Genetics and Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Genetics and Evolution - Essay Example Thus in such situations the characters used to recognise the species becomes merely diagnostic, not distinctive. Biologically speaking, these are a connected series of the species in neighbouring areas which interbreed with two end populations which are too phenotypically and geographically separated that they cannot interbreed. These two genetically and phenotypically diverse populations which represent the end populations may exist in the same geographic region, yet due to genetic and phenotypic diversity would not interbreed. As an example, the case of Larus gulls can be taken, the different species of which form a ring around the North Pole. The Lesser Black-beaked Gulls in Siberia form a part of this ring, and although they descend from the same species, adjacent Herring gulls are so different from them that they do not interbreed. Earnst Mayr's Biological species concept tends to recognise species based on defined phenotypic characters. Mayr defined species as groups of interbreeding populations, which do not reproduce across other species. This builds in a concept of reproductive isolation from other such groups. Particular species specific phenotypic characters or attributes prevent interbreeding with other species. Although the biological species concept places the taxonomy of natural species within the concept of population genetics, it fails to explain the ring species. Although there are apparent differences between naturally occurring ring species, the phenotypic distinction within the same or adjacent geographic areas blur, so in actuality, they interbreed. Secondly, the existence of connecting population distinguishes the ring species from two separate species. These features raise questions about the species concept (Liebers et al., 2004). Q2. Neo-Darwinism and Lamarckism The Neo-Darwinism of evolution contends that all life on earth arose from a common ancestor. This was postulated to occur due to random mutations of genes, which survived following the process of natural selection. Where these mutations were beneficial and had survived natural selection, it led to a replicative process leading to more offspring. On the contrary, those with deleterious mutations have fewer or no offspring. Some of these mutations which were beneficial could help new adaptations to altered environments changed or new. These adaptations were incorporated in the genetic traits leading to generation of newer species. It has been postulated that the genetic makeup of the complex organisms is a result of duplication and useful mutation of existing genes of simple organisms. Lamarck's theory of evolution on the other hand posits that when environmental conditions change, an organism goes through the need for changes. With these changes, organs or organ systems may also go th rough the drives of these changes, which ultimately would need use or disuse of some organs. If used, these organs will develop, and if disused, these organs will demonstrate diminution. In this way a new characteristic or genetic trait is acquired. When acquired traits run in generations, these become hereditary, and the organism demonstrates an evolution. These two theories differ in the concept of causation of mutation. While the neo-Darwinian

Step Brothers (2008) Analysis

Step Brothers (2008) Analysis Step Brothers (2008), directed by Adam McKay, is a raunchy, funny film for comedy audiences. It stars Will Ferrell and Jon C. Reilly as Brenan and Dale. These two single, and very juvenile, forty something, guys lives change once their parents, played by Oscar winning. Mary Steenbuge and Richard Jenkins, fall in love and get married. These two men become best of friends and brothers, as well as experience for the first time their struggles as adults for the first time. In this comedy though it is raunchy and stupid, offers a true message of unconditional love. Many critiques have both negative and positive feedback concerning this film. However, I think that this film is inappropriately hilarious and embraces the goof in all of us, in every charter in this story. In this movie, two middle -aged men in their forties, Dale, and Brenan, live together by force upon their parents marriage union. This takes place in present time in a normal American suburban family situation. These men are like overgrown teenagers eating cereal and nachos for breakfast, video games, no jobs and sponging off the benefit of each single parent. After becoming comfortable with the living arrangement and each other, Dale and Brenan become the best of friends. The plot twists as their adventures dont always take them in the same direction. Their parents want them to grow up and get jobs and move out so they can live their lives and travel on the boat. Dale becomes a talented chef and Brenan begins working for his younger brother, Derek and falling in love with his therapist. Brenans brother Derek is a jerk. He is spoiled and selfish and is mean to his wife, who also has a cheesy, dramatic affair with Dale in the movie. Ultimately in the end everything does work out for e veryone. I found this movie to be very funny and well worth the watch. It offers a level of adult humor on a juvenile twist for those audience members who can appreciate its silly raunchy humor. The epic scenes between the two brothers allows those of us with siblings to identify with some of the disagreements between the brothers. From the I am going to mess up your stuff aspect to the Ill kill you, I hate you situations, and all the hilarious sleep walking in between, the critics are somewhat divided about its overall ratings. Calvin Wilson (2008) from the St Louis Post Dispatch states, why result to gross-out tactics when your premise is strong enough to allow for a more sophisticated approach (para. 2). I feel he has a point but this was not the approach for this film. Wilson states that this is Bottom line, a crude but hilarious comedy (headline). Roger Ebert (2008) stated he did not agree on the critic websites. He said that the movie left him feeling unclean because of the raunchy humo r and adult situations and violence. His overall response was dont watch it on an airplane, dont check it out on cable, dont walk past the bargain basement bin where it is sold (para. 4). I can understand how both the critic and the website can feel this way as this kind of humor is not for every ones eyes and ears. The adult scene in the bathroom where the affair between Dereks wife and Dale is not very tasteful and does kind of leaving you feeling gross. I think it could have been left out. Quite frankly, the violence factor in the film is mild. The men are portrayed as overgrown teens and in my opinion do not behave any more violent to one another than teen brothers would be. The film just dramatized it and made it more on an adult level of humorous violence. Likewise, David Marchese (2014) for Rolling Stone Magazine shares common ground with his article titled, Finding the Dinosaur: A Step Brothers Appreciation. Marchese starts his piece by saying, Step Brothers, more and truer laughs than any other Ferrell and McKay movie (para.7). Whereas, Peter Bradshaw ( ), from the Guardian.com, doesnt feel the same, stating that this is another unashamedly juvenile comedy from the awe-inspired busy Judd Apatow production line (para. ). I agree the plot has a few flaws, because the audience doesnt know how these two men became the way they are while everyone seems to be normal functioning adults leaving some of the films elements farfetched, such as the affair with Dale and Dereks wife and the relationship with Brenan and his therapist in the end. The acting in Step Brothers is great and the critics do agree. Kyle Smith (2008) from the New York Post, agrees with my opinion saying There is too much funny here for a movie and further elaborates Step Brothers should be a TV show (review 1). The chemistry between Ferrell and Reilly is amazing. Will Ferrell plays Brenan whose mother is the one who married Dales father. Brenan is like a spoiled fourteen-year-old and John C Reilly plays Dale, another likeminded man acting like an overgrown fourteen-year-old. They are grown men and have the whole sibling rivalry scene to the point. When they get into the argument over whether or not Brenan touched Dales drum set leading to the scene where they try to bury each other alive in the yard and the face off in the front yard leaving each other knocked out while the mother is spraying them with the hose. You are left with a lot of laughter. If in fact, this movie could be constructed into a television show, many people will watch it. When Fer rell and Reilly do the sleepwalking scene, you can really believe the character. Putting couch pillows in the oven, dumping coffee all over and throwing coffee cups, walking around saying weird things like Hi Im Carol, and Carols on fire, I laugh still. Mary Steenburg who plays Brenans mother, Nancy Huff, is a tired woman. She gives the impression she is getting too old to be babysitting and really wants to get on with her life before time runs out. Richard Jenkins who plays Dales father, Robert Doback, is a professional doctor, who just wants to sail around the world with his wife and retire. Neither one of these two can do that because of their sons. This makes a big problem in the marriage and they start considering divorcing, but all is well in the end. The director chose to present the story in a way that most people in a mixed family would be able to relate to. I like the choice of angles the director used to capture the exact image of the funnier moments in the film. This allowed the audience to be right there in the scene. In the sleep walking scene for example, the lighting is set perfectly to show it is night time and it is late while everyone is sleeping. The angles and lighting capture the details that make these scenes funny by showing expression on the face[AW1], for example when they are sleeping after the sleep walking scene, dale is shown with mustard on his face and a piece of bread in his hand. Another way the characters were walking or jumping around, the camera shows emphasis on their legs when running or when talking you can see their facial expressions close up like the camera zoom, clearly to match the scene. Adam McKay is an American film director and producer. He was also head writer for Saturday Night Live for two seasons, Winston Cook-Wilson (2016), states in an article for Spin Magazine. that Step Brothers is, dramatically, and politically charged, Oscar worthy fare (Cook-Wilson). The costumes, lighting, and sets were enjoyable and amusing. In the beginning when Brenan and Dale met the scene is set at the afternoon in the front yard and they were both dressed like two fourteen-year-old kids with some old graphic t-shirts on and stupid haircuts. Other examples are when Dale and Brenan do the video of their new company Prestige Worldwide. It is a nice sunny day and they are on Dales fathers boat dressed in jackets and scarfs like wealthy people flaunting around like they are famous also, when they are shown being responsible adults at their jobs. Dale dressed in a professional chef uniform and Brenan in business clothes. These different scenes and sets are important to the movie. The good weather and sunshine keeps the atmosphere pleasant and happy for the audience. The different costumes allow you to visualize the scene and characters as intended. The music in the film has some catchy tunes and familiar with most American people. From Bonnie Rait, Guns N Roses, Hall and Oates, and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones there is a song everyone is going to know and sing along. The beginning tune kind of amps you up to laugh and gets you excited to watch the film. You just know it is going to be good. Guns N Roses and Bonnie Rait to very good playing musicians are used in this film. People are drawn to artists that they know. When Derek performed, the talent show scene with Ice Ice Baby, my friend knew it as soon as it came on and laughed. It was very popular in America in the 90s. In conclusion to my review I will admit that Step Brothers is not intended for all audiences. I would recommend Step Brothers to anyone needing a good laugh. This story will help you laugh at the funny stories of you and your own siblings or mixed family mergers. If you are a Ferrell and Reilly fan and appreciate the comedy from them, like the sleep walking scene or the music video for Prestige Worldwide, or havent had the opportunity you will want to see this film. If you dont find sibling rivalry like when they fight over the drum set or goofy and gross humor like licking the dog poop, that exceeds adult humor on a juvenile maturity level, then I would not suggest this film for you. References K. (2016,May 27). [Review of the film Step Brothers]. Cinemablend. Retired January 31, 2017. From http:// Step Brothers. Metacritic. Columbia Pictures, 25 July 2008. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. Ebert, Roger. Step Brothers Movie Review Film Summary (2008) | Roger Ebert. All Content. N.p., 23 July 2008. Travers, Peter. Step Brothers. Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, 07 Aug. 2008. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.Web. 30 Jan. 2017. McKay, A. (Director(. (2008). Step Brothers [DVD]. New York: Sony. 22, 2016 Winston Cook-Wilson// November, and Winston Cook-Wilson. Big Short Director Adam McKay Is Writing and Directing a Dick Cheney Movie. Spin. N.p., 22 Nov. 2016. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. Wilson, Calvin. Step Brothers: B. Stltoday.com. N.p., 25 July 2008. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. Bradshaw, Peter. Film Review: Step Brothers. The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 28 Aug. 2008. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. [AW1]

Ancient Egypt :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ancient Egypt was a very important time in our time period. They had their own way of life. Egyptians had their own writing, burials, government, religion, cooking, and games. They were educated people with many talents. They were good with their hands and brains. Ancient Egyptians were a magnificent race of people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Ancient Egyptians called their country Kemet, which means â€Å"Black Land.† The dark soil from the Nile River was very fertile. The Nile overflowed at the same time every year, leaving farmers with very fertile soil. The Nile provided much needed water for their crops during the dry season by using their irrigation system. The Nile River also provided the Egyptians with drinking water, and a way for them to travel, allowing them to explore and trade. In addition, the desert around the river was called â€Å"Red Land† by the Egyptians. This is where they lived, grew and prospered. The desert provided much gold for the Egyptians to trade with other countries or to keep for themselves. They brought back silver from Syria, cedar wood, oils, and horses from Lebanon, copper from Cyprus, gems from Afghanistan, ebony, wood, and ivory from Africa, and incense from Punt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Egyptians cherished family life the way we cherish food or money. Children were considered a blessing. They prayed for them and used magic to have children, but if a couple could not conceive they adopted. Men were the head of the household and the oldest son inherited everything of the father’s.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Egyptian women were to obey their fathers and husbands, but were equal in many other ways. For example, women could have jobs, some rights in court cases, and they were able to own land. Women were also allowed to own businesses. Only noble women, however, could be priestesses. The women raised the children and took care of the house. Wealthy families would hire maids and nannies to do such things. Divorce was not common in Ancient Egypt, though it was an option. Problems were talked about between families, and if they could not be settled a divorce would take place. Some women became rulers but only in secret. The only woman who ruled as a phara oh in the open was Queen Hatsheput. Ordinary men normally had one wife, while pharaohs and kings had several. Most marriages were arranged by parents. Most girls married at age twelve while boys were usually a little older.

Human Characteristic traits that make them good or evil Essay

Humans can be good, evil, or even both, and the characteristics they portray represent who they are. Throughout many cultures around the world humans have characteristic traits that are good and evil. Universally speaking good defined by Webster’s dictionary: Being positive or desirable in nature; not bad or poor. And Evil: Morally bad or wrong; wicked. Now one can say that bravery is a good characteristic for one to acquire. On the other hand, tricking/fooling/lying to some one is a bad characteristic for a human to posses. Honesty is generally identified as a good trait as well. Being brave and honest are great qualities identified around the world as good traits for a human to either receive or retain. But, Lying or tricking someone is known to be an evil trait for a human to exercise. In America and other countries around the world bravery is a very important quality for a human to own. In the past it was only men who could be brave, after all men were the ones fighting in the wars; it was their acts of bravery that has made the world what it is today. Now women are able to actually show how brave we are. There are now many women in war and all of them are brave. But, being brave does not just mean fighting for your country. It means being able to fight, think, and even feel pain for someone else. It can be as simple as a young child taking the training wheels off their bicycle. In the story And Clay we are Created two characters show tremendous acts of bravery, Azucena and Rolf. Azucena is a young 13 year old girl who is trapped for many days. Rolf is a reporter who over comes a fear while talking with her. In the end Azucena and Rolf both overcome a fear of death. Overcoming a fear is simply brave. Honesty is sometimes how the world goes round’. If no one was honest then how would anyone be able to function or trust anyone? The world would be even more of a crueler place than it is now. Every employer is looking for that honest person. Everyone’s vote goes to who they think is the more honest candidate. When people are honest they acquire a good reputation i. e. Honest Abe, that of course being one of our good presidents Abraham Lincoln. In the story A Piece of String the main character is accused of stealing a wallet full of money. His accuser said he saw him picking it up and then acting like he was looking for something. It was actually him just picking up a piece of string. After the main character got a bad reputation the wallet was returned, but unfortunately it didn’t instantly make him an honest person. Lying/ tricking a person or many people can be definitely looked on upon as evil or as a sin. Throughout US history many Presidents have lied. A couple of examples are Nixon and Clinton. But, not only in politics is where liars are found. They are found in court, on TV, and even in novels. For example Anansi in Anansi Owns All Tales That Are Told is a liar. He tricks animals and other insects into closed devices so he can bring them to the sky god, in order to own all stories that are told. Whether a person is good or evil depends on their traits as an individual. Sometimes a person is good and evil. And sometimes people are just plain evil. But Honesty and Bravery will always be looked upon as good traits. And Lying/ tricking will always be looked down upon by the human race.

Post-war inequalities in British health and education Essay

Poverty or low disposable income often results in an inadequate environment and not only for the obvious lack of resources such as books, pens and paper. Damp housing can have severe effects on health resulting in lower school attendance rates, or low concentration levels if child is often feeling unwell. Not having an allocated area to study is also an important factor. Kellet and Dar (2007) discovered that in low income areas where housing was cramped, children claimed that ‘Television was a distraction from homework because of the noise†¦ Other distractions in the home environment were smoking, swearing, banging and loud music. ‘ Also that homework clubs were vital to the success of children from disadvantaged families. This study was performed by children, with the guidance and research techniques of sociologists, there for it is perceived as having a deeper and more honest insight in to children’s issues. Other class factors resulting in underachievement may be less obvious. Values differ between class perspectives and affect a child’s motivation. Bowes et al (1990, p119) states that working class children are more likely to leave school as soon as they can, to find a steady job. ‘ Where as the middle class value differed gratification and ‘Socialise their children in to wanting to remain in education in the hope of a better job when they do leave. ‘ This was confirmed by the Child Development survey, which found middle class students staying on at school and achieving better examination results. The Home and The school study (1964) found that ‘the degree of parent’s interest in their children’s education was the single, most important factor affecting attainment. ‘ (Haralambos et al, 2004, p102). It found that ‘Middle class parents visited school more†¦ and were generally more interested in their child’s education. ‘ It also states that ‘an upper middle class child was five times more likely to get in to grammar school than a child from the lower working class. ‘ Further more ‘most of the working class pupils who were successful, came from homes where the mothers were â€Å"sunken middle class. † They wanted their children to do well and ‘expressed much parental interest,’ Bowes et al (1990, p119). This is because parental interest not only has a direct affect on the motivations and values of a child, but also on the school environment. Middle class parents, who often have more spare time and disposable income to invest in fundraising and extra curricular activities, can raise the standards of a school immeasurably. Making school a fun place to be, that is enjoyed by all the family, creates the positive learning environment that children thrive in. Quite understandably most working class parents are to busy â€Å"earning a crust† to find the time and energy to invest in such endeavors and as such adopt an â€Å"Education is the schools job† attitude. It is also understood that language has had a negative affect on the working class’s academic attainment. Professor Basil Bernstein has shown that the middle and lower classes use different patterns of speech. He called these patterns linguistic codes. According to Bernstein, most middle class children have been socialised in both restricted and elaborate codes, and are fluent in each. Whereas working class children are limited to the restricted code. Since teachers tend to be middle class and use the elaborate code, working class pupils are placed at a distinct disadvantage. There is also explanation for underachievement to be found in the â€Å"hidden curriculum† of a working class teacher, that is the subliminal messages he passes to children without intention. The cultural depravation theory states that children in the bottom classes are ‘deprived of important values, attitudes, experiences and skills which are essential to educational success,’ (Haralambos et al, 2004, p102). This has been strongly criticised and there is evidence that if class differences in culture exist, they are slight and of little significance.

abstract

abstract -ROC greater than zero implies an increase in upward momentum.-ROC less than zero implies a decrease in downward momentum.-Divergence indicates a sharp decline if ROC is sloping downwards.-ROC expands into positive territory as an advance accelerates.-ROC dives deeper into negative territory as a decline accelerates.-An upward surge in the Rate-of-Change reflects a sharp price advance.-A downward plunge indicates a steep price decline.-Oversold Rate-of-Change: This scan reveals stocks with a positive 125-day Rate-of-Change and an oversold 21-day Rate-of-Change (below -8%). Once these criteria are met, a bullish signal is triggered when the stock closes above the 20-day SMA.-Overbought Rate-of-Change: This scan reveals stocks with a negative 125-day Rate-of-Change and an overbought 21-day Rate-of-Change (above 8%). Once these criteria are met, a bearish signal is triggered when the stock closes below the 20-day SMA.-ROC greater than zero implies an increase in upward momentum.Crip han dsign.Gangs may or may not be facilitated in a branch of higher and lower members, mimicking a military model. Gangs often have a loosely defined set of goals, and are often involved in delinquent activities.A socially approved form of a gang is a club. Americans generally view clubs as character building leadership opportunities; whereas, individuals typecast into gangs are persecuted as criminals. Clubs are formed with constructive goals in mind, such as making it easier for its members to find parts for a particular brand of automobile. Socioeconomic class, academic achievement, or perceived roles in society for its members all play a part in the preferential treatment given to a group which a society deems a club rather than a gang. For instance, parts of the public anticipated that motorcycle riders would cause a massive...

Tibetan Silver

Tibetan Silver Tibetan Silver is the name given to the metal used in some jewelry available online, such as on eBay or via Amazon. These items typically ship from China. Have you ever wondered how much silver is in Tibetan Silver or about the chemical composition of Tibetan Silver? Would you be surprised to learn that this metal can be dangerous? Tibetan Silver is a silver-colored alloy consisting of copper with tin or nickel. Some items described as Tibetan Silver are cast iron that has been plated with the silver-colored metal. Most Tibetan Silver is copper with tin rather than copper with nickel because nickel causes skin reactions in many people. Health Hazards Ironically, the metal often contains other elements that are much more toxic than nickel. It is inadvisable for pregnant women or children to wear items made with Tibetan Silver because some of the items contain high levels of dangerous metals, including lead and arsenic. eBay issued a buyer warning so that bidders would be aware of the metallurgical testing conducted on Tibetan Silver items and the possible toxicity of these items. In six of seven items that were analyzed using x-ray fluorescence, the primary metals in the Tibetan Silver were actually nickel, copper, and zinc. One item contained 1.3% arsenic and extremely high lead content of 54%. A separate sampling of items revealed comparable compositions, with trace amounts of chromium, aluminum, tin, gold, and lead, although in that study, all of the samples contained acceptable levels of lead. Note that not all items contain toxic levels of heavy metals. The warning for pregnant women and children is intended to prevent accidental poisonings. Other Names Sometimes comparable metallurgical compositions have been called Nepalese silver, white metal, pewter, lead-free pewter, base metal, or simply tin alloy. In the past, there was an alloy called Tibetan Silver that actually did contain the element silver. Some vintage Tibetan silver is sterling silver, which is 92.5% silver. The remaining percent could be any combination of other metals, although usually, it is copper or tin.

Top 10 most stressful jobs of 2018

Top 10 most stressful jobs of 2018 All jobs have components that make them stressful- even the ones that don’t seem like very high-stakes occupations. Certain scenarios or times of the year come up and it’s a mad sprint requiring late nights and all hands on deck. Then there are the jobs that just don’t seem to ever let up. Here 10 of the most stressful jobs out there for 2018- based on deadline demands, public scrutiny, required travel, physical risk, physical demands, environmental conditions, hazards, and public interaction. See if any of them call out to you- maybe you crave a life of pressure! Or†¦ maybe a career in a cubicle sounds just lovely to you. It takes all kinds to make up the workforce!1. Enlisted military personnelWith an average salary of $30k, constantly putting your life at risk, all over the world, makes the military one of the most stressful careers out there.2. FirefighterYour job is starting to look pretty cushy, when you consider that for less than $50k a year, on aver age, some people have to run into burning buildings on the regular. And you thought that big project was really making you stressed!3. Airline pilotWith a median income of just about $105K per year, airline pilots are well compensated for the stress of ferrying hundreds upon hundreds of souls around the globe.4. Police officerMaking about $60K per year, just a bit more than a firefighter based on median income, police officers are also under a great deal of stress and risk their lives on a daily basis.5. Event coordinatorEvent coordinators may not risk their  lives or limbs, but they are still the people  left holding the bag when anything- major or minor- goes wrong. If the hors d’oeuvres come out five minutes late- or early- or if the band has the wrong cord to connect their amp, or if there is a typo in the invitations†¦ You name it, they  bear the brunt of the yelling. These aren’t life threatening stakes, but the stress is almost always at a high.6. PR execPublic relations executives are responsible for the reputations and the fame-level of their clients. They don’t just have to manage logistics, they have to manage perception and public opinion. And that takes a lot of nail biting. Especially when their clients do something that requires the putting out of fires (albeit, of course, not literal fires).7. Senior corporate execIf you’ve made it to the top of your company tree, it’s not all big bonuses and stock options. With every rung up the ladder comes a great deal more pressure. And with pressure comes†¦ you guessed it, stress.8. BroadcasterFor a surprisingly low annual median salary of less than $40k per year, a broadcaster is required to clearly and calmly read the news from a teleprompter often riddled with typos. She must be poised and in control at all times, as all of   the action unfolds live. You think public speaking is hard? Try doing it every day on television.9. Newspaper reporterYou wonâ €™t make a lot of money, and you’ll have to run headlong into potentially dangerous or volatile situations to get a story. And once you get it, you have to race to get it published first. On top of that, if you make one mistake you’ll have lost your reputation.10. Taxi driverThis gig is perhaps the least well-paid of the top 10, with a median pay of $24K per year. Taxi drivers have to deal with rude people, drunk people, and people in a rush- not to mention other lunatic drivers, rush hour traffic, accidents, and weather. Plus they’re stuck in a car. Imagine trying to find a parking space in NYC every time you had to pee! It’s also a field that is getting extra pressure from rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft, so being a taxi driver is more stressful than ever these days.

Social Security Programs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Security Programs - Research Paper Example This was meant actually to ensure the retirees had some money at their disposal so as to ensure cash flow which would in turn stimulate the economy. In addition he also wanted this program to be an income supplement. This was also supposed to ensure that most people especially the old and disabled were to be entitled to a social security insurance program especially those who were of the aged (Dilnot, 1989). Over the past year there has been much to say about the social security fund though most talks don’t seem to be very appealing. The truth of the matter is the Us government is really having it rough now as far as the social security fund is concerned since the dependants today compared to the time when this project was initiated has rose by millions. In the coming 2-3decades this fund will be practically impossible to run and offer the citizens of US that social security it was intended for (Sacks, 2000). One major blow to the social security fund is the fact that the group of beneficiaries have been increased over time from just the elderly and disable to the spouse or minor children of a retired workers and another benefit was also included for the family of a worker who has dead prematurely. Now if you put together these facts together with the fact that Americans are living longer then this is a big blow to the success of this fund in the coming years (Sacks, 2000). According to the additional views by the Senator Robert J. Dole, the long term deficit that will be in the non-medical social security program translated to 1.8% of the taxable payroll. when one On closely looking at the projections of the actuaries, in the next 75years the benefits of this program shall be very challenging to payroll tax income translating to about $25 billion per year in deficit. This deficit is seen practically a big problem to the success of the social security fund and if not addressed this program has a very terrible

Cover letter, resume and other assignments Essay

Cover letter, resume and other assignments - Essay Example 2. Practice Reflection Form Name: Jane Smith CNO Registration no: L4T 3P4 Area of practice: Occupational Health Position in nursing: Occupational Nurse Source Of Input My Areas of Strengths My Areas for Improvement Self I am competent with knowledge of needs of patients with long-term conditions. I have strong communication skills, both written and verbal. I am strong in clinical leadership skills. I have an ability to work long hours and under pressure. I am flexible, enthusiastic and strong team player. I have an ability to deliver consistently positive results. Improve confidence to deal with painful and stressful situations in practice. Lack of IT skills related to preparing patient's documents, charts. Peer My peers view is that I'm a strong team player when we are working as a team. They have mentioned that I have a special ability to resolve problems of patients when they are in serious situations. Further my peers mentioned that I can create good patient/nurse relationship with paying attention to each and every individual patient. I need more confidence in the job activities when I'm dealing with my subordinates and patients. I need to improve the techniques on patient care and reducing risk in healthcare delivery level. I need to develop collaborative ways and trustworthiness when dealing with patients. Resources I used to reflect on my practice I used 'changing patients' worlds through nursing practice expertise' online modules. National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery (National Council) Report. I referred Health Professions Act (HPA) & nursing practice standards online report....In this stage skills needed to be wide which is covering all the areas of nursing practice such as clinical skills, communication and consulting skills, IT skills and leadership skills (Donner, & Wheeler, 2000). 3. Thirdly PDP should get approved by the practice manager or an appraiser. In this scenario it is better to give awareness to the healthcare practice manager about the professional development needs. Thus it will support to the management to set the training and development needs as against the existing resources and employees.

Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Poetry - Essay Example He has to risk that the audience may not catch what he intends. Ferlinghetti compares a poem to a â€Å"little charleychaplin man,† who â€Å"may or may not catch,† meaning that a poem has to risk losing its audience, risk falling into the â€Å"empty existence of air† in order to achieve any kind of greatness, for if the poem risks nothing it also achieves nothing, no beauty, and no artistry. Ferlinghetti makes this point a bit ironically, as it is intended to be a bit of a jab at the Beat poets, poets who, to Ferlinghetti’s mind, risk nothing in their poetry, instead choosing to hide behind a mask of postmodern cynicism and dispair. The Beat poets, in Ferlinghetti’s opinion, do not walk the rope at all, but instead play their gullible audience, capitalizing on an immature dedication to anarchy and a disillusionment with a government that would draft Americans and send them to a war that they did not believe in. In â€Å"Constantly risking absurdi ty,† we see Ferlinghetti using not only theme and imagery to unite the subjects of poetry and high wire acts, but also the form. The words and lines look as if they are constantly shifting, just like a tight-rope walker must constantly change his pacing in order to keep his balance, or just as the poet must do to â€Å"perceive / taut truth.† The poet has to risk leaps in form as well as leaps in theme and subject to create a work of art. There is no other way.

Trade and labour standards Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trade and labour standards - Thesis Example Bringing about this issue within the framework of WTO would indicate the enhancement of working conditions around the world. The proposed working group would be responsible for studying the trade and core labour standards. Many developing as well as some developed countries however argue against this proposition because such core labour standards should technically not be a part of the WTO. Developing countries’ representatives argue that such policies might subjugate the comparative advantage of the lower wage in developing nations. In fact the improved working conditions according to the essential labour standards require high scale improvements in the infrastructure of the workplace which is often not conducive to a developing nation. In a developing nation with relatively lower economic growth such enforcements of standards would bring about poverty and some lapse of time in improving working standards. The compulsion to stick to the labour standards and the need towards l abour market flexibility work together to bring out protests and non-cooperative approach of the workers especially in nations where political structures favored some voice to the workers.

Maquilapolis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Maquilapolis - Essay Example This allows tackling of successive challenges within the women group alongside a replacement of pity and hopelessness by determination and uplifting faith. The moment of activism is from collaboration of three sweatshops employees with Funari, her co director and De La Torre the artist photographer. ‘Maquilapolis: city of factories’ takes us to Tijuana where Mequiladoras takes advantage of cheap labor and low taxes. Most of The workers are women who take the mental of championing for justice and necessary changes. Social, environmental and economic changes from industrialization results to pollution, joblessness and poverty in Mexico, that is sentimental in the film. Carmen and Lourdes are the women at the centre of the film. Manufacturing and assembly plants are full of women who make consumer goods for long hours in unsafe conditions and low wage. Horrors of industrialization get some expression through self-confession. Workers face exposure to chemicals that damage skin, lungs, and nasal passage. Kidney complications are not exception here as in most places of work drinking and urination is illegal. Apart from factories, home environment is also a delicate this makes most of the workers and their families to be abreast with pollution. A shantytown is their home where the waste products from factories are eminent. The lack of union representation, laxity in dealing with problems of workers and fight for women to develop their work environs is a centre of attention. Millions of workers weave the consumer nation’s fabric of life through productions of television, electric cables, toys, clothes, batteries and IV tubes. In the due process, Carmen and her colleagues reach the optimum struggle and organize for a change. Carmen takes to task a major TV manufacturer for the violation of her labor rights and gets a pay to improve her life. Lourdes and her associate group pressurize the authorities for a cleanup of

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 79

Essay Example For life insurance it is the person, who is claiming the insurance, in case of general insurance the insurable interest must be present at place when the application for insurance is being made as well as during the claim of the insurance. The principle of insurable interest mentioned that the person or the object which is getting insured must have insurable interest in the object of insurance or the life of the person who is being insured. A person who has an insurable interest when the physical presence of the insured object gives him some gain but its non-existence will give him a loss. In simple words, the insured person must suffer some financial loss by the damage of the insured object. The owner of a commercial vehicle (be it a taxi/bus or tempo) has insurable interest in the vehicle because he is earning money by using that vehicle directly or indirectly from it. Same way owner of any bus or tempo or goods vehicle, if give that on rent still have the insurable interest on it as well as the person who is driving the same because indirectly he or she is earning money from it. But, if someone sells the vehicle then he or she will not have an insurable interest left in that vehicle because the individual already have earned money one time basis from the same. By analyzing this we can easily mentioned that ownership plays an important role in the evaluation of insurable interest. Same way every individual person has an insurable interest in his or her own life.. The subject of insurance can be any property or interests such as a house,car, a person’s life, or his or her liability that rises in significance of the death or injury of or damage to the property of another person.In insurance terms, the above-mentioned definition is known as insurable interest.(Korttermynversekering, 2013). The term is associated with sea and inland waterway transport. It means that the seller delivers goods and product

Maquilapolis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Maquilapolis - Essay Example This allows tackling of successive challenges within the women group alongside a replacement of pity and hopelessness by determination and uplifting faith. The moment of activism is from collaboration of three sweatshops employees with Funari, her co director and De La Torre the artist photographer. ‘Maquilapolis: city of factories’ takes us to Tijuana where Mequiladoras takes advantage of cheap labor and low taxes. Most of The workers are women who take the mental of championing for justice and necessary changes. Social, environmental and economic changes from industrialization results to pollution, joblessness and poverty in Mexico, that is sentimental in the film. Carmen and Lourdes are the women at the centre of the film. Manufacturing and assembly plants are full of women who make consumer goods for long hours in unsafe conditions and low wage. Horrors of industrialization get some expression through self-confession. Workers face exposure to chemicals that damage skin, lungs, and nasal passage. Kidney complications are not exception here as in most places of work drinking and urination is illegal. Apart from factories, home environment is also a delicate this makes most of the workers and their families to be abreast with pollution. A shantytown is their home where the waste products from factories are eminent. The lack of union representation, laxity in dealing with problems of workers and fight for women to develop their work environs is a centre of attention. Millions of workers weave the consumer nation’s fabric of life through productions of television, electric cables, toys, clothes, batteries and IV tubes. In the due process, Carmen and her colleagues reach the optimum struggle and organize for a change. Carmen takes to task a major TV manufacturer for the violation of her labor rights and gets a pay to improve her life. Lourdes and her associate group pressurize the authorities for a cleanup of

Project Appraisal in Transportation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project Appraisal in Transportation - Essay Example This type of modeling involves 04-steps- trip generation, trip distribution, mode choice and trip assignment. The ‘mode choice’ step of such models do not include slow & non-motorized modes like walking. End walks for taking a motorized mode (like bus) and again for physically reaching the destination (office, home, etc.) are not considered as part of traveling in this type of model. Thus, walking, perhaps the most eco-friendly, least expansive and also the oldest and the most conventional form of human movement or traveling finds no place in the conventional transport model. Another view is that this modeling system was developed for evaluating large scale infrastructure projects and not for more subtle and complex policies involving management and control of existing infrastructure or introduction of policies which directly influence travel behavior (TDM Encyclopedia, 2005). Conventional modeling tends to assume that transport progress is linear, with newer, faster mod es replacing older, slower modes (UCI-ITS-AS-WP-005). This series model assumes that the older modes are unimportant, and so, for example, there is no harm if walking conditions and transit service decline, provided that automobile ownership and vehicle traffic speeds increase. From this perspective, such models always find it undesirable to give walking priority over automobile travel. However, it is time that such drawbacks of conventional models are addressed and recently there have been a lot of developments in this direction. The conventional models are being functionally upgraded and their ability for considering slow modes like walking, bicycling, etc. can now be ensured by integrating such models with various sub-models. The conventional modeling approach is getting transformed to the more sophisticated and reliable integrated transport models where in walk-trips and walk-ability are very important considerations. The

Indian Lubricant Industry An Introduction Marketing Essay

Indian Lubricant Industry An Introduction Marketing Essay Indian lubricant industry in a recent past has presented new market opportunities. Firm growth in the Indian power, engineering and automotive sectors has been a boon for lubricant manufacturers. In automotive sector, as consumers migrate to efficient vehicles and motorbikes, they use higher grade lubricants. As a result, multi-grade lubricant products are getting benefitted. In the industrial segment, high level of investment in manufacturing, transport and power sectors have the potential to drive very strong growth for marine aviation lubricants and transformer oil. The automotive lubricant market in India is highly price sensitive the volume growth is getting stagnated due to longer lasting lubricants. The retail trade and original equipment segment are two major marketing channels in the Indian context. Due to ever growing competition, tie-ups OEMs are becoming important as they provide the value proposition of a brand. In retail trade, Petrol pumps (ROs) form the major distribution channel. Sales of lubricants via ROs or the bazaar trade has changed the Indian automotive lubricant market into a FMCG sector. The other marketing channels are garages, super markets, rural and agricultural dealers, authorized service stations and wholesale distributors. PSU companies manufacture their own base oil and follow a different distribution strategy as compared to their private counterparts that solely dependent on imports. PSUs sell from their own wide spread network of ROs while private manufacturers prefer supermarkets. Engine oil plays the most important role in deciding the market share of lubricant manufacturers. Increase in demand for 4-stroke motorcycles, tie ups with OEMs and implementation of new norms of pollution are few of the key drivers of the growth of the engine oil segment. Growth in heavy commercial vehicle segment, increasing awareness among the customer base, new cooling technologies and OEM tie-ups has led to increase in coolant demand which has become the next largest segment in the automotive lubricants market. In brake oil segment, introduction of new brake systems, increasing growth in LCVs, consumption of lubes by CPVs and changing customer mindset related to specialty lubricants are believed to push demand further. The gear oil market is also growing fast and has high potential owing to increasing number of vehicles on road. Vehicles of new generation with advanced gear system technologies automatic transmission systems need special type of lubricants conceiving greater demand for API synthetic and multi axel gear oil, API MT-1, API GL-5 ultra-Matic, which reduces the oil changing intervals. In the long run, the overall picture for automotive lubricants sector looks bright due to growth of Indian economy along with increased purchasing power of consumers. BPCLs Lube Division Bharat Petroleum offers a complete range of Gear Oils, Automotive Engine Oils, Specialty Oils, Transmission oils and Greases. The fine quality of the lubricant and its correct usage ensures longer engine life and trouble free operation. Lubricants were totally deregulated during the liberation era of early nineties. Thereafter, a large number of players have forayed into this market. Despite operating in a totally competitive environment, BPCLs Lubricants SBU has been registering a growth in lubricant sales continuously over the past couple of years. As compared to 2008-2009, a growth of 13.73% has been achieved and sales volume of 231.12 TMT has been achieved. The channels viz. retail and direct saw a growth of 20%. BPCL has a strong RD competency, extensive distribution network; own source of Group II+ base oil, highly motivated and dedicated workforce which serves as a strengthening mechanism for it but due to increased competition and continuous phasing out of 2-stroke engines are threat to the company in its growth path. Birth of MAK In 1998, BPCL re-launched lubricants in new attractive packs. It was mainly in automotive category with three major brands- Automol for Petrol Engine oils, MAK for Diesel Engine oils and Glide for 2-3 wheelers. The year 2003, MAK was named as an umbrella brand and subsequently all industrial grades too were branded with it. MAK Lubricants sales and its market share The Lubricants business of BPCL delivered a sales volume of 231.12 TMT in 2009-10 as compared to 203.22 TMT in 2008-09, a growth of 13.73%. The volume of finished lubricants grew by 23% during the last year. Both the reseller channel and direct channel grew by over 20%. MAK Lubricants are now available at more than 23,000 retail counters across the country apart from the small mechanic shops and authorized service stations. Products like MAK Chakda and MAK Boat XP were launched during the year. There has been an expansion in customer base across the segments with prime focus on the key growth sectors. The wide range of products cater to normal applications like Engine oils to Hydraulic, Marine, Cutting and very specialized products for Defense applications and Railways. Products catering to specific applications like MAK Amocam Plus, MAK Steel for steel plant applications and superior Industrial Gear Oils were launched. In the retail channel, focus was on generating secondary sales at the retail outlet. Initiatives like One Day Wonder and MAK QUIK improved visibility of the brand and also offered a value proposition to the customers. Segment specific oils like MAK Auto XL and MAK D-Gen were introduced to cater to niche markets. The network of MAK distributors was further expanded with the objective of achieving leadership position in the high value grades. On the exports front, BPCL entered Sharjah and consolidated its presence in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Point of Purchase Lubes Shop They are exclusive lubricants reselling points to facilitate the customers for their Lubricants requirement and confirming with the Quality and other standards of BPCL. The deregulation in the industry along with entry of multinationals has led to a shift of trade to the bazaar. Owing to huge potential with competitors providing huge discounts, BPCL too has forayed in this direction and has started giving discounts to the end customer instead of the channel. These branded lubes shops are available all across the country in all major cities. These C:UsersRomioDesktopLubeshoppe.gif MAK Garage BPCL started a campaign by enrolling the mechanic segment under the umbrella network of MAK Garage. It was launched in 2006 to promote the MAK lubricants and currently about 800 MAK garages across the country exclusively uses MAK Lubricants C:UsersRomioDesktopmak_garage.gif Hero Honda Service Stations JV between Hero Honda and Bharat Petroleum. The initiative is to utilize the vast BPCL network across the country to provide value added services to the customers through the City Work network at our ROs. Currently, there are around 170 Hero Honda City Works operating across the country C:UsersRomioDesktopcitywrk.png TASS TATA Authorized Service Station is yet another initiative for strengthening our relationship with TATA, Indian Auto Major. There is a joint collaboration for marketing co-branded greases, lubricants and specialty products MAK TATA products. TASS provides TATA vehicle service network throughout Dealer network across the country. This network of service is of two types SUVIDHA for TATA Ace vehicles and TASS for heavy vehicles C:UsersRomioDesktoptass.jpg VCC BPCL launched a new initiative VEHICLE CARE CENTRE at the retail outlets. This ought to provide esteemed customers state of the art facility at affordable rates. The network is in growth phase and is gaining huge popularity across the country. C:UsersRomioDesktopvcare.png MAK Quik Lube Oil Change To value the time proposition of the esteemed customers, new initiative MAK Quik Lube oil Change has been started at various outlets. It mainly caters to the Bike and Car/SUV customers for changing the Engine oil in the vehicles within a short span of time. The major advantages to the customer out of this initiative is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Quick Oil change in front of eyes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Mechanized system of changing Oil which helps in removing the layer of old oil completely. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Genuine MAK product à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ No Servicing cost- only the cost of product needs to be paid by the customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fast turnaround time for the customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Exceptional offers to the customers C:UsersRomioDesktopservice_makquik.jpg OEM Tie-ups   Due to the ever growing competition, the tie-ups with OEMs have become important as they help in reinforcing the value proposition of a brand. BPCL is continuously working with OEMs to help them in providing the best value for money to the customers by developing and upgrading genuine oils for the vehicles and equipments by addressing the requirements of the changing technology. The marketing and RD teams have been providing the solutions for specialized lubricant applications in cement, power, steel, road construction, engineering and other leading industries in India. The RD team has developed about 300 different formulations in last 10 years out of which last 3 years saw about 50. BPCL has started its own LOBS plant in Mumbai by using the latest All Hydro Processing Technology a Chevron Lummus Global patent. This has enabled them to manufacture finer quality MAK Base oils beyond the requirement of API Group II which is rated as Group II plus. OEMs acknowledge BPCLs identity in producing quality base oil, best of RD capabilities and deep marketing acumen. OEM Partnerships BPCL has agreements with top notch automotive manufacturers which have both National and International presence. This is in addition to presence across the country with plethora of options available for all the sections of the industry. With superior technology, strong brands and vast distribution, MAK Lubricants is a perfect partner for OEMs looking for offering their consumers the best of products and services. Hero Honda Motor Limited It has an association with BPCL since the year 2004. MAK Lubricants has become the biggest supplier of engine oils in a span of first five years for initial fill and to Hero Honda Motor Limited dealers, Authorized service stations spare part stockists.   BPCL has been developing speciality products like Engine oils Shock Absorber with joint working with HHML that can meet the stringent HONDA, Japan specifications. Also, BPCL has started Hero Honda City Works exclusive service outlets for HHML customers  at BPCL ROs.http://www.maklubes.com/Images/HHSuperPremium4TPlus.jpg http://www.maklubes.com/Images/Hero_Honda.jpg This is the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India. There exists a strategic alliance with Authorized Service Network, Tata Motors dealerships and Tata Motor Spare part dealerships for supply of Engine oils and Co-branded engine oils speciality products to. MAK Lubricants jointly works with Tata Motors in areas including joint product development, customer service promotion. MAK TATA MOTORS CH4 15W40, specially developed for Tata Motors, is authorized by Tata Motors to use in all commercial vehicles fitted with Tata Cummins Engine. Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles Division http://www.maklubes.com/Images/MAK_ATF-A.jpg http://www.maklubes.com/Images/tata_motors.jpg BPCL and GM have entered a strategic alliance to supply Co-branded engine oils and speciality products to the GM dealerships authorized service networks across the country. BPCLs GM MAK Genuine 15W40 Diesel Petrol Engine Oils are specially developed for GM is endorsed by GM for use in all its passenger cars and Utility vehicles.  General Motors India http://www.maklubes.com/Images/MAK_Genuine_Diesel_Engine_O.jpg http://www.maklubes.com/Images/general_motors.jpg The 3rd largest 2-wheeler manufacturer in India and among top ten in the world, TVS had an annual turnover of more than $1 billion in 2008-2009. BPCL and TVS Motor Company have an exclusive tie-up to supply engine-oils for initial service fill TVSM dealers, spare part stockists Authorized service stations. TVS TRU 4;  the 1st JASO MA2 specification oil of its type has been manufactured by BPCL for TVSM two- wheelers. It is available at all TVS Motor authorized dealerships workshops and BPCLs extensive reseller network. TVS Motor Company Limited http://www.maklubes.com/Images/Mak_TVS_tru4.jpg http://www.maklubes.com/Images/tvs_motors.jpg   LT KOMATSU A market leader in excavator segment, it commands greater than 50% of the market share. Tie-up for past 5 years for supplying oils LT Komatsu dealerships and users. BPCL also develop, manufacture supply specially formulated speciality products and hydraulic transmission oils for use in to LT Komatsu excavatorshttp://www.maklubes.com/Images/LT_Komatsu.jpg . Competitors of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) Lubricants HPCL IOCL Honda Engine Oil Yamaha Lubes Castrol India Ltd Savita Group Total Group, India Gulf Oil Corporation Ltd (Lubricant Division) Apar Industries Ltd The Andrew Yule Group Gagan Gases Ltd Balmer Lawrie Co Ltd Major Competitors Engine Oils used at authorized Service Stations Honda Engine Oil Honda 4-stroke engine oil is developed by the RD, Honda Motors Ltd., Japan. It conforms to International specifications of SAE 20W40 and API SJ. It has been developed keeping difficult driving conditions prevalent in India. Savita Chemicals Limited In 1961, it started as a small manufacturing unit in Mumbai started producing white mineral oil. Presently, SCL specializes in manufacturing of petroleum specialty products like petroleum jelly, liquid paraffin, white mineral oil, transformer oil, automotive other industrial lubricants. It is in technical collaboration with largest independent oil company of Japa, Idemitsu Kosan, for manufacturing automotive and industrial lubricants. It supplies lubricants to OEMs like Honda Siel, Toyota and HMSI. Yamalube ® These are made by combining base oils, additives and solvents; chosen and mixed to work perfectly for the vehicle. It was designed to work in harmony with the important mechanical components of vehicle. 4-stroke fully synthetic engine-oil for high-performance bikes and competition engines. 4-stroke semi-synthetic engine-oil Æ’Â   a unique blend for all road bikes in normal conditions. 4-stroke mineral engine oil premium quality 2-stroke semi-synthetic engine oil for 2-stroke engines Æ’Â  for standard or unleaded petrol engines. The Marketing Channels **Pie areas not to the scale Till date, the Indian consumers associate filling of lubricants to petrol stations. With the deregulation of market fierce competition, lubricant is being positioned as high involvement consumer goods. Hence, there is a resultant drift outside the petrol stations, shift to bazaar trade. In the developed World, Do-it-Yourself concept has evolved for filling up of engine oil as customers have high degree of awareness sensitivity. This is still the job of mechanics service stations in India. This shift had the following effects: Dumping of products in bazaar. Decline in Market Share of oil companies in public sector. Industry got transformed to FMCG owing to crowding of the market Entry of spurious lubricants. War of trade discounts ending in lesser margins for dealers. Consumer Buying Behavior To start the understanding of the behavior, first we need to know who the consumer is or rather we should define the consumer. A consumer is one who owns a motor vehicle; it can be a motor-bike, a car, a truck or an auto. Let us take example of a farmer who owns a tractor, jeep and a truck. He does not buy separate lubricants for his truck or tractor but rather he would buy for one in bulk and would use it for other two. This might be due to his belief that diesel oils are better than petrol ones. Also, in many parts of country, the farmers use left-over/old oils in their tractors/trucks into the agricultural pump sets. Motivators The main motivators or influencers in the buying decision of customers are retailers/mechanics/dealers. As quite obvious, the owner of the vehicle or the driver has a very little chance of knowing about the intricacies or the composition of the lubricant oils in the market. Initial purchase of lubricant for hi is influenced by the brand recommended by the dealer or the mechanic. Subsequent purchases may be influenced by the petrol pump attendants or dealers. He would go for the brand which provides him value for money and would not consider the costliest one. Favorite brands As seen during the study, the consumers are bargain seeker and can shift their loyalty for a matter of few bucks. This can be attributed to the fact that the purchase of lubricants is a low involvement purchase for the majority of people. For a person having multiple motor vehicles can purchase the engine oil and subsequently use them in some other means as for example in pumps as discussed earlier. But one who is having a sole motor vehicle say a truck would rather prefer to buy diesel than lubricants as this would directly have an effect on his livelihood. His choice of lubricants would be influenced by:- Promotions Now-a-days, by adopting a customer-oriented approach, companies focus on creating brand awareness via print and visual media. E.g., promotional campaigns and trade shows offer gifts to their customers; these are ways of driving sales of the automotive lubricants MAK MALAMAAL DAILY JEET KI KHUSHI SCRATCH WIN This promotional offer provides a chance to win up to Rs. 30 on MAK 4T plus 900 ml 1 ltr pack and a chance to win up to Rs.100 on selected MAK Petrol Diesel Engine oil packs from 3-5 ltrs. http://www.maklubes.com/MAKADMIN/Promotiondata/8_Image_JEET_%20KI_KHUSHI.jpg This promises the customers a Promise Tooth Paste and Binaca Toothbrush free with every pack of MAK GE 20W-50 : 1 ltr pack MAK PUMP 3.5 ltr pack. GADI MEIN DHAMAK HASI MEIN DHAMAK! http://www.maklubes.com/MAKADMIN/Promotiondata/10_Image_HASI_MEINDHAMAK.jpg MAK MALAMAAL DAILY KISMAT KI BALTI KHOLO This provides a chance to win up to Rs. 500 on purchase of MAK Lubricants Engine/gear oils packs from 7.5 -20 ltr packs. Double offer An unbreakable LED torch light free with every pack of 15 20 ltr http://www.maklubes.com/MAKADMIN/Promotiondata/2_Image_Kismat_ki_balti.jpg Awareness/Sales Booster Mechanism Diversification Going on the lines of innovation, BPCL MAK have embarked upon thinking beyond Lubricants. As a part of this inventiveness, MAK lubricants have through dynamic RD have offered new products catering to specific requirements and the problems faced by the customers. MAK All-Season HMO Apple Spray Tea Spray Oils This Horticultural Mineral oil is manufactured out of Group II plus MAK Base oils which are environment friendly, therefore, they not only protect the tender plants and fruits but also their users. It is superior to both Summer and Dormant Oils and has no side effects. All season protection Reduces number of sprays Broad spectrum protection against pests and diseases Avoids usage of synthetic pesticides Excellent crop return Valuable tool when it comes to integrated pest management programs Reduces pest control costs Environmental benefits Eco-friendly approach No residue on evaporation Organic biodegradable Safe on predatory complexes No toxic elements No interference with plant respiration Authentication Increases crop value

Chemical Castration and Physical Castration Essay -- Recidivism of Sex

A Critical Analysis of the Effects of Chemical Castration and Physical Castration on the Recidivism Rates of Sex Offenders Introduction This paper examines the effects of chemical castration and physical castration on the recidivism rates of sex offenders. Using theory integration or the multifactor approach, the findings reveal there are several factors influencing sex offender recidivism. Both chemical castration and physical castration have the potential to reduce the recidivism rates of sex offenders by lowering testosterone levels, diminishing sexual urges, and making sexual urges more controllable if the sexual urges are motivated by increased testosterone levels. Based on theory integration, most sex offences are not motivated by an increased testosterone level but innate biological features, psychological disorders, and social factors making chemical castration and physical castration ineffective in curing most origins of sexual deviance. Literature Review This paper presents a critical analysis of the effects of chemical castration and physical castration on the recidivism rates of sex offenders. In this paper, the term sex offender is defined as a person who has been convicted of a sex crime and released back into the community either directly after sentencing or after serving time in prison for the commission of the sex crime. It should be noted that both men and women commit criminal sex acts, however, this paper will focus on the male offender. First and foremost, it is of prime importance to clarify the nature of rape and sex crimes. According to Groth and Birnbaum’s study in â€Å"Men Who Rape: the Psychology of the Offender† (1979), the motivation for rape and sex crimes stems most commonly from anger and the need to dominate, terrify, and humiliate one’s victim, not from pent-up sexual desire. â€Å"Rape is an act of violence in which sex is used as a weapon† (Benedict, 1992, p.14). Rape is used to control one’s victim in the same way a gun is used to control a store clerk in a robbery. Both are methods of control in order to get what one wants. The majority of men cannot even sustain an erection or ejaculate during the commission of a sex crime (Men against Sexual Violence, 2003). Contrary to popular belief, rape is not the fulfillment of an overly stimulated libido; it is primarily a tool to exert power over a victim. Sex c... ...etreived November 26, 2003 from http://www.rainn.org/statistics.html â€Å"Recidivism of Sex Offenders†. (2001). Center for Sex Offender Management. Retrieved on October 19, 2003 from http://www.csom.org/pubs/recidsexof.html Rice, M.E., Quinsey, V.L., & Harris, G.T. (1991). Sexual recidivism among child molesters released from a maximum security institution. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 381-386. Rosler, A. & Witztum, E. (1998). â€Å"Treatment of Men with Paraphilia with a Long-Acting Analogue of Gonadotropin- Releasing Horomone†. The New England Journal of Medicine, 338, 416-422 Scalora, M. & Garbin, C. (2003). â€Å"A Multivariate Analysis of Sex Offender Recidivism†. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 47(3), 309-323 Thornberry, Terence P. â€Å"Reflections on the advantages and disadvantages of theortical integration.† Theoretical Integration in the Study of Deviance and Crime. Ed: Messner, Krohn, and Liska. University of New York Press. Albany: NY. 1989. Tolbert, Tracy. (2004). Criminal Justice 404: Crime Theory, Causation, and Control Lecture Notes. California State University, Long Beach. (Unpublished) Chemical Castration and Physical Castration Essay -- Recidivism of Sex A Critical Analysis of the Effects of Chemical Castration and Physical Castration on the Recidivism Rates of Sex Offenders Introduction This paper examines the effects of chemical castration and physical castration on the recidivism rates of sex offenders. Using theory integration or the multifactor approach, the findings reveal there are several factors influencing sex offender recidivism. Both chemical castration and physical castration have the potential to reduce the recidivism rates of sex offenders by lowering testosterone levels, diminishing sexual urges, and making sexual urges more controllable if the sexual urges are motivated by increased testosterone levels. Based on theory integration, most sex offences are not motivated by an increased testosterone level but innate biological features, psychological disorders, and social factors making chemical castration and physical castration ineffective in curing most origins of sexual deviance. Literature Review This paper presents a critical analysis of the effects of chemical castration and physical castration on the recidivism rates of sex offenders. In this paper, the term sex offender is defined as a person who has been convicted of a sex crime and released back into the community either directly after sentencing or after serving time in prison for the commission of the sex crime. It should be noted that both men and women commit criminal sex acts, however, this paper will focus on the male offender. First and foremost, it is of prime importance to clarify the nature of rape and sex crimes. According to Groth and Birnbaum’s study in â€Å"Men Who Rape: the Psychology of the Offender† (1979), the motivation for rape and sex crimes stems most commonly from anger and the need to dominate, terrify, and humiliate one’s victim, not from pent-up sexual desire. â€Å"Rape is an act of violence in which sex is used as a weapon† (Benedict, 1992, p.14). Rape is used to control one’s victim in the same way a gun is used to control a store clerk in a robbery. Both are methods of control in order to get what one wants. The majority of men cannot even sustain an erection or ejaculate during the commission of a sex crime (Men against Sexual Violence, 2003). Contrary to popular belief, rape is not the fulfillment of an overly stimulated libido; it is primarily a tool to exert power over a victim. Sex c... ...etreived November 26, 2003 from http://www.rainn.org/statistics.html â€Å"Recidivism of Sex Offenders†. (2001). Center for Sex Offender Management. Retrieved on October 19, 2003 from http://www.csom.org/pubs/recidsexof.html Rice, M.E., Quinsey, V.L., & Harris, G.T. (1991). Sexual recidivism among child molesters released from a maximum security institution. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 381-386. Rosler, A. & Witztum, E. (1998). â€Å"Treatment of Men with Paraphilia with a Long-Acting Analogue of Gonadotropin- Releasing Horomone†. The New England Journal of Medicine, 338, 416-422 Scalora, M. & Garbin, C. (2003). â€Å"A Multivariate Analysis of Sex Offender Recidivism†. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 47(3), 309-323 Thornberry, Terence P. â€Å"Reflections on the advantages and disadvantages of theortical integration.† Theoretical Integration in the Study of Deviance and Crime. Ed: Messner, Krohn, and Liska. University of New York Press. Albany: NY. 1989. Tolbert, Tracy. (2004). Criminal Justice 404: Crime Theory, Causation, and Control Lecture Notes. California State University, Long Beach. (Unpublished)

The Central American Free Trade Agreement Essay -- CAFTA International

The Central American Free Trade Agreement CAFTA is a proposed international free trade agreement between the United States and numerous countries within Central America. Some of the nations who could potentially participate in this treaty are Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. This proposed agreement stems primarily from the fact the United States relies on Central America as a primary export market. In fact, it is believed this area of world is Americas 18th largest export target. Another contributing factor to the proposed agreement comes from what is believed to be an unfair trade policy. During the presidency of Ronald Reagan, Central American countries had many tariffs slashed under what is known as the Caribbean Basin Initiative. This initiative allowed around 74% of all exports to America to arrive duty free. Meanwhile, U.S. goods entering their region faced of much deeper import duty of roughly 10%. All in all, the U.S. government believes this act will solidify democracy and level the playi ng field for future products produced by the United States. From the very beginning, The United States has gone to great lengths to express the upside to altering this existing policy. The country takes the stand that this will benefit both parties by allowing greater access to the U.S. market. The U.S. has also continually used the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as a model for the policies potential success. Current government leaders contend CAFTA will benefit all American consumers buy opening up a broader spectrum of trade. They also believe putting this policy into action will promote a more modern concept of trade in Central America, allowing the region to continue in economic development and democratic governance. Perhaps the biggest benefit occurring from CAFTA would be the eventual promoting of U.S. exports. Opening this trade agreement would broaden the spectrum in which U.S. goods are bought and sold. This of course would widen the market allowing for a stronger American economy as a result of a bigger consumer base. Furthermore, a bigger consumer base overseas creates a direct result of a need for more production here at home. In the simplest of terms, that means more jobs here there for creating a stronger economy. Besides all the numbers and economic figures, America also benefits by spreading the philoso... ...e they say, who should be in the forefront of our decision making. Creating a position on CAFTA is a hard and complicated process. There are so many angles to be viewed that it makes a definitive stance almost impossible. When simply going over the general facts it is very apparent both sides create some excellent points. Hypothetically, the United States argument is correct in the fact creating worldwide trade does open the doors for growth and economic expansion. Trade agreements no doubt break down barriers and provide a more cohesive policy. However, the possible side effects can not be ignored, especially in an area as delicate as Central America. In an economy that thin it is dangerous to say the least to alter their entire system and try to mold it after a huge and stable democracy. Just because it works for us does not necessarily mean it will create benefits for them. Furthermore, to throw this policy upon a country that is uneducated in its principles is down right ignorant, and reeks of a self serving motive. Due to this fact, I believe i t is in Central America’s best interest to reject the CAFTA proposal, and perhaps wait for a more proven and solid trade philosophy.

Organ Donation Essay

The process of taking functional organs and tissues from one person for transplantation into another individual is called organ donation. Whereas, any part of the body that performs a different and special function is referred to as an organ. Transplantation takes places quite successfully today between well-matched human beings. Majority of the organ recipients are able to live five or more years. Skin, cornea, bone marrow and kidney transplants are the most common today. Moreover, lung and heart transplants are also gaining precedence. In commonplace terms, organ donation is the removal of working, healthy organs from the body of an individual who had pledged while being alive that his organs could be donated to a person requiring it. Usually the tissues or organs are taken out in a manner similar to surgery. Moreover, all the incisions are clogged at the end. Organ donors can include people of all ages. It is not restricted to any particular group, nor is it restricted to any cert ain age limit. In the present era, organ transplantation is widely recognized as of the most gripping medical advancements. It is almost the elixir of life to individuals with deteriorating organs who require other fellow beings to donate them organs. With the increasing cases of organ failure in society and the insufficient supply of organs, there is an enormous gap between organ supply and organ demand. Subsequently, it takes ages for a person with deteriorating organs to get functioning organs from another being. Moreover, numerous deaths have been reported in that waiting. Thus, these events have aroused moral, societal and ethical concerns regarding the allocation of organs, supply and the use of surviving donors as volunteers, including those who qualify as minors. Unfortunately, it has spurred the practice of selling organs by money-makers for their own monetary gains and vested interests in many parts of the world by exploiting the poor. This has spurred corrupt practices where organ donation is concerned (Shroff, 2009). While we are on the subject of organ donation, an ethical issue is the procurement of organs and tissues. Firstly, this includes the buying and selling of human organs and tissues: There are some people who believe that human organs and tissues ought to be bought and sold in order to quantify the supply and show deference for other people’s autonomy. On the other hand, there are people who believe that treating any part of the body like a saleable good is a violation of human dignity. Organ donation has evolved considerably in the last 50 years. Following is a history of the procurement of organs and tissues. †¢ Successful transplantation of various organs Initially, organ transplantation started with kidneys, but now it has diversified to lungs, livers, hearts and other organs. It has slowly evolved to encompass various parts of the body. Progress in organ donation and cadaveric practices To decide who can donate organs has been a continuously evolving process. Firstly, it started with living donors and later moved on to include dead and brain dead donors. Even today, there are debates about growing and limiting the qualified donors. In the year of 2001, the surviving donors managed to even outnumber cadaveric donors. This was a milestone in the history of the United States. Formulation of anti-rejection drugs to enhance development and success The formulation of anti-rejection drugs has compounded the success of organ transplants. In the 1960s and 1970s, immunosuppressant drugs were used to increase the success rate of organ transplants (Flaman, 2008). Cyclosporine was stumbled upon in the 1980s. It greatly improved the success rate for patients undergoing transplants. The overall results were also improved. A phenomenon called xenotransplantation also became well-known – this entails the usage of animal organs for human transplantation. Subsequently, the firs t xenotransplantation was conducted in 1986. This breakthrough means of transplantation started gaining popularity and researchers started performing more intensive studies on it. The number of people who required organ transplantation started to multiply. The discovery of the first artificial organs In the 1980, the first artificial heart transplant took place which was followed closely by the American public and the news media. This basically involved segmenting organs into pieces (either from cadaveric donors or surviving donors). In 1996, the first split liver transplant too place. It permitted one cadaveric liver to be used among several patients who required a transplant. Stem cell research: This basically involves the examination of human embryo and adult’s cell in an endeavor to find out how organs are development and what stimulates their development. There are certain ethical concerns regarding how organs and tissues are obtained. For instance: a pharmaceutical company in France buys placentas from 110 Canadian hospitals in order to produce blood products and vaccines. However, there are some poor people in countries, such as India, who sell their kidneys for $700 or even more than that. There have also been cases reported in India where people have gained consci ousness after a kidnapping incident, only to discover that one of their organs has been removed in that process (Caplan, 2010). In regards to this issue, there are people who draw a difference between waste matter of humans, certain body parts that happen to regenerate such as blood and non-regenerative human organs such as kidneys. There are many people who differentiate profit making from covering the donor’s expenses. If a donor has to pay for organs, this can put undue pressure on him. It nullifies a contract or free consent. There are some people who are also fearful of the fact that if the buying and selling of organs became a notorious business, then it would undermine the nobility associated with organ transplants. It could be detrimental if the organ just went to the highest bidder. The equity would be compromised upon as donating organs would depend upon the ability to pay rather than finding out how they should be distributed. There are some people who argue that t his can be brought under control by monitoring sales. If the buying and selling of organs and human tissues is completely restricted, then it would drive the market underground. Since there are numerous controversies associated with the buying and selling of human parts, there are many who believe that other alternatives should be adopted (Thomas, 2009). Media Publicity There are several instances when an organ or tissue is acquired for a person by showcasing their need through the media. This could negate the other transplant channels through which it is normally obtained. Moreover, the correct criterion of selecting recipients, which is usually done on the basis of greatest needs and greater likelihood of benefit, can also be overlooked. However, publicity through media creates awareness in the public domain about the need for transplants and in the long run will increase the supply of organs and tissues. Voluntary consent basically entails a person making an intended offer to donate their organs after their demise. In the case of cadaver donation, a person can intimate their consent by advanced directives, such as by filling out the Universal Donor Card, part of their driver’s license. When the transplant is from a living donor, free consent is necessitated. However, it is best to have established consent regarding a deceased donor because this act exhibits love and responsible stewardship over one’s body. Moreover, it also communicates the wishes of health care professionals and family to the individual as well as others. When there is no pre-existing consent, the person who holds responsibility for the dead body should be approached regarding donation. It is imperative that the wish of the deceased person should be upheld. Medical ethics in organ donation has become imperative. This is basically a system comprising of moral principles that applies judgments and values to the process of organ donation. Autonomy is the sole prerogative of the individual to choose what happens to him/her even if this means dying in the process. In this regard, even if a person wishes to contribute his organs to another and thus die, he should not be prevented from doing so. On the other hand, fidelity entails adhering to the choices of someone, even if paying no heed to them would save another person’s life. Confidentiality means protecting the names of the donor from being let out in public or as per the desire of the patient. Hence, if a person prefers to remain unnamed while consenting to donate organs, his wish should be upheld. The team performing the transplantation can ask questions, but foremost it is imperative to prioritize the desire of the patient over anyone else (Truog, 2005). In order to address the ethical issues associated with organ donation stated above, it is important for health care professionals to be acquainted with the meaning of organ and tissue donation. They should be well-versed with the procedure of organ donation and to perform it in the best and most efficient manner possible. It would also be a good idea to render training to members of the health care team so that they can approach potential donors and families in a sensitive manner. To facilitate the process smoothly, they should be able enough to provide the necessary social and personal support during the process of mourning. Providers of health care also need to learn that respecting a dead person is a prerequisite of our humanity. It is also pertinent to mention that any reference to the deceased should be done with utmost sensitivity and using the most appropriate names. Furthermore, to compound the potential for transplants, providers of health care have a fundamental duty of rai sing the general level of awareness of needs. It should be done in a way that protects the rights and privacy of the patient, does not tamper with the medical process in any way and also does not remove attention from other urgent matters (NHMRC, 2012). References Shroff, Sunil, NCBI Legal and ethical aspects of organ donation and transplantation, (2009), Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2779960/ Flaman, Paul, Organ and Tissue Transplants: Some ethical issues, (2008), Retrieved from: http://www.ualberta.ca/~pflaman/organtr.htm Truog, Robert, The Ethics of Organ Donation by living Donors, (2005), Retrieved from: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp058155 Thomas, Chris, Ethics around Organ Donation, (2009), Retrieved from: https://www.chf.org.au/pdfs/hvo/hvo-2008-1-ethics-organ-donation.pdf NHMRC, Donating organs after death, (2012), Retrieved from: http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/e29.pdf Caplan, Arthur, Organ Procurement and Transplantation: Ethical and Practical Issues, (2010), Retrieved from: http://www.upenn.edu/ldi/issuebrief2_5.html

Process Strategy and Analysis: Toyota Motors Case study Essay

Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan’s largest and the world’s #4 carmaker by 2003 sales (after General Motors, Ford, and Daimler Chrysler), had a wide range of products and strong brand names with high quality image. Toyota’s growing reputation for quality and very small numbers of technical problems in its vehicles generated interesting customer loyalty and a growing demand for its products. Toyota management was managing the company’s inventory, costs and capacity very successfully and was applying cost reduction programs very well. Toyota had riving ambition to become greener. The company made a hybrid-powered (gas and electric) sedan- the prius- that had already being snapped up in U.S. and European markets. Toyota also made huge investments in developing fuel-cell technology for its vehicles. Its gas-powered cars, pick-ups, minivans, and SUVs included such models as the Camry, Celica, Corolla, 4Runner, Echo, Land Cruiser, Sienna, the luxury Lexus line, and a full-sized pick-up truck, the v-8 Tundra. Toyota also was making forklifts and manufactured housing, and was offering consumer financial services. With its wide distribution channels, strong channel efficiency and effectiveness, Toyota was both successfully competing with the world’s upper three auto makers and poised to replace GM in the top spot this decade. Toyota was known world-wide for its up-to-date vehicles, strong vehicle design, comfortableness, safety, strong resistance to wind and rollover, low fuel consumption, presence of electronic and other devices in the vehicles, and strong reputation for luxury. Surveys, however, rated the attractiveness and comfort of its passenger cars as mediocre. Also rated mediocre was the off-road excellence of its SUVs. Toyota was a leader in technological improvements, such as drive, production and vehicle construction technology and had a solid ability to design and innovates new products, to differentiate its products, to innovate new vehicle lines, or to extend existing vehicle lines. Global sales of Toyota vehicles were increasing every year beginning in 2001. Toyota showed a growth of 20% in its sales from March 2002 to March 2003 and growth of 49.6% in its net income for the same period. This increase reflected not only the quality of its vehicles, but also Toyota’s strong efficiency in sale operations, applying one-to-one marketing, entering into partnership and joint ventures with other companies world-wide, being price competitive, strongly applying sales incentives such as warranty extensions, and applying advertisement tools such as TV commercials, ads in magazines and newspapers and exhibition presentations. Toyota needed little use of financing packages and radio commercials in its sale incentive programs. Also, Toyota was known for strong after-sale services that helped the company to strengthen relationships with its customers and quality of service provided to them. Toyota had a strong, unique corporate culture that helped the company remain very well organised and highly competitive. Toyota also had strong co-operation with its partners and among its divisions that allowed Toyota to further co-ordinate interdivisional operations. In comparison to its big three competitors, Toyota had strong manufacturing operations with the ability to produce highly innovative products, taking advantage of low cost structures, ability to open new manufacturing plants, benefiting from economies of scale. Transplant assembling. Availability of technology for its production, and availability and standards of sources, the ability to enter new markets, and the like, Also, Toyota had strongly balanced its activities both domestically and internationally. There are five basis ways in approve: (1) reduce resources, (2) reduce errors, (3) meet or exceed expectations of downstream customers, (4) make the process safer, and (5) make the process more satisfying to the person doing it. First, a process that uses more resources than necessary is wasteful. Reports that are distributed to more people than necessary wastes copying and distribution time, material, user read time, and, eventually, life space. Second, for the most part, errors are a sign of poor workmanship and require rework. Typing errors that are detected after the computer printout require opening the file, making the correction, and printing the revised document. Third, meeting or exceeding expectations of downstream customers improves the process. For example, the better the weld, the less grinding required, making the appearance of a finish paint more The fourth way a process can be improved is by making it safer. A safer workplace is a more productive one with fewer lost-time accidents and less workers compensation claims. The fifth way to improve process is to increase the satisfaction of the individual performing the process. Sometimes a little change, such as an ergonomically Make a substantial change in a person’s attitude toward their work. Manufacturing cycle The manufacturing cycle typically occurs at the distributor/manufacturer for retailer/ manufacturer) interface and includes all processes involved in replenishing distributor (or retailer) inventory. The manufacturing cycle is triggered by customer orders or by the forecast of customer demand and current product availability in the manufacturer’s finished-goods warehouse. One extreme in a manufacturing cycle is an integrated steel mill that collects orders that is similar enough to enable the manufacturer to produce in large quantities. In this case, the manufacturing cycle is reacting to customer demand (referred to as a pull process). Another extreme is a consumer products firm that must produce in anticipation of demand. In this case the manufacturing cycle is anticipating customer demand (referred to as a push process). The processes involved in the manufacturing cycle Order arrival from the finished-goods warehouse, distributor, retailer, or customer Production scheduling Manufacturing and shipping Receiving at the distributor, retailer, or customer Order arrival During this process a finished- goods warehouse or distributor sets a replenishment order trigger based on the forecast of future demand and current product inventories. The resulting orders are then conveyed to the manufacturer. In some cases the customer or retailer may be ordering directly from the manufacturer. In other cases a manufacturer may be producing to stock a finished products warehouse. In the latter situation, the order is triggered based on product availability and a forecast of future demand. This process is similar to the retail order trigger process in the replenishment cycle. Production scheduling This process is similar to the order entry process in the replenishment cycle where inventory is allocated to an order. During the production scheduling process, orders (or forecasted orders) are allocated to a production plan. Given the desired production quantities for each product, the manufacturer must decide on the precise production sequence. If there are multiple lines, the manufacturer must also decide which products to allocate to each line. The objective of the production scheduling process is to maximise the proportion of orders filled on time while keeping costs down. Manufacturing and Shipping This process is equivalent to the order fulfilment process described in the replenishment cycle. During the manufacturing phase of the process, the manufacturer produces to the production schedule. During the shipping phase of this process, the product is shipped to the customer, retailer, distributor, or finished-product warehouse. The objective of the manufacturing and shipping process is to create and ship the product by the promised due date while meeting quality requirements and keeping costs down. Distribution Toyota used the traditional distribution channels; vehicles from the production places were distributed to national or regional distribution, which then distributed the vehicles to the local dealers. The three units of Toyota that produced passenger cars, SUVs, light trucks, and mini vans. Toyota was also entering into partnerships with other carmakers world-wide, such as South Korean Hyundai and Chinese carmakers, and used their distribution channels to enter the markets where these partners were predominant. With these activities, Toyota was trying to balance its distribution channels world-wide and to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their distribution channels. Manufacturing Toyota had manufacturing facilities in 37 countries and sold its products in 200 countries around the world. As the situation deteriorated in 2003, manufacturers were increasingly experiencing inventory problems as they were unable to shift their growing stockpile of cars into the saturated fleet market. With the increasing costs of product storage and reduced retail revenues, coupled with relaxed consumer demand, production cuts was likely to occur in the company. Also, Toyota was looking for ways to open production places in regions like China and Mexico, in order to benefit from cheap labour force and gain competitive advantage. In this process the product is received at the distributor, finished-goods warehouse, retailer, or customer and inventory records are updated. Other processes related to storage and fund transfers also take place. Few companies in the world excel at continuous improvement on a corporate-wide basis like Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyota is perhaps best known for its highly effective production system, dubbed â€Å"lean manufacturing† by an MIT study in the 1980’s (Womack et. Al, 1990). But interestingly, history’s most efficient method of production was not born from a sudden brainstorm by an ingenious individual (although Toyota has had plenty of those over the years). Rather, it evolved into its present state over decades of sustained, high level of continuous improvement activity (Cusumano, 1985). Toyota’s efficiency extends not only to the production floor, but also to product development, prototyping, testing, and all other business operations. Manufacturers the world over have been emulating Toyota’s practices, and have done so with much success (Liker, 1998). However, unlike Toyota, much of the success has been confined to the production floor and little success elsewhere. Toyota’s product development system, the first author found this tool to be used pervasively and with incredible power and effectiveness (Sobek, 1997). Toyota uses it to systematically guide problem-solvers through a rigorous process, document the key outcomes of that process, and propose improvements. The tool is used so pervasively that it forms a keystone in Toyota’s world-famous continuous improvement program. Toyota calls this tool the A3 report. The A3 Problem-Solving Report The A3 report is so named because it is written on an A3 sized paper (metric equivalent of 11† x 17†). Toyota has developed several kinds of A3 reports for different applications. Every report starts with a â€Å"theme† or title. The theme indicates the problem being addressed, and is fairly descriptive. The theme should focus on the problem, and not advocate a particular solution Theme: Every report starts with a â€Å"theme† or title. The theme indicates the problem being addressed, and is fairly descriptive. The theme should focus on the problem, and not advocate a particular solution As Spear and Bowen (1999) elucidate, Toyota indoctrinates its people with its own version of the scientific method—every improvement is designed as an experiment. The A3 problem-solving process is a structure to implement the scientific method. The current condition and root cause constitutes the necessary background research, the target condition and implementation plan outline the experimental design and the follow-up plan states the hypothesis. TQM is based on a number of ideas. It means thinking about quality in terms of all functions of the enterprise and is a start is a start-to-finish process that integrates interrelated functions at all levels. It is a systems approach that considers every interaction between the various elements of the organisation. Thus, the overall effectiveness of the system is higher than the sum of the individual outputs from the subsystems. The subsystems include all the organisational functions in the life cycle of a product, such as (!) design, (2) planning, (3) production, (4) distribution, and (5) field service. The management subsystems also require integration, including (1) strategy with a customer focus, (2) the tools of quality and (3) employee involvement (the linking process that integrates the whole). A corollary is that any product, process, or service can be improved, and a successful organisation is one that consciously seeks and exploits opportunities for improvement at all levels. The load-bearing structure is customer satisfaction. The watchword is continuous improvement. (Ross, 2) Hence TQM requires six basic concepts: A committed and involved management to provide long-term top-to bottom organisational support. An unwavering focus on the customer, both internally and externally. Effective involvement and utilisation of the entire work force. Continuous improvement of the business and production process. Treating suppliers as partners. Establish performance measures for the processes. (Besterfield, Michna, Besterfied & Sacre, p.2) (Crosby, 1979) presented the following steps in order to undertake TQM effectively. Management Commitment: Top management must become convinced of the need for quality and must clearly communicate this to the entire company be written policy, starting that each person is expected to perform according to the requirement or cause the requirement to be officially changed to what the company and the customers really need. Quality improvement team: From a team composed of department heads to oversee improvements in their departments and in the company as a whole. Quality measurement: Establish measurements appropriate to every activity in order to identify areas in need of improvement. Cost of quality: Estimate the costs of quality in order to identify areas where improvements would be profitable. Quality awareness: Raise quality awareness among employees. They non-conformance. Corrective action: Take corrective action as a result of steps 3 and 4. Zero defects planning: From a committee to plan a program appropriate to the company and its culture. Supervisor training: All levels of management must be trained in how to implement their part of the quality improvement program. Zero defects day: Schedule a day to signal to employees that the company has a new standard. Goal setting: Individuals must establish improvement goals for themselves and their groups. Error causes removal: Employees should be encouraged to inform management of any problems that prevent them from performing error free work. Recognition: Give public, non-financial appreciation to those who meet their quality goals or perform outstandingly. Quality councils: Composed of quality professionals and team chairpersons, quality councils should meet regularly to share experiences, problems, and ideas. Does it all over again: Repeat steps 1 to 13 in order to emphasise the never-ending process of quality improvement. (Ross, p. 6-7) Management must participate in the quality program. A quality council must be established to develop a clear vision, set long-term goals, and direct the program. Quality goals are included in the business plan. An annual quality improvement program is established and involves input from the entire work force. Managers participate on quality improvement teams and also act as coaches to other teams. TQM is a continual activity that must be entrenched in the culture- it is not just a one-shot program. TQM must be communicated to all people. The key to an effective TQM program is its focus on the customer. An excellent place to start is by satisfying internal customers. We must listen to the voice of the customer and emphasise design quality and defect prevention. Do it right the first time and every time, for customer satisfaction is the most important consideration. TQM is an organisation-wide challenge that is everyone’s responsibility. All personnel must be trained in TQM, statistical process control (SPC), and other appropriate quality improvement skills so they can effectively participate on project teams. Including internal customers and, for that matter, internal suppliers on project teams are an excellent approach. They understand the process better than anyone else does. Changing behaviour is the goal. People must come to work not only to do their jobs, but also to think about how to improve their jobs. People must be empowered at the lowest possible level to perform processes in an optimum manner. There must be a continued effort to improve all business and production processes. Quality improvement projects, such as on-time delivery, order entry efficiency, billing error rate, customer satisfaction, cycle time, scrap reduction, and supplier management, are good places to begin technical techniques such as SPC, benchmarking, quality function deployment, and designed experiments are excellent for problem solving. On the average 40% of pounds is purchased product or service; therefore, the supplier quality must-be outstanding. A partnering relationship rather than an adversarial one must be developed. Both parties have as much to gain or lose based on the success or failure of the product or service. The focus should be on quality and life-cycle costs rather than price. Suppliers should be few in numbers so that true partnering can occur. Performance measures such as uptime, percent non-conforming, absenteeism, and customer satisfaction should be determined for each functional area. These measures should be posted for everyone to see. Quantitative data are necessary to measure the continuous quality improvement activity. (Besterfield, Michna, Besterfied & Sacre, p.3) The purpose of TQM is to provide a quality product and/or service to customers, which will, in turn, increase productivity and lower cost. With a higher quality product and lower price, competitive position in the marketplace will be enhanced. This series of events will allow the organisation to achieve the objectives of profit and growth with greater case. In addition, the work force will have job security, which will create a satisfying place to work. As previously stated. TQM requires a cultural change. The change is substantial and will not be accomplished in a short period of time. Small organisations will be able to make the transformation much faster than large organisations. (Besterfield, Michna, Besterfied & Sacre, p.3) Hence summarising the key points discussed above, productivity is a major concern of managers. It implies measurement, an essential step in the control process. The productivity measurement of skill workers is generally easier than that of knowledge workers such as managers. Yet managerial productivity is very important, especially for organisations operating in a competitive environment. Production management refers to those activities necessary to manufacture products; it may also include purchasing, warehousing, transportation, and other operations. Operations management has a similar meaning, referring to activities necessary to produce and deliver a service as well as a physical product. The operations management systems model show inputs, the transformation process, outputs, and the feedback system. A variety of tools and techniques make operations more productive. Seven steps are often involved in planning and designing a product and its production. Companies can choose from six different kinds of production layouts. In order to operate the system, the managerial functions of organising, staffing, and leading must be carried out effectively. Controlling requires an information system often supported by computers. (Koontz and Weihrich, 1994; p.653) Among the various tools for planning and controlling operations is operations research, which is the application of scientific methods to the study of alternatives in a problem situation to obtain a quantitative basis for arriving at the best solution. The operation research procedure consists of six steps. Examples of tools are linear programming, inventory planning and control, the just-in time inventory system, and distribution logistics. Other tools and techniques are time-event inventory system, engineering, work simplification, quality circles, total quality management, and a variety of computer-aided approaches. (Koontz and Weihrich, 1994; p.653) References Besterfield, D. H., Michna, C. B., Besterfied, G., H.,   & Sacre, B.   S., (no date available). Total Quality Management, Third Edition, pp. 1-3. Crosby, P., (1979). Quality is Free, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1979. Cusumano, M.A., 1985, The Japanese Automobile Industry: Technology and Management at Nissan and Toyota, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. Koontz, H., and Weihrich, H., (1994). Management: A Global Perspective, Tenth Edition, McGraw-Hill, International Editions, pp.633-653 Ross, J. E., (no date available). Total Quality Management: Text, Cases and Readings, Second Edition, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, pp. 1-3   Liker, J.K. (ed.), 1998, Becoming Lean: Inside Stories of U.S. Manufacturers, Productivity Press, Portland, OR. Sobek, II, D.K., 1997, Principles that Shape Product Development Systems: A Toyota-Chrysler Comparison, Ph.D. dissertation, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Spear, S. and H.K. Bowen, 1999, â€Å"Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System,† Harvard Business Review, Sept.-Oct., 77(5), 97-106. Womack, J., D.T. Jones, and D. Roos, 1990, The Machine that Changed the World: The Story of Lean Production, HarperPerennial, New York.