system, clinical outcome of high quality is directly dependent on the level of compliance to treatment regimens, which in turn is dependent on patient compliance. A patient who is satisfied is compliant with appointments and treatments advised and hence, high quality in health care canno t be achieved without

General Mills Financial Analysis Essay Example for Free

General Mills Financial Analysis Essay From ready-to-eat cereal to convenient meals to wholesome snacks, General Mills is one of the biggest food products manufacturers and competes in growing food categories that are on-trend with consumer tastes around the world. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Haagen Daazs, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Totinos, and Cheerios, among others. Main rivals include Kellogg, Kraft, Conagra Foods, and Sara Lee. General Mills sells its products in three segments: U.S. retail (63% of net sales), International (25% of net sales), and Bakeries and Foodservices (12% of net sales). In addition, General Mills sells cereals and ice cream through its Cereal Partners Worldwide and Haagen Daazs Japan joint ventures. General Mills continues building its presence in developed markets and increasing presence in emerging markets worldwide by investing in established brands while also developing new products. The company’s goal is to generate balanced, long term growth. Profitable performance through the past years General Mills has shown a strong profitable performance during the past years. The company has achieved during the last 3 years an average RoE of 28% supported by strong efficiency, financial leverage, and a moderate profitability ratio given the nature of the business. This has resulted in a positive trend of the share price that delivered 3 year returns of 44% from 2009. The upward trend in RoE that peaked in 2011 reaching 30.6% reversed in 2012 that closed with a RoE of 24.5%. The RoE drop of c. 600 bps in 2012 compared to 2011 is explained by a reduction in profitability that was affected by high input-cost inflation primarily in food ingredients and energy that was not fully transferred to customers (370 bps Gross Profit Margin drop). Performance was also affected by restructuring actions (60 bps impact on profitability) taken to improve organizational effectiveness to drive future growth. General Mills managed to continue improving efficiency as the increase in sales (3 Years CAGR of 6.7%) outpaced the average assets growth (3 Years CAGR of 5.8%), reachin g in 2012 the highest efficiency ratio (83.8%) of the past 3 years. Efficiency improvement was primarily supported by inventory reduction efforts that, coupled with increase in accounts payable derived from shifts in timing of payments, reduced the cash conversion cycle to 43 days. It is worth noting that during fiscal 2012 the balance sheet had an important growth as a result of the acquisition of the international Yoplait business, including goodwill and other intangible assets of $2.3 bn USD. Sales growth also benefited from the acquisition and will be discussed in the next section. General Mills runs a leveraged operation where, in average, the total assets are 3 times shareholders equity. Leverage ratio has decreased since 2010 as retained earnings have increased at a faster pace than assets driven by strong business performance. A slight revamp in the leverage ratio during fiscal 2012 was mainly driven by an increase in other comprehensive losses related to pensions and postemployment activity, and foreign currency translation that offset retained earnings for the same period. Sustainable growth while generating strong levels of cash flows General Mills has shown a strong, sustainable growth throughout the last years. Net sales increase has been driven by a moderate average growth in the US Retail segment (3.8%), coupled with the expansion in the International business (13.4%). The big year on year increase of 12% in fiscal 2012 is driven by the acquisition of the international Yoplait yogurt business that contributed 7 points of sales growth, while underlying business grew 5%. It is important to note that sales growth has been mainly driven by volume growth with a slight component of net price increase and a favorable mix. Segment Operating Profit has also maintained a sustainable growth. The slowdown during fiscal 2012 and drop of Gross Profit Margin is driven by high input-cost inflation as previously mentioned. Despite high costs, the company managed to increase segment operating profit to exceed $3bn for the first time in the company’s history. General Mills has managed to generate strong levels of cash flowacross the years. Over the most recent 5 years, the company operations have generated almost $10bn USD in cash. A significant portion of this cash has been returned to stockholders through dividends and shares repurchase. In addition, this cash is used to fund Capital expenditure. In the most recent year, the company operations generated $2.4bn of cash compared to $1.5bn in the prior year. The major increase is driven by a favorable change in working capital supported by inventory reduction efforts, prepaid expenses, and other current assets. Cash used by investing activities had a significant increase in fiscal 2012 that is mainly explained by the acquisition of international Yoplait ($1bn USD). General Mills invested in fiscal 2012 c. $700m USD in land, buildings and equipment, similar to previous years. Cash used by financing activities includes a constant payment of dividends and purchase of treasury stock in the last years. In addition, General Mills has been actively managing their cost of funds by issuing / pre-paying long term debt and commercial paper as convenient. General Mills performance has outpaced main competitors in the recent years General Mills strong performance is accentuated when benchmarked against Kellog Co, another of the key food producers. Both companies present similar profitability with General Mills having a lower gross profit margin compensated by lower marketing investment and general expenses. Nevertheless, General Mills has managed to grow sales and has delivered higher returns at a faster pace than Kellog. In addition, General Mills produces higher levels of free cash flow and has grown dividends per share faster. Finally, Kellog has a heavy debt load while General Mills has lower leverage ratio. Solid position to face a challenging, uncertain future In a nutshell, General Mills has shown a strong performance in the recent years and has outperformed his competitors mainly in compound growth rates and value creation. A challenging future lies ahead with uncertain economic environment and increase in commodity costs. Pricing strategy to maintain margin while not impacting market share will play a key variable in the company’s performance. Strong brands, innovations, expansion in diversified markets, and solid cash position and moderate leverage should support General Mills to face these challenges and continue creating value in the following years.

Nonverbal Communication Essay Example for Free

Nonverbal Communication Essay Abstract The goal of this study was to find out if teachers were teaching nonverbal communication in their classroom, and also if it was important to teach nonverbal communication in the classroom. Teachers have a variety of teaching styles, and techniques. Some teachers using nonverbals and some do not. However, sometimes class size, classification levels, and gender can cause teachers to either use nonverbal communication or not. The participants of this study were asked whether or not their teacher use different types of nonverbal communication in the classroom setting. The study found that students said most teachers in their classes use nonverbal communication to teach. This study also provides support of the importance nonverbal communication has when teaching. Nonverbal communication in the classroom: A research about the importance of teaching nonverbal communication Communication in general is the process of sending and receiving messages that enables humans to share knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Although we usually identify communication with speech, communication is composed of two dimensions, which are verbal and nonverbal. Nonverbal communication has been defined as communication, but just without any words. Communicating is not something we can just do without, nonverbal communication especially considering it can never be shut off, unlike verbal communication we are always communicating nonverbally. One cannot not communicate. Nonverbal communication is always around you and impossible to ignore. Research, in many studies, has indicated that nonverbal communication can serve a wide range of functions in human interaction. Nonverbal communication is an essential part of every day life. No matter if at work, school, or even at home, nonverbal communication plays a huge role in life. As Blatner (2002) says, â€Å"Often people cannot understand the impact of nonverbal communications involved in a situation unless it is replayed and figured out† (pg.3). Teachers need to be practicing and teaching nonverbal communication in the classroom everyday, and that by doing so students will become much better communicators. Nonverbal communication strategies are important to the development of an effective educational system. Nonverbal communication should be practiced in more classes than just communication classes, because no matter what major of study you are in communication is always going to be an essential thing to know. Many social scientists have conducted research in the field of nonverbal communication as it affects students and educators. Ritchie (1977) found that seven percent of communication is nonverbal. Voice inflection accounts for 38% of the message, and facial expression, including body language, communicates 55% of the message. Speer (1972) states that because 90% of the total impact of a message can come from nonverbal elements, sharpening nonverbal communication skills cannot help but make a person a better communicator. So why are not all teachers using this method of teaching in the classroom setting? That is one of the questions I would like to answer in my research. This paper will work to determine if nonverbal communication is essential to be taught in the classroom and the importance of the teaching of nonverbal communication. Literature Review Research has been investigated, by many different scholarly researchers, about nonverbal communication and the importance of why it should be taught to students in their learning career. Nonverbal communication can be defined as signing, symbols, colors, gestures, rhythms, and much more. Those are just a few examples that will be discussed (Ritchie 1977). Speer (1972) believes that it is important to know all the different ways to communicate nonverbally and explains all of those ways in the book. Speer (1972) also emphasizes on the fact that in order to communicate, you must first know what nonverbal communication actually is. Pilner, Alloway, Krames (1974) however compare how humans and animals communicate differently nonverbally and the importance of knowing the different ways, and they also point out how humans and animals can communicate very similarly nonverbally as well. Ethology is the way of studying behavior amongst people. Weitz (1974) refers to ethology as a way to condu ct research, knowing how to study different peoples behavior is essential to know before observing how people act. Visual interactions are also ways of studying nonverbal communication in the classroom, according to Weitz (1974). According to Molcho (1985), nonverbal communication is critical in the classroom setting, especially in interpersonal communication. The most credible messages teachers generate are said to be nonverbal. Duggan (2012) discusses all of the different nonverbal cues and why they are important. For example, he states the importance of facial expressions, gestures, and appearance. Along the same lines Carli (1995), Mayo Henley (1981) and Thompson (2012) have different articles about differences between men and women and the different thoughts they have on nonverbal communication. He also discusses different research scenarios in which research has been conducted to prove the importance of nonverbal communication, and why men and women communicate differently sometimes. Area of Study Nonverbal communication plays a huge role in the classroom, and how teachers should be using nonverbal communication. (Pliner 1974) This paper is a research intended to help understand why nonverbal communication is so important in teaching, and what those importance’s are. Teachers should be using nonverbal communication everyday, in every course no matter what the major of study is. I want to research to see if teachers are using nonverbal communication skills in the classroom environment, and if so how they are using them. My hypothesis is that yes I believe teachers are using nonverbal communication as a way of teaching in their classroom. If the answer is no however, I will research why teachers are not using nonverbal communication in their every day teaching techniques, and if there are reasons behind why they are not using it. I will conduct surveys in class to see if students believe teachers are teaching enough about nonverbal communication, and if they believe it is important to be learning about. I would ask, does nonverbal communication play a role in the classroom? For instance, is nonverbal communication important in the classroom setting, whether it be how the teacher dresses, lectures, stands, etc. I also want to find out if teachers are teaching enough about nonverbal communication to their students. Are students gaining enough knowledge about nonverbal communication while in the classroom setting? Also, I would like to find out, what is the importance of nonverbal communication. Why should we study this and why do we need to learn this study for our whole careers. Finally, what would a classroom setting be like with zero nonverbal communication? This consists of no eye contact, appearance codes, gesture, or any other kind of nonverbal communication behavior. The following research questions and hypotheses guide the current study: H1: Students believe teachers are using nonverbal communication to communicate with them on a daily basis. H2: There is no difference between what males believe teachers use in the classroom and what females believe. H3: All ages believe the same thing when it comes to how often their teachers communicate nonverbally and how they are communicating this way. RQ1: Does nonverbal communication play a role in the classroom? RQ2: Are teachers teaching enough about nonverbal communication to their students? Methodology Instrument I used the convenience type sampling method. (see appendix A) This is a nonrandom type sampling; in which I used volunteers in my class to take my survey. The survey contained nine questions. Participants were asked nine questions about how their teachers use different nonverbal communication skills to communicate with them. The students were asked to mark yes or no depending on if the teacher used those certain styles of nonverbals while teaching, Students were also asked some demographic questions: sex, classification, and age. I used evidence by Wilmont (1995), about research of nonverbal communication to come up with my research questions. I developed my questions very carefully before choosing what the right questions were to ask. I thought about questions that could be useful to my research and that would help me develop the results I needed in order to prove or disprove my topic. I choose questions that wouldn’t be offensive to anyone, so that everyone could participate . I was trying to find out the significance of nonverbal communication being used and taught in the classroom setting. Participants I had twenty-five students in my research communication class participate in my survey. There were fourteen males and eleven females who participated, however gender doesn’t have much of an affect on my research. The ages for my survey ranged from nineteen to twenty-three years old. All of the students who took my survey were in some kind of communication field. I conducted my survey and distributed it during our class hour, along with everyone else. I distributed my surveys on Thursday October 18th, 2012. I distributed my survey to each member in the class in a row order. I simply passed my survey out row by row to each class member, and when everyone received my survey they began taking it. When the class was done taking my survey they proceeded to the front of the classroom and put my surveys in a pile for me to pick up. I then took a look at all of my results later that night. I made an excel document and went through each individual paper and recorded my results in to excel. I recorded the number of females and males, class rank, and also the answers to my yes and no questions. Results The first hypothesis was concerned with if students believed teachers were using nonverbal communication with them to teach on a daily basis. The hypothesis inferred that students did believe teachers were using nonverbal communication on a daily basis to communicate with them. . This hypothesis was supported. All students answered yes to at least some type of nonverbal communication. The second hypothesis looked at the sex of the students. This hypothesis inferred that the sex of the student was not significant for this survey. This hypothesis was supported. Sex was not significant in the research. Males and females answered mostly the same for every question in the survey. The third hypothesis looked at age of the students. This hypothesis stated that age was not significant in the survey. This hypothesis was supported. After recording all the results, age was not a factor. All of the students came up with mostly the same answers no matter their age. Research question one asked if nonverbal communication played a role in the classroom setting. From my survey, students believed that yes, nonverbal communication does in fact play a role in the classroom, and the survey also showed that numerous amounts of different types of nonverbal communication are being used every day in the classroom setting. Research question number two asked, are teachers teaching enough about nonverbal communication to their students? The question was answered yes by every single student. Students believe that yes there is enough nonverbal communication being taught in the classroom. Discussion The goal of this study was to see if nonverbal communication was being taught in the classroom and if it was important to be taught. Teachers have many different ways of teaching, and many different techniques but the overall outcome was that yes, nonverbal communication is very important in the classroom and that many teachers do use nonverbal communication on a daily basis to teach. Class size, gender, and classification did not really matter in this study. Previous research has also found that nonverbal communication is a very important factor in teaching as well. My study supported previous research, and agreed that nonverbal communication is being taught in the classrooms, and it is important for teachers to teach and use nonverbal communication. Another interesting find was that gender did not play a big part in the overall outcomes. I figured since females tend to notice things more, like proximity, gestures, posture, etc., that females would answer a lot differently than males but that was not true in this case. All students believed pretty much the same things. I was not surprised that students believed nonverbal communication was important because I agree, it is.   After conducting my survey I learned a lot of things from classmates. Some of the things I discovered were, body posture is a very important nonverbal in the classroom. Body posture can tell when students understand the content presented or when they have trouble grasping the major concepts. A student who is slouching in his seat sends a very different message than the student who learns forward or sits erect. I also learned that eye contact plays a very important role in teaching. Teachers often use eye contact in the classroom to decide who is prepared to answer a question, or who has completed a homework assignment. If a student does not want to be called on they will try and have no eye contact with the teacher, and that indicates to the teacher they do not know the answer or wish to not speak. Students also responded that distance is used on a daily basis in the classroom. The teachers are supposed to stand in the front, and the students sit in desks in the middle and back. I also discovered that students would interact more comfortably with a teacher when they are in same vertical plane. Dress being a form of nonverbal communication, I discovered plays a role in every classroom. Teachers dress appropriately for class everyday, as in dress pants, dresses, nice shirts, etc. Effective teaching depends on successful communication. By definition of non-verbal communication without uttering a single word, teachers and students constantly send messages to each other (Thompson, 2012). Limits and Future Study Although my study found a lot of reliable information, there were some limitations. When conducting my survey, although it turned out very helpful, I would have changed the questions and been a little more descriptive with them. For example, I would have not only asked if the certain nonverbals were used in the classroom, I would have also asked when and how these forms of communication were used. Another limitation was class classification. There were a wide variety of grade levels that took my survey, and all teachers in every grade level have a different way of teaching, so I would have tried to get maybe all Juniors or all Seniors to take my survey. I would have tried to have all people who take the same classes with the same teachers to take the survey. Future researchers could look more in to how students use nonverbal [communication to communicate rather than just teachers. I think students use just as much nonverbal communication as teachers do and that would be an interesting research to conduct also. This research was conducted to show the importance of nonverbal communication while teaching in the classroom. Nonverbal communication plays an essential role in the classroom so I believe more studies should be done concerning nonverbal communication. References Carli, L. (1995). Nonverbal behavior, gender, and influence. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 68(6), 1030-1041. Duggan, T. (2012). Nonverbal cues between men and women in the workplace. Hearst Newspapers. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/nonverbal-cues-men-women-workplace- 11424.html. Key, Mary Ritchie. (1977) Nonverbal communication: a research guide bibliography. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press Mayo, C., Henley, N. (1981). Gender and nonverbal behavior. New York : Springer-Verlag. Molcho, S. (1985). Body speech. New York, NY: St. Martins Press. Pliner, P., Alloway, T.,Krames, L. (1974). Nonverbal communication: Advances in the study of communication and affect. New York: Plenum Press. Speer, D. C. (1972). NonVerbal Communication. Beverly Hills, Sage Publications. Thompson, J. (2012). The science and fun of nonverbal communication [Electronic Version]. Are man and woman equals in nonverbal communication? Weitz, S. (1974) Nonverbal communication: Readings with commentary. New York: Oxford University Press. Wilmont, W. (1995). Relational Communication. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Traditional Versus Lean Project Management Techniques Information Technology Essay

Traditional Versus Lean Project Management Techniques Information Technology Essay Project management is a structured approach towards managing projects. It is defined as The application of knowledge skills, tools and the techniques to project activities in order to meet stakeholders needs and expectations from a project (Burke, 2003). The project management team is responsible for finding methods of meeting the control budgets and schedule rather than justifications for not meeting them (Ballard and Howell, 1997). Developing a fully integrated information and control system to plan, instruct, monitor and control large data amounts, quickly and accurately for problem solving and decision making will determine the success of the manager. Projects are temporary production systems. Production is defined as designing and making things. Designing and making something for the first time is done through a project, which is arguably the fundamental form of production system. Three fundamental goals of production systems are (Ballard and Howell, 2003) Deliver the product Maximize value Minimize waste Lean Project Management Performance improvement for competitive advantage is a general characteristic of practitioners in most industries (Porter, 1985). In project management for satisfactory performance the consideration of time, cost and quality is not adequate. Performance is described in terms of attaining value effectively and efficiently where effectiveness is maximising value of output whereas, efficiency refers to minimising or elimination non value-adding items in production. Beside a stream, dont waste water, even in a forest, dont waste firewood. Chinese Proverb The systems those are structured to deliver the product while maximizing value and minimizing waste, are said to be lean projects (Ballard and Howell, 2003). Lean is the term originally coined in 1990 by Womack, Jones and Roos to describe the Toyota Production System (Reeves, 2007). A production system which was capable of producing more and better vehicles in less time, less space and using fewer labour hours was given the name Lean. Organizations can reduce project timelines and costs by eliminating waste and focusing on value creation for the customer. The bottom line with lean is: if the action does not provide value to the end customer then it is waste. Lean refers to a general way of thinking and specific practices that emphasize less of everything fewer people, less time, lower costs (Reeves, 2007). Lean project management has been constructed by drawing together two approaches: management of projects and lean production. For project management performance improvement, the management of project focuses on meeting customer needs effectively while lean production aims at meeting customer needs efficiently utilised in lean project management. The justification of lean production with management of project is done at the methodological level (Horman and Kenley). Lean Project Management Methodology Management of Projects Methodology Lean Production Methodology Figure 1: Generation of Lean Project Management Methodology Fig. 1: Generation of Lean Project Management Methodology Lean product development helps improve a companys competitive advantage. Its application in the automobile industry has brought significance performance improvement. But this does not mean that lean production is applicable to only automobile industry. Many non manufacturing companies like the one those are involved in product development, transportation, accounting, hospital, sales, administration, vehicle repair and many others are making use of the lean principles. There are five traditional lean principles that are applicable outside the automobile industry (Womack and Jones, 2003) value to the customer value stream to provide the product or service that the customer values seamless flow of the product or service pull mode- provide the customer with the product or service in a timely fashion perfection for continuous improvement Traditional versus Lean Project Management Techniques Lean project management differs from traditional project management in the goals it pursues, the structure of its phases, the relationship between phases and the participants in each phase. The traditional production methodology manages conversion of an input to an output. Lean production is managing the production process by converting input to output, by minimising the input flow waste and maximising the value of the output efficiently. Thus the lean production methodology has flow management and management of value in addition to the input, conversion and output of the conventional project management technique. The traditional approach focuses on efficiency rather than value, whereas in lean production the focus is on minimising waste (efficiency) and maximising value of output (effectiveness). Under lean production with the introduction of the notion of value, effectiveness is expanded. In the traditional approach, value is not given much importance. Customers requirements are compromised which extends barely further than market requirements and lowering costs. Lean production emphasises on maximising the value of output by satisfying the customers specific requirements. The change in the production management from conventional to lean production management is because: Inappropriate control mechanisms and performance improvement efforts are used in conventional methodology. Poorly understood and addressed quality under traditional method. These show poor efficiency and effectiveness in the production process which roots from inadequate understanding of the production process. The change in production method from traditional to lean was to add to the existing approach and make it more appropriate for contemporary and complex production systems. Lean Product Development Lean product development encompasses numerous inter-related techniques. The first technique is supplier involvement. Instead of being involved for detailed design specification, suppliers are involved from the beginning of a new product. Since it is the responsibility of the suppliers to develop complete modules for the product, often without detailed specifications, black box engineering is used. Second technique is simultaneous engineering which means performing different activities parallely in the development effort. Parallel development helps reduce time. Another technique is the use of cross-functional teams which consists of members from different functional areas in the company, to facilitate the development of products that are easy to manufacture and assemble. This technique aims at integrating rather than coordinating all the functional aspects in the product from the beginning. When individuals work together to develop a new product, the physical proximity that arises results in the team being integrated. To improve communication, create stronger commitment towards the project and bringing focus for cross-functional problem solving, one should use the heavyweight team structure where the project manager has direct access to and is responsible for the work of all those involved. Instead of detailed specifications because of visions and objectives the whole project is straegically managed. Even though a company implements these techniques, it does not achieve lean product development in a simple way, for successful lean product development the company has to approach these interrelated techniques as a whole. Techniques other than Lean Product Development Lean is a continuous process improvement technique that can be used to evaluate, analyze and improve how a company delivers values to its customers. However this is only one of the several approaches, some other techniques are six sigma and theory of constraints (TOC). Lean focuses on the flow of value to a companys customers whereas six sigma focuses on individual problems, which shows the companys ability to satisfy the customers needs and TOC focuses on the constraints and how to minimize those to improve the volume of throughput within a system. Another technique is lean six sigma which combines the analytical tools of six sigma with the speed and customer value focus of lean to optimize the improvement process. For companies undertaking continuous improvement initiative, it is important for them to first determine the goal, and then apply the appropriate method to achieve the goal. Lean Project Delivery System Theoretical and practical investigations led to the emergence of the Lean Project Delivery System emerged in 2000. It is in the process of on-going development through experimentation. The job of the project delivery system is not only fulfilling the customer needs, but also help the customer decide their needs. It is necessary to understand the customers purpose and constraints, exposure of customer to alternative means for accomplishing their purposes and help them understand the end results of their desires. The lean project delivery system model consists of four phases: Project Definiton, Lean Design, Lean Supply and Lean Assembly. The four phases are a set of interconnecting triads, where some downstream activity takes place from the subsequent phase in each triad. Alteration Decommissioning Commissioning Fabrication Logistics Product Design Design Concepts Purposes Detailed Engineering Design Criteria Operation Maintenance Installation Process Design Use Lean Assembly Lean Supply Project Definition Lean Design Work Structuring Production Control Learning Loops Fig. 2: Lean Project Delivery System. Project Definition Project definition is the first phase in project delivery system which consists of determining the purposes (customer and stakeholder purposes and values), design criteria for translating those purposes for both product and process, and design concepts against which purposes and criteria can be tested and developed. The movement through these three need not follow any specific sequence, although the logical starting point seems to be the purpose. To reveal to stakeholders the consequences of their needs and different value generation possibilities, the cycle through these three modules is necessary. The involvement of stakeholders is a must for the best outcome from the project definition phase. Typical stakeholders can be the client (holds the contract), users of the facility, governing agencies, designers, installers, operators, fabricators, etc. The Lean Design phase should be launched only after bringing the three modules of project definition into alignment. (Project Definition Process: Appendix 1) Lean Design The alignment of values, concepts and criteria is the gate between Project Definition and Lean Design. At the functional systems level, developing and aligning product and process design can lead towards Lean Design. If at all the search for value reveals opportunities that are consistent with customer and stakeholder constraints, the project may go back to Project Definition stage. In order to allow more time for developing and exploring alternatives, the decisions are deferred systematically until the last responsible moment. This differentiates the Lean Design from the traditional practice of selecting options and executing design tasks as soon as possible causing rework and disruption because of conflicts in decisions made by specialists. Lean Supply Lean Supply consists of detailed engineering, fabrication, and delivery. To know what to detail and fabricate, and when to deliver the components, the system requires prerequisite product and process design. Also Lean Supply helps reduce the lead time for information and materials. Lean Assembly Lean Assembly begins with the delivery of materials and the relevant information for their installation. When the client has beneficial use of the facility, which typically occurs after commissioning and start-up the assembly completes. Comparison of Lean and Non-Lean Project Delivery System Lean Non-Lean Focuses on production system Focuses on transactions and contracts Transformation, flow and value goals Transformation goal Downstream players involved in upstream decisions Sequential decisions by specialists thrown over the wall Product and process designed together Process design begins after product design is complete Considers all product life cycle stages in design Not all product life cycle stages are considered Activities performed at last moment Activities performed as soon as possible Systematic efforts to reduce supply-chain lead times Separate organizations link together through the market and take what the market offers Incorporates learning into project, firm and supply-chain management Learning occurs periodically Stakeholders interests aligned Stakeholders interests not aligned Sized buffers located to perform their function of absorbing system variability Sized buffers located for local optimization -(Ballard and Howell, 2003) The Difficult Path to Lean Product Development Lean product development is not an easy thing to do. Several factors can hinder attempts to achieve lean product development. The different factors are: Cross-functional team is a technique that helps an organization in lean product development. They might be having a positive impact on the development effort, but creating cross-functional teams is a difficult task. Even today development is regarded to be a task for the Research and Development department, this shows lack of cross-funtional focus in the organization which ultimately leads to difficulty in creating cross-funtional integration. Simultaneous engineering is another technique towards lean product development, but working with concurrent activities and thus overlapping phases in the development effort is a very complicated task. It is impsossible for the individual engineers to perform simultaneous activities. Coordination of the lean product development effort is not an easy task. For coordination, regular meetings with the whole group needs to be held which is a time consuming activity. If the size of the group is large it resulted in longer meetings with repeated discussions and it may also happen that individuals from one department may find it difficult to understand discussions on issues on other department than the one he is from. Organizations face difficulty in coordinating a visionary-led development project, where visions also create problems. Requesting for detailed design specifications disturb the visionary-led projects. For any project, the suppliers must be involved from the beginning of he project, which results in difficulties for the suppliers to give detailed estimate of costs demanded by the top management. The desire to have the flexibility of black box engineering and known cost of the detailed estimate approach, obstructs a lean process. Hindering factors are more easily identified. Other than the hindering factors in the process of implementing lean product development, there are some supporting factors, which helps in the implementation of lean product development (Appendix 2) Benefits Despite lean being originated in manufacturing, it is now applied in many other business areas including product development, administration, accounting, project management and many others, because of its generic approach of eliminating waste to create more value for customer. A variety of lean product development techniques when applied to project management can reduce project timelines, increase customer value and reduce costs. Some other benefits of lean project management are, it helps increase the productivity, higher quality products, reduction in order processing errors, etc. Conclusion An alternative method to project management is lean project management. The lean approach to project management has worked successfully in potentially difficult and complex areas. The approach contributes to project management performance by focusing on the effectiveness and efficiency of delivering value that is satisfying client needs. Its implementation offers the potential for faster product development with fewer engineering hours, improved manufacturability of products, higher quality products, fewer production start-up problems, and faster time to market. Lean implementations have also yielded improvements in the value generated for clients, users and producers, and also a reduction in waste, including waiting time for resources, process cycle times, inventories, defects and errors, and accidents. It also led to a high level of commitment and motivation from the team, and to the satisfaction of the client organization. Lean thinking when paired with an appropriate agile development methodology can provide significant benefits to an organization. It has the advantage of reducing risk to the client, with the right balance of quality, performance and value for money. Lean product development is the beginning of the journey of continuous improvement. Lean techniques are not simply management tools but rather they embody a culture that needs to be enforced from the top leadership down throughout the company. Systematic implementation of lean in all areas of project management will yield benefits that other improvement methods cannot.

Three Types of Friends Essay -- Classification Essay, Friendship

There are many types of people in the world and many types of friends. Knowing that, it becomes all the more important to select the right people so that one might have the correct friends, but which types of friends are required? There are ten different types of friends that everybody should have, each fitting into one of three categories: the occasional friends, the benefactors and the greats. The first category, the occasional friends, encompasses three friend types. The first one is the grenade. This type of friend is usually annoying and tough to be around but they serve a critical purpose. They make you look better by comparison. Slightly better than the grenade, is the jerk with the heart of gold. Like the grenade they are generally annoying but unlike the grenade they are genuin... Three Types of Friends Essay -- Classification Essay, Friendship There are many types of people in the world and many types of friends. Knowing that, it becomes all the more important to select the right people so that one might have the correct friends, but which types of friends are required? There are ten different types of friends that everybody should have, each fitting into one of three categories: the occasional friends, the benefactors and the greats. The first category, the occasional friends, encompasses three friend types. The first one is the grenade. This type of friend is usually annoying and tough to be around but they serve a critical purpose. They make you look better by comparison. Slightly better than the grenade, is the jerk with the heart of gold. Like the grenade they are generally annoying but unlike the grenade they are genuin...

Julius Caesar Essay: The Character of Brutus -- Julius Caesar Essays

The Character of Brutus in Julius Caesar      Ã‚   â€Å"Et tu Brute?† Caesar’s simple statement sums up Brutus’ round character in the development of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Brutus was thought to represent no threat due to his nobility and his loyalty; however, these qualities are precisely why the story is such a catastrophe.   What stemmed from these traits is the last expected outcome.   Caesar’s surprise was so immense, he could only mutter these last few words.   Brutus’ honorable nobility, his loyal patriotism, and his naà ¯ve and idealistic manner define Shakespeare’s tragic hero.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Honor is an underlying foundation of Brutus and can be clearly seen during the play’s dramatic speeches.   Brutus himself makes his honor apparent in his orations.   After the assassination of Caesar and during the funeral speech, Brutus asks the people of Rome, â€Å"Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman?   If any, speak; for him I have offended†(act III, sc ii, ln 29-32).   This in Brutus proves he is noble as he cares and protects the welfare of the people and Rome as a whole.   He is torn between his sense of duty with Rome and his friendship with Caesar.   In the end; however, he must rationalize his actions to save face and conform to both sides of his conflict.   Furthermore, Brutus tries to prove his nobility to virtually everyone. When Brutus utters his last words, he tells Caesar his intentions, â€Å"I killed thee with half so good a will†(act V, sc v, ln 50-51).   His honor is always persistent and never fails to prevail at even the most taxing and awkward situation.   Brutus considers his honor in every aspect and choice in his life and often rules over his own accord.   Accordingly, many people, including his enemies, were very m... ...t categorized with his honor, his loyalty to Rome, and his naive and idealistic disposition.      Works Cited Bloom, Harold. William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Chelsea House Publisher; Connecticut, New York, & Pennsylvania. 1988, Pg. #33 - 36 Boyce, Charles. Shakespeare A to Z. Roundtable Press, Inc.; New York. 1990, Pg. #78 - 80 Durband, Alan. Shakespeare Made Easy: Julius Caesar. Barron's Educational Series, Inc.; New York. 1985. Ludowyk, E.F.C. Understanding Shakespeare. Cambridge University Press; New York. 1962, Pg. #184 - 187 Morner, Kathleen & Rausch, Ralph. NTC's Dictionary of Literary Terms. National Textbook Company; Illinois. 1991, Pg. #225 - 227 Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Dover Publications, Inc.; New York. 1991. http://student.cscc.edu/ENGL/Engl264/traglex.htm. Shakespearean Tragedy. 11-29-01. Yahoo.   

barn burning :: essays research papers

Barn Burning As "Barn Burning" opens, an adolescent boy named Sartoris Snopes is in court, hoping he will not have to testify in the arson case against his father -- a charge of which Sarty knows Mr. Snopes is absolutely guilty. The judge, whom Sarty perceives as kindly, is nonetheless Sarty’s enemy because he is his father’s enemy, and Sarty has not yet separated himself from his father. Sarty’s family are itinerant farmers, but they move around even more often than is typical because of his father’s habit of burning something down every time he gets angry. Sarty realizes that there is something deeply psychologically wrong with his father, but he underestimates his father’s danger. When they arrive at the beautiful plantation of Major de Spain, therefore, Sarty feels the de Spains are safe: "People whose lives are a part of this peace and dignity are behind his touch, he no more to them than a buzzing wasp: capable of stinging for a little moment but that’s all; the spell of this peace and dignity rendering even the barns and stable and cribs which belong to it impervious to the puny flames he might contrive." Sarty does not know that his father can just as easily bring down a big plantation as a cow barn. It would be easy to say that Sartoris, in the end, must make a choice between right and wrong, between the "peace and dignity" represented by the de Spains with the squalor and misery of the Snopes family, but it is more than that. At the story’s beginning, when Sarty was ready to testify that his father did not burn down that barn, he would have done it because a son’s job is to stick to his father. At the story’s end, he warns Major de Spain that his father is about to burn down his beautiful plantation, even though he knows that this will bring his family down once and for all, even though he knows that this means he will never be able to go

Math quiz

GIF Emma is creating gift baskets with scented soaps and bottles of bubble bath. She has 15 scented soaps and 6 bottles of bubble bath. If she wants all the gift baskets identical without any items left over, what is the greatest number of gift baskets Emma can make? In preparation for a party, Dante is putting desserts onto platters. The chocolate cake is cut into 8 pieces and the cheesecake is cut into 16 pieces. If he wants to prepare identical platters without having any cake left over, what is the retreat number of platters he can prepare?LLC Alice and Christina are studying a set of new words for Spanish class. Alice decides to break the set into lists of 17 words. Meanwhile, Christina creates lists of 6 words. What is the smallest number of words there could be? Danny and Karakul are fishermen who, by coincidence, caught the same number of fish this week. Danny caught fish in nets that hold 12 fish, while Karakul caught fish in nets that hold 8 fish. What is the minimum number of fish each must have caught?Mug He's Bath Shop sells bars of soap in boxes of 16 bars and bottles of soap in boxes of 19 bottles. An employee is surprised to discover that the shop sold the same number of bars and bottles last week. What is the smallest number of each type of soap that the shop could have sold? Race to simplify fractions in this fast-paced game! All you need to play is a deck of cards, paper and pencils. Shuffle the cards, and you're ready to get started. Simplifying fractions is an essential skill for every math student in the fifth read or higher.Students need continued practice with simplification in order to successfully add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions. Play this game again and again and work towards mastering this important concept! What You Need: Deck of playing cards (with face cards removed) Even number of players Paper Pencils What You Do: 1. Create a fraction bar sheet by drawing a line across a piece of paper. 2. Set up the game so that th e players face one another. For each pair of two players, you'll need to rate a separate fraction game board. . Shuffle the deck of cards. 4. Distribute the deck evenly between two players. 5. Have the players place their decks face down in front of them. 6. To start playing the players should simultaneously turn over a card from their deck and place it on the fraction bar sheet. Each player should place one card above the fraction bar. The cards above the fraction bar represent the numerator. 7. Then the players should place one card below the fraction bar. The card below the bar represents the denominator. 8.There should be a card above the bar and a card below the bar, giving you four cards total. 9. The first player to correctly simplify the fraction shown by the cards wins all four cards. If a tie results, split the cards evenly. 10. If the fraction can't be simplified, each player should collect the card that the other player put down and position it at the bottom of his deck. 11. Play continues until one player has accumulated all of the cards. 12. Alternatively, you could set a time limit on the game. When time is up, the player with the most cards wins!

MBA Future

I have a strong interest in pursuing a master of business administration (MBA) degree, as I believe it will be beneficial in helping me achieve my short term and long-term goals. It will make me competent enough to fit in the wider job market. This will come with increased income earning which is a key to good life. Good life or better living is everyone’s dream while advancing in one’s career and being no exceptional I want to pursue it for that cause. I have a wealth of experience from my educational background. I have also gained work experience from different positions over the years the degree will improve my efficiency when combined with the qualities I already have. I intend to take a major in marketing that I have been specializing in and a minor in entrepreneurship. I took a B.A Business Administration with a concentration in marketing. I graduated with a 3.5 in major and outstanding performance rendered me honors. Currently I am working within media advertising that comprises of television and radio. Pursuing this degree will equip me with the necessary expertise to be in the capacity of handling of handling issues appropriately especially at senior positions. Since my long term goal is to be president of a company. (http://www.unhmba.org) My other interest is researching brand management and the degree program will enrich me in skills needed in this area. I will be better placed with the ground information and the theoretical skills from the class. I have demonstrable ability to perform excellently in business classes and given the opportunity I would be outstanding in business school. My main interest is in the entertainment industry of which I have a solid background on. In 2001 I worked for a small marketing and event-planning firm that has now advanced. My 3 years experience when working with Sony-BMG as an assistance field marketing representative gave me exposure to the world of marketing and is a plus to my skills. I am proud to be part of the team that saw eWork Inc company grow from a small marketing and research to what the company is now. I was very influential especially on the Southeast region. I handle more than 30 people in my current position the skills I would get will improve my leadership skills. Working in my current position entails conducting movie surveys as well as holding premiers for upcoming movies. I am part owner of a t-shirt company that deals with presidential candidate. This entails strategic. Marketing plans to succeed and hence calls for skills or tact. To gain maximum exposure we plan to participate in the famous Oprah Winfrey show. My long-term goal of being a president of a T.V production company and being responsible for the marketing and company sponsorships will be well realized after attaining skills in the MBA program. (http://www.unhmba.org) I have constantly been involved in volunteering activities like in a mentor program that helps risk teens, AID Atlanta, hands on Atlanta and MS walk where I was among the top. Taking classes in the spring will enable me to be well prepared in joining the business school. My main reasons for choosing University of D and Wayne state is that its location will reduce the distance barriers from my fiancà © who has just moved to Detroit. They offer attractive placement rates and the small classes will offer a favorable or conducive environment for learning. It is also in a place where jobs will be easily accessible. Reference: United Network of help with Masters of Business Administration programs.2007. Retrieved on 31st October 2007 from http://www.unhmba.org   

The Exposure of Feminist Critique in 19th Century Literature: a Look at Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre

Resistance is the action of fighting back against an unwanted force that may be deemed oppressive in ones life. It is created for different causes and comes in many forms; it may be made verbal, explicit, implicit, physical, and even made humorous or satirical. Charlotte Bronte, a 19th century Victorian feminist wrote her novel Jane Eyre as a means of exposing the confining environments, shameful lack of education, and pitiful dependence upon male relatives for survival (Brackett, 2000). Charlotte Bronte used literature as a means of feminist cultural resistance by identifying the underlying factors of how the Victorian ideologies, gender and social construction of that time was limiting, and brings to light barriers that faced women in the early 19th century, and these same barriers that continue to face women today. Her feminist writings during this time period explored the depths of feminism and the ideas of limitations through class distinctions and boundaries in a hierarchal, classist, and sexist society during the time of Victorian England. You can read also Analysis of Literary Devices of Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre is a prime example of the use of feminist long fiction, which features female characters whose quest for self-satisfaction causes conflict within a traditionally patriarchal society (Brackett, 2000). Victorian ideologies in Bronte’s work and life are highly evident. In Jane Eyre, Bronte introduces and constantly refers to Jane as plain and stresses her lack of requisite beauty as the heroine of the novel. Presumably in male Victorian literature, the heroine or more so, damsel is presented as a fair maiden, with rosy cheeks and flashing eyes. Bronte uses this mould and opposes it by creating a female who is â€Å"puny, with irregular features whose unpromising physical attributes never fail to be remarked upon by everyone she encounters and by herself† (Brackett, 2000). Bronte purposely illustrates Jane as this â€Å"un-ideal† heroine to poke at the typical ideological female heroine. She also defies ideological Victorian etiquette in Jane Eyre. When Rochester is introduced to Jane, Bronte presents a feminist portrait of Jane and the time period in which a â€Å"woman walking alone in that era should never address a man, but Jane goes out of her way to help Rochester–she even lets him place his hand on her shoulder, and even though Rochester tries to stop her, Jane explains that she would never walk away without helping a person in need† (Brackett, 2000). The reversal of sex roles in the novel illustrates Bronte’s disapproval of the way women in Victorian society were deemed as unworthy of giving help and only receiving it. Throughout the novel Bronte ensures that Jane is constantly saving Rochester from emotionally and physically damaging situations. She rejects Rochester’s assumption that she is helpless, and declares her independence by saying, â€Å"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will which I now exert to leave you,† (Bronte, 282). Jane’s independence of mind in Victorian society â€Å"possesses her to a degree that would be a handicap to the conventional Victorian marriage and is a threat to the literary tradition of masculine heroism† (Bell, 1996). Bronte presents a Jane as realist, yet a utopian romantic, while at the same time confronting social reality. Everything Jane says enforces that she is not the typical romantic heroine whose life story shall end in marriage. Bronte uses Jane as a heroine who is able to recognize and finally break down the barriers if gender, and class. Resisting social construction during Bronte’s time is a difficult feat when women are dependant on men and wealth for survival. The idea of maintaining one’s class or fear becoming a poor outcast is presented several times throughout Jane’s life. Jane at a young age does not want to be associated with poorness by refusing to give up her middle class status she feels entitle to while living with the Reeds. When Jane is asked if she wants to find any of her other relatives she replies, â€Å"I should not like to belong to poor people† (Bronte, 10), and adds â€Å"I could not see how poor people had the means of being kind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bronte, 10) after finding out that they too were poor. Jane is taught at a young age to look down on people not of her caste, and to oppress them the same way that she herself is oppressed as a female orphan. Though Jane is not influenced directly by social status at all times, it is still a constant factor which Bronte makes evident. In Victorian England, a female must either be born or married into her social class, and this is what defines her. The character of Jane served to undercut the popular female stereotypes of fiction: the angel of the house, the invalid, or the whore (Brackett, 2000). Bronte creates Jane as her own force, in which she is neither the angel, invalid or whore, but a young lady who is intelligent and has pride and dignity. In this Victorian society, her unsubmissiveness and independence is her social fault, which Bronte pokes fun at (Brackett, 2000). Male Victorian writers cast women during this time as social, finagling creatures whose goals are to obtain as many friends as possible and throw the most elaborate parties. Bronte opposes this by creating Jane as an opposite of these â€Å"defining† characteristics, by making Jane a female who could are less about how many people adore her, a female who would actually enjoy a life with few companions. As mentioned before, Jane’s sense of dignity is evident. As Jane became Rochester’s governess, she is faced with the option of becoming Rochester’s mistress, causing this internal battle between her love for Rochester and her self respect. Instead Jane declines this proposal as she would rather have her self respect intact, a move not many women would have chosen in Victorian society. Bronte is not only vocal about the absurdness of these Victorian ideologies, but she is also stringent in pointing out that these ideologies directly oppress the female gender. In Jane Eyre, Bronte criticizes the Victorian conceptions of gender roles. She does this in many ways throughout the novel, but one was by pointing out in Jane Eyre that Bertha Mason is seen as â€Å"inhuman† when she acts out by setting her husbands bed on fire. Bertha’s enraged with fury at her husband Rochester’s betrayal because he got engaged to Jane; Bronte conveys the point that women during this time should restrain all emotion, or else they are seen as alien. Bronte also stresses education, or lack thereof, which was something that women during that time either has very little of, or had no access too depending on their class. In a scene, when Jane is all but eight years old, Jane receives cruel treatment from her younger male cousin John Reed, and when she retaliates she is reprimanded for it and is told to treat her â€Å"young master† with respect, causing her to wonder is she herself is seen as a servant. Another idea of oppression through gender during the Victorian era in Jane Eyre is when Jane has to decide between either becoming either a teacher or a governess. This is important because it highlights that women had only two options in terms of employment, and both of which consist of male superiors. While lack of education in women was common during this time, Bronte again forces the reader to recognize Jane as being an individual, whose intelligence and education is equal to that of a man’s. Upper class women never had occupations, nor did they ever work. But following Jane’s engagement to Rochester, she tells him that she will continue to work because she refuses to be dependant on a man, and that she will not be subservient to him. Here Bronte is exposing the Victorian idea of dependency on husband/male relatives for survival, by making Jane dependant on only herself. She forces the reader to see that she has created Jane and Rochester equal. During the Victorian era, gender plays a defining role in how one is perceived within these Victorian ideologies and oppression because of gender, Women are supposed to be very calm generally but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex† (Bronte, 96). This passage highlights Jane’s feelings of imprisonment and of the female condition, where females are clearly not treated as equal to men, and discusses Bronte’s own views on the general conditions of Victorian women. This passage also alludes to Bronte’s critique of not only gender roles, but the feelings of imprisonment of society, of her class, and of her battle with her feelings as a woman with morals. Bronte’s use of literature as an exposing agent of women during Victorian societies is important to the feminist cultural resistance movement. Throughout the novel, the oppression of women within Victorian ideologies, gender and social class is made clear, and Bronte uses Jane as an opposing force against these restraining ideas of the time. Jane not only has an ambiguous social standing, which leads to her to criticise discrimination based on one’s class, but she also is constantly fighting more powerful male forces than herself in order to not be seen by her sex but as a human individual. While this book was written in the 19th century, its vision does work towards social justice, recognizing and trying to bring to light these barriers that have and still continue to dominate the female sex. Bronte uses her art to expose male cultural power and female social identity during a time of artistic male dominance.