Conjugate Acid Definition in Chemistry

Annotated Bibliography On The Effects Of Aspartame

Annotated Bibliography for the Effects of Aspartame Numerous neurological and behavioral side effects have been linked with consuming aspartame at well below the approved safe limits set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that has been ingested in the United States for over three decades. Even though there are several studies showing the harmful effects of its consumption. When aspartame is digested several toxic chemicals are produced, most notability formic acid glutamate. Both of these chemicals cause the body to mimic the side effects of multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer. Even the passing of aspartame to be allowed in food was controversial. Just as the studies on it, continue to be today.†¦show more content†¦Phenylalanine can pass through the blood brain barrier and significantly change the production of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals that send signals from one neuron to another. By bonding to a, â₠¬Å"†¦neutral amino acid transporter (NAAT)...† (Humphries, Pretorius, Naudà ©, 2008, para. 7) phenylalanine is able to pass through the blood brain barrier. The body also further breaks down phenylalanine to tyrosine when it is processed through the liver. If tyrosine is additionally broken down to dihydroxyphenylalanine and reaches the brain the production of dopamine will be compromised leading to depression like symptoms after the consumption of aspartame. Further cellular breakdowns are additionally explained throughout the article. The two most shocking assertions are the long-term effects with consuming high levels of aspartame with increasing the chemical glutamate on the NMDA receptors leading to a decrease in stimulation and neurodegeneration, possibly causing or mimicking the symptoms of the disease Alzheimer s. The second alarming claim made on the effect of long-term ingestion of aspartame is when aspartame s temperature exceeds 86 degrees Fahrenheit. As the authors observed, â€Å"†¦the wood alcohol in aspartame is converted into formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis.† (Humphries, Pretorius, Naudà ©, 2008). Metabolic acidosis causes methanol toxicity, which has been associated with mimicking the symptoms of multipleShow MoreRelatedAnnotated Bibliography On Developmental Genes And Cancer911 Words   |  4 PagesAnnotated Bibliography Moore, S. W. (2009). Developmental genes and cancer in children. Pediatric. Blood Cancer, 52(7), 755-760. doi:10.1002/pbc.21831. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19165888 A study shows that children who develop cancer have a gene deformity. The exposure of aspartame s carcinogenic effect is increased in the womb. Many children develop cancer because either one or both parent has the cancer genes or was exposed to different forms of carcinogenic as children

Humanist and Normative Approach Free Essays

Soft HRM follows the harvard model – considers human capital as assets rather than resources. Hard HRM follows the michigen model – enforces the interests of the organisation rather than the progress of individuals. Humanist Approach – SOFT HRM (Harvard)  · Philosophy: A fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay. We will write a custom essay sample on Humanist and Normative Approach or any similar topic only for you Order Now Organisational behaviour and the focus on corporate social responsibility. Companies see themselves as ethically conducted.  · Business objective: Increase productivity and profitability. Quality is secondary. They look to achieve optimum results Quality objective: Adequate quality to remain in business. Staff driven quality improvement approaches  · Information sharing: Limited information sharing as needed for job execution.  · Major decision makers: Manager, shareholders, customers, employees  · Employee involvement: Programme suggestions , plans individual employee awards, no formal system.  · Education and training: On the job training, feedback on the job performance – Results orientated, they measure results and evaluate them. Tend to look at the return on investment – hard to prove. g if in 2012 a company sells 600 products and in 2013 after training and development of staff this number increases to 1200, can we prove that this is in fact return on in vestment and due to the training.  · Reward structure: Design and administered by management  · Job security: Labour consider as a variable cost. Lay-off common during business downturn  · Use of symbols eg apple, Mcdonalds and Legal General (Umbrella)  · Focus on personalities and attitudes- behavioural based. Encourages self assessment through appraisals. rawing up your own development plan and managers helping employees to achieve these or to make progress rather than managing people out when they are not meeting objectives. Source: http://www. shvoong. com/business-management/human-resources/1861903-comparison-traditional-human-resource-approach/#ixzz2ONUzQ2fR Normative Approach – HARD HRM (Michigan) â€Å"The normative perspective of human resource management bases itself on the concepts of â€Å"hard HRM† and â€Å"soft HRM,† on which the foundations of human resource management rest. † [http://www. brighthubpm. om/resource-management/76151 -exploring-different-perspectives-of-hr-management/]  · Concentration on strategic planning with vertical and horizontol integration of policy.  · Organisational culture with a key objective of retaining competitive advantage.  · ensuring all of the policies and procedures are current  · innovation  · Administration is become a lot more innovative – adapting/changing to current times. A lot of admin is now online using systems such as ADPs HR. Net – holiday etc is now requested and approved online rather than using a paper system. Employee benefit and reward often takes the form of welfare systems for example gym memberships and paid sick leave  · Tend to have industrial relations eg trade unions and workforce representatives. Humanist approach tends to have more concern regarding employees progress, employee engagement and training/development of employees that may not necessarily directly improve the organisations output/productivity. Whereas a normative approach is more aligned with business strategy and integration of policy. How to cite Humanist and Normative Approach, Papers

The Dead Sea Scrolls (1545 words) Essay Example For Students

The Dead Sea Scrolls (1545 words) Essay The Dead Sea ScrollsTHE DEAD SEA SCROLLSHum. 211Karen RankSunday, October 17, 1999While pursuing one of his goats into a cave near the Dead Sea in the Jordan Desert, in1947, a fifteen year old boy by the name of Muhammad adh-Dhib, stumbled on to a greatdiscovery. Inside the cave, he found broken jars that contained scrolls written in a strangelanguage, wrapped in linen cloth and leather.1 This first discovery produced seven scrolls andstarted an archaeological search that produced thousands of scroll fragments in eleven caves. The Dead Sea is located in Israel and Jordan, east of Jerusalem. The dead sea is verydeep, salty, and its the lowest body of water in the world. Because the dead sea is at such a lowelevation, the climate has a high evaporation rate but a very low humidity which helped topreserve the scrolls.2Archaeologists searched for the dwelling of the people that may have left the scrolls inthe caves. The archaeologist excavated a ruin located between the cliffs where the scrolls werefound and the dead sea. This ruin is called Qumran. The ruins and the scrolls were dated by thecarbon 14 method and found to be from the third century which made them the oldest survivingbiblical manuscript by at least 1000 years. Since the first discoveries archaeologists have found over 800 scrolls and scrollfragments in 11 different caves in the surrounding area. In fact, there are about 100,000 fragmentsfound in all. Most of which were written on goat skin and sheep skin. A few were on papyrus, aplant used to make paper, but one scroll was engraved on copper sheeting telling of sixty buriedtreasure sites.3Because the scrolls containing the directions to the treasures is unable to be fullyunrolled, the treasures have not been found yet. In all, the texts of the scrolls were remarkable. They contained unknown psalms, Bible commentary, calendar text, mystical texts, apocalyptictexts, liturgical texts, purity laws , bible stories, and fragments of every book in the OldTestament except that of Esther, including a imaginative paraphrase of the Book of Genesis. Alsofound were texts, in the original languages, of several books of the Apocrypha andPseudepigrapha. These texts?none of which was included in the Hebrew canon of the Bible?areTobit, Sirach, Jubilees, portions of Enoch, and the Testament of Levi, up to this time known onlyin early Greek, Syriac, Latin, and Ethiopic versions.4John Trever of the W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, was allowed toinvestigate the scrolls and was stunned to find that the scrolls closely resemble the Nash Papyrus,the once known oldest fragment of the Hebrew Bible dated at or around 150 BC. One of thescrolls was a complete copy of the book of the prophet Isaiah. Trever also examined three otherscrolls; the Manual of Disci pline, a commentary on the book of Habbakuk, and one called theGenesis Apocryphon. Trever took photographs of the texts to William Foxwell Albright ; of JohnHopkins University in Baltimore, who declared the scrolls dated back to around 100 BC.5The scroll and fragments found in the Qumran is a library of information that containsbooks or works written in three different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Manyscholars separated the scrolls into three different categories: Biblical Books found in the Hebrew Bible. Apocryphal or psuedepigraphical Works not in some Bibles but included in others. Sectarian ordinances, biblical commentaries, apocalyptic visions, and sacred works.6 One of the longer text, found in Qumran is the Tehillim or Psalms Scroll. It was found in1956 in cave 11 and unrolled in 1961. It is a assortment of Psalms, hymns and an indifferent passage about the psalms authored by King David. It is written on sheep skin parchment and it hasthe thickest surface of any of the scrolls.7 The Manual Of Discipline or Community Rule contains rules, warnings and punishmentsto violators of the rules of the desert sect called Yahad. It also contains the methods of joining thecommunity, the relations among the members, their way of life , and their beliefs. The sectbelieved that human nature and all that happens in the world is predestined. The scroll ends withsongs of praise of God. The scroll was found in cave 4 and cave 5 and It was written onparchment. The longest version was found in cave 4.8The War Rule is commonly referred to as the ?Pierced Messiah? text. It refer s to aMessiah who came from the line of David, to be brought to a judgment and then to a killing. Itanticipates the New Testament view of the preordained death of the messiah. It is written in aHebrew script and is only a six line fragment.9 Most of the scrolls were found in caves near Qumran. The Qumran site was excavated tofind the habitation of those who deposited the scrolls in the nearby caves. The excavationsuncovered plates bowls and cemeteries with over twelve hundred graves that have the samecharacteristics which suggest religious uniformity, along with a complex of structures which suggested that they were communal in presentation.10 Many believe this is where a community ofa distant Jewish sect called the Essenes may have once lived. The Essenes were members of aJewish religious brotherhood, organized on a communal basis who practiced strict disciplines. Theorder had around 4000 members and they existed in Palestine and Syria from the 2nd century BCto the 2nd century AD. The sects main settlements were on the shores of the Dead Sea.11 In somescholars views the site was the wilderness retreat of the Essenes. According to these scholars, theEssenes or another religious sect resided in neighboring locations, most likely caves, tents, andsolid structures, but depended on the center for community facilities such as stores of food andwater. 12Many scholars believe the Essene community wrote, copied, or accumulated the scrollsat Qumran and deposited them in the caves of the neighboring hills. Others question thisexplanation, claiming that the site was no monastery but rather a Roman fortress or a winterresidence. Some also believe that the Qumran site has little if anything to do with the scrolls andthe evidence available does not support a definitive answer. 13A lapse in the use of the site is linked to evidence of a huge earthquake. Qumran wasabandoned about the time of the Roman invasion of 68 A.D.,14 two years before the collapse ofJewish self-governme nt in Judea and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Thescrolls are believed to have been brought from Jerusalem the Judean wilderness for safekeepingwhen Jerusalem was threatened by Roman armies. This was the time that Qumran was a judeanmilitary fortress which was destroyed in a battle with the RomansSince their discovery, the Dead Sea Scrolls have been the subject of great scholarly andpublic interest. For scholars they represent an invaluable source for exploring the nature of post-biblical times and probing the sources of two of the worlds great religions. For the public, theyare artifacts of great significance, mystery, and drama. 15The Dead Sea Scrolls give us a better view of a crucial period in the history of Judaism. .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a , .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a .postImageUrl , .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a , .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a:hover , .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a:visited , .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a:active { border:0!important; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a:active , .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u17e95b4eca8fd78b5f020c7225f84c9a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Cultural Diversity: Racial Disparity in the EssayJudaism was divided into numerous religious sects and political parties. With the destruction ofthe Temple in 70 AD., all that came to an end. Only the Judaism of the Pharisees; the mostpowerful Jewish sectRabbinic Judaismsurvived. Qumran literature shows a Judaism in themidst of change from the religion of Israel as described in the Bible to the Judaism of the rabbis asexplained in the Talmud, which tells the rules that Jews live by.16 Scholars have emphasized similarities between the beliefs and practices shown in the Qumranmaterial and those of early Christians.17 These similarities include rituals of baptism, communalmea ls, and property.18 One of the most fascinating similarities is how the people dividedthemselves into twelve tribes led by twelve chiefs. This is very similar to how Jesus had twelveapostles who would sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. 19The Dead Sea Scrolls were written during the birth of Christianity and an important time inJewish history. The scrolls have giving an insight into the lives and customs of the people wholived in a time of Roman invasion and Jewish history. Although the text do not hold all theanswers, they do give people a tool to use when studying biblical history. Only a very fewscholars had access to the scrolls before copies of the scrolls were published in the 1990s; nowwe all have a chance to read an come to our own conclusions about the text. Whether the scrollsuphold Jewish or Christian beliefs is not the only interesting part of the scrolls. The text also givea more personal look at the people who lived in a major part of Jewish history. BibliographyWORKS CITEDBurrows, Millar. (1955). The Dead Sea Scrolls. New York: Grammercy Publishing Company Roth, Cecil. (1965). The Dea Sea Scrolls. A New Historical Approach. New York: W.W. Norton ; Company. Schubert, Kurt . (1959). The Dead Sea Community. Great Britain: Bowering Press Plymouth. Shanks, Hershel. (1998). The Mystery And Meaning Of The Dead Sea Scrolls. New York:Random House. Project Judaica Foundation, Inc.(1996-1999) . Welcome to SCROLLS FROM THE DEAD SEA. The Ancient Library of Qumran and ModernScholarship, an Exhibit at the Library of Congress, Washington,DChttp://metalab.unc.edu/expo/deadsea.scrolls.exhibit/intro.html, Site design by New Connections. Religion

Rhe general information Essay Example

Rhe general information Essay Average age of the passengers of TITANIC was 29.88 years old. Considering the fact that 25% of the passengers were younger than 21 (1st quartile) and only 25% of passengers were older than 39 (100% the 3rd quartile), half of the passengers age was between 21 and 39 (3rd quartile 1st quartile), which indicates that the population of TITANIC was quite young.  The range of the age was pretty wide (79.833), since the youngest baby was 0.167 and the oldest was 80. Therefore, even though the majority of passengers were young, each category of ages from 0 to 80 had some representatives.  General equilibrium of the age (mean) is greater than the median, which means that the whole tendency of the age goes rightward, resulting in positive skewness (rightward skewed distribution). As we can see in bar chart below, there is a high frequency in ages 20 and 30, resulting in an asymmetry distribution. Age 80 in this case is an outlier; its value is too high with respect to the other ages. There was only one person who was 80, out of 1309 passengers. The kurtosis index is low (0.14) suggesting a hypo-normal (more flat) distribution relative to a normal distribution. In other words, the data have a flat top near the mean rather than a sharp peak.  1.2. Gender  The data inferred that there were more males than females on TITANIC. More than half of the population of TITANIC was male compared to only about 40% of the passengers who were female. The minimum ticket price was 0 which means that some passengers did not pay anything for the trip. Average ticket price was about 33 dollars which is quite low considering the most expensive fare was 512 dollars. That is because 75% of the passengers (3rd quartile) bought the ticket below the price of 31.27 dollars, 25% of them (the rest) paid from 32 dollars to 512 dollars. One of the main reasons the mean is not an appropriate measure is its sensitivity to extreme values. This is certainly the case with our data which comprises some extreme prices. We will write a custom essay sample on Rhe general information specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Rhe general information specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Rhe general information specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Therefore, we can see the outlier (512) in the box plot which is way higher compared to the mean of the ticket fare. This means that a very select clientele paid extremely much, perhaps being offered the appropriate luxury. Additionally the distribution is asymmetric, rightward (positive) skewed because the mean is greater than the median; general equilibrium is much higher the middle number. Upper limit is quite wide since, 3rd quartile is high, respectively 1st quartile is only 7 dollars. As we can see in Histogram above, the majority of the passengers bought their ticket under the 50 dollars threshold. Between 32 dollars and 512 dollars ticket, many of them sold by price about 200-250 dollars. In fact only 4 people got the 512 dollar ticket out of 1309 passengers. As a result, most of the passengers on TITANIC had comparatively cheap tickets, even though a select few enjoyed the luxury travel that an expensive ticket bought them. Below, heres a more representative Histogram of fares, one in which we have purposely omitted these luxury ticket prices, and we have increased the number of classes: We found out that there was a difference in the prices of those who survived, namely they paid more for their tickets. However, we cannot infer that survival depended on the ticket price because of the high variability of those who survived. The maximum price paid by a survivor was 512 while the maximum paid by a non-survivor was 263. This doesnt tell us much except that all 4 people who paid the extreme amount of 512 survived.  On average, the survivors paid more than double for their prices but again, the average was influenced heavily by the outliers. Conclusion By making a simple analysis of the general information of TITANIC, we were able to describe the population of the ship in terms of several variables. To summarize, the population was relatively young, more than half of them were males who did not pay too much for their tickets. This fits with the stereotype of the poor young man, in his 20s, looking for a new life in the land of the dreams. Unfortunately, survival ratio from TITANIC was not very high, only slightly less than 40% of the passengers were able to further pursue their dreams.

Wuthering Heights essays

Wuthering Heights essays Wuthering Heights can be interpreted on various levels. One of these interesting interpretations can be found by looking at the good and the evil in Wuthering Heights. Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights, the two main settings of the novel, symbolize the good and the evil. Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange also figure largely in both plot and character. Wuthering Heights is a stormy dark place, which signifies the evil, whereas Thrushcross Grange is a place of relative peace and civilization, which represents the good. Wuthering Heights symbolizes anger, jealousy, and hatred. Although, it not only represents evil, it also mirrors the characters that come from that environment. In general, the characters from the Heights are more passionate and aggressive. Wuthering Heights is a sturdy home. It is short and squat, with solid stonewalls. The trees are bent by the howling windstorms that batter the hill on which it stands. However, the house needs to be strong not only to withstand the storms, but also to withstand the stormy emotions the characters and events release within its walls. Catherine and Heathcliff are the two stormiest characters to emerge from the Heights. Catherine is stubborn and passionate. Even a long trip to the Grange cannot tame Catherine completely. Heathcliff, too, is untamable, although his passions take a more ruthless bent. Heathcliff, vows vengeance on the Earnshaws and Lintons; Im trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back. I dont care how long I wait, if I can only do it at last. I hope he will not die before I do. He does this on account of all the suffering abuses as an unloved child at the Heights, Events at the Heights all run along this unsettled and dark manner. Hindley turns to drink and house soon falls to devastation after his wife dies in childbirth. Heathcliff escapes the Heights in the midst of a storm. Also, Isabella, Hindley, and Heathcliff get in... But even Nellys narration throughout the novel is not informed of what happens beyond the boundaries of Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights I know all except where he was born and who are his parents and how he got his money, at first(pg35)-Heathcliffs origins and where he gain his wealth upon his return remain a mystery. The departure of Isabelle to London parallels in the same theme of enclose-ness bec...

Review Essay on Major Publication of a Movie Found Engaging or

Essay on Major Publication of a Found Engaging or Meaningful - Movie Review Example Michael is shown as big black kid from Memphis Tennessee. He is leading a troubled and a miserable life. His dad’s dead and his mom didn’t bother about him. He had no clue where his future was taking. Things turn around for him when he bumps into Leigh Ann. She takes him and for the first time Michael finds himself amidst normal things – for instance a house, having food to eat, a bed to sleep and some ray of home for his future. The stirking contrast shown between the lives led by Leigh’s family and Michael stirred very strong emotions in me. The ground reality of the divisions in our society between the upper echelons and the lower echelons could not help but make me feel bad for the state of poor Michael. He did nothing to deserve the kind of childhood and life he was leading. Unfortunately, he is just a depiction and fictitious character but there are many such cases out there that are malnutritioned, with no home to stay and with no hope for future. T he plight of those kids stood before me as Michael maneuvered his way into the track of the movie. It was heart-breaking to know the reality but even worse was inkling in the back of my mind that Michael is just a character and there are many others out there who literally go through this every day. You can’t help but wonder why some people are blessed with everything in the world (Ann’s family) while some don’t even have a roof above them. The disparity in the society raised a lot of questions in my mind. (The Blind-Side Rotten Tomatoes) While I loved the theme of the movie, it had some short –comings too. They did not characterize Leigh Ann deeply. It was never made clear what her motivations were. What was she feeling guilty about? For being so rich or for Michael being so unlucky? Was it guilt over her being white and Michael being black? He goes on to become a player in the NFL. What financial gain did she gain in bringing him down? What was her yout h like? Clearly, there are so many rich people out there but not everyone bothers to offer shelter to passersby in their house. What drove Leigh Ann to such an extent? There are such potholes in the track that need to make sense in the movie. Part of the reason why it garnered flak from most of the critics is because of such places where the movie failed to make sense. I also felt that the casting of the movie was inappropriate for Michael. Quinton Aaron was not the best choice. He didn’t generate a lot of emotions. Most of the time he stood there with a half smile on his face. It was very difficult to decipher his emotions through the course of the movie. Kathy Bates had nothing substantial to offer. Why she was even there made no sense too. However the aforementioned are the only glitches in the track. The Blind Side takes on a very different humanitarian theme. It was heart wrenching to see Michael trying to lead a normal life; doing little things and especially when he pl ayed football. The movie does not have extra-vagant sets or an extra-ordinary script that will fetch it an Oscar but it is good movie that takes on the plight of the unfortunate. It made me feel good to know that there are people out there who feel for the state of the under pledged and tried to depict it through a movie. The film-maker deserves a standing ovation for this no matter what his motive was. While performances are concerned, Sandra Bullock was spot-on. This was one of her career best performances. She carries herself very

Project manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project manager - Essay Example State agencies should evaluate the complexity of the Project, the contract amount, and the risk if the labor is not performed effectively when deciding what components are essential. Functional department such as financial procurement and the task force facilitate smooth flow of the project. The project office consist of the project manager, steering committee to work on the project feasibility in collaboration with the various department associated with the project. The government agency function is to ensure subcontractors are put on the check to ensure they deliver. The chairman of the steering committee integrates in-house functional team and contractor. This gives a favorable environment for both parties to co-exist harmoniously to see the project accomplished (Kloppenborg 221). Department are essential in ensuring finances, and other project deliverables are availed at a timely manner. Department managers as members of the steering committee harmonize the project by ensuring the provision of necessary support are done in a convenient manner. Contracts officer authorizes the entire work directed by the project office. The contractor cost and contractual information is harmonized by the officer by incorporating the in-house functional groups and the customer. Projects are time based events that are carried out for a particular reason for a specified period. The manager restores to previous duty the moment the project is completed. A monitoring team could be instituted to ensure make randomly check to ensure the project is maintained. The project team members are responsible for maintenance of the project the moment it is initiated. Contractors are liable for any failures and the project office just facilitate the subcontractors functions by ensuring necessary supports are accorded (Kloppenborg

Grand Canyon Crash of 1956 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Grand Canyon Crash of 1956 - Essay Example The agency was established to run a broad Air Traffic Control (ATC) system and to certify aircraft designs, airline training programs and maintenance. The Air Traffic Control (ATC) system is responsible for managing air traffic. It is run by the FAA with a twofold purpose: to maintain a safe separation of aircrafts flying over the US and to make aircraft traffic to move as efficiently as possible. The ATC is actually a good place in the airline industry to appreciate its systems-like structure. The ATC organizes all the flights in the country (therefore, implementing a centralized architecture for the industry) and was created based on the idea of a broad and nation-wide system of scheduled flights, which did not existed before. The ATC comprises four types of facilities: airport towers, terminal radars, en route centers and flight service stations. Airport towers look after planes while they taxi to and from runways and during take-off and landing. Terminal radars monitor flights during the climb and the descent phases of the flight. There are 236 of them in the US. The en route centers keep track of aircrafts while they are en route during the high-altitude cruise phase of the flights. Finally, flight service stations are information centers for pilots flying in and out of small cities and rural areas. A keyA key facility in overseeing the entire ATC system is the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), located in Herndon, VA. It looks for situations that might create bottlenecks and setups up management plans to control the traffic into and out the troubled sectors. The goal of such a plan is to keep traffic at the trouble spots manageable for the controllers. The importance of the ATCSCC becomes clear when one acknowledges that, on average, there are 900 daily flight delays of 15 minutes or more, which cost to the airlines and customers around $5 Billion USD a year. However, the ATC model is a centralized system architecture that many argue will not be able to cope with the saturation of the airspace and the increase in traffic delays that are expected to take place in the near future. The big challenge for the industry is the design and implementation of a distributed air-flight management system that could increase the throughput of the aviation system keeping the safety levels unchanged. This approach is called Free Flight and is currently being researched by the FAA and the aviation community. Free Flight is expected to improve significantly the efficiency of the National Airspace System. With Free Flight, pilots operating under Instrument Flight rules (IFR) will be able to select the aircraft's course, speed, and altitude in real time. Today, pilots define a flight plan with the ATC, prior to take-off and have to follow the route specified in that plan. Any deviation from that route must be pre-approved by ATC. With Free Flight, pilots will be able to change route, speed and altitude to achieve the desired results, notifying the ATC. Pilot's flexibility will mainly be restricted only to ensure separation and to prevent unauthorized entry into special use airspace. The Free Flight concept is based on two airspace zones, protected and alert, the sizes of which are based on the aircraft's speed, performance characteristics, and communications, navigation, and surveillance equipment. The protected zone, the one closest to the

Moss Bros

Moss Bros Overview of organisation. â€Å"Moss Bros has been synonymous with quality and value in fine clothing for men for well over a century. The Groups unparalleled reputation in formal menswear and unrivalled commitment to customer service sets it apart in a world that demands only the best. A distinguished heritage is the cornerstone of Moss Bros, a dynamic and forward-looking organisation which spans such internationally renowned names as Canali, Beale Inman and Hugo Boss. In the UK, generations of style-conscious customers will know and trust the brands Moss Bros, Moss and Moss Bros Hire, Savoy Taylors Guild and Cecil Gee.† Taken from http://www.mossbros.co.uk/aboutUs/aboutUs.htm As shown above in this paragraph the five main aims are: * Quality * Value * Fine clothing * Reputation * Customer service The entire above are interlinked with each other as they all touch, for example quality is linked with fine clothing and it is important within a store dealing with clothes, if the customer isnt happy with this item due to â€Å"shoddy† materials then this customer might possibly not return to the store. This also links in with customer services because the situation should be dealt with in a professional manner to upkeep the professional appearance and reputation of the company itself. The company has many branches nationwide as well as around the globe it sells many fine clothing such as Hugo Boss, Versace, DG and more. Question 1 Research gathered will help perform a PESTLE analysis on a Moss Bros PLC. PESTLE analysis is a tool that helps organisations making strategies by helping them understand the external environment both in the present and the future. It uses simple methodology but the weakness of a PESTLE analysis is that it doesnt look at the organisations internal environment, its strengths or its weaknesses, but there are other theories for identifying these such as SWOT analysis. Looking at all the different factors that will affect Moss Bros, I will be using an analysis technique called PESTLE this stands for: * Political – (global, national, regional, local and community trends) * Economic – (world, national and local trends, changes) * Social – (culture, behaviour) * Technological – (computer aids) * Legal – (world, EU or national legislation changes) * Environmental – (global, EU, national, local issues or movements) Below is a diagram of the external environment/factors and in the centre of it all Moss Bros: As the diagram above shows how all the factors link into my business and affect it. Political – political and legal factors are closely link within Moss Bros and are both very similar. From a business perspective political impact can have an effect on costs, competitiveness, profitability, organisation behaviour, decision making, innovation, new product development. Also covered in political are; All the above show how complex the environment is and how many restraints and impacts HR have within Moss Bros. * Economic The economic impact of war and current terrorism may impact Moss Bros in the long term. Countries emerging from war normally suffer economic recessions because of the cost of war. If the war in Iraq is lengthy, then customer spending on items is likely to be cut as a measure of the uncertainty. The pressure to cut costs, given by companies further down the supply chain, may also have an impact, particularly on small- and medium- sized businesses. Other implications from the economic side of PESTLE could be the current world recession, lavish spending is at an all time low as people are watching what they spend and just as an organisation would look at saving money by cutting back so do people. The first thing that gets looked in most budgets is leisurely spending and spending money on the essentials such as food, water or bills not designer labels. HR resolutions could be cost cutting and stream lining to help reduce over heads and reduce the final product price meaning t he customer will get the same for less deeming it a better buy. * Social – People are becoming more body conscious in a sense vain; with this people are becoming more metro-sexual and more open to fashions and different styles. More people are turning to bigger names such as Hugo Boss, Versace or Gucci. This will improve sales and profitability for Moss Bros as a result but cheaper versions from other stores such as Topman or Primark take a massive chunk of the primary target market. But with this Moss should be aiming for a smaller higher paid market in order that the brands they sell are seen as classy and desirable. This in turn will bring some of the lower spending market to them as instead of spending  £100 and 2 or 3 things from Primark they may save up and buy only one thing from the store. * Technological – As time goes on efficiently is becoming a key factor in production, technology helps to cut down on wages and time consumption of the making up of the product, making it cheaper to make and keeping the prices the same, this making the customers satisfaction high and the company itself going and making more money with bigger profit margins, as improvement of technology means reduction on workers which in turn from an HR perspective means voluntary or force redundancies will be imposed. * Legal – Opening of a new store or maintaining it has many laws, rules and regulations, a few of them are Sale of Goods Act 1979 which states that â€Å"The Sale of Goods Act is the main piece of law helping buyers to obtain redress when their purchases go wrong.† Department of Trade and Industry [online] Business Guidance leaflet (www.businesslink.gov.uk) accessed on 18/12/09. The other laws such as Trade Descriptions Act 1968 or Sunday Trading Act 1994 these all are factors that Moss Bros have to take into consideration. Employment legislation links in with my organisation as the employment legalisation acts and policies dictates on what a business can and cant pay it staff (minimum wage) as well as what statutory rights they have or what holidays they are entitled to, this all has a knock on affect as these factors will cut into profit margins and budget of the organisation. Other impacts and legislations HR has to take into consideration are; * Environmental/ecological Globalisation is widening the marketplace so that competition not only comes from companies down the road but also on the other side of the world due to the invention of the internet. In order to compete in the market the company has to be the best at what it does, Moss Bros has to stand head over the rest to get noticed and to create the best customer loyalty from local, national and international customers based either in the stores or over the web. This factor interlinks in with all of the PESTLE factors as the market is growing so is the need for new staff, from an HR perspective this means recruitment and selection processes will need to be looked at in order to ensure that the best possible candidates are being chosen. Also this will have an impact on the national unemployment rate as it will help reduce it in the long term providing economic upturn also as less unemployment means more people are in jobs thus creating more money to spend on luxury it ems which Moss Bros provide. Other environmental factors that would directly have an impact on the organisation and HR would be carbon footprint and the companys efforts to join the rest of the world in reducing their own carbon footprint. This in itself would create more work for HR would boost company PR image. With Moss Bros having stores both nationally and internationally they have a lot of factors to take into consideration, three main factors that would affect Moss Bros directly are: * Recession in world markets – this would bring profits, productivity and sales down, as unemployment would be high and sales would be low this would be bad news for the company and its contractors/ sub contractors. * Increase in oil prices – if this were to happen again then eventually it would cut into the companys profit as more money would be spent on the production of the garments and items then there would be less profit. * Changes in consumer spending – if the public decided that they had better things to spend their money on, for example cars, house or living then again this change would cut into the businesses profit and overall total income as there would be most likely a slump in the retail industry, this was seen last year as there was the first slump in clothing retail/retail for 20 years. Question 3 A stakeholder can be any person or organization; they can be positively or negatively influenced by the organisation or they can cause an influence on the actions of a company. Types of stakeholders are: * Primary stakeholders these are people who are those directly affected by the companies actions whether it be positively or negatively. * Secondary stakeholders are the â€Å"middle men† who are indirectly affected by an organizations actions. * Key stakeholders can also fall into the first two groups have a great influence within an organization. Further analysing stakeholders, identifying and categorising stakeholders on Moss Bros. Internal stakeholders are people who own the company, employed by the company or an own part in it like shareholders, employees or managers. All these people above work for the company (apart from silent share holders or investors who can be both internal and external stakeholders) and therefore directly get involved in the day to day operation of the company, these people will help make or break the company. There responsibility towards the company is to maintain and keep up good working standards for the company. Shareholders have a say in what the company has to do but if they dont have a large percentage of shares within the company then there words wont be heard as loudly as for example as someone who has 51% of the company shares. But with anything there is safety and loudness in numbers for example, Moss in store advisors are employed as customer service assistants but are on commission for every  £1000 of items of clothes sold. If Moss looked over this and identified that with the current climate recession this pay scheme needed to be cut back in order to cut over heads this may because a strike by the staff affected (managers/ supervisors/ advisers) with this HR would have to negotiate more up to date cheaper incentives for staff to keep motivated and passionate about selling up on brands. Human resource stream lining which is constantly monitored by the human resource department could be looked into by looking at the overall set up of the company structure this would have a positive and a negative effect of its internal and external stakeholders as redundancies and layoffs would occur but in turn the company would see the benefits in reducing its over heads and monthly salary pay out. This making the company a more efficient and cost effective company. Creating investment desirability from new investors on the stock market, possible mergers from other big high street names such as â€Å"house of Fraser†. External stakeholders are customers, competitors, suppliers, central and local government agencies, banks, trade associations. These stakeholders dont have many if any direct towards the company itself but they do affect it. For example the government is thinking about bringing out a new legislation that states that retail outlets cant stay open any later than 10 hours per day, this would directly affect Moss Bros because most of their stores are open 9am till 9pm this means they would have to redo there opening and closing times causing administration to work perhaps overtime along with other areas of the office, but some stores will result in disruption and this may have an effect on customers as if they are not informed of this change they might come to the conclusion that there store has closed and mightnt return causing a loss in profits. The trading times will have to be well thought out either by the managers of the stores affected or the department that deals with time tables and rotas which is usually personnel. Government bodies and banks have power to influence Moss Bros as well as any other organisation with the interest rates, VAT or inflation rates that they impose. Positive implications for Moss Bros could get grants from the government for bringing jobs to a high level of unemployment area. Instead of outsourcing there manufacturing to foreign labour they could promote that they manufacture there goods in the UK, this would be good promotion for the organisation and the cost of bring the work over here (minimum wages and standards) could be offset by these grants by the government. Stakeholder Mapping is a strategic business tool which identifies and assesses the effect of a different individuals or group of stakeholders in an organisation. It looks at the possible power in which a stakeholder can have; it also shows the possibility of them using their power to change to company organisation and their level of interest in the organisations activities. Stakeholders within the company are put into categories based on their rating and put into the following groups; â€Å"Low interest/low power (A) The company may require little or no effort to be focused on this group. The stakeholders pose no threat due to a lack of both interest and power. High interest/low power (B) This group has a high interest but has little power to exercise control so they can be maintained through the management of information to keep them informed of company events. Low interest/high power (C) – may not realise there overall power they have over the company but should satisfied. But because of their low interest in activities they are unlikely to exert or cause significant disruption. High interest/high power (D) – A company must try to satisfy this group first as they have the power to affect the company and have a high likelihood that they will use their power.† G. Johnson K. Scholes, Exploring Corporate Strategy, Financial Times/Prentice Hall, 2002. This diagram has been recreated by the author. The benefits of an organisation using this tool is that when a project is getting planned then this tool will help identify which group are most likely to be affected by the organisations decisions. Also it helps identify ways to improve communication with stakeholders via their interest in the company. In Moss Bross case a stake holders who is interested in the company but has very little power may just need an email or leaflet to be kept up to date, but a stakeholder who is a â€Å"key player† may and more than likely will want a great involvement with company decisions no matter how small. Question 9 Demographics are the trends within a country, cotenant or on a global scale it describes the changes in a population over a certain time. For example, the average age of a population may increase over time. Certain restrictions may be set in place changing those numbers. For example, China with the one child policy. Demographics are generalisations about groups of people. Information gathered is not about specific to individuals. The weaknesses of demographic profiling are that such a broad approach can only offer a limited view of the information gathered and that the use of these are debatable. Also most demographic information is culturally biased. But still demographics can be useful for statistics, when a government wants to know about its nations political and economic state. â€Å"The first is an enumeration of the number of inhabitants distinguished by age, sex, and occupation. The second involves a continuous record of population trends from the registration of births, marriages, and burials. The third is documentation of the extent of internal and external migration† From Wikipedia Demography of the United Kingdom [Online] (Updated 16 Jan 2009) Available at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_United_Kingdom [Accessed 14th December 2009]. Demographics are gathered by government by Censuss sent out to all UK households; they ask a range of structured questions to gather the nations current population make up. An example can be seen in appendix 1. Following some in depth research into demographics in the UK, the positive effects on a telecommunications company such as â€Å"T-Mobile† or â€Å"Orange†, an increase in population will mean that a wider selection of candidates and applicants (with the correct advertisement for the role in the appropriate places ) will be sourced from the local and national population. For example if human resources selecting a wider group of applicants they will give recruitment officers a choice of being â€Å"picky† in the recruitment process in order to get the best from the selection gathered. Meaning it will attract a higher performing work force because more people and the same jobs means that the ratio people to jobs are higher (3:1 = 3 people for every job) this means higher levels of applicants will apply for the role will have a higher skills set. Also this applies for languages; ethnicity and religion groups within the UK if they apply for the role within the organi sation the company will gather a wider scope of workers and a broader set of skills. Full research and data from demographics can be found in appendix 2. The population of the United Kingdom in the 2001 census was 58,789,194. This has since risen to 60,587,300 according to mid-2006 estimates by the Office for National Statistics.† Part Population (mid-2006) % (mid-2006) England 50,762,900 83.8 Scotland 5,116,900 8.4 Wales 2,965,900 4.9 Northern Ireland 1,741,600 2.9 United Kingdom 60,587,300 100 â€Å" (1 July 2006 population estimates by UK National Statistics) This would be useful in most departments in the organisation especially in sales as some customers can identify and relate to certain selling techniques and salesmen which can originate from different cultures. For example most of the United Kingdoms culture can be seen as typical â€Å"British Empiricism, a branch of the philosophy of knowledge that states that only knowledge verified by experience is valid, Britain is also notable for a theory of moral philosophy, Utilitarianism† From Wikipedia Demography of the United Kingdom [Online] (Updated 16 Jan 2009) Available at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_United_Kingdom [Accessed 14th December 2009]. This meaning â€Å"Utilitarianism is a moral philosophy, generally operating on the principle that the utility (happiness or satisfaction) of different people can not only be measured but also meaningfully summed over people and that utility comparisons between people are meaningful. That makes it possible to achieve a well-defined societal optimum in allocations, production, and other decisions, and achieve the goal utilitarian British philosopher Jeremy Bentham described as the greatest good for the greatest number. From Utilitarianism from Econterms [Online] (Updated 16 Jan 2009) Available at: en http://economics.about.com/od/economicsglossary/g/utilitarian.htm [Accessed 14th December 2009]. From this, selling to the general customer should be sold products by experienced staff who know and have a excellent knowledge on the product there selling on, both being able to identifying the customer needs and the business needs. Negative effects on telecommunications organisations from an HR perspective is with attracting a higher level work force can affect turnover of staff, as company retention may be low because the applicants may think that they are too good for the job and may be using it as a â€Å"stepping stone† or â€Å"experience gathering job† for a higher earning more prosperous job. Also costs to the organisation could be high as to pay back the initial investment of training is normally at least 6 to 12 month of employment. Generally people in the UK prefer (if there account is based in the UK) to be dealt with by a UK call agent. This again can be costly to a company if this is a consumer must, as offshore outsourcing is cheaper than that in the UK as minimum wage is less and labour is cheaper for building costs and over heads. Human resource implications from this could be a loss of custom due to the language barrier from offshore centres and the general moral stance by that particular customer. The remedies for this could be to only give the offshore teams particular roles, for example email replies, administration roles or computer based account management and have the UK call centres deal primarily for answering general, technical and sale calls. An ageing UK population combined with the trend for employees to undergo multiple career changes throughout their working life is likely to have some effect on the company as more people will have more money to spend as average pay goes up due to inflation and general pay increases as does the quality of life meaning more leisure money to spend. Also within these questions are asked usually questions about employment status or pay grade this is to gather a social grade definition for the nation. A positive implication towards HR within a telecommunication organisation could be the same as recruitment mentioned earlier where a high level of management or skills will be generated which can be seen as an â€Å"upper class† of workers. Towards the sales environment if the general population has a high pay grade then social and leisure spending will be high if the economy is in a fit state and not in a recession or slump. People will still look for a bargain but wont (as a general rule of thumb) be watching always what they spend going over there allowance and money wont be as tight as it would be in a recession and may not call customer services querying there bill for the money that they have spent back which would increase calls for the call centres and possibly the stores. But with this high level or skills set it means that some out sourcing may need to be outsourced as primarily telecommunication is in the tertiary sector which is services but needs the manufacturing sector (secondary sector) to install, build and maintain the masts and buildings of operation. If a recession hits the economy as it has done now the company would feel the effects of this. The company and the customer may very well be in a 30 day, 12, 18 or 24 month contract but it doesnt always mean they will pay their bills on time or even at all. This means that the companies finance and collection department will have a higher work load to take on and cash flow would slow down and cut backs in some areas would have to be thought throw by HR this causing conflict and worry for staff throughout the organisation. Recession in world markets – this would bring profits, productivity and sales down, as unemployment would be high and sales would be low this would be bad news for the company and its contractors/ sub contractors. Increase in oil prices – if this were to happen again then eventually it would cut into the companys profit as more money would be spent on the production of the garments and items then there would be less profit. Methodology section The assignment lay out comes in three parts for a portfolio presentation. Part 1 Evidence that relays knowledge and understanding of the main themes and issues covered by the module and answer questions to 3 out of 9 questions/exercises. Part 2 3 – methodology and learning reflection. Within this assignment I the author have gathered some strong data supporting the critical analysis written. Use of academic theories examples were made from both real life situations and case studies were used to support the debate. The analysis consists of research from text books, research from web based forums/ pages and past experience that I have had working in different organisations. Furthermore, trying to look at possible scenarios and points of view of all areas of the debate (question) was applied to the assignment in order for the reader to grasp a better understanding of the authors intentions of explanation. Primary and secondary data was collected from journals and texts book and for more up to date information the researcher used the internet. For this particular assignment this was the best approach of research following past experience. Lack of some key s and data hinder efforts to further critically analysis some areas in questions 1 and 3. The research design was more qualitative than quantitative as the aim is a complete and a detailed description rather than to classify features, count them or explain what is observed. Learning reflection section This module has been very interesting it has led the researcher to learn several things and grounded a deeper knowledge of the above areas. I feel that knowledge is vital, but it is useless without the practical side, in order to learning anything you have to notice on some level (whether it is conscious or unconscious). The work has to be decoded and made into the readers own understanding. Upon this I have found that a grasp of different side of the spectrum has been gained as this is present in the writing provided. An example of this is that from the research into stake holder analysis I didnt understand which communication routes stake holders were informed of company progress. It was rather interesting also to see how different stake holders were informed of different methods and information. From a human resources perspective knowledge gained were not only theoretical but also applicable to the general businesses and potential future employment. Other skills sets that were upd ated and learned through this assignment was the lay out and correct presentation of work in a portfolio method, I have done these before but not to this standard. Also the depth and obstacles that hinder an organisation both in the day to day operation and future planning and even to the degree of changing something within the company, reading into and understand conflict management was a great tool and theory gained and overall I think I have gained a high level of learning via this portfolio. Furthermore I already had covered some of the topic areas in previous years but I found that further reading and continuous learning will give me a better insight into the understanding of an organization and explore new avenues. I did feel however that the module wasnt directly linked to human resources but some of the context and implications could be used in future references, assignments and possibly future careers. Appendix 1 Question 9 Demographic Questions (Government Census) Are you†¦ PLEASE TICK (à ¼) ONE BOX †¦male  £ †¦female  £ What is your age? PLEASE WRITE IN Do you have any long-term illness, health problem or disability which limits your daily activities or work you can do? (include problems which are due to old age) PLEASE TICK (à ¼) ONE BOX Yes  £ No  £ What is your ethnic group? PLEASE TICK (à ¼) ONE BOX White Asian or Asian British British  £ Indian  £ Irish  £ Pakistani  £ Other white background  £ Bangladeshi  £ Mixed Other Asian background  £ White Black Caribbean  £ Black or Black British White Black African  £ Caribbean  £ White Asian  £ African  £ Other Mixed background  £ Other Black background  £ Chinese  £ Any other group  £ What is your full postcode?  £  £  £  £  £  £  £ Does your household own or rent the accommodation in which you live? PLEASE TICK (à ¼) ONE BOX Owns outright  £ Rents from a housing association  £ Owns with a mortgage or loan  £ Rents from a private landlord  £ Pays part rent and part mortgage (shared ownership)  £ Accommodation is a residential home or student halls  £ Rents from the Council  £ Other  £ What is your current employment status? PLEASE TICK (à ¼) ONE BOX Self-employed  £ Employed full time (30 hours or more a week)  £ Employed part time (less than 30 hours a week)  £ Unemployed but have worked previously  £ Unemployed and have never had a paid job  £ Unable to work due to illness or disability  £ Retired  £ Student  £ Looking after home/family (this is your main activity and none of the other options apply to you)  £ What is your religion? PLEASE TICK (à ¼) ONE BOX None  £ Jewish  £ Christian (including Church of England, Catholic, Protestant and all other Christian denominations)  £ Muslim  £ Buddhist  £ Sikh  £ Hindu  £ Any other religion  £ From Demographic Questions[Online] (Updated 16 Jan 2009) Available at: www.oldham.gov.uk/community_cohesion_demographic_questions.rtf [Accessed 14th December 2009]. Appendix 2 Question 9 Ethnicity 2001 ethnicity of the English population 2007 ethnicity of the English population The change in Englands ethnic minority population (2001 2007) The 2001 census and 2007 estimates state the following ethnic groups: Ethnic group 2001 population 2001 percentage 2007 population 2007 percentage White: British 42,747,136

Hybrid Cars Essay -- Gasoline Electric Hybrid Automobiles

These cars operate from a rechargeable battery and gasoline. The engines are smaller so that they will be able to accommodate the 99% of time when the car is not going uphill or accelerating quickly. The battery is used to give extra acceleration power if needed. When the car is stopped, hybrid gasoline motors can shut off and run off their electric motor and battery. These cars are aerodynamic and the tires are often stiffer and inflated higher to reduce dragging. According to a November 16, 2004 article written in the parents magazine, hybrid cars are no different from the gas powered car. It can accelerate just as quickly and travel just as fast on the highway and they are just as safe to drive. When the car comes to a complete stop, the engine shuts down completely and starts up again when the accelerator is pressed. Therefore, gas is not wasted and toxins are not emitted. www.ineed2know.org There are 3 popular hybrids on the market today which are the Honda Insight coupe, Toyota Prius four door hatchback and the Honda Civic hybrid Sedan. There are 6 new hybrid models on the way to the market which will give families a larger selection to choose from. These cars will allow consumers to save on gas. The consumer gets more miles per gallon with the Hybrid car. These cars can go 600 miles before having to refuel with gasoline which will decrease the amount of money that the consumer will have to pay for filling the gas tank. Also, these cars produce about 90 percent fewer smog-forming tailpipe emissions compared with the average new car, according to Dave Hermance, head of Environmental Engineering for Toyota. Purchasing these cars will also allow the consumer to receive a tax break of $1,500. The price of these cars are no... ...ill increase and the manufacturers will have to increase production. Interest rate is another factor that impact demand for this car. If the interest rate is low, more consumers will be able to purchase the car because the monthly payments will be low. However, if the interest rate is high, this will cause the monthly payments to be higher which may cause demand for cars to decrease. The forecasts that I would use for these indicators are www.federalreserve.gov, www.cbo.gov and www.mbaa.org. These economic forecasts can be used to predict future demands. Due to the constant rise in gas prices, Hybrid cars have become a hot item in today's economy. Although the Hybrid cars are more expensive than the conventional cars the rapid increase in gasoline prices will allow the consumer to make up the difference and save money by having to make fewer trips to the gas pump.

In close analysis of Nick’s character discuss whether he is Offreds saviour or her down fall

Offred changes people names to hide their true identity for many people like Luke she uses bible names, Mathas are another example of this. However, there is one exception to this and that is Nick, which is another name for the devil. Due to the new Gilead system Offred has lost Luke who was a huge part of her life. She had no one to talk to she felt isolated her only need that was being fulfilled was sex but without touching â€Å"nobody dies from lack of sex its lack of love we die from.† Then all of a sudden her knight in shinning armour came into her life and changed everything round her he released her. He is the romantic element and the human factor that she can relate to the stuff that all good fairy tales are made from. Nick is the driver for the commander and lives in a room above the garage by himself. He has a French face, lean with all the angles and â€Å"creases around his mouth where he smiles.† He dresses in dark clothes so if she wants to fantasise about him she can, tall, dark and handsome. Nick is mysterious to us at first as we did not know if he an eye or not he wears the uniform of the Guardians but his â€Å"cap is tilted at a jaunty angle and his sleeves are rolled to the elbow.† This suggests that he is rebellious and likes defying the system â€Å"he has a cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth.† He does not fit into the Gilead system and is a dangerous character to Offred due to his manner. When they first meet there is an instant attraction between the two. He winks at her in the window, he touches her foot when they are praying when she moves it away to see if it was an accident he does it again he has a bit of fun. Despite this he takes unnecessary risks when he doesn't even know her â€Å"He's just taken a risk, but for what?† and taking such risks could be the downfall to Offred â€Å"He begins to whistle. Then he winks.† The penalty for these notions is too extreme to be taking any chances and even little things such as winking and touching could result in her being sent to the colonies. They just aren't worth it. When they both meet illegally at night unintentionally they kiss and give into there urges but then push each other away again. This is the start of their relationship and they keep going back to each other after Serena-joy arranged for them to spend the night together. The first time was mainly business but she kept going back it was something to live for and someone to live. She wanted to be touched so badly â€Å"we make love not sex† and there is a clear line between these two. The situation is very dangerous for them both which makes it more exciting and increases the strong sexual attraction between them. Things are further complicated by Offreds feelings for Luke. She didn't consider her relationship with the commander as betraying Luke but she does her relationship with Nick she wanted it to happen. She keeps going back but if he really cared about her then he would stop it because he wouldn't want her to get caught. But he keeps doing it and doing it he keeps tempting her. Offred puts a lot of trust in him at an early stage she tells him her real name, which he uses to his advantage towards the end when he comes and rescues her. This shows a sign of trust . Nick is also very jealous when the commander and Offred are together he gets he spies on her. If this jealousy develops you don't the consequences he could kill her or turn her in. It could have developed like this. In conclusion Nick saves her because he takes her away at the end. He also releases her from the pressure and tension of Gilead. He tries to make everything feel as normal as possible the way it used to be by having a relationship the sneaking around is like a stimulant but Offred should be used to it due to her affair with Luke. He also gets her pregnant which means that even if he didn't save her at the end it meant that she wouldn't have to go to the colonies. However, he does take huge risks, which would mean that he is endangering his and her life for cheap thrills such as winking and touching her foot.

The HiSET Test - High School Equivalency Exam

The HiSET Test - High School Equivalency Exam On January 1, 2016, the GED (General Educational Development) test, offered by GED Testing Service, changed big time, and so did the options available to the states in the U.S., each of which sets its own requirements. States now have three testing choices: GED Testing Service (partner in the past) HiSET Program, developed by ETS (Educational Testing Service) Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC, developed by McGraw Hill) This article is about the new HiSET test offered in: HawaiiIowaLouisianaMaineMissouriMontanaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyTennesseeWyoming If your state isnt listed here, it offers one of the other high school equivalency tests. Find out which one in our list of states: GED/High School Equivalency Programs in the United States Whats on the HiSET Test? The HiSET test has five parts, and is taken on a computer: Language Arts - Reading (65 minutes)40 multiple-choice questions that require you to read and interpret literary texts from various genres, including memoirs, essays, biographies, editorials, and poetry. Language Arts - Writing (Part 1 is 75 minutes; Part 2 is 45 minutes)Part 1 has 50 multiple-choice questions that test your ability to edit letters, essays, newspaper articles, and other texts for organization, sentence structure, usage, and mechanics.Part 2 involves writing one essay. You will be graded on development, organization, and language. Mathematics (90 minutes)50 multiple-choice questions that test your reasoning skills and understanding of numerical operations, measurement, estimation, data interpretation, and logical thinking. You may use a calculator. Science (80 minutes)50 multiple-choice questions that require you to apply your knowledge of physics, chemistry, botany, zoology, health, and astronomy. Interpretation of graphs, tables, and charts is involved. Social Stud ies (70 minutes)50 multiple-choice questions regarding history, political science, psychology, sociology, anthropology, geography, and economics. You will be required to distinguish fact from opinion, analyze methods, and judge the reliability of sources. The cost of the test, as of January 1, 2014, is $50 with individual parts costing $15 each. The $50 price includes free test prep and two free retests within 12 months. Fees may be slightly different in each state. Test Prep The HiSET website provides a free tutorial video, study companion in the form of a PDF, sample questions, and practice tests. You can purchase additional prep materials on the website. The HiSET site also offers some helpful tips and strategies for passing the test, including how to know if youre ready, how to organize your time, how to answer the multiple-choice questions, and how to approach the essay question on the writing part of the language arts test. The Other Two Tests For information about the other two high school equivalency tests, see: The GED TestThe Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) coming soon!

National Negro Council of Women

National Negro Council of Women   Overview Mary McLeod Bethune established the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) on December 5, 1935.   With the support of several African-American women’s organizations, the NCNW’s mission was to unify African-American women to improve race relations in the United States and abroad. Background Despite strides made by African-American artists and writers of the Harlem Renaissance, W.E.B. Du Bois’ vision of an end to racism was not during the 1920s. As Americans- especially African-Americanssuffered during the Great Depression, Bethune began to think that a unified group of organizations could lobby effectively for an end to segregation and discrimination. Activist Mary Church Terrell  suggested that Bethune form a council to help in these efforts. And the NCNW, â€Å"a national organization of national organizations† was established. With a vision of â€Å"Unity of Purpose and a Unity of Action,† Bethune efficiently organized a group of independent organizations to improve the lives of African-American women. The Great Depression: Finding Resources and Advocacy From the outset, NCNW officials focused on creating relationships with other organizations and federal agencies. NCNW began sponsoring educational programs. In 1938, the NCNW held the White House Conference on Governmental Cooperation in the Approach to the Problems of Negro Women and Children. Through this conference, the NCNW was able to lobby for more African-American women to hold upper-level government administrative positions. World War II: Desegregating the Military During World War II, the NCNW joined forces with other civil rights organizations such as the NAACP to lobby for the desegregation of the U.S. Army. The group also worked to help women internationally. In 1941, the NCNW became a member of the U.S. War Department’s Bureau of Public Relations. Working in the Women’s Interest Section, the organization campaigned for African-American to serve in the U.S. Army. The lobbying efforts paid off. Within one year, The Women’s Army Corps (WAC) began accepting African-American women where they were able to serve in the 688th Central Postal Battalion. During the 1940s, the NCNW also advocated for African-American workers to improve their skills for various employment opportunities. By launching several educational programs, NCNW helped African-Americans gain necessary skills for employment. The Civil Rights Movement In 1949, Dorothy Boulding Ferebee became the leader of the NCNW. Under Ferbee’s tutelage, the organization changed its focus to include promoting voter registration and education in the South. The NCNW also began using the legal system to help African-Americans overcome obstacles such as segregation. With a renewed focus on the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, the NCNW allowed white women and other women of color to become members of the organization. By 1957, Dorothy Irene Height became the organization’s fourth president. Height used her power to support the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the Civil Rights Movement, NCNW continued to lobby for women’s rights in the workplace, healthcare resources, prevention of racial discrimination in employment practices and providing federal aid for education. Post-Civil Rights Movement Following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965, the NCNW once again changed its mission. The organization focused its efforts on helping African-American women overcome economic problems. In 1966, the NCNW became a tax-exempt organization that allowed them to mentor African-American women and promote the need for volunteers in communities across the country. The NCNW also focused on providing educational and employment opportunities for low-income African-American women. By the 1990s, the NCNW worked to end gang violence, teenage pregnancy and drug abuse in African-American communities.

Criminal Justce Tools Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Criminal Justce Tools - Assignment Example rst pioneered through the use and acceptance of the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) by both federal police agencies (such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation) and by local and state police organizations of the United States of America which enabled law enforcement organizations to enhance their crime fighting strategies based on effective criminal information gathering methods and effective analyst of data. As technology continues to evolve, the advent of the computer and consequently, the creation and use of advance analytical software or programs have greatly influenced the further effectiveness of police information management systems. Police intelligence or Law Enforcement Intelligence is a relatively new concept of policing since by tradition, most police agencies do not maintain a dedicated unit with full time intelligence officers and analysts, nor does most police agencies involved in the collection, collation, management or even share criminal information with appropriate members of the intelligence community. The need however for a police agency to have a dedicated intelligence capability have become more relevant with the advent of transnational crime and terrorism in the global scene, with law enforcement becoming more integral and dynamic with the continuing refinement of police methodologies and access to resources that better allows the police to more effectively serve the community. One of the most significant strides in technology which contributed to relevance of law enforcement intelligence is the existing and emerging technologies brought about by custom made software dedicated for law enforcement analytical functions, data management, intelligence production and dissemination. The dissemination of much needed intelligence by means of the internet makes its easier for large, medium and small police agencies to share intelligence and disseminate the same to other police agencies or jurisdiction, therefore directly contributing not only in

Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Economic - Essay Example The Assad regime, as well as the rebel forces, violated an otherwise, failed UN - backed cease-fire, led by the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Koffi Anan, in late October. The fighting has heightened in neighbouring Lebanon, home to Iran-backed Hezbollah, and prompted cross-border shelling between Syria and Turkey. The unrest also proved to be an attraction for global jihadists like the al-Qaeda-linked groups, fighting for the formation of an Islamist state (Landis 75). Following the Syrian civil war, the Arab League acted swiftly and immediately suspended Syrian membership to the organization, In addition, the league imposed imposed stringent economic embargos in November 2011(Masters). Despite the lack of support from Syria’s friendly nations like Russia, the sanctions have had a noticeable economic impact. The European Union sanctions have also served to redefine partnerships with other powers, both globally and in the Middle East. The EU, supported by the US sanctions, initially asked Al-Assad to negotiate with the opposition to cease repression, and  leave office as from August 2011 (Balfour). The sanctions against Syria are unprecedented since they accumulated the whole set in just a few months. Some of the notable sanctions entail an energy embargo. Prior to the embargo, the EU’s import of Syrian crude was worth over â‚ ¬3 billion a year, mostly to Italy and Germany. The economic sanctions have had a significant impact on the Syrian economy. Oil is the mainstay of the Syrian economy, and the Western ban has exacted a heavy toll on the country. In view of these developments, Sufian Allaw, the Wyrian oil minister, indicated that the imposed restrictions cost the country about $4 billion (â€Å"Syria Says†). The United States also placed a range of sanctions on Syria that prevent aid and restrict bilateral trade. Before the

Nationalization of Oil Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nationalization of Oil Industry - Essay Example Argentinean President Cristina Fernà ¡ndez de Kirchner in April 2012 has announced that Argentina would take control of Repsol YPF, the country’s biggest crude oil producer, by nationalizing 51 percent of the company’s shares (Gaudà ­n, 2012). Until 1999 YPF was the largest oil company in Argentina and was owned by the government. However, lack of efficient management and expertise was pulling down profits in the oil industry. As a result, the government started encouraging foreign investment in the market so as to invigorate oil production. Between the years 1993 and 1999, Madrid based Repsol had acquired 100 percent of the company’s shares (Weinstein, 2012) and its name was changed from YPF to Repsol YPF. Spain is the largest foreign investor in Argentina with the European market being the largest export market for the country (Hernandez, 2012). However, the current dispute is over a slump in investment by the Spanish owner of YPF, which is leading to a drop in energy output in Argentina.In the home country, Buenos Aires based YPF is considered an emblem of state pride (Economist, 2012a). Nationalization of the $18 billion worth company in 2012 would bring huge revenue to the cash-strapped government, which is a significantly beneficial aspect of the President’s decision. Hence nationalization of the country’s biggest oil company is apparently a populist move by the President. Energy officials from Brazil and the President of Uruguay have praised this action (Economist, 2012a).... Justifications Cited for Nationalization of Oil In the home country, Buenos Aires based YPF, is considered an emblem of state pride (Economist, 2012a). Nationalization of the $18 billion worth company in 2012 would bring huge revenue to the cash-strapped government, which is a significantly beneficial aspect of the President’s decision. Hence nationalization of the country’s biggest oil company is apparently a populist move by the President. Energy officials from Brazil and the President of Uruguay have praised this action (Economist, 2012a). Ms. Fernandez has accused Repsol in terms of its failure to make enough investment in exploiting the resources of the country. YPF has declared that it has discovered an oil shale site whose estimated potential yield would be 23 billion barrels approximately (Forero, 2012). In the context of soaring cost of oil, which is damaging the country’s economy, the lack of potential investment in Argentinean gas and oil reserves is a primary show cause behind the seizure of Repsol YPf’s shares. The President said that Repsol was not producing enough oil and was therefore failing to meet the country’s total energy requirements. Argentina is currently facing a serious shortage in its total production of energy. This situation is being fixed by importing energy at a higher price from other countries (Economist, 2012a). Ms. Fernandez has said that if this continues Argentina would become an unviable state for investment (Macalister, 2012). Pressure exerted by the government on YPF was increasing since the past two months before the decision of nationalization was taken. It is evident that the current situation has been created as a turn from the 2004

Native Americans (Subordinate Group) Essay Example for Free

Native Americans (Subordinate Group) Essay One often wonders where the Native North Americans originated from. Some theories have been discussed about the peopling of the Americas. Early theories involving lost tribes and continents were based purely on speculation instead of actual scientific facts. Discoveries made during many archeological expeditions have helped shape the always changing interpretations by adding more questions and more theories. There have been genetic and linguistic studies which raised more understanding and brought new questions. It is theorized that during the latter part of the Cenozoic era, also known as the age of mammals that the Wisconsin glaciation caused enough of the planet’s water supply to turn into ice. This lowered the oceans and exposed now submerged land. This event created a stretch of land that the large mammals of the Ice Age era, along with the natives of that era, could very well have migrated across the newly formed land bridge, which now connected two continents. This land bridge is known as the Bering Strait, or Beringia. During the time that Beringia existed, the Wisconsin glaciers most likely prohibited migration to any southern or eastern regions. Another theory suggests that the early natives may have inhabited the now Alaskan region because it was ice-free due to low precipitation. Several melts over a period of time created passageways, and evidence from archeological site implies that there was an ice-free corridor for thousands of years. It was during another melt approximately ten thousand years ago, that a second corridor was most likely formed farther east along the borders of Saskatchewan and Canada plains. This points to the possibility that the ancient people could have traveled eastward along the rivers in the Great Plains, and down further south. The Indians known to history as the Sioux are also known as Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota, meaning allies. This is my heritage. I am a member of the largest division of Siouan family, otherwise known as Sioux. The name is from a term given to the largest and well- known of the tribal groups. At one time, my people stretched from the west banks of the Mississippi northward from Arkansas and the Rocky Mountains. The Dakotas also inhabited territory east of the river up to Wisconsin and Missouri. They were here to encounter DeSoto on his journey in 1541, when he reached the Indian villages in what is now eastern Arkansas. Another hundred years passed before any mention of Sioux existing, when in 1658 some Jesuit missionaries heard of the existence of about thirty Dakota villages just north of a Potawatomi mission. This was located at about the head of Green Bay, Wisconsin, in St. Michael. It was during the middle 1600’s when the Sioux, along with the Arapaho and Cheyenne had to migrate further westward towards the Great Plains to what is known as North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota. This migration was mainly due to the O jibwa and Chippewa tribes pushing them out of the Great Lakes region. The Ojibwa and Chippewa had been pushed out of their own land that had been further east, by the European settlers of that time. In 1805 Lewis and Clark passed through the center of this region and made contact with the Sioux tribes. After this took place, several more expeditions brought traders that settled among the tribes, and in the course of some time, permanent settlers arrived. This made the area so small that eventually the people of my tribe were forced to live in Indian Territories or confined to Nebraska, the Dakotas, or Montana. This brought on a series of raids and counter raids that lasted from roughly 1850 through 1890 and were known as the Sioux Wars. In the first years of the twentieth century, the Dakotas also known as Tetons began the process of adapting to their new way of life. They still had strong faith in their own traditions, but realized that the old way was gone forever. Numerous changes with the economy and politics were forced on my people by the government. The people strived to establish a life for themselves that used both new changes, but still remained true to their values and beliefs. During the rest of the twentieth century, all of the reservations for the Dakotas, Lakotas, and Tetons lost more land due to ownership passes and inheritances. Division between rural dwellers and people who live in town have grown bigger. Rural residents tend to retain their use of native language, and be involved in cultural events, when townspeople adapt other aspects of the American culture. Most of the Sioux nation and other groups of American Indians live in South Dakota, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and North Dakota at present time on privatized land created by the government many years ago. Wendy Coghill ETH/125 Text Citations: Bonvillain, Nancy. Seeking a New Way. Teton Sioux, Indians of North America, Heritage Edition. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2004. American Indian History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www. fofweb. com/activelink2. asp? ItemID=WE43iPin=INATS06SingleRecord=True (accessed May 22, 2011). Text Citations: Waldman, Carl. arrival of humans in North America. Atlas of the North American Indian, Third Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc. , 2009. American Indian History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www. fofweb. com/activelink2. asp? ItemID=WE43iPin=ind5278SingleRecord=True (accessed May 22, 2011). Text Citation: Waldman, Carl. Assimilation. Word Dance: The Language of Native American Culture. New York: Facts On File, Inc. , 1994. American Indian History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www. fofweb. com/activelink2. asp? ItemID=WE43iPin=ind2991SingleRecord=True (accessed May 22, 2011). Text Citation: Waldman, Carl. Sioux. Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes, Third Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc. , 2006. American Indian History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www. fofweb. com/activelink2. asp? ItemID=WE43iPin=ind2432SingleRecord=True (accessed May 22, 2011).

Effects Of Globalization: Competition And Business Opportunities

Effects Of Globalization: Competition And Business Opportunities In many countries, globalisation provides a mechanism through which poverty can be reduced. The rapid growth of these emerging economies also provides substantial with new markets for exporters and investors and cheaper, more diverse goods and services for consumers (Kohler, 2002). In the essay, I will discussing the view that globalisation has not only significantly increased competition and business opportunities but has and will continue to so, increasing living standards. I will also further in evaluating the issues relating to investment, growth and development, and economic performance levels between countries. In todays world, trade has increasingly global in scope. There are several reasons for this. One of the reasons is technological. The improved on transportation and communication of today has made trade more practical. Technology change is represented as the driving force of globalisation i.e. changes in technology and production methods that determine the future of workers managers and their interrelationships. The use of internet and computers are increasingly based on technologies as it main driving forces. The former general director of World Trade Organisation (WTO) Mike Moore has expressed this view as technology can be the friend of the people (Benedek, 2007, pg21). Technological change has helped fuel the rapid rise in global economic activity, especially in relation to communication and transport. Transport costs have fallen and the worldwide travel has increased exponentially. This has had a direct impact on the structure of industry, with tourism now being the second bigge st industry as well across a whole range of other business activities. The other reason is free trade. Many barriers to trade have been removed mostly by the WTO. This makes trade cheaper and looks more attractive to business. Globalisation can be considered as a business that wants to expand their business significantly. In general, globalisation for a business means, not only did they expand their client base and support but also on other countries as well. Through globalisation, most companies significantly increase their earnings that enhance the improvement of the company. As more employees are hired, the experienced ones increase their chances of promotion. Moreover, giving them the opportunity of being a leader in working in other countries and experiencing a totally different culture with a good salary. However, globalisation can be dangerous in some company, if they are not careful in implementing changes. Globalisation has brought in new opportunities to developing countries. These developed countries have greater access of markets and technology that improved productivity and higher living standard. But globalisation has also thrown up new challenges like growing inequality across and within nations, volatility in financial market and environmental deteriorations. Globalisation also supports productivity, cultural intermingling and cash flow into the developing countries. Hence, there are some disadvantages of globalisation that should be overlooked such as unemployment and difficulty of competition. Thus globalisation responds the needs of 7 million people. Moreover, the standard of living as at now compare to 50years ago is a lot better, as they are more machines and system invented in developed countries. Cultural intermingling enlarges with globalisation that enables people from all over the world able to communicate effectively. However, hand sharing traditional behaviour causes fading as boundaries is disappearing. Brittan (1998) states that the high levels of unemployment in developing countries are caused by globalisation. The employment rate reflects not only the economic situation but also to some extent social conditions. However, not all countries with high unemployment rates face social problems. According to Brittan (1998), globalisation led to an increase in the wealth of developed countries and also not to the bigger poverty in the developing countries. Brittan furthers more saying that the improvement in economic growth in the economic situation in the skewed distribution of income between developed and developing countries. However, Hak-Min (1999) argued from the view of Brittan that the distribution of income between developed and developing countries has become less skewed by indicating that globalisation in the integrated world economy has lead to industrial growth in a limited number of developed countries. In the late nineties, over 90% of all financial transactions of the world were executed in 25 of 121 countries worldwide (Hak-Min, 1999). Less than 1% of the total worldwide transactions were shared in the globalised capital flows from the developing countries. Law (1988) saw these developments as the transactional stage in the development of capitalism. In the 1980s, globalisation has become an important policy issue for several reasons particularly in developing countries. Most developing countries now face more intense international competition and often greater opportunities with large proportions of their economies subject to market forces, particularly international ones. During the late nineties, many developing countries were restricted on foreign direct investment (FDI) that brought down tariff rates. In general, the higher growth and productivity, the less poverty in developing countries. Round (2002) states that in anti-globalists, globalisation adversely affects the poor in the poor countries while pro-globalists claim that it has lead to poverty reduction. Some countries that managed the globalisation process illustrate that it can be a powerful force for economic growth whereas, those who were affected were evidenced by dismal record on economic growth and poverty. It is clear that globalisation has failed to rid the world of poverty. Rather than being an unstoppable force for development, globalisation now seems more like an economic temptress, promising riches to everyone but only delivering to the few. In the 20th century, global average per capita income raised the income gap between the rich and the poor countries that has been widening for many decades Williamson (2002). It is argued that both rich and poor benefit from such a process. Politically, globalisation brings us closer together. Political ties help stabilise relationships and offer the opportunity for countries to discuss their differences. However, imperfect the current global political system might be, the alternative of independent nations is seen as potentially far worse. In addition, not all countries benefits equally from globalisation. Some people that have wealth will, as always, posses more opportunity to benefit from the globalised world, whether from lower prices, cul tural experiences or political agreements. In the other hand, it is argued that globalisation contributes to growing inequality and further impoverishes poor nations. Globalisation allows multinational corporations based largely in the USA, Europe and Japan, to exploit their dominant position in foreign markets. By exploiting the low wage labour, companies are able to compete more effectively on world markets. The major benefit of globalisation has improved living standards derived from a better division of labour. Developing countries specialise in intensive tasks, developed countries have to use employees in more productive ways. Most of the developing countries do not have the scientific and educational support, which the developed countries will have to move onto higher technology products. During the 19th century, Marx views on capitalism posed as a central contradiction. Marx argued that there was a fatal flaw that capitalism led to unprecedented growth. The source of this growth was the ability of capitalists to exploit their labourers and as growth and wealth increased the conditions of the workers would be declined. Marx furthers his argument that the world capitalism might lead to even greater problems for the workers in the less advanced areas because of their even weaker position as subjects of an imperial master. In conclusion, globalisation has an impact that enable worldwide prosperity to grow and the gap between developed and undeveloped countries to decrease. Globalisation plays an important role in solving the development problems of developing countries. More so, globalization has also shown its impact in narrowing the world by bringing nations on a single platform but realistically, this platform has not only expanded the gap between the nations but has also brought pains and sufferings to the less privileged. The way around the industries is a matter of much concern as the water body of this area contains the entire overflow discharged from the industries as a waste product. This waste product is either thrown out in the air or is flown in the water and occasionally buried in the soil, making the people to suffer from all kinds of danger.   Enabling people of one nation to communicate with those of the other nations is the biggest achievement in terms of globalization. The culture, trade, business, ethics and conduct of one group in one part of the world can influence others may or may not be of same nation.   There are various aspects where globalization has massively affected the world in industrially, it has provided the outside to the production market with an improved access to a wide range of foreign products and as a result globalization has increased huge number of customers for itself and this has helped in the progress of goods and materials between and within the national limitations.   Financially globalization has opened the way to obtain external financing opportunities to the borrowers.   Economically the freedom of exchange of goods and capitals tells us that the markets are consistent and any kind of economic fall down in one country could be supervised by others.    Politically, the United States has come up with the ultimate power in the period of globalization as it has strong and wealthy economy. There is a flow of information from one part of the globe to another and even to the distant locations, through the means of satellites, wireless communication or through internet.   Globalization has also given birth to great fight and has made the market an open place to stand out with skills and quality.  Culturally, cross-cultural contacts are the result of globalization. It has produced improved understanding towards cultural diversity and has also promoted travels and tourism to understand each other to a greater amount. This has improved greater customer products and has also has generated a pseudo-cultural patterns.   Socially, due to globalization the social network of people is expanding and people are able to understand each other in a better way howsoever isolated geographically they may be.  In the technical aspect, any kind of technological progress can be communicated to other parts of the world and as a result feedback to further develop it can be obtained.   Privatization of the NHS: Staff and Patient Views Privatization of the NHS: Staff and Patient Views Staff and Patients Perception on the Government’s Proposal of the Part Privatization of the NHS Anne Cook 1. Abstract The National Health System (NHS) provides medical care, generally free at the point of use, to all people in the United Kingdom. The NHS is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. In recent years, using the Private Finance Initiative, elements of health care are increasingly being placed on long-term contracts with the private sector. Medical staff and the public at large are currently dissatisfied with the move to part privatization and believe that patient care will be compromised, particularly for those unable to opt out of the NHS and become paying patients. Job losses in the medical profession have occurred and the public feel that the basic right of free medical care should not be moved to private enterprise that is profit driven. This is seen as undermining a fundamental right of all citizens. The Ministry of Health, on the other hand, defends their position stating that the move is in the best interests of the public and the profession, and state that patients will have more choices as a result of the new system. They do acknowledge that there are cases of cost overruns that were not initially budgeted for. The public feels betrayed by the changes to what was a fundamental right to free medical. The paper concludes that the transition is difficult and could take years to show the required improvements. There is no buy-in to the change from staff within the profession or the public; this is likely to be due to a lack of marketing of the changes, no buy-in from the stakeholders and a mistrust of the motives for partnering with the private sector. 2. Table of Contents (Jump to) 1. Abstract 2. Table of Content Introduction 3. Literature Review Government Paper Table 6, p26 Comparison of Increases in PFI Project Costs (million pounds) Public Feedback on PFIs in the Health Sector Tory Stand on the NHS Financial Status Medical Personnel Disillusioned Summary 4. Research Objectives 5. Research Methodology Porter’s 5 Forces Diagram. SWOT Analysis Diagram PEST Analysis Diagram 6. Research Findings Porter’s 5 Forces Model Summation of Porter’s 5 Forces Model S.W.O.T Analysis Summation of S.W.O.T. Analysis P.E.S.T Analysis Table – Age Structure in the UK 2001-2051 Introduction The National Health Service (NHS) was set up in the United Kingdom in 1948 to provide healthcare for all citizens, based on need, not the ability to pay. The NHS is funded by the taxpayer and managed by the Department of Health, which sets overall policy on health issues. It is the responsibility of the Department of Health to provide health services to the general public through the NHS. Many changes have occurred over the years, but the basic principal of free medical services for all has been a fundamental right within the United Kingdom for nearly 60 years The following information from the official NHS website summarizes the current method of operations within the system and mentions the controversial introduction of the Private Finance Initiative. Ref [1]http://:www.nhs.uk A feature of the NHS compared to other public healthcare systems in Continental Europe is that not only does it pay directly for health expenses (with partial exceptions like prescriptions and dentistry it is free at the point of use), it also employs the doctors and nurses that provide them, and in most cases owns and runs its hospitals and clinics. However, under the [2]Private Finance Initiative, an increasing number of hospitals have been built (or rebuilt) by private sector consortia, and have non-medical services (such as catering) provided under long-term contracts by the same consortia. As reported on [3]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Finance_Initiative, clearly the costs of the PFIs are currently an issue. The scale of PFI projects in the Health Education sector since 1997 is now having a serious impact on Public Service Budgets. Because the projects are more expensive in the Private sector (On average 30% more than if the Government borrowed the money and did the work in the Public sector) the payments to the Private owners of the PFI schemes are stretching already constricted Budgets. Many Health [4]Primary Care Trusts are in serious difficulty already, and when the level of spending falls in 2007, some may go bust. The Government is already in negotiation with Private Healthcare providers to come in and run failing Trusts. 3. Literature Review Government Paper [5]The House of Commons Research Paper 01/117, 18 December 2001 (Graham Allen) studies the Private Finance Initiative. The document states ‘Under the PFI, the public sector does not own an asset but pays the PFI contractor a stream of revenue payments for the use of the facility over a contract period’ ‘The Department of Health has signed the most PFI deals, 105, with a total value of just over 2.5 billion pounds. Under the section entitled Cost overruns the following items appear [6]Table 6, p26 Comparison of Increases in PFI Project Costs (million pounds) Initial Cost Final Cost % Increase Norfolk Norwich NHS Trust 90 144 60% Greenwich Healthcare NHS Trust 35 84 140% The report contains differing views for the cause of the severe overruns in PFI project costs. According to the private enterprise companies they blame the increases on the NHS and MoH as they are repeatedly changing the requirements from the original specifications. This could be a result of a lack of experience in managing private enterprise projects by the MoH – more efficient management and tighter control over specifications would result in major cost savings. There could be reason to revisit the bid process to identify where there are loopholes which allow the private companies to overrun and yet charge back the cost to the Ministry during the course of the contracts. Public Feedback on PFIs in the Health Sector The lobby group, Keep our NHS Public, [7]http://www.keepournhspublic.com/index.php, has a launch statement that includes the following ‘At the heart of the changes is the creation of a market that welcomes profit-driven international corporations who answer to shareholders, not patients. This market will compel hospitals and health professionals, who have traditionally cooperated to deliver healthcare, to compete with each other and with the private sector. Far from supporting the NHS, the private sector is in competition with it, and is already draining away resources and staff.’ On the web site, Frank Dobson Member of Parliament for Holborn and St. Pancras says: Before long we will have a health insurance system and the NHS role as a provider of care will be limited to picking up the difficult cases and looking after the worst off. It is time we worked together to put some chocks under the wheels of this fashionable bandwagon. The campaign launched in late September and has already won the backing of hundreds of senior doctors, academics, health workers and trade union leaders, celebrities, MPs and local campaigners for its launch statement. The lobby group feels strongly that the NHS is being divided up and the only driver for its continuation will be profits and not the medical well being of the patients. They have garnered support from many leading medical professionals since their launch. And the campaign is rapidly gaining momentum. Saturday 11th February 2006 Tory Stand on the NHS Financial Status The Guardian, http:/ / www.guardian.co.uk/ uk_ news/ story/ 0,,1707494,00.html of February 11th 2006, states the Tory case of the financial state of the NHS NHS in England heading for  £750m deficit, say Tories. The Tories have accused the government of burying evidence of a worsening financial crisis in the NHS that is starting to seriously damage the quality of patient care. Andrew Lansley, the shadow health secretary, said he had data from strategic health authorities showing the NHS in England is heading for a deficit of  £752.6m by the end of the financial year, compared to the  £200m overspend hoped for by Patricia Hewitt. Lansley said Hewitts intervention had forced down the quality of patient care with many trusts delaying operations. This tactic has failed because hospitals continue to pay staff for doing less work transferring overspending from PCTs to hospital trusts. 22 SHAs in England forecast deficits, two surpluses and four in balance. This statement not only highlights the deficit anticipated, but it also points to an administrative situation that is convoluted and inefficient. The over run on anticipated deficit is huge and points to a lack of monitoring and cost reductions over a long period. Medical Personnel Disillusioned The Guardian, April 13, 2005, printed an article entitled ‘Disillusioned Doctors Drop Support for Labour, http://society.guardian.co.uk/nhsplan/story/0,7991,1458601,00.html Only a third of a group of doctors who signed a public letter urging voters to support Labour in 1997 would do the same again, it emerged today. Disillusionment with Tony Blairs decision to pursue the same internal market policies as his Conservative predecessor was one of the main reasons why the doctors had deserted Labour this time round, according to the results of a new survey. In their original letter, the doctors had condemned the internal market forces in the NHS as a cancer eating away at your NHS. But of the original 59 GPs, consultants and academics who put their names to the letter published only a few days before the 1997 general election, only 17 said they would sign a similar letter warning voters that if the Conservatives won on May 5, the NHS as we know it would disappear, according to the results of the survey. Emeritus professor of clinical biochemistry at the University of Surrey, Vincent Marks, who put his name to the original letter, said today: Most of us feel that we have been badly let down. The dismantling of the NHS has continued apace. Consultant cardiologist at St Bartholomews hospital in London Duncan Dymond, who was also one of the original signatories, said: The government has missed a huge opportunity with the health service. There has been marginalization of the clinician and manipulation of patients to satisfy bureaucrats. Orthopedic surgeon Anthony Jones from Swansea in Wales, who also put his name to the letter in 1997, said: The cancer of the internal market has prospered under Blair. The doctors involved in the above intend withdrawing their votes in order to take a stand against the current changes within the NHS. Undeniably, they believe in the principals of a united medical service to the public who are currently promised a free medical system for all UK citizens. These medical professionals are prepared to make a political statement to show their lack of support for the current government handling of the NHS Dr Eric Bowman, from Scotland who responded to a BBC report ‘Public Health, Private Money’, echoes this negative outlook with the current situation I am a UK resident but I am also a US citizen. I prefer the UKs NHS to the nightmare of red tape, expense and iniquitous medical resourcing that is inherent in the US private system. I cannot imagine how anybody, including Blair, can consider a private healthcare system that diverts precious financial resources to profits as being efficient. I am appalled that Labour will invest in public-private partnerships rather than simply investing in the NHS. Deb McDee responded: I am an NHS Manager and was recently work shadowed by someone from a highly rated, large private company as part of a training scheme. For such a large NHS organization, he could not believe the small size of the management team, the long hours worked, the productivity and the low salaries compared to similar size and budget in the private sector. There is no chance that the private sector can run the NHS more efficiently at current funding levels. Any additional money would be swallowed up in more bureaucracy, inflated private sector salaries and a reduction in services. The above respondents identify the fact that private companies are in business to make a profit, in addition, staff are generally better paid for similar jobs. They feel that any private partnerships will prove to be more expensive than running the services under the NHS. A prominent dentist, John Renshaw, has resigned his profession over changes to the NHS. His story appeared in the Guardian on February 11th 2006 titled, ‘Top Dentist Quits over NHS plans One of Britains leading dentists is leaving the NHS to go private after 37 years, in the growing row over the way dentists will be paid in future. John Renshaws practice in Scarborough will become private in April. Mr. Renshaw, chair of the British Dental Association from 2000 to 2005, has refused to sign the new NHS contract. He says it will mean even less access to the service and lower standards of treatment. The government says the new contract provides a guaranteed income. Mr. Renshaw said: The NHS appears to want to secure a cheap deal and take control of every NHS dentists business. I will not be a party to this move and I am leaving the service for good. In addition to his BDA role, Mr. Renshaw was dental practice adviser to North Yorkshire Health Authority for 10 years to 2001 and has served on many bodies, including Scarborough Health Authority. The Royal College of Nursing expressed their frustration at the changes to their profession in the Telegraph Article ‘Plan to Part Privatize NHS Nurses Quietly Unveiled, on 26th August 2005. [8]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/26/nhs26.xmlsSheet=/news/2005/08/26/ixnewstop.html The Government has quietly unveiled radical plans that will lead to the part-privatization of many non-hospital NHS services, nurses leaders claimed yesterday. The Royal College of Nursing accused ministers of deliberately announcing fundamental changes to the way primary health care was provided during the summer holidays and then announcing a public consultation it called little more than a facade. Plans to transfer tens of thousands of district, school and mental health nurses, health visitors and community midwives out of the NHS primary care trusts were disclosed in a letter to the heads of NHS organizations at the end of last month. It said that in future primary care trusts would commission these services from private companies, charities, local authorities and acute trusts. The RCN yesterday said the public consultation on the future of community health and social services, announced last week, and was meaningless, as the key decision to end the provision of these services by the PCTs had already been taken. Howard Catton, RCN head of policy, said: An NHS that no longer provides these services, that no longer employs these staff is a very different sort of NHS to the one the public knows. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is a membership organization with over 370,000 members in the United Kingdom. Most members are Registered Nurses but student nurses and Advanced Healthcare Assistants are also admitted. These prominent professionals and the largest representative group of nursing professionals are outraged at the division of the medical services and part privatization. They raise the question of charities being called on to provide certain services – charities are currently stretched financially and are unlikely to be able to take on responsibilities that have previously been handled by the NHS. Part-privatization of ambulance work sparks union anger, written by the Guardian Social Affairs Editor, John Carvel. – The article below, printed on October 13th, 2005, is a single example of numerous instances where medical services have been outsourced. Most of the ambulance service in Surrey is to be hived off to a private company specializing in prison management, immigration detention centres and court escort duties, which broke off from Group 4 security services last year. The Surrey ambulance service said yesterday it was deeply disappointed at a decision by local NHS commissioners to transfer all non-emergency ambulance work to the Worcestershire-based company GSL. In a further ratcheting up of private sector involvement in the NHS, the company will become responsible for transporting about 150,000 patients a year on journeys to and from hospital. The NHS ambulance service will retain blue-light emergency work, but GSL will also look after high-dependency patients who need oxygen and constant supervision during journeys between hospitals. The company said it would acquire 60 state-of-the-art ambulances to provide patients with safe, comfortable journeys when it takes over in March. The decision to award it the contract was taken on Tuesday by a consortium of primary care trusts headed by Alan Kennedy, the ambulance trusts former chief executive. The announcement of this first major privatization of ambulance work caused an angry reaction from Unison, the public service union. Karen Jennings, its head of health, said: This is all about saving money and nothing to do with providing high-quality patient care. It will undermine the trusts ability to provide an integrated emergency service in the area. News of the deal came as the board of Thames Valley health authority took a step towards contracting out NHS healthcare management in Oxfordshire. It agreed to submit plans to the Department of Health to make NHS managers compete against the private sector for the job of commissioning services from hospitals. This could, in effect, privatize the process of deciding what health services and drugs should be available to the countys 600,000 residents. Nick Ralph, the Thames Valley chief executive, said the contractors would be accountable to a board of non-executive directors with power to look after the public interest. But Howard Catton, head of policy at the Royal College of Nursing, said contracting out strategic management could reduce the NHS to little more than a brand name for services that were managed and delivered by the private sector. This report shows a lack of communication and direction between the MoH and the NHS on policy and procedures and the way forward. In addition, the cost of providing new ambulances and training personnel who have no medical care background with be high, the private company will have built such costs into their fees to be paid by the MoH over the period of the long term contract. John Carvel, the Social Affairs editor of the Guardian on Sept 22, 2005, wrote the below article Plans to Hand Over NHS Staff and Buildings to Private Sector Health secretary Patricia Hewitt is preparing to transfer NHS hospital buildings and staff into the private sector as part of a  £3bn scheme to promote competition in the health service, the Guardian can reveal. Documents show that companies bidding for contracts to treat patients from the NHS waiting list will be allowed to take over NHS premises, doctors and nurses. Initially, they will also be guaranteed a minimum throughput of NHS patients and paid accordingly, even if the patients choose to go elsewhere. Disclosure of the â€Å"strictly confidential† documents is likely to fuel protest at the Labour conference next week that the government’s NHS reforms are in danger of destabilizing the health service, but Ms Hewitt will argue she is saving it by putting the needs of patients before those of providers. The information was provided to companies wanting to bid for 24 contracts to run treatment centres across England. They will compete with NHS trusts to attract NHS patients, who from the end of this year will have a choice of where to be treated. Ms Hewitt has said she wants them to diagnose and treat 1. 7m patients over the next five years. The documents, which were obtained by Hospital Doctor magazine, disclose plans for companies to take over the latest state-of-the-art operating theatres that are being built for the NHS at hospitals in Birmingham and the New Forest. The independent sector will also be handed the surgical units at Ravenscourt Park hospital in Hammersmith, west London, where wards have been shut due to lack of patients. Many of the 24 contracts involve â€Å"significant volumes† of patients and staff transferring from the NHS into the private units. Doctors and nurses may have little choice if they want to keep their jobs. Paul Miller, chairman of the BMA’s consultants committee, said: â€Å"It now looks as if we are at the start of a massive privatization of the provision of healthcare in the NHS.† But Ms Hewitt said his claims were nonsense. â€Å"This is all about giving patients speedier access, more choice, and improved services.† The taking over of staff and premises, without prior consultation and negotiation with the personnel involved, is a very autocratic way to shift responsibility and accountability and lacks any regard for the medical staff involved. This does imply they will retain a job, in contrast to the ambulance drivers in a prior article who would be out of work as the private company would staff the service themselves. If the NHS cannot attract patient to ‘state of the art’ facilities, I cannot understand how handing them to private enterprise will turn around the situation and make the facilities profitable. There has to be some form of financial incentive for the private sector to take on such a contract. In another article quoted, there is reference to the MoH paying private companies for patients, regardless of whether those patients take up the services in the area. If this is the case here, why wasn’t the NHS made the same offer and continued to run the facilities themselves? Vincent Marks, a professor of clinical biochemistry at the University of Surrey was quoted on May 13th, 2005, after hearing of another part privatization being announced by the then new Minister of Health, Ms Hewitt ‘Once you start farming it off into private enterprises the NHS as we understood it will gradually disintegrate. And Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley added: I do agree in principle the independent sector should have a right to supply to the NHS. But not the sort of contracts the government is signing. They (independent sector providers) get more money than NHS would do. Niall Dickson, chief executive of the Kings Fund, a health think-tank, said while using the private sector in such a way had obvious advantages; there were still potential pitfalls. This will have significant implications for NHS institutions and core services, as well as the training of doctors. And British Medical Association chairman James Johnson said he was concerned the move could destabilize the NHS, as the private sector would only take on the most straightforward cases. Ms Hewitt, who was previously trade and industry secretary before taking over at health in the reshuffle last week, has also championed latest figures that have shown patients were being treated faster. The number of people waiting over six months for an operation at the end of March was 40,800 a 32.5% fall on the previous month. The overall waiting list also fell slightly to 821,700 down by 2.8% on the previous month. And a report by the NHS chief executive Sir Nigel Crisp showed the health service was ahead of target for treating heart and cataract patients. This article raises the question of training for future doctors. One can argue that if the majority of future doctors are likely to be employed in private companies rather than the NHS that the MoH could reduce funding for doctors training and training faculties in general. The private sector is unlikely to take on this responsibility and could result in a more acute shortage of trained doctors, as the cost of training would fall to the individual. Certain improvements in waiting times are indicated; however, these are a small percentage of the overall services provided and may not be indicative of a general improvement across the board. They could be achieved at the expense of others services which could have been pushed back. The Battersea and Wandsworth TUC have produced a paper titled ‘SW London Hospitals under Pressure’. This document highlights the plight of the particular area but echoes the typical situation countrywide and provides an insight into the reasons for the current state of the NHS It states that ‘consistent patterns of under resourcing and crisis measures running back to the early 1980s’. It states ‘The resort to private sector providers to plug gaps in local NHS capacity is both costly and self-defeating. Not only does it siphon vital cash from local NHS trusts, but it also increases the level of competition between the NHS and the private sector for nursing and other staff’ ‘Private contractors must be removed from the provision of hospital support services. Their role for the past two decades has been to cut the pay and conditions of staff to run down the quality of services. The constant threat of privatization has been used as a weapon to hold down the pay for other NHS staff, with dire consequences for morale.’ They make the following recommendations (summarised) Runaway costs of employing agency staff to plug gaps in the full time NHS workforce have to be tackled There is an urgent need for a thorough and independent audit of the financial situation in all local NHS Trusts, to establish a realistic baseline budget that will sustain the necessary levels of service – and the additional money must be made available, to ensure that the services are expanded as required on a stable and sustainable basis. Any planned deals with private hospitals should be abandoned, ad priority should be given instead to the most rapid possible expansion of local NHS capacity, alongside longer term plans for the renewal of old or obsolescent buildings Privatized support services which generate profits at the expense of low paid for staff must be brought back in house, with staff properly reincorporated into the NHS team. With the government currently able to borrow money on the international markets at 2% interest or even lower, all PFI schemes should be abandoned as too costly and inflexible to suit the needs of the NHS. Instead the government should make NHS capital available for the further upgrade of Epsom (hospital) and a new publicly funded hospital to replace St Helier, and local treatment centres to complement the services already available in smaller local hospitals Summary Current literature clearly indicates that the move towards part privatization of the NHS has serious negative perceptions both within the medical profession and in the general public. However, the Department of Health believes the move is already proving to be successful and that the move to further part privatization is the way forward for an efficient and effective NHS. In summary the documents highlight. Costs to the Department of Health will significantly exceed previous spending on the NHS. The move to part privatization is in the early stages and the long term management and control need to be carefully monitored and checked. The Department of Health has to sign on to long-term contracts with the private sector service providers, as stipulated in the Private Finance Initiative papers. There have been some significant overruns on initial budget figures; cause for concern when the initiative is still in the early stages and the contracts are for extended periods. The Department of Health is losing control over areas of health management. Health care providers are leaving the profession as they are disillusioned with the changes to the NHS Health care providers have