Bill Ryan

Some of the information he knows off the top of his head and other information he has to search for the correct response before he answers the customer question. He states this when he makes te comment about his favorite customer questions is the ones he have to do deep research for. Factor 2, Supervisory Controls Level 2-5 650 points. The supervisor provides administrative direction with assignment in terms of broadly defined mission or function. The employee has responsibility for independently planning, designing, and carrying out programs, projects, studies or other work.The reason why I picked Level 2-5 is because Mr. Ryans supervisor is never mentioned. The general mission of giving customer service is mention. Mr. Ryans explain how he handles his day , he independently planed, designed, and carried out programs, projects, studies or other work. He does not deal with his supervisor on a consistent basis throughout the day. Factor 3 Guidelines Level 3-1 25 points. Specific, deta iled guidelines covering all important aspects of the assignment are provided to the employee.The employee works in strict adherence to the guideline; deviations must be authorized by the supervisor. The reason why I choose Level 3-1 is because Mr. Ryan refers to policy and procedure several times in the case. There are obviously guideline he must follow when it comes to his work. Whether it be the 24 hours the company has to reply to a customer’s email or, the guidelines for handling a dispute. These guideline have been set for MR. Ryan and his colleagues to follow so the know how to handle the customer and their situation properly.Factor 4, Complexity Level 4-2 75 points. The work consists of duties that involve related steps, processes, or methods. The decision regarding what needs to be done involves various choices that require the employee to recognize the existence of and difference among a few easily recognizable situations. Actions to be taken or responses to be made differ in such things as the source of information the kind of transaction or entries, or other difference of a factual nature. The reason why I chose Leve; 4-2 is because Mr.Ryans work is semi repetitive, like he stated he may not get the same question 50 times in a row but his question do repeat themselves every couple of emails. The only factors that differ are† sources of information the kind of transaction or entries, or other difference of a factual nature† other then those factors the questions are â€Å"easily recognizable situations† Factor 5 Scope and Effect Level 5-2 75 points The work involves the execution of specific rules, regulations, or procedure and typically comprises a complete segment of an assignment or project of broader scope.The work product or service affects the accuracy, reliability , or acceptability of further processes. I choose level 5-2 because Mr. Ryan job is to handle the customer service aspect of Half. com. He executes specifi c rules, regulation and procedures to complete the service for half. com. His customer service position is often in the middle of customers having a pleasant experience with half. com and continuing to shop from their website or it can make the customer experience worst and the customer can decided to never use their services again. Factor 6 Personal ContactsLevel 6-1 10 points . The personal contacts are with employees within the immediate organization, office , project, or work unit, and in related or support units. Beside dealing with the customers, Mr. Ryan mostly deal with the different department that handle customer issues. In one of the paragraphs Mr. Ryan explains how he had to get in touch with Matt Walsh who is in charge of fixing catalog errors. This is the only time he speaks about contacting someone other than his buyers or sellers, and the person he contacted was in his immediate organization.Factor 7 Purpose of Contacts Level 7-1 20 points. The purpose is to obtain, clarify or give facts or information regardless of the nature of those facts. Mr. Ryan may contact other department to obtain information for his customer service issues. The issues can range from easily understood to highly technical and the information obtained is to answer his customer questions that they emailed in. Factor 8 Physical Demands Level 8-1 5points. The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. We know this is a fact about Mr.Ryans job because he talks about how sitting down all day bother some people but it doesn’t bother him because he works out after work. Factor 9, Work Environment. Level 9-1 5 Points The environment involves everyday risk or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, libraries, residence, or commercial vehicles. We already know that Mr. Ryans work in an office sitting at a cubicle. His environment involves everyday risk or discomforts t hat require normal safety precautions. Total points 2115 GS Grade 10

Of their version of Romeo and Juliet Essay

The opening scene in the version including Zeffereli is set in an old market place, which shows that Romeo and Juliet story took place a long time ago. When the two households salves meet in the market one of the monauge salves bites his thumb at the Capulet slaves. In this part the director is showing that biting your thumb at someone was as bad verbally swearing at some one to insult him or her. The director uses old colourful clothing on the slaves. The monauges have the same outfit and so do the Capulet’s this is the way that they show they are from the two different households. The two households have a fight because of the thumb biting. The fight is use of swords and some using fists. When the police arrive they are threatened that if this happens again your lives will pay the price. The Capulet households have a ball and invite the monauges. At the ball the director uses very old and classical music that gives the feeling that it was set a long time ago. In the ball Romeo meets Juliet for the first time and instantly fall in love. The director uses this to show that people can fall in love at first sight, but Romeo and Juliet cannot stay together for the whole ball as Juliet’s mother has planed for her to marry some other man. Just before the monauges leave Romeo finds out that Juliet is a Capulet and Juliet finds out that Romeo is a monauge. The director shows that the two households hate each other so much that two lovers have second thoughts about each other. The opening scene with Leonardo de caprio is set in a petrol station and is a bit more modern. The two households meet and a Capulet bites his thumb at the monauges. The director shows that biting your thumb at someone was a very insulting insult. When the two households start to shoot at each other the director is further explaining that the feud was serious. When the police arrive both households are threatened with their lives if it happens again. Now the director is telling us that the feud has been going on for a long time. The Capulet household holds a ball and invites the Montagues.

Accounts Sba Essay Example for Free

Accounts Sba Essay ? The aim of my project is for me to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the financial sector of the business world. To draw up the financial records for the year 2009 for Jen’s Supermarket and to comment on the entity’s performance using appropriate tools of Analysis Description and Overview Jen’s Supermarket is a developed and simulated entity owned by Jenevonne Kirton, who is the sole proprietor. Jen’s Supermarket is a developed supermarket which sells a variety of food items and miscellaneous goods, serving most of the island in its convenient location. The supermarket employ fifteen staff along with Ms. The capital at beginning was 202800 while at end it was 208165 which showed an increase by 5365 at the end of the month. Suggestions/Recommendations Current Ratio It is recommended that Jen’s Supermarket 1. Uses the excess money to expand the business by opening another supermarket. 2. Introduce new product to the business and purchase new equipment. Gross Profit It is suggested that Jen’s Supermarket should 1. Source cheaper suppliers to facilitate the demand of goods so profitability would be greater at the end of the month. 2. Offer new promotions every week and offer the customers raffles at a chance to win prizes at the end of the year. These are given to help Jen’s Supermarket increase gross profit and sales. Conclusion It is clear that Jen’s Supermarket keeps adequate records for the business to demonstrate the profitability over the financial period for the month. It could however, increase the current ratio and gross profit by incorporating the suggestions/recommendations outlined. Nevertheless Jen’s Supermarket made a good net profit for the month of December in 2009. Overall based on the performance of the business Jen’s Supermarket was able to make a profit of 6365 despite the low sales of 104 850. Accounts Sba. (2018, Nov 13).

Knowledge Management Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Knowledge Management Program - Essay Example Knowledge review-this step entails the evaluation of the registered knowledge of the associated knowledge. Step 5: Return phase- this is where an evaluation may result in the rejection of knowledge. This may be because there is inadequate content. Step 6: Knowledge approval- this step takes place when there is adequate content in the KMS knowledge Step 7: Search for necessary knowledge Step 8: Knowledge operation control – this is where specific knowledge is commented on according to the assessment done. In order to transform an actual organization into a more knowledge-based organization, a person should consider improving the work processes that leverage knowledge, technology infrastructure to support knowledge and transfer and its culture, customs, and practices. These components of change are important to effective knowledge use and transformation to a knowledge-based company. Altering the culture of the actual organization also helps in transforming an organization. This is because organizational knowledge and culture are interrelated. Therefore, in order to apply new knowledge and implement changes and improvements in KM, the culture should be modified to support the new behavior. Moreover, organizations should match leadership culture with the operational need. This is done independently of the level of culture in the organization. Improved technology infrastructure eases communication that forms a core component of effective KM. as a result, efficient communication helps in knowledge transfer and adoption, and this forms a good foundation of transforming an actual organization to a knowledge-based organization (Collision & Parcell, 2004). Firms should also leverage knowledge in order to create a more knowledge-based organization. This entails the use of the abundant knowledge available in managing business operations. This is because knowledge is a critical resource that demands more consideration. Other ways to transform an actual organization t o a knowledge-based one include sharing knowledge and best practices, allowing the employees to solve their problems encountered during business operations with minimal management interference. The second-generation KM elevates the understanding of the fact that knowledge is created with differing levels of quality. Therefore, individuals can improve the quality of knowledge possessed by aggressively managing knowledge production. In this case, people can enhance the quality of their decisions, operations, and results owing to the quality of knowledge possessed. An organization can be changed to align its operations and KM with the top three principles from second-generation KM. These principles include: â€Å"Learning and innovation is a social process, not an administrative one (strong affinity with organizational learning theory)†. â€Å"Organizational learning and innovation are triggered by the detection of problems† â€Å"Valuable organizational knowledge does n ot simply exist- people in organizations create it† These three second-generation top three principles are more inclusive of human resource, process, and social initiatives. The principles bring about the introduction of new concepts, ideas, and insights on KM.

Ccounting Systems Design and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ccounting Systems Design and Development - Essay Example The system of authorising leave and other human resource issues would be faster as the authorisation would be made electronically rather than waiting upon the paper documents. Moreover, the benefit through the opening of the new system might make The Royal Australian Mint to strictly record and monitor the working performances by tracking upon the working hours of the employees. In addition, the other benefit that the organisation might expect is that the new system would significantly effect upon their area of planning which will cover the entire organisation and also will diminish the need for people to design their own systems. The Royal Australian Mint hopes that the new system would transform the organisation into an efficient workplace along with enhancement of the productivity in future. The previous Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system of The Royal Australian Mint was not capable enough to comply with the changing information requirements of the management. Moreover, the previous system became very much complex to support the various additional programs and report requests which were required to be added into the system. In order to cope up with these sorts of problems, The Royal Australian Mint felt the need of introducing new integrated system of information. The Royal Australian Mint had made each business area map out their major process activities may be due to the fact that the organisation identified the requirement for a new integrated system that would enhance their business operations. The major motive of the organisation in mapping out their major process activities was to attain knowledge regarding their current procedure of executing working activities and also seeking for the ways in order to enhance their working procedures. The Royal Australian Mint might face certain difficulties while implementing the new integrated system of information. Due

Hazards of Drinking While Driving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hazards of Drinking While Driving - Essay Example Due to the several amounts of accidents experienced by drunk drivers, states have taken several measures to counter the issues and to decrease the problems associated with alcohol drinking and to counter alcohol abuse. This report will focus on the consequences that have occurred due to driving under the influence of alcohol and why these consequences occur. Prevalence According to a report provided by WHO, every one accident out of three are a result of driving under the influence of alcohol in the region of European Union (Tobutt 47). WHO reported that a total of 17000 accidents have taken place due to driving under the influence of alcohol and the number of males that have experienced death in these accidents were 15000 and only 2000 females have experienced death due to these accidents (Eurocare, 2013). The European Transport Safety council reported during the year of 2003 that out of all the journeys that take place within European Union, two to three percent of the times, the d river of the vehicle drives under the influence of alcohol (Tobutt 45). The report further stated that the issue is on a rise and the number of drivers driving under alcohol influence is increasing on rapid basis. For example: in the case of Latvia, the number of accident caused due to the issue of drinking and driving stood at 11% of all the road accidents and out of these 11%, 32% accidents were tremendously serious in nature and 39% of these accidents were deadly in nature (Tobutt 46). Loss of life is not only the issue caused due to accidents caused by drunk drivers, property loss is even a major concern of this issue. During the period of 2003, a loss of total of â‚ ¬ 10bn of property loss was experienced as a result of the accidents caused due to driving under the influence of Alcohol (Tobutt 45). During the period of 2007, W.H.O reported that number of accidents taking place due to drinking and driving issue has declined substantially from 34 persons out of a total populat ion of 100,000 as witnessed during the period of 1980 to 20 persons as witnessed during the period of 2004 (Tobutt 42). Loss of Skills Required for Driving According to a review of total of 109 studies conducted by Moskowitz during the period of 2000, people start losing certain amount of skills required for driving as their blood alcohol level increases from zero (Moskowitz 5). During the period of 2002, Solomon reported that skills that are considered essential for driving start experiencing impairment as soon as an individual consumes alcohol (Solomon 2). One of the skills that an individual looses as a result of alcohol consumption is skill of being able to track movements. When an individual is under the influence of only 0.3g/l to 0.5g/l of alcohol, he experiences difficulty in moving his eyes in a voluntary manner and thus experiences the inability to constantly track movement of targets (Moskowitz 10). The skill of being able to track moving objects is very essential in driv ing as drivers are required to track moving objects such as other motor vehicles in order to drive in compliance with the motor vehicles moving ahead and on the back side of the driver’s vehicle. When a driver is under alcohol influence, the alcohol in his system relaxes the muscle that is used to maintain control of the lens of an individual’s eyes. Another issue with those who drink and drive is that they concentrate on one object

The evolving nature of masculine and feminine roles in relationships Research Paper

The evolving nature of masculine and feminine roles in relationships - Research Paper Example Thornton, Axinn, and Xie observe that there are emerging cases where couples prefer cohabitation to legalised marriages based on their personal experiences, circumstances attitudes and family history (Thornton, Axinn, and Xie 36). Masculinity and femininity are socially determined components of gender. They define behaviours and characteristics observable in either male or female beings. Many times masculinity is associated with maleness while femininity is associated with femaleness Masculinity and femininity being a component of gender is a complex issue. According to Lippa, the concepts surrounding the subject of masculinity and femininity transform over time. Some of the factors responsible for these changes include family influences, biological influences, social influences, cultural influences, peer influences and individual feelings and influences. There is proving that parental socialization of boys and girls in interaction with biological predispositions defines how boys and girls interact with their peers. These interactions determine the femininity or masculinity characteristics that children adopt during their development (Lippa 187). There has been a transformation in the social perceptions of what it means to be feminine. Traditionally femininity entails being nice, submissive, unengaged and reliance. Masculinity and femininity determine the interaction among peers. Masculinity and femininity has also been associated with personal interest. According to psychologists individuals who exhibit masculine characteristics tend to show interest in mechanical and scientific subjects whereas individuals exhibiting feminine characteristics enjoy cultural and art related subjects (Lippa 44). Lippa argued that there are arguments that femininity is considered good for men and masculinity is considered good for women. This concept stands to explain the evolving nature of masculinity and femininity into instrumental traits and expressive traits. Instrumental tr aits include independence, dominance, assertiveness, and leadership abilities whereas expressive traits include sympathy, warmth, sensitivity and compassion. The instrumental traits define masculinity whereas the expressive traits define femininity. The instrumental traits explain why there are women who take up huge roles like taking care of the family, pursuing competitive such as managerial positions and politics. Individuals with expressive traits are considered feminine (Lippa 45). Men who possess expressive traits tend conform to feminine roles. Men who possess expressive traits taking up careers that are considered feminine such as nursing, teaching, and art related careers. Men with expressive traits have no problem raising taking care of the family while their women work to provide for the family. Roughgarden states that culture and society are responsible for imposing on individuals the appropriate way of expressing their sexual identity. According to Roughgarden masculini ty and femininity defines appearance, and behaviour humans. Roughgarden states that masculinity and femininity determines how an organism carious out a sexual role. Biologically masculinity and femininity differentiates the the characteristics possessed by males and females. However, Roughgarden points out the cross gender manifestation and behaviour is acceptable (Roughgarden 28). Roughgarden

The United States from the World War II as the Strongest Economy in Research Paper

The United States from the World War II as the Strongest Economy in the World - Research Paper Example Each of the countries which signed their allegiance to the Bretton Woods indicates its recognition of four important factors. This uniformity becomes the cornerstone and the main factor which holds the international economy together. First, all the nations involved recognize and agree that â€Å"the interwar period had conclusively demonstrated the disadvantages of unrestrained flexibility of exchange rates† (Cohen 4). It can be recalled that the Great Depression in the 1930s has become a grim reminder of how floating exchange rates discourages trade and investment while increasing the risk of destabilization and competitive depreciation. On the other hand, architects of the Bretton Woods are also reluctant in adopting a permanently fixed exchange rate like the 19th-century gold standard. Thus, avoiding both maxims, delegates agree on a â€Å"pegged rate† or â€Å"adjustable peg† currency regime or a par value system (Cohen 5). Thus, each country is obligated to choose a par value in their national currency and intervene in order to maintain the exchange rate within 1% above or below the preset rate. Secondly, all nations hold that â€Å"if exchange rates were not to float freely, states would also require assurance of an adequate supply of monetary reserves (Cohen 6).† The financial hegemony held by the United States during the period significantly affected the final decision: â€Å"a system of subscriptions and quotas embedded in the IMF, which itself was to be no more than a fixed pool of national currencies and gold subscribed by each country†.

Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategy - Case Study Example erative pillar for economic development companies operating in Qatar; it deals with three major issues: The first is to facilitate sound economic management through five major approaches as in: To facilitate cooperation with Arab regional states as well as the Gulf Cooperation Council States thereby promoting the establishment of trade relations and reduction of financial crisis. The other approach is to facilitate competition in the international market by opening flexible economic structures. Moreover, sustained economic management shall be achieved by creating structures that attract foreign investors in Qatar. In addition, the vision aims to achieve sustained economic management through reducing inflation thus creating a stable economic growth. Qatari government also aspires to provide sustained economic growth condition to ensure that it provides high standards of living. The economic pillar also aspires to facilitate responsible ways of oil exploration and gas in Qatar. This shall be achieved through four different sustainable exploration methods. Additionally the economic pillar is also geared towards promoting suitable economic diversification. This is expected to reduce the country’s dependency rate on some of its natural resources such as hydrocarbons; it shall also be achieved through empowering the private sector hence improving their competitive advantage. Another pillar of the Qatar vision 2030 that may be applied to facilitate economic development is the Human Development Pillar. The Qatari government recognizes that effective economic development can only be achieved through proper human capital development. In this regard, the human development pillar focuses on three issues: Provision of world class education among the Qatari populace thereby improving their skills to undertake economic development activities; provision of world class healthcare services to the Qatari populace and improving the capacity of the Qatari populace to participate in

Dialectial Journal Essay Example for Free

Dialectial Journal Essay Dialectical Journals But today he saw one of the rivers secrets, one that gripped his soul. He saw that the water continually flowed and flowed and yet it was always there; It was always the same and yet every moment it was new. pg. 102 C)Slddhartha ponders about a secret of the river. It Is one that he never realized before. The water flows continuously and remains constant. It Is the same, and yet It Is new. Life seems to be like this. Everyone of us has life, and we live It. The world eems to continuously move and go on, despite the changes that happen. People die and people are born: people succeed and people fall. Every moment Is new, yet the world keeps going, time Is constant and does not stand still for anyone. The river teaches Siddhartha a lesson that he does not fully comprehend at that moment, yet remains an Important lesson to learn. But today he saw one of the rivers secrets, one that gripped his soul. He saw that the water continually flowed and flowed and yet it was always there; it was always the C)Siddhartha ponders about a secret of the river. It is one that he never realized before. The water flows continuously and remains constant. It is the same, and yet it is new. Life seems to be like this. Everyone of us has life, and we live it. The world and people are born: people succeed and people fail

Strombidae Protected Fisheries

Strombidae Protected Fisheries

sunrise medical Essay -- essays research papers

Birds Eye and the U.K. Frozen Food Industry General Foods Corporation was successfully manufacturing and marketing â€Å"Birds Eye† frozen food in the late 1920. They were also the original owners and incorporated in August 1938. By the 1940’s, a new owner, Unilever had a strong interested in the business and took over. He wanted to make this business innovative and profitable in the growing economy. There is couple of issues dealing with Birds Eye currently in the United Kingdom, which include market position and market shares. The industry was at 70 percent of the market share and over the years, the percentage decreased. In the 1960s, Birds Eye showed a decrease in market share and return of capital. The lack of sales was also a concerned for Birds Eye, which resulted negatively to their profit margin. Clearly, the frozen food industry is not growing as rapidly as its use to. They can regain there market share by evaluating and understanding different taste, style and trends of the consumer. There was many opportunities that Birds Eye past up that they could have benefited from. They past up the opportunity to create their own label of frozen food and market it to consumers who have freezers in the household, and caterers. This can be an advantage for their competitor but a threat for Birds Eye. Another opportunity that they steered away from was home freezers, which affected a great deal in the frozen food market. Among other leading firms striving to be the best, Birds Eye Foods Ltd. strived to be the leading provider of frozen foods in the growing market. By 1938, the company began their business in the United Kingdom. They have a strong brand name and recognition and have been a leader in the business for sometime. Birds Eye’s vision is providing the best products and raw material to consumers on a daily basis. The business will be successful on the demand of everyday products in the market and all over the world. This will help build the industry and help develop some of there main products. This industry as a whole will go all out to provide exceptional products and services to its consumers. The company’s objective is to make their products more convenient. Birds Eye promotes consumer loyalty, value and recognition for their goods and services. The industry increased dramatically from its main products such as fruit and vegetables, fish, and meat.... ...me any obstacles. Being able to implement strategy is beneficial but expensive and very time consuming. Becoming a leader in the marketplace does not mean producing top end products but being able to keep producing high and better quality products. In addition, Birds Eye must continue providing exceptional customer service to their clients. Providing the best quality products should come with the best quality service. Having a strong brand name and recognition should also result in strong customer loyalty. Clients and employee satisfaction is the ultimate goal to Birds Eye. The employees at Birds Eye need to plan, monitor and evaluate at all time. This process should be done periodically and by any employees with the company. Customers come first; implementing a strategy where consumers are receiving the right product at the right time and at the right price will have a great impact to the company. As well as making sure the employees are treated right and working in an environme nt that they enjoy. Strategic Implications: Strategic Implications: Managers at all levels need to posse’s strong communication, leadership and motivational skills at Birds Eye.

The Paradox of Revenge in Edgar Allan Poes The Cask of Amontillado Ess

The Paradox of Revenge in Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask of Amontillado ?The Cask of Amontillado? raises a question pertaining to the multiple character of the self (Davidson 202); Can harmony of one's self be restored once primal impulses have been acted upon? This question proposes the fantasy of crime without consequence (Stepp 60). Edgar Allan Poe uses first person point of view, vivid symbolism and situational irony to show that because of man's inner self, revenge is ultimately not possible. Edward Davidson suggests that Montresor, the main character of the story, "has the power of moving downward from his mind or intellectual being and into his brute or physical self and then return again to his intellectual being with his total self being unimpaired" (202). However, Poe tells this story from Montresor?s point of view. The use of first person narration provides the reader with insight into Montresor's inner struggles. First person narration is Poe's method of insuring the reader understands that Montresor is not successful at this harmony. The thoughts and feelings of Montresor lead the reader to conclude that he is not successful at revenge. Montresor says in telling his story, "You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however that I gave utterance to a threat" (153). By communicating in this way, the question arises of who Montresor is actually speaking to, and why he is telling this story fifty years later. One can only conclude that it is for one of two reasons: he is either bragging or finally giving confession. As he tells the story, it becomes obvious that he has not yet filled his need to win, and now a half of a century later, is still struggling with his conscience. As Gregory Jay s... ...onscious self is obsessed with an evil, the conscious must overcome it or a paradox will result in which both selves parish. Works Cited Barbour, Brian. "Poe and Tradition." Bloom 63-81. Bloom, Harold. Interpretations: The Tales of Poe. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. Davidson, Edward H. Poe: A Critical Study. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1980. Frieden, Ken. "Poe's Narrative Monologues." Bloom 135-48. Gargano, James. "The Question of Poe's Narrators." Regan 164-71. Jay, Gregory. "Poe: Writing and the Unconscious." Bloom 83-110. Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Cask of Amontillado." Literature for Composition. Sylvan Barnet, et al, eds. 4th ed. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. 153-57. Regan, Robert. Poe: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1967. Stepp, Walter. "The Ironic Double in Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" Bloom 55-62.

Admissions Essay: Facing Tragedy -- Medicine College Admissions Essays

Admissions Essay: Facing Tragedy    On January 26th, 2001 a major earthquake rocked the state with a measured severity of 6.9 on the Richter scale. During my travels throughout the state of Gujarat, I witnessed the after effects of the earthquake. In addition, I worked as a volunteer at Ahemedabad's Civil Hospital, which was the main hospital used to treat that city's earthquake victims.    Although reports have previously indicated that nearly 35,000 people perished in the natural disaster, the final state reported numbers were 20,083 casualties and 166,836 injured. The largest damage was in the Kutch region of Gujarat, which is mostly desert. I spent the majority of my summer in Svarastra, a region including cities affected such as Ahemedabad, Rajkot, and Jamnagar. There were 370,000 homes destroyed and a total of 1,020,000 homes damaged. Some of the largest casualties came from the nearly 20 high-rise apartment complexes in... ...here has been extensive recovery on all fronts. It was wonderful to help out at Ahemedabad's Civil Hospital and BJ medical college. I also enjoyed spending time at M.P. Shah medical college and the Guru Gobind Singh Hospital in Jamnagar. This overseas experience gave me the chance to truly volunteer where help was needed most, and as I begin my studies at Oxford in a few weeks, the realization that public service is never done will continue to grow in my conscience.   

How Tim O’Brien Shows the Negative Side of Vietnam Essay

In Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, O’Brien talks about all the parts of the Vietnam War. It shows all the horrors and negative sides of the war and what it can do to men. Many men lose their lives as well as their best friends and comrades. War also changes the soldiers into something else that’s not themselves, something evil. The Things They Carried shows the negative side of war through the imagery of the shitfield, the mental affects of the war, the hatred that can be shown by each person, the way war changes people, and the loss of companions. In the shitfield one sees everything that is bad about the war. It’s dirty and mucky and it’s just depressing all around. While in the field the soldiers are bombarded my artillery fire so they have to sink into the muck to hide themselves. One of the soldiers, Kiowa, gets hit with one of the shells. Norman Bowker tries to pull him out of the muck but he cannot. All the men try to pull him out but they cannot. They lose a friend in Kiowa, who is lost and buried in the field, and it scars all the men for life especially when they try to pull him out of the muck. The loss of a good friend stings for O’Brien. O’Brien even says that he went down with Kiowa that day and he lost a part of himself in that field. Everyone lost a part of themselves there. O’Brien describes what he saw of Kiowa as he was going down under the muck. â€Å"Kiowa was almost completely under. There was a knee. There was an arm and a gold wristwatch and part of a boot†¦. There were bubbles where Kiowa’s head should’ve been† (O’Brien 168). O’Brien going down with Kiowa shows that there are other negative effects such as mental ones. The mental effects of the war are also very negative in The Things They Carried. War messes with people’s heads and Tim O’Brien shows it in his book. â€Å"I couldn’t sleep; I couldn’t lie still† (Chen 77). This is a cause of all the blood and gore the soldier has seen. And this doesn’t just speak for the one soldier who said it, it speaks for all the soldiers. The first stage is not being able to sleep, the next stage is losing your composure. Then men start to become paranoid during the war and some go crazy. Rat Kiley is a good example of this. He is a medic and he starts to go crazy. He says he hears noises in the night that aren’t there. He says that he hears the voices of the people dying at night. O’Brien thinks its from all the gore and blood he sees day in and day out and its just getting to him but either way he loses it. Rat tells someone he is going to shoot himself so he can get out of there because of an injury. â€Å"The next morning he shot himself† (O’Brien 223). Rat Kiley’s plan works and he gets to leave, but he apologizes to all the men for losing it and in turn they don’t rat him out for what he did. Not only does the war mess with people’s heads during the war but also at other times. The mental effects also extend to after the war. The awful memories of war stick with some of the men long after they return home from the war. The post war stress is too much for Norman Bowker. He finds that when he returns home that it’s not the same to him and he cannot find his place in society. He feels empty inside and ever since the shitfield he feels incomplete. The lingering memory of not being able to pull Kiowa out of the muck sticks with him. He feels that he died there with Kiowa and this causes him to be depressed. He often talks about it with his dad saying that he wishes he could have pulled harder to get Kiowa out but he just couldn’t because of the smell. Norman wrote Tim O’Brien a letter about his last book. He said it was very good book but that he should have put a chapter in about the shitfield. O’Brien finds out that eight months later Norman killed himself. Normans writes O’Brien a letter saying there was no letter and he hung himself with a jump rope. Tim O’Brien kills a man while he’s in Vietnam. He still feels the effects of killing the man and the guilt years later. He remembers it very well when his daughter asks him a question. The question was if he had ever killed someone. â€Å"O’Brien’s guilt over the man he kills comes from questions his daughter asks him about the war. He feels the sting years later† (Martin 2). O’Brien also revisits the site of the shitfield with his daughter. He starts to remember all the bad things that happened and it hurts him. O’Brien hates the bad memories; he hates a lot of things. Some of the men start to show hatred toward people who usually aren’t hateful. The men start to turn on each other in stressful situations when they would have never done it before. â€Å"Lee Strunk and Dave Jensen got into a fistfight. It was about something stupid, a missing jackknife, but even so the fight was vicious†¦. Strunk’s nose made a sharp snapping sound, like a firecracker† (O’Brien 62). The men show hatred in the fight and over nothing important at all. â€Å"In other circumstances it might’ve ended there. But this was Vietnam, where guys carried guns, and Dave Jensen started to worry. It was mostly in his head† (O’Brien 62-63). Dave Jensen starts to get paranoid and he hates Strunk for it. â€Å"One afternoon he began firing his weapon into the air, yelling Strunk’s name†¦. late that same night he borrowed a pistol, gripped it by the barrel, and used it like a hammer to break his own nose† (Oâ€⠄¢Brien 63). This just shows how hate is a part of Vietnam. O’Brien also shows hate toward some of his comrades. In a firefight O’Brien gets shot and needs help from the new medic Bobby Jorgenson, but Jorgenson freezes because he’s too afraid and forgets to treat O’Brien for shock. This causes him much more pain over the months because the wound wasn’t treated right and in time. O’Brien hates Jorgenson for it. â€Å"I wanted to hurt Bobby Jorgenson the way he’d hurt me† (O’Brien 200). Months later O’Brien and Jorgenson talk. O’Brien realizes that Jorgenson is really sorry and he can’t bring himself to say how he feels about it and just says its ok. â€Å"I hated him for making me stop hating him† (O’Brien 200). This isn’t like O’Brien to be hateful. He has become something he’s not. The war changes the men into bad things, things that aren’t themselves. O’Brien talk about how the war changes himself and his personality at times. â€Å"I’d come to this war a quiet, thoughtful sort of person†¦. I’d turned mean inside. Even a little cruel at times†¦. It’s a hard thing to admit, even to myself, but I was capable of evil† (O’Brien 200). O’Brien also talks about how one comes over innocent and but one leaves with a different identity. â€Å"You come over clean and you get dirty and then afterwards it’s never the same† (O’Brien 114). Other authors talk about how O’Brien shows the physical and mental devastation caused by the war. â€Å"Nowhere in The Things They Carried does O’Brien explain more clearly the psychic devastation wrought by wartime trauma† (Neilson 193). One sees the effect of the trauma even if the characters previous personalities aren’t kn own. The killing also has a big affect on O’Brien. O’Brien also talks about how the man he kills changes him because it is such a big deal to take a life. The author describes the soldier he kills. He describes everything from his wounds to his figure. He was a slim, dead, almost dainty young man of about twenty. He lay at the center of the red clay trail near the village of My Khe. His jaw was in his throat. His eye was shut, the other eye was a star shaped hole. I killed him. (O’Brien 203). Once O’Brien killed this man he was â€Å"broken in† to Vietnam. He no longer was clean, he was now dirty. â€Å"His first kill hastens his loss of innocence† (Herzog 133). The soldiers in the war aren’t the only ones who were changed by Vietnam. One soldier brings his girlfriend from the states to visit him in Vietnam. He has her flown in through cargo planes and brought to his camp. At first she is glad to see her boyfriend and one can tell they are in love because they spend every minute together. She begins to get curious though and wonders off camp many times to explore. Then one night she goes missing and she is gone for a couple of days. She returns with the â€Å"Greenies† or Green Berets. She tells him not to ask and not to worry about it and acts like she has done nothing wrong. This happens many other times and the soldier can tell that he is beginning to lose her. â€Å"When she begins disappearing with the ‘greenies’ and taking part in the night ambushes, she melts into ‘a small, soft shadow'† (Chen 90). She becomes something she originally wasn’t. Mary Anne starts to become one with Vietnam and she totally forgets about her boyfriend. In the end she is lost forever to Vietnam. â€Å"It becomes impossible to distinguish between Mary Anne and Vietnam† (Chen 91). Her boyfriend loses her and she is lost to Vietnam. Just one of many casualties of the war. â€Å"But in his final story O’Brien moves from his concern with moral corruption and war to one even more universally human: death† (O’Gorman 306). O’Brien also loses many things in the war. The worst part of the Vietnam War that O’Brien shows is his loss of companions and friends. The author talks many times about his comrades throughout the book. He loses many people close to him personally and physically. â€Å"There are five deaths in the novel†¦. Ted Lavender, Curt Lemon, Kiowa, Linda, and the slim Vietcong soldier† (Martin 1). The worst is the loss of his good friend. O’Brien loses his good and best friend there, Kiowa, in the shitfield. This death is the most devastating to him because of how it happened in the muck and because he was a good friend. â€Å"Kiowa was gone. He was under the mud and water, folded in with the war: Kiowa’s death actually makes him a part of the shitfield† (Chen 93). It is also very devastating because all of the men feel guilt about it because they couldn’t pull him out in time to possibly save him. Kiowa’s death is also pointless and has no purpose except to cause pain to his friends. â€Å"In the story of Kiowa’s death, we find a combination of senselessness of war with the guilt that must be carried by other† (Martin 2). This death affects everyone in the platoon but not all deaths are gruesome and ugly. An accident kills one of the young men, named Curt Lemon, and it’s described by O’Brien as an almost beautiful death. They were just goofing. There was a noise, I supposed, which must’ve been the detonator, so I glanced behind me and watched Lemon step from the shade into bright sunlight†¦.when he died it was almost beautiful, the way the sunlight came around him and lifted him up and sucked him high into a tree full of moss and vines and white blossoms. (O’Brien 70) The two soldiers are just playing a simple game and it all ends so suddenly. â€Å"He is playing a game with another soldier, a game of toss with a smoke grenade, when he accidentally steps on a landmine† (Martin 2). Lemon and O’Brien weren’t as good as friends as him and Kiowa but it was a bothersome death because Lemon was so young. â€Å"O’Brien speaks of him stepping into the light, and then the blast sucks him up into the trees†¦.what bothers O’Brien is that Curt Lemon is just a kid† (Martin 2). The death isn’t all-beautiful. O’Brien describes the mess that is made by the accident. â€Å"The white bone of an arm†¦.pieces of skin and something wet and yellow that must’ve been the intestines† (O’Brien 89). Another casualty happens because of bad luck. Lee Strunk dies in battle during a firefight. O’Brien describes the wound that Strunk gets. â€Å"In October Lee Strunk stepped on a rigged mortar round. It took off his right leg at the knee†¦.then he panicked. He tried to get up and run, but there was nothing left to run on† (O’Brien 65). Strunk didn’t die right away but not all death occur right after the accident happens. â€Å"Later we heard that Strunk died somewhere over Chu Lai† (O’Brien 66). The last death happens because of carelessness. Ted Lavender was always doped up and this in the end leads to his death. While going to the bathroom in the woods Lieutenant Cross is daydreaming and not keeping watch for enemy soldiers. While coming back from his bathroom break Lavender is shot in the head and killed on the spot. Cross never forgives himself for his death because he was daydreaming about girls and one of his men was killed. â€Å"Several incidents in The Things They Carried reveal moments when the male soldiers cannot communicate with one another† (Vernon 171). Death is only a small part of the whole picture. Tim O’Brien shows many of the negative sides of the war to the reader in ways that the reader can see how bad war is. He uses the examples of his friends dying, the whole ordeal in the shitfield, how war changes the men including the mental effects, and by showing how hateful one can become because of the stressful situations and the things one sees. O’Brien feels that he has to show all the negative sides of the war because he never wanted to go to war in the first place. Men go to war to fight battle that could be worked out peacefully and they fight and die for no reason. He feels that war is a bad thing and wants to show the reader that it’s a terrible thing and he does this very well. Even today war is a problem. Many young men are dying for no reason and it needs to stop. Works Cited Chen, Tina. â€Å"Unraveling the Deeper Meaning: Exile and the Embodied poetics of Displacement in Tim O’Briens The Things They Carried.† Contemporary Literature 29.1 (spring 1998): 77-98. Herzog, Tobey C. Vietnam War Stories Innocence Lost. London: Routledge, 1992. Martin, Paul L. 24 March, 2008. http://plmartinwrite.blogspot.com/2007/11/things-they-carried.html Neilson, Jim. Warring Fictions. Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 1998 O’Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. New York: Broadway Books, 1990. O’Gorman, Farrel. â€Å"The Things They Carried as a Composite Novel.† War, Lit, and the Arts. Vernon, Alex. â€Å"Salvation, Storytelling and Pilgrimage in Tim O’Brien’s the Things They Carried.† Mosaic (Winnipeg) 36.4 (2003): 171+. Questia. 19 Mar. 2008 .

Report on Business Level Strategy

BUSINESS LEVEL STRATEGY Any given organization may comprise a number of different businesses. Each operating in distinct markets and serving different customers. A market is defined by demand conditions and based on an organization’s customers and potential customers. Industry is determined by supply conditions and based on production technology. Business level strategy is a means of separating out and formulating a competitive strategy at the level of individual business unit.This is sometimes referred to as a Strategic Business Unit (SBU). A Strategic Business Unit is a distinct part of an organization which focuses upon a particular market or markets for its products and services. The parent company sets the overall or corporate strategy. The role of the business unit is to devise a strategy which allows it to compete successfully in the marketplace and to contribute to the corporate strategy. GENERIC STRATEGYA sustainable competitive advantage is about performing different activities or performing similar activities in a different ways. In other words, the firm must be capable of producing value for the customer that is recognized as being superior to that of its competitors. Michael Porter (1980) developed three generic strategies to help an organization outperform rivals within an industry, and so successfully position itself against the five forces.These strategies are referred to as generic because they apply to different types of organizations in different industries. The first of these three strategies is called Overall Cost Leadership. A cost leadership strategy involves a firm being the lowest cost producer within the industry. This allows the firm to outperform the rivals within the industry because it can charge lower prices and its lowest cost base still allows it to earn profit. In effect, this firm can charge the lowest price within the industry which the rivals simply cannot match.Therefore, a cost leadership strategy allows the firm to make superior profits. A Differentiation Strategy is based on producing products or services which are perceived by the customers as unique or different. A differentiated product has the opportunity to meet different customer needs more closely. It is the difference that is the basis on which the customers are prepared to pay a premium price. Clearly, the cost of producing differentiation must not outweigh the price being charged.Or, put another way, customer should be prepared to pay a price which exceeds the costs of differentiation, thereby allowing the organization to earn superior profits. The third Strategy is referred to as a Focus Strategy. A Focus Strategy allows an organization to target a segment of niche within a market. The segment may be based on a particular customer group, geographical markets, or specific product lines. Unlike overall cost leadership and differentiation strategies which are industry-wide, a focus strategy is aimed at serving a particular target mar ket efficiency.

Case Study †Operations Management Essay

1.0 INTRODUCTION Operations management is defined as â€Å"the activity of managing the resources which produce and deliver products and services† (Slack et al. 2010 p4). This encompasses the entire activity carried out within the organization. With increasing pressure on organizations to deliver optimally at reduced cost, the role of operations has been transformed from that of strategy implementer to one of strategy driver. Operations strategy looks at the patterns of strategic decisions and actions in a bid to set the roles, objectives and activities of the operations (Slack et al. 2010). An understanding of these strategies is important in ensuring that organizations are well aware of the requirements needed to meet the corporate objectives set about by management. The report looks at a case study of Concept design services (CDS); a product based manufacturing company looking to break into service operations. It seeks to identify current strategy types evidenced in the organization and the role operations play in the implementation of this strategies. Also considered is the relationship between the core functions highlighting possible conflicts, current practices and perceived strengths and weaknesses. Issues such as servitization and growth strategies are considered in relation to the companies push for development in line with its desire to become a service provider. An analysis of the impact it will have on the company’s manufacturing and service departments is also considered. Finally, recommendations that will ensure operations develop with the new growth plan is presented to management. 2.0 STRATEGIES IN CONCEPT DESIGN Within CDS, there is evidence of an amalgamation of strategies. With a diversification of the company’s portfolio, the corporate strategy of the organization had to be reflecting the changing scenario of the business environment. To identify the different strategy types within CDS, there is first a need to understand what strategy is. Strategy can be defined has â€Å"the total pattern of decisions and actions that  position the organization in its environment and that are intended to achieve its long-term goals† (Slack et al. 2010 P79). Strategy has also been described as the long term direction an organization intends to go (Johnson et al. 2011). In achieving an over arching strategy, three levels of strategies have to be considered; corporate level, business level and operational level. The formulation of these strategies will determine how the different organizational strategies will interact with one another (Zanon et al. 2013) While corporate level strategy deals with the overall purpose and scope of an organization such as where to locate the business, what type of business to engage in; business level strategy is more concerned with the various ways the business can compete successfully against other competitors in its segment. Functional strategy looks at ways in which individual functions can contribute to the overall objective of the organization. Operations strategy is concerned with the strategic decision and actions that set roles, objectives and activities of the operations (Slack et al. 2010). It focuses more on how the different parts of the organization can deliver on set strategies through the management of resources, processes and people. Operations strategy’s primary role is to implement strategy, but with continuous business growth, operations is expected to support and drive the organizations strategy. This will see it contributing to the competitive advantage of the firm (Slack et al. 2010). This is aptly captured in Hayes and wheelwrights four stage model of operations contribution. Figure 1. Hayes and Wheelwrights four-stage model of operations contribution. Adapted from Slack et al. 2010 Slack et al. (2010), identified four different perspective to operations strategy; Top-down, bottom up, market requirement perspective and resource based perspective. He noted though that all four perspectives are required for proper understanding of operations strategy. Although the strategies employed by organizations may differ, it remains important to reconcile the needs of the market with operational resources  (Slack and Lewis 2008). Hence, it is important to analyse the process through which market needs are aligned with operational realities, thereby ensuring that operation can deliver what it is being asked of them and that this alignment will endure over time (Zanon et al. 2013). Evidenced in CDS operations is the implementation of two of the identified perspectives; Market requirement and Operations resource perspective. 2.1MARKET REQUIREMENT PERSPECTIVE ANALYSIS A market requirement perspective focuses on what market position requires of operations (Slack et al. 2010). Its focus is not just on the industry, but it considers where the organization intends to compete as well as the nature of competition ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­ (Lowson 2002). Hill (1985), suggested that to win orders in the market place, organizations operations strategy and the marketing strategy need to be in sync. CDS Marketing function identified a trend that seems to have worked for retailers in the decorative product industry. They realised the importance of fashion trends and its appeal to people. This market requirement led to the creation of a whole new industry. The need for premium, high quality household product characterised by the many different colour range became a market qualifying criteria that drove marketing’s strategy. This strategy was in line with the overall organizations strategy that saw a shift in the focus of its production of industrial injection-mould plastics to popular household items. In a bid to meet markets demand, supply services had to upscale its machineries by procuring additional large injection moulding machines to cater for the rapidly growing volume of products. Also, the design team had to be one step ahead of the competition by ensuring that they had a range of products that will keep customers engaged. Hence, the case study has shown that CDS have been able to develop its operations strategy by allowing operations meet the performance criteria required by the market (Slack et al. 2004). 2.2OPERATIONS RESOURCE PERSPECTIVE ANALYSIS In the case of operation resource perspective or resource based view (RBV),  focus is on the organizations operation resources, competencies and capabilities (Lowson 2002). It focuses on the key strengths of the organization, looking at internal resources that cannot be purchased externally, thus providing the firm with competitive advantage through superior performance (Clulow et al. 2007; Fahey and Smithee 1999; Barney 1991). With operations-led, strategy is developed through sound understanding of current operational capabilities and an analysis of how it can be developed in the future (Slack et al. 2004). An understanding of the organizations strength will then influence the decision as to which markets should be considered for the deployment of current or future capabilities, and which competitors can pose a threat or can be taken advantage of (Hayes et al. 2005). CDS have clearly shown the strength of their operations over the years. Early experience gained from the manufacturing of industrial products have set them miles ahead of competition. This is evidenced in the quality of their product which drove sales to record highs and resulted in retail outlets signing up for the organizations product. The company prides itself on its technical abilities which has been achieved not just from years of experience but by investing in machineries. CDS have acquired latest precision equipment’s with the best quality moulds available. The technical knowledge of the employees also provides the company a unique advantage. Another area of operations that provides competitive advantage for the organization is its design expertise. CDS have in its employ professionally respected designers with the know-how of translating difficult technical designs into manufacturable saleable products. This has provided the organization leverage when dealing with design houses. The company is clearly leveraging on its operations resources, competencies and capabilities to obtain competitive advantage. 3.0AN ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CORE FUNCTIONS Within the context of any organization, there are 3 functions that must exist for the organization to realize its goals of meeting customers need. They are; 1) The marketing function 2) The product/service development function 3) The operations function The marketing function which also comprises of the sales unit is primarily responsible for communicating what product/services the organization has to offer to consumers in a bid to generate customers’ requests for the service. The product development functions’ responsibility is to create new and modified products and services in order to generate future customer request for services. And lastly, the operations function is responsible for fulfilling customers request for service through the production and delivery of products and services (Slack et al. 2010). The ability to effectively work with other functions in the organization is a key responsibility for the operation function (Slack et al. 2010; Zanon et al. 2013). Research as shown that in most organizations, different functions within the organization usually employ their own strategies to assist them in realizing their functional objectives. This unfortunately is a basis for corporate misunderstanding, inter-functional differences and rivalry (Hill 2005).While the objective of the operations function remains the production of goods and services whilst managing resources, it has to also manage its relationship with other functions of the organization. Due to the nature of its strategic importance, the operations function usually has conflicts with other functions. MARKETING In determining an organizations strategic objective, operations and marketing usually adopt different approaches. While marketing tends to emphasise improved service features that appeal to customers, operations focus more on efficiency and cost control (Nie and Young 1997). Erickson (2010), stated that the main reason operations and marketing functions in an organization have conflict is due to their perceived differing objectives. Largely, trade-offs are responsible for the conflicts between these functions as they attempt to balance competing priorities (Tang 2010). It is therefore important that organizations manage trade-offs in a manner that will ensure that they don’t compromise the over-arching organizational strategy for gaining competitive advantage. Zanon et al. (2013) in their research identified certain paradigm that organizations needed to implement for the  successful collaboration of the two functions. They argued that there is a need for alignment between market needs and operational realities. The objective here is to satisfy market needs while using appropriate operational resources and jointly developing those resources so that the operations department can acquire new capabilities and provide the firm with sustainable competitive advantage. The marketing function at CDS have been able to effectively market/communicate the value of their products to the market, this is evidenced in the phenomenal growth of the company. Through innovation, extensive advertisement – both on TV and in illustrated magazines, they have been able to drive sales of CDS products. The function have successfully carved a niche market for the organization through the portrayal of its products has been â€Å"classy† and for the upwardly mobile individual. Product differentiation, design partnership and extensive research, combined with a marketing manager with lots of experience and autonomy working with an experienced, technically astute manufacturing department has resulted in the success of the CDS products. The function has also been able to market itself and the value it can give to design houses in Europe. Through its marketing activities, CDS is moving from being just a manufacturer of commodities to a provider of services. Despite the progress that have been recorded by CDS, there still seems to be a misalignment between the marketing and operation functions. With the success of CDS products and the continuous innovation drive of the organization, it would seem that the marketing function is failing to acknowledge the limitations of the company’s capacity. CDS have a problem with the storage of finished goods and this has impacted on the delivery of product availability from supply services. They are currently struggling to ensure that they meet SKU stocking levels. Another problem has been the issue of proper planning and effective forecasting by the marketing team. The seasonal nature of CDS products requires that the marketing function carries out comprehensive forecasting to try and anticipate demand. Currently, poor forecasting by the function is costing the organization. Supply services have to deal constantly with issues of utilization,  efficiency and growing scarp rates; this is as a result of ad-hoc requests for urgent production to meet with un-planned demand. To minimize wastage and ensure proper alignment, marketing and operations will have to network and collaborate better (Johansen and Riis 2005) to ensure that the over corporate objectives are met. NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT (NPD) â€Å"NPD is defined as the transformation of a market opportunity into a product available for sale, through a set of activities executed in a logical way, sequentially and concurrently† (Almeida and Miguel 2007). It allows organizations to gain competitive advantage, attract new customers, retain existing customers, and strengthen their ties with the distribution networks (Kotler and Keller 2006). Organizations that successfully introduce new products do so through a well-developed process that leads from creative designs to a successful launch of the product by focusing on satisfying specific customer needs (Chandra and Neelankavil 2008). The attainment of this task will require NPD to collaborate closely with both operations and marketing. NPD, in comparison to other functions is usually characterised by a high degree of uncertainty, risk and high cost to make changes to initial decisions made (Slack et al. 2010). For CDS, NPD is responsible for transforming designs from marketing into workable design moulds. Operations then ensure that the products from the mould are standardized and tested appropriately and efficiently. The moulds then have to be tested on the production machines. A great deal of inter-functional collaboration is required to ensure that proper scheduling is in place to enable NDP carry out testing without disrupting production. Getting this right is easier said. The reality is that there is usually a delay in getting the moulds from the suppliers in South Korea. This will then result in a need for an urgent test of the moulds. That said, CDSs’ NPD function are technically sound. They have managed to build for themselves a reputation of being able to overcome problems with designs regardless of its nature. The NPD function contributes to the organizations unique operations resource. 4.0 AN EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT ON THE OPERATION OF THE  MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE DEPARTMENTS CDS like most manufacturing organizations are starting to appreciate the intrinsic value of adopting servitization as a practice. Servitization have been described as the process of transforming manufacturers to compete through product-service systems rather than products alone (Baines et al. 2007). The rationale for this transition from ‘purely product’ to ‘product- service’ or ‘purely service’ can be viewed from three perspectives (Oliva and Kallenberg 2003). They identified the reasons as; First, economic. Research has shown that substantial revenue can be generated from products with a long life cycle; also services in general have higher margins than products and services also provides a more stable source of revenue as they are resistant to the economic cycles that drive investment and equipment purchases. Secondly, there is pressure on organizations from customers demanding more services. This has led to firms adopting a narrow definition of core competencies while increasing their dependence on technology to help in their bid to specialize. Lastly, it is viewed as providing competitive advantage. The less visible a service is, and the more labour dependent it gets, the more the probability of imitation reduces (Oliva and Kallenberg 2003). Manufacturing has long moved beyond production alone and a combination of both products and service business model are now generally accepted as playing a key role in the success of any modern business (Baines et al. 2014). Companies that have adopted the concept of servitization will probably not follow the product-service classification, but will instead seek to distinguish on the basis of the value proposition with their customers (Baines and Lightfoot 2013). This is the case in CDS, where the company have had to adopt differing service model while dealing with the design houses and retailer service market. While the design houses have adopted a proposition that sees both companies working together – that is the customer wants the company to work with them (Baines et al. 2014), the retailers on the other hand, are happy to leave the management of the entire operation to CDS. Baines et al. (2014) have identified this differing forms of proposition has been ‘base’, ‘intermediate’ and ‘advanced services’. The relationship between the retailer services market and CDS can be classified as advanced. This categorization of product-service offering is centred on  the idea that due to the competencies of the company, maintenance and workability of the operations should be managed by the provider of the service. A feature of this type of offering includes customer support agreements, risk and reward sharing contract, and revenue through use contact (Baines and Lightfoot 2013). To meet with demand, and ensure that customer’s needs are met in terms of product availability, CDS will have to increase its production lines and increase holding capacity. Storage facilities will have to be located closer to the location of their customers. Localised facilities will ensure that store replenishment lead times are reduced. CDS will also have to invest in ICT. Setting up an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system will help connect the stores database with that of CDS. That way, they can easily track inventory levels and are able to respond in a proactive manner. Also, Oliva and Kallenberg (2003) argued that a good practice will be to set up a new service department whose focus will be to drive and improve performance objectives. The consolidation of the service offered is usually accompanied by a strong initiative to improve the efficiency, quality and delivery time of the services provided, and the creation of additional services to supplement the service offering. The consolidation of services also comes with the development of a monitoring system to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the service delivery. This monitoring system allows managers realize the size of the service market and account for services’ contribution to the firm’s operations (Oliva and Kallenberg 2003). Internally, these changes create the transparency of numbers needed to get a clear sense of direction and to monitor the success or failure of executed changes (Oliva and Kallenberg 2003). Externally, the improvement of quality will establish CDS as a reputable service provider among its clients. CDS has seen steady and continuous growth over the years, albeit its focus had been centred on a single product type. With the recent direction of the organization, there are real concerns surrounding it rapid growth and its diversification into services. Southard and Swenseth (2003) identified certain issues that evolving organizations encounter due to rapid growth, they include bottle-necks, back-orders, and decreased profits despite increased sales. Some of these issues are evidenced in CDS. The rapid growth  of the organization has resulted in capacity related issues. There is one in every twelve chances of a product not being available, continuous scheduling disruption due to demand surpassing supply and the popularity of its product and wide acceptance usually leads to stock outs. The manufacturing function seems to be stretched to the limit with support services equally struggling. It would seem that the organization is currently unprepared for the changes. 5.0RECOMMENDATION TO MANAGEMENT In line with the company’s objective for growth, it has become imperative to address the operational issues that can hinder the organizations growth strategy. Using the product/service lifecycle to analyse the organizations current operations, it is obvious that the transition from being a purely product based manufacturing company to a product-service based organization is still in the infancy state. This is characterised by uncertainty as customer’s needs are not well understood. Hence, operations management will be required to develop flexibility to cope with any changes and be able to give the product/service performance that will ensure quality is maintained (Slack et al. 2010). Other issues to be considered by management includes; the issue of capacity management. To meet with the demand of the market and its growth strategy, CDS will be required to get more warehouses and hold more inventories. The plastic business is clearly one of volume; hence CDS has to ensure that it maintains its status of been a reliable supplier. It also has to effectively operationalize it marketing strategy. The company is currently plagued by poor forecasting and planning. There is a need to upscale the competencies of the sales representatives. This will enable them gather appropriate data that can then be fed into the organizations planning to help reduce scheduling related issues, stock outs and disruptions. Also required is an alignment between the strategies of the core functions. Regular business meetings, where issues relating to each function get tabled will help build better understanding among the different functions. REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY ALMEIDA, L.F. and MIGUEL, P., 2007. Managing new product development process: A proposal of a theoretical model about their dimensions and the dynamics  of the process. Unpublished Phd. thesis, Universidade de Sao Paulo. BAINES, T., LIGHTFOOT, H. and SMART, P., 2011. Servitization within manufacturing. Exploring the provision of advanced services and their impact on vertical integration. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 22(7), pp. 947-954 BAINES, T. et al., 2013. Servitization of Manufacture. Exploring the deployment and skills of people critical to the delivery of advanced services. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 24(4), pp. 637-646 BAINES, T. and LIGHTFOOT, H.W., 2014. Servitzation of the manufacturing firm. Exploring the operations practices and technologies that deliver advanced services. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 34(1), pp. 2-35 BARNEY, J., 1991. Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), pp. 99-120 CALANTONE , R., DROGE, C. and VICKERY, S., 2002. Investigating the manufacturing -market interface in new product development. Journal of Operations Management, 20, pp. 273-287 CHANDRA, M. and NEELANKAVIL, J.P., 2008. Product development and innovation for developing countries. Journal of Management Development, 27(10), pp. 1017 – 1025 CLULOW, V., BARRY, C. and GERSTMAN, J., 2007. The resource-based view and value: the customer-based view of the firm. Journal of European Industrial Training, 31(1), pp. 19-35 FAHY, J. and SMITHEE, A., 1999. Strategic marketing and the resorce-based view of the firm. Academy of Marketing Science Review, 10, pp. 1-21 JOHNSTON, R., 1999. Service Operations Management: return to roots. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 19(2), pp. 104-124 KOTLER, P. and KELLER, K.L., 2006. Marketing management. 12th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. LIGHTFOOT, H., BAINES, T. and SMART, P., 2013. The servitization of manufacturing . A systematic litera ture review of interdependent trends. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 33(11/12), pp. 1408-1434 LOWSON, R.H., 2002. Operations strategy: genealogy, classification and anatomy. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 22(10), pp. 1112-1129 MILLER, A. and DESS, G.G., 1993. ASSESSING PORTER’S (1980) MODEL IN TERMS OF ITS GENERALIZABILITY, ACCURACY AND SIMPLICITY. Journal of Management Science, 30(4), pp. 553-585 OLIVA, R. and KALLENBERG, R., 2003. Managing the transition from products to services. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 14(2), pp. 160-172 PRASAD, S., BABBAR, S. and MOTWANI, J., 2001. International operations strategy: current efforts and future directions. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 21(5/6), pp. 645-665 RAMASESHAN, B., ISHAK, A. and RUSSEL, P.J., 2013. Interactive effects of marketing strategy formulation and implementation upon firms performance. Journal of Marketing Management, 29(11-12), pp. 1224 -1250 SOUTHARD, P.B. and SWENSETH, S.R., 2003. Transitioning operations to accommodate growing pains in evolving companies: an application of product profiling to a service company. Management Decision, 41(6), pp. 578-586 ZANON, J.C. et al., 2013. Alignment of operations strategy: exploring the marketing interface. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 113(2), pp. 207-233

Angels Demons Chapter 62-63

62 Langdon's progress around his side of the Pantheon was being hampered somewhat by the guide on his heels, now continuing his tireless narration as Langdon prepared to check the final alcove. â€Å"You certainly seem to be enjoying those niches!† the docent said, looking delighted. â€Å"Were you aware that the tapering thickness of the walls is the reason the dome appears weightless?† Langdon nodded, not hearing a word as he prepared to examine another niche. Suddenly someone grabbed him from behind. It was Vittoria. She was breathless and tugging at his arm. From the look of terror on her face, Langdon could only imagine one thing. She found a body. He felt an upswelling of dread. â€Å"Ah, your wife!† the docent exclaimed, clearly thrilled to have another guest. He motioned to her short pants and hiking boots. â€Å"Now you I can tell are American!† Vittoria's eyes narrowed. â€Å"I'm Italian.† The guide's smile dimmed. â€Å"Oh, dear.† â€Å"Robert,† Vittoria whispered, trying to turn her back on the guide. â€Å"Galileo's Diagramma. I need to see it.† â€Å"Diagramma?† the docent said, wheedling back in. â€Å"My! You two certainly know your history! Unfortunately that document is not viewable. It is under secret preservation in the Vatican Arc – â€Å" â€Å"Could you excuse us?† Langdon said. He was confused by Vittoria's panic. He took her aside and reached in his pocket, carefully extracting the Diagramma folio. â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"What's the date on this thing?† Vittoria demanded, scanning the sheet. The docent was on them again, staring at the folio, mouth agape. â€Å"That's not†¦ really†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Tourist reproduction,† Langdon quipped. â€Å"Thank you for your help. Please, my wife and I would like a moment alone.† The docent backed off, eyes never leaving the paper. â€Å"Date,† Vittoria repeated to Langdon. â€Å"When did Galileo publish†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Langdon pointed to the Roman numeral in the lower liner. â€Å"That's the pub date. What's going on?† Vittoria deciphered the number. â€Å"1639?† â€Å"Yes. What's wrong?† Vittoria's eyes filled with foreboding. â€Å"We're in trouble, Robert. Big trouble. The dates don't match.† â€Å"What dates don't match?† â€Å"Raphael's tomb. He wasn't buried here until 1759. A century after Diagramma was published.† Langdon stared at her, trying to make sense of the words. â€Å"No,† he replied. â€Å"Raphael died in 1520, long before Diagramma.† â€Å"Yes, but he wasn't buried here until much later.† Langdon was lost. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"I just read it. Raphael's body was relocated to the Pantheon in 1758. It was part of some historic tribute to eminent Italians.† As the words settled in, Langdon felt like a rug had just been yanked out from under him. â€Å"When that poem was written,† Vittoria declared, â€Å"Raphael's tomb was somewhere else. Back then, the Pantheon had nothing at all to do with Raphael!† Langdon could not breathe. â€Å"But that†¦ means†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes! It means we're in the wrong place!† Langdon felt himself sway. Impossible†¦ I was certain†¦ Vittoria ran over and grabbed the docent, pulling him back. â€Å"Signore, excuse us. Where was Raphael's body in the 1600s?† â€Å"Urb†¦ Urbino,† he stammered, now looking bewildered. â€Å"His birthplace.† â€Å"Impossible!† Langdon cursed to himself. â€Å"The Illuminati altars of science were here in Rome. I'm certain of it!† â€Å"Illuminati?† The docent gasped, looking again at the document in Langdon's hand. â€Å"Who are you people?† Vittoria took charge. â€Å"We're looking for something called Santi's earthly tomb. In Rome. Can you tell us what that might be?† The docent looked unsettled. â€Å"This was Raphael's only tomb in Rome.† Langdon tried to think, but his mind refused to engage. If Raphael's tomb wasn't in Rome in 1655, then what was the poem referring to? Santi's earthly tomb with demon's hole? What the hell is it? Think! â€Å"Was there another artist called Santi?† Vittoria asked. The docent shrugged. â€Å"Not that I know of.† â€Å"How about anyone famous at all? Maybe a scientist or a poet or an astronomer named Santi?† The docent now looked like he wanted to leave. â€Å"No, ma'am. The only Santi I've ever heard of is Raphael the architect.† â€Å"Architect?† Vittoria said. â€Å"I thought he was a painter!† â€Å"He was both, of course. They all were. Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael.† Langdon didn't know whether it was the docent's words or the ornate tombs around them that brought the revelation to mind, but it didn't matter. The thought occurred. Santi was an architect. From there the progression of thoughts fell like dominoes. Renaissance architects lived for only two reasons – to glorify God with big churches, and to glorify dignitaries with lavish tombs. Santi's tomb. Could it be? The images came faster now†¦ da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Monet's Water Lilies. Michelangelo's David. Santi's earthly tomb†¦ â€Å"Santi designed the tomb,† Langdon said. Vittoria turned. â€Å"What?† â€Å"It's not a reference to where Raphael is buried, it's referring to a tomb he designed.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"I misunderstood the clue. It's not Raphael's burial site we're looking for, it's a tomb Raphael designed for someone else. I can't believe I missed it. Half of the sculpting done in Renaissance and Baroque Rome was for the funeraries.† Langdon smiled with the revelation. â€Å"Raphael must have designed hundreds of tombs!† Vittoria did not look happy. â€Å"Hundreds?† Langdon's smile faded. â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"Any of them earthly, professor?† Langdon felt suddenly inadequate. He knew embarrassingly little about Raphael's work. Michelangelo he could have helped with, but Raphael's work had never captivated him. Langdon could only name a couple of Raphael's more famous tombs, but he wasn't sure what they looked like. Apparently sensing Langdon's stymie, Vittoria turned to the docent, who was now inching away. She grabbed his arm and reeled him in. â€Å"I need a tomb. Designed by Raphael. A tomb that could be considered earthly.† The docent now looked distressed. â€Å"A tomb of Raphael's? I don't know. He designed so many. And you probably would mean a chapel by Raphael, not a tomb. Architects always designed the chapels in conjunction with the tomb.† Langdon realized the man was right. â€Å"Are any of Raphael's tombs or chapels considered earthly?† The man shrugged. â€Å"I'm sorry. I don't know what you mean. Earthly really doesn't describe anything I know of. I should be going.† Vittoria held his arm and read from the top line of the folio. â€Å"From Santi's earthly tomb with demon's hole. Does that mean anything to you?† â€Å"Not a thing.† Langdon looked up suddenly. He had momentarily forgotten the second part of the line. Demon's hole? â€Å"Yes!† he said to the docent. â€Å"That's it! Do any of Raphael's chapels have an oculus in them?† The docent shook his head. â€Å"To my knowledge the Pantheon is unique.† He paused. â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But what!† Vittoria and Langdon said in unison. Now the docent cocked his head, stepping toward them again. â€Å"A demon's hole?† He muttered to himself and picked at his teeth. â€Å"Demon's hole†¦ that is†¦ buco divolo?† Vittoria nodded. â€Å"Literally, yes.† The docent smiled faintly. â€Å"Now there's a term I have not heard in a while. If I'm not mistaken, a buco divolo refers to an undercroft.† â€Å"An undercroft?† Langdon asked. â€Å"As in a crypt?† â€Å"Yes, but a specific kind of crypt. I believe a demon's hole is an ancient term for a massive burial cavity located in a chapel†¦ underneath another tomb.† â€Å"An ossuary annex?† Langdon demanded, immediately recognizing what the man was describing. The docent looked impressed. â€Å"Yes! That is the term I was looking for!† Langdon considered it. Ossuary annexes were a cheap ecclesiastic fix to an awkward dilemma. When churches honored their most distinguished members with ornate tombs inside the sanctuary, surviving family members often demanded the family be buried together†¦ thus ensuring they too would have a coveted burial spot inside the church. However, if the church did not have space or funds to create tombs for an entire family, they sometimes dug an ossuary annex – a hole in the floor near the tomb where they buried the less worthy family members. The hole was then covered with the Renaissance equivalent of a manhole cover. Although convenient, the ossuary annex went out of style quickly because of the stench that often wafted up into the cathedral. Demon's hole, Langdon thought. He had never heard the term. It seemed eerily fitting. Langdon's heart was now pounding fiercely. From Santi's earthly tomb with demon's hole. There seemed to be only one question left to ask. â€Å"Did Raphael design any tombs that had one of these demon's holes?† The docent scratched his head. â€Å"Actually. I'm sorry†¦ I can only think of one.† Only one? Langdon could not have dreamed of a better response. â€Å"Where!† Vittoria almost shouted. The docent eyed them strangely. â€Å"It's called the Chigi Chapel. Tomb of Agostino Chigi and his brother, wealthy patrons of the arts and sciences.† â€Å"Sciences?† Langdon said, exchanging looks with Vittoria. â€Å"Where?† Vittoria asked again. The docent ignored the question, seeming enthusiastic again to be of service. â€Å"As for whether or not the tomb is earthly, I don't know, but certainly it is†¦ shall we say differente.† â€Å"Different?† Langdon said. â€Å"How?† â€Å"Incoherent with the architecture. Raphael was only the architect. Some other sculptor did the interior adornments. I can't remember who.† Langdon was now all ears. The anonymous Illuminati master, perhaps? â€Å"Whoever did the interior monuments lacked taste,† the docent said. â€Å"Dio mio! Atrocits! Who would want to be buried beneath piramides?† Langdon could scarcely believe his ears. â€Å"Pyramids? The chapel contains pyramids?† â€Å"I know,† the docent scoffed. â€Å"Terrible, isn't it?† Vittoria grabbed the docent's arm. â€Å"Signore, where is this Chigi Chapel?† â€Å"About a mile north. In the church of Santa Maria del Popolo.† Vittoria exhaled. â€Å"Thank you. Let's – â€Å" â€Å"Hey,† the docent said, â€Å"I just thought of something. What a fool I am.† Vittoria stopped short. â€Å"Please don't tell me you made a mistake.† He shook his head. â€Å"No, but it should have dawned on me earlier. The Chigi Chapel was not always known as the Chigi. It used to be called Capella della Terra.† â€Å"Chapel of the Land?† Langdon asked. â€Å"No,† Vittoria said, heading for the door. â€Å"Chapel of the Earth.† Vittoria Vetra whipped out her cell phone as she dashed into Piazza della Rotunda. â€Å"Commander Olivetti,† she said. â€Å"This is the wrong place!† Olivetti sounded bewildered. â€Å"Wrong? What do you mean?† â€Å"The first altar of science is at the Chigi Chapel!† â€Å"Where?† Now Olivetti sounded angry. â€Å"But Mr. Langdon said – â€Å" â€Å"Santa Maria del Popolo! One mile north. Get your men over there now! We've got four minutes!† â€Å"But my men are in position here! I can't possibly – â€Å" â€Å"Move!† Vittoria snapped the phone shut. Behind her, Langdon emerged from the Pantheon, dazed. She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the queue of seemingly driverless taxis waiting by the curb. She pounded on the hood of the first car in line. The sleeping driver bolted upright with a startled yelp. Vittoria yanked open the rear door and pushed Langdon inside. Then she jumped in behind him. â€Å"Santa Maria del Popolo,† she ordered. â€Å"Presto!† Looking delirious and half terrified, the driver hit the accelerator, peeling out down the street. 63 Gunther Glick had assumed control of the computer from Chinita Macri, who now stood hunched in the back of the cramped BBC van staring in confusion over Glick's shoulder. â€Å"I told you,† Glick said, typing some more keys. â€Å"The British Tattler isn't the only paper that runs stories on these guys.† Macri peered closer. Glick was right. The BBC database showed their distinguished network as having picked up and run six stories in the past ten years on the brotherhood called the Illuminati. Well, paint me purple, she thought. â€Å"Who are the journalists who ran the stories,† Macri asked. â€Å"Schlock jocks?† â€Å"BBC doesn't hire schlock jocks.† â€Å"They hired you.† Glick scowled. â€Å"I don't know why you're such a skeptic. The Illuminati are well documented throughout history.† â€Å"So are witches, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster.† Glick read the list of stories. â€Å"You ever heard of a guy called Winston Churchill?† â€Å"Rings a bell.† â€Å"BBC did a historical a while back on Churchill's life. Staunch Catholic by the way. Did you know that in 1920 Churchill published a statement condemning the Illuminati and warning Brits of a worldwide conspiracy against morality?† Macri was dubious. â€Å"Where did it run? In the British Tattler?† Glick smiled. â€Å"London Herald. February 8, 1920.† â€Å"No way.† â€Å"Feast your eyes.† Macri looked closer at the clip. London Herald. Feb. 8, 1920. I had no idea. â€Å"Well, Churchill was a paranoid.† â€Å"He wasn't alone,† Glick said, reading further. â€Å"Looks like Woodrow Wilson gave three radio broadcasts in 1921 warning of growing Illuminati control over the U.S. banking system. You want a direct quote from the radio transcript?† â€Å"Not really.† Glick gave her one anyway. â€Å"He said, ‘There is a power so organized, so subtle, so complete, so pervasive, that none had better speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.' â€Å" â€Å"I've never heard anything about this.† â€Å"Maybe because in 1921 you were just a kid.† â€Å"Charming.† Macri took the jab in stride. She knew her years were showing. At forty-three, her bushy black curls were streaked with gray. She was too proud for dye. Her mom, a Southern Baptist, had taught Chinita contentedness and self-respect. When you're a black woman, her mother said, ain't no hiding what you are. Day you try, is the day you die. Stand tall, smile bright, and let 'em wonder what secret's making you laugh. â€Å"Ever heard of Cecil Rhodes?† Glick asked. Macri looked up. â€Å"The British financier?† â€Å"Yeah. Founded the Rhodes Scholarships.† â€Å"Don't tell me – â€Å" â€Å"Illuminatus.† â€Å"BS.† â€Å"BBC, actually. November 16, 1984.† â€Å"We wrote that Cecil Rhodes was Illuminati?† â€Å"Sure did. And according to our network, the Rhodes Scholarships were funds set up centuries ago to recruit the world's brightest young minds into the Illuminati.† â€Å"That's ridiculous! My uncle was a Rhodes Scholar!† Glick winked. â€Å"So was Bill Clinton.† Macri was getting mad now. She had never had tolerance for shoddy, alarmist reporting. Still, she knew enough about the BBC to know that every story they ran was carefully researched and confirmed. â€Å"Here's one you'll remember,† Glick said. â€Å"BBC, March 5, 1998. Parliament Committee Chair, Chris Mullin, required all members of British Parliament who were Masons to declare their affiliation.† Macri remembered it. The decree had eventually extended to include policemen and judges as well. â€Å"Why was it again?† Glick read. â€Å"†¦ concern that secret factions within the Masons exerted considerable control over political and financial systems.† â€Å"That's right.† â€Å"Caused quite a bustle. The Masons in parliament were furious. Had a right to be. The vast majority turned out to be innocent men who joined the Masons for networking and charity work. They had no clue about the brotherhood's past affiliations.† â€Å"Alleged affiliations.† â€Å"Whatever.† Glick scanned the articles. â€Å"Look at this stuff. Accounts tracing the Illuminati back to Galileo, the Guerenets of France, the Alumbrados of Spain. Even Karl Marx and the Russian Revolution.† â€Å"History has a way of rewriting itself.† â€Å"Fine, you want something current? Have a look at this. Here's an Illuminati reference from a recent Wall Street Journal.† This caught Macri's ear. â€Å"The Journal?† â€Å"Guess what the most popular Internet computer game in America is right now?† â€Å"Pin the tail on Pamela Anderson.† â€Å"Close. It's called, Illuminati: New World Order.† Macri looked over his shoulder at the blurb. â€Å"Steve Jackson Games has a runaway hit†¦ a quasi-historical adventure in which an ancient satanic brotherhood from Bavaria sets out to take over the world. You can find them on-line at†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Macri looked up, feeling ill. â€Å"What do these Illuminati guys have against Christianity?† â€Å"Not just Christianity,† Glick said. â€Å"Religion in general.† Glick cocked his head and grinned. â€Å"Although from the phone call we just got, it appears they do have a special spot in their hearts for the Vatican.† â€Å"Oh, come on. You don't really think that guy who called is who he claims to be, do you?† â€Å"A messenger of the Illuminati? Preparing to kill four cardinals?† Glick smiled. â€Å"I sure hope so.†

Public health nurse interventions and recommendations Assignment

Public health nurse interventions and recommendations - Assignment Example Most are poisoned at around their homes when they are exposed to lead-contaminated dust at harmful levels, deteriorated lead- based paint and also contaminated soil. To control lead poisoning, local advocates can target potential hot spots for lead poisoning, educate people and also policy makers on the extent and severity of lead poisoning and use the media in advocacy. The affected state should connect with lead poisoning prevention advocacy groups to make assist each other in fighting against lead poisoning. Also by learning on the number of affected children’s and collecting their blood samples will assist in making of policies meant for control of lead poisoning. Superfund sites have been ranked as the worst toxic waste sites. Around 11 million people in US and 3-4 million children live within the outcasts of federal superfund site making it a potential health risk. Most of the states have been affected by poor air quality due to smog and soot caused by six ubiquitous pollutants. Over 170 million people in America live in areas where federal air quality standards are not met. This poses them to health risks of heart and lung diseases and premature deaths. They lead to depletion of ozone layer and triggers asthma attacks. To curb the problem, the government should impose laws and regulations governing the industries in need to purify their wastes before releasing them to the environment. The water quality remains a challenge in the US even if waterways has become cleaned and discharged as well as sewage treatment has been controlled. The industrial wastes should be treated before being discharged into the water. Animal wastes produced by the intensive livestock operations with more firms have readily contributed to pollution. Proper animal wastes treatment practices should be adequate to protect water and environment

Technology in TEFL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Technology in TEFL - Essay Example It is against this background that this assignment is being written. This assignment aims at exploring the rational by which computer-based learning material has been designed. The computer-based learning material was designed to aid teaching among a group of Arabic students who are learning English at the per-intermediate level. The assignment would also give the learning context for the creation of the computer-based learning material. The learning context shall be made up of a vivid description of the students who are to benefit from the computer-based learning material that has been designed. Portions of the description shall include the strengths and weaknesses of students, the learning needs of students as well as the prospects of the students in becoming excellent English students. It is worth emphasizing that the computer-based learning material was designed based on the needs, weaknesses and future prospects of the students in questions. 2. Learning context Type of lesson: G eneral English Skills Covered - vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, reading, listening and speaking Level: Pre-Intermediate Time: 60 minutes Class profile The class to benefit from the computer based learning material is a group of Arab students at the secondary school level. The learning level of these students can best be described as being at the pre-intermediate level. ... As noted by Gucker (2010), students generally acquire and master the receptive skills before productive skills and this is no different among the class. The students have a better command over reading and listening than writing and speaking. Clearly, the situation has arisen because with the receptive skills, much of the effort comes from teachers as compared to students. For instance in listening, it is the teacher who does the speaking for students to list. Students therefore hear the correct usage and pronunciation of English words. The same applies to reading as the teacher normally reads verbatim for students to follow. However with speaking and writing, students are expected to produce their own efforts, a situation that causes a lot of learning stress to students. Again, in students’ attempt to speak or write, it has been observed that they always have conflict of language usage with their native Arabic language. The class is made of fifteen (15) students, all of whom a re females. The number of students is relatively handy and so class monitoring and feedback is not as difficult as would have been in classes with larger class size. This means that the problem identified does not have much to do with the class size. However the problem could be linked to the limited instructional period for English language. This is because students have English lessons only two hours in a week. This situation results in students having very little time to practice English language. Clearly, language learning is an interactive exercise that demands constant learning and application of ideas studied to ensure proper comprehension (Koduah, 2001:91). Needs of Students and Aim for Lesson The most immediate needs of students has to do with their pending end