Milkshake Factory Case Study

The story of George Stein exposes the dynamics that drive the night shift at Eastern Dairy’s milkshake factory. George was excited to join the dairy’s unionized workforce because its contributions-to-inducements balance was so favorable. As soon as he crossed the functional boundary into the organization, more specific features of George’s work group became apparent. First, there was no manager to speak of supervising the night shift. Second, horseplay was the workgroup norm, considered a natural and necessary complement to the hard work the team did every night.Although the management likely excused this as peripheral role behavior, it was relevant and desirable to the members of the night shift itself because it allowed them to cultivate camaraderie and maintain morale, giving them motivation to perform as well as participate. Management’s only expressed expectations were that the night shift complete the set of production orders they were given each nig ht and that the equipment was spotlessly clean by 7 a. m. As long as these tasks were accomplished, the night shift was left to self-regulate.The night shift constitutes its own subculture within Eastern Dairy, and the special conditions that govern that workgroup make it discernibly different from the mainstream organizational culture. The absence of a formal manager to indoctrinate employees into organizational values such as quality management has allowed a different set of values and basic assumptions to emerge among the members of the night shift than might be held by the organization as a whole. For example, they share an implicit assumption that, where there is a conflict between workers’ best interests and quality control, the workers should win out.From a differentiation perspective, we can predict that the night shift’s internal consensus on this point is likely to be at odds with that of the managerial subculture. [1] If the company has the goal of total qua lity control, it has not taken the steps necessary to spread that philosophy throughout its ranks. Rather than sharing management’s presumed focus on the customer, the night shift is focused on doing their job quickly enough to get out of work on time.Since they have not received explicit training or communication about quality control issues, it is reasonable that they retain the view that some level of defects in the manufacturing process is normal and acceptable. If we are willing to dismiss the quality control aspects of the production line blockage issue, there remains the ethical question of what is the right way to deal with the problem. If George removes the filters as instructed, the 500 gallons of milkshake destined for public consumption will be contaminated with maggots.If he doesn’t, attempting instead to clear the filters every time one clogs, the production run will take forever, meaning everyone will have to stay late, and the equipment will not be clea n in time for the start of the day shift. If the crew discards the entire contaminated batch and restarts the production run from scratch, clean-up will still be delayed to some extent, plus the company will have to waste 500 gallons of milkshake mix. The instructions management (to our knowledge) has provided to Paul indicate that it prioritizes timely completion of the production orders and subsequent clean-up over things like purity of the product.Additionally, Paul knows that, due to pasteurization, the milkshakes will not hurt anyone, and due to homogenization, the extraneous matter probably won’t even be noticed. After weighing all of these points, Paul decides to remove the filters in order to process the milkshake mix, maggots and all. Whether this is an ethical solution to the blockage depends on the system of ethics used to judge it. Paul appears to be following utilitarian ethics in his decision, by which milkshake contamination is an undesired but acceptable outco me of the action of greatest net benefit to all involved.He is not ignoring the effect of this action on the prospective drinkers of the milkshakes; he just feels that they are not affected adversely enough (due to homogenization and pasteurization) to change the assessment of greatest net benefit. According to act utilitarianism (and potentially rule utilitarianism, if the rule agrees), Paul’s decision is perfectly ethical. According to right-based ethics, however, he is acting unethically because allowing the contaminated milkshake to go to market interferes with the consumers’ rights to make an informed decision about the products they purchase.Finally,[2] an ethical egoist would be split on the issue: If George were a individual egoist, he would remove the filters without hesitation because doing so will make his life easier, but if he were a universal egoist, he would refrain from sending the contaminated batch to market because he wouldn’t like to be on th e receiving end of that action. [3] George’s focus on others is apparent from the guilt he feels about the children who could find themselves drinking maggot-filled milkshakes because of his actions. Paul’s order to emove the filters falls on the cusp of George’s zone of indifference, and he considers disobeying out of concern with the morality of the request. One reason for George’s ambiguity is that he lacks the leadership defined by Mary Parker Follett. Paul may be the workgroup’s informal leader, but he has no real authority over his colleagues. He may know the technical aspects of the job, but he does not see the â€Å"big picture,† which includes the trust relationship between the dairy and its customers. He does his best to solve problems, but he hasn’t been given the resources to head them off before they occur.The solution he chooses for the blockage problem does not display the forethought of the ideal leader because it leav es the team open to potential repercussions from management and/or the public if the contamination is discovered. Nonetheless, Paul is George’s most obvious role-sender because he has the most impact on George’s daily work experience. Under the circumstances, Parker-Follett would like to see George try to influence Paul by suggesting a content innovation that miraculously solves their problem in an unforeseen way.In the end, it is not George’s responsibility – or ultimately even Paul’s – to solve the dilemma that confronts them. The management has not provided the night shift enough guidance to establish unequivocally what the organization considers the right way to proceed. The uncertainty the employees face in this situation is a good argument for formalized codes of ethics and quality control training. In the meantime, ethical relativism will prevail on the night shift: they will have to decide what is â€Å"right† based on what is best for everyone present. ———————- [1] This assumes two things about the managerial subculture: a) it espouses a commitment to quality management, and b) its in-use values do not conflict with the espoused values. [2] Justice theories of ethics can be construed to agree with rights-based theory, but they deal to a greater degree with more over-arching questions of how society should be run. As such, justice ethics are the least applicable to this situation. [3] Of course, a person who sees the contamination as harmless could allow it to happen without violating the â€Å"golden rule. †

Legalisation of cannabis Essay

An issue that creates heated debate almost anywhere you go is the legalisation of cannabis. There are two different opinions: one, that cannabis should not become legal because it leads on to the use of harder drugs and causes more petty crime. The second view is that if it became legal then fewer people would have to sneak around to get cannabis and therefore not get caught up in the underworld of drugs, and that would stop the lead on to harder drugs. Also cannabis can be used for medical purposes such as a painkiller, and to relieve the symptoms of diseases such as multiple sclerosis. I don’t believe that the use of drugs necessarily leads on to the use of harder drugs. The argument that the use of cannabis leads on to the use of harder drugs is called the Gateway Theory, which is now seldom used by the British Government. Yet some people continually state this as if it were a fact, whist still others, even some who advocate the full legalisation of cannabis, continue to insist that it is the social setting in which cannabis is taken that leads onto hard drug use. Such arguments are often based on the idea that if one is in an environment where people are smoking tobacco for example then, if they were smoking it before, they will restart or if they had not done it before then they will start. The truth is that it is not because they are in that environment, but it is because they may be encouraged to start or restart by other people. There is nothing within cannabis itself that automatically leads the user to use harder drugs. In fact cannabis is less addictive than caffeine. And also users say that unlike cocaine or heroin, cannabis does not give you a high thereby removing the need to take an increased dosage to try and get the same high as the first time. On the other hand some people believe that the use of cannabis will lead on to the use of harder drugs. A prime example of the Gateway Theory is a newspaper article from the Daily Mail. A Professor Rey, conducted a study, and it concluded that thirty nine percent of children who admitted using cannabis had also used harder drugs such as Heroin, Cocaine, Ecstasy and  amphetamines. Another reason people give for the legalisation of cannabis is that it has medical purposes. It can be used as a painkiller or to relieve the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Even our own Queen Victoria used cannabis to relive the discomfort of menstrual cramps. Furthermore, some people agree that if cannabis were legal then it would take up less police time and public money, because police would spend less time arresting people for minor offences, and therefore could spend more time on all of Britain’s bigger problems. For example, in 1995 there were 93631 drug arrests and 76, 694 were to do with cannabis . So if the police didn’t have to arrest people for cannabis offences then it would save a lot of police time. It would also save a great deal of public money as well because we would not have to put them through a trial or keep them in prison. Another argument is that even though some people may think that cannabis has some medical properties, this has not yet been proven. The House of Lords even say that beside cannabis being intoxicating it can pose a risk to people with heart problems, it can exacerbate pre-existing mental illness, smoking cannabis is as bad for the lungs as smoking tobacco, and may cause cancer and also that regular heavy use can lead to psychological dependence, and in some cases to physical dependence, involving withdrawal symptoms. Furthermore people believe that legalisation will cause greater harm through increased use â€Å"because of increased availability and tacit acceptance of these drugs by society† . Other effects of legalisation may include increased crime and violence resulting from the pharmacological effects of illicit drugs. In conclusion I accept that there are good reasons for cannabis to stay an illegal drug, but I still think that cannabis should become a legal drug, as there are many good reasons for it to become legal. I think that even if you were to keep it illegal it will not discourage people from using the drug, and people will keep using it for recreational use for many years to come.

How to Write the Columbia University Essays 2017-2018

Columbia University is one of the world’s leading research institutions and one of the best universities in the country. Originally founded as King’s College in 1754, today Columbia attracts top-performing students from all around the globe with its combination of a world-class academic program and its location in the social and cultural hub of New York City. With such a great academic experience comes high interest, limited space, and an increasingly difficult path to an acceptance letter. For its class of 2021, Columbia admitted a mere 5.8% of its applicants. As a result, competitive applicants will need to write extremely compelling essays in order to stand out in the admissions process. When applying to Columbia, you will submit either the Common App or the Coalition Application, each of which includes a general 650-word essay. For more advice on how to craft a stellar response to the 2017-2018 Common App and Coalition essay prompts, see ’s guides on the   Common App Essays and the Coalition Essays . In addition to the general essays from the Common App and Coalition Applications, Columbia has four â€Å"essay† questions that they want you to answer for their school in particular. These essays can be broken into two groups: Luckily for you, is here to help. In order to give you the best shot possible for the class of 2022, we’ll be offering you plenty of practical suggestions for how to navigate this year’s supplemental essays. We’ll also be adding a few suggestions on how you might try something a little bit more adventurous in your writing to stand out from the crowd. This prompt is asking you for a list — no snappy introductions or grandiose concluding statements. But keep in mind that even when you are writing a list, you are still telling a story. The items you put at the beginning and the end of the list matter, and there is room for humor and dramatic effect. Let’s handle the formatting first. You can organize your list by using periods to separate different words and phrases. A bare-bones response to this question might start out something like this: Exciting. Something unexpected. Being in awe of my peers and constantly learning from them. Studying with the top researchers in the field of biology. Doing interdisciplinary work that addresses real-world issues. Always being exposed to new ideas. Inspiring and uplifting. You get the idea. But, as you read this sample response, you may get the sense that it is extremely broad (sort of like Columbia’s mission statement ). Large institutions have to use vague statements of general purpose because they need to represent a huge body of interests without stirring up controversy. But you are just one person, peculiar in your own interests and passions. And Columbia wants to see that person. Once you get past the mission statements written by committees of administrators and into the classes, the books, the late-night poetry readings, the frantic scribbling at the end of a linear algebra midterm†¦ then Columbia becomes an interesting and lively place.    The key to writing a compelling answer to this question is to recognize that you are not just describing your ideal college community but also yourself and how you hope to interact with that community. Maybe you want a community that â€Å"welcomes a small-town entomologist into the big city,† or maybe you want a community â€Å"full of hands with paper cuts from thumbing through The Critique of Pure Reason. † Your answer to this question can be part personal essay and part aspirational statement about what you want your college to look like. First, it helps to have an expansive sense of what the word â€Å"community† might mean. It can refer to your friends, your professors, your classmates, but also your TAs, the people who clean and serve food on the campus, the musicians who play on New York Subway. Maybe you want a college campus that is â€Å"loud with the sound of the city,† but where the libraries â€Å"are quiet with the frantic intensity of thought.† As you write, try to avoid vague buzzwords like â€Å" innovation ,† and hackneyed phrases like â€Å"cultivates leadership ,† and â€Å"values sustainability .† These words may sound fancy, but if they already appear in the promotional materials for every college and university that you are applying to, then chances are your admissions officers are already tired of hearing them. Instead of a college community that â€Å"values sustainability,† maybe you want a college community that is â€Å"doing everything it can to fight global warming.† Instead of a college community that â€Å"cultivates leadership,† maybe you want a college community that â€Å"asks me to listen, intently and respectfully to those with which I disagree, even if they don’t believe in climate change.† Don’t be afraid to offer a list that speaks to your own values, where each item contributes to a narrative about you that is bigger than the sum of its parts. Finally, if you really want to go out on a limb, you might recognize that a list can also be a poem. Maybe you want a community â€Å"that reaches beyond the ivory tower, that turns around to speak truth to power.† That rhyme is a little clammy. You can probably do better, and we encourage you to try. You might suspect that this part of the application has some kind of hidden trap. If you do not list a certain work or publication, does that rule you out? Is there anything they are looking for specifically? The answer to both of these questions is no. For this segment, honesty is key. The admissions committees are looking to understand who you are through your interests. It is true that Columbia is looking for some degree of sophistication. But don’t let this discourage you: Not everyone reads Aristotle for fun! Moreover, even if you spend some time reading Archie Comics , you can have an intricate reading of those too! The sophistication of your chosen reading material does not necessarily reflect the sophistication of your reading practice. As a general rule, you should make sure that your reading list reflects a high school reading level, even if it has a few more eclectic, â€Å"fun† titles thrown into the mix.    Across these lists, you also have the opportunity to show you are intellectually curious and interested in subjects beyond your chosen area of study. Because Columbia offers its students a liberal arts education, neuroscience majors may find themselves in a discussion about Gertrude Stein (they might even learn that the poet of â€Å"A rose is a rose is a rose† was herself quite dedicated to the modern study of physiology and cognition). If you are applying as a STEM major, you might include some of your favorite novels, whether it be the early nineteenth-century study of manners in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice or the eco-utopian science fiction of Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars Trilogy . On the other hand, if you are applying as an English major, you might demonstrate your interests in the narratives that live outside of literary texts by including some of your favorite works on science, politics, and economics. After all, Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century begins with an analysis of â€Å"property† in Jane Austen, and Naomi Klein’s analysis of the politics of climate change in This Changes Everything quotes Robinson’s novels. In all of these lists, the most important thing is to remain true to yourself; don’t make things up for the purposes of sounding fancy. A world where everyone has read the same few â€Å"important† books would be a very boring world indeed. No special tricks here. These works should be directly from your literature class’s syllabus: just list the titles of your favorite required works from the year. Unless they are relatively unknown, there is no need to include the author’s name. If you are an international student, use this opportunity to showcase titles that might not normally appear in an American high school curriculum. Make sure to use the translated titles into English. We recommend a minimum of three or four works and a maximum of about ten works. Remember that these can be both fiction and non-fiction; ideally, your list will offer a mixture of both. The fiction works should not be from your school courses, even if you did not list them on the first part of this supplement. As with the previous question, you should give a minimum of four texts and a maximum of ten. The point here is not to give an exhaustive list of your reading, but rather to give the admissions officers a sense of your interests. In terms of works that would be inappropriate to list, remember that these are books you’ve read within the last year. Maybe you feel like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was an important novel to your childhood and shaped you as an individual, but unfortunately, Columbia is only looking for more recent reads. But, if you reread an important text every year, feel free to include it. After all, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts reportedly rereads Samuel Johnson’s â€Å"The Vanity of Human Wishes† every year . Feel free to include texts from any genre, even comic books. Some graphic novels, like Emil Ferris’ My Favorite Thing is Monsters are modern classics that tackle tough issues, like racial tensions in Chicago, the beauty of Fuseli’s The Nightmare , and the long history of Nazi Germany. The most important thing to remember is that these are books you have discovered, read, and enjoyed within at most the past year. They should reflect who you are at the moment! As a formatting note: If you read these titles in a language other than English, feel free to make a small note in parenthesis after each title noting this, for example, Les Misà ©rables (read in French). Submit your essay and we’ll get back to you with helpful edits. There is no need to make a distinction between â€Å"print† and â€Å"electronic,† as most publications are currently available online. Unlike other sections where it is useful to have a mix of answers, hunting down different publications that are solely online or solely print is completely unnecessary. Examples of appropriate publications can include but should not be limited to: The New York Times , The Economist , Astronomy Magazine , International Journal of Psychology , American Anthropologist , etc. Don’t forget that scientific, economic, and social sciences journals count as publications! At the same time, it’s perfectly fine some on your list are not that â€Å"sophisticated.† Even sites like Buzzfeed, which by some are not considered extremely serious news sources, can add value to your application if you feel their content is representative of your interests. One final note: These days, there are a lot of â€Å"news† outlets that do not conform to the traditional standards of journalistic integrity . Alex Jones’s InfoWars comes to mind as a prominent example. If you visit and read from sites like this, it is, of course, up to your discretion whether or not you include them on your list. One argument for including a site like InfoWars might be that you read it, not for â€Å"information,† but rather to study the media that millions of Americans read and watch every day, for better or worse. If you are interested in journalism or media criticism, you might write a very compelling response to the fourth essay prompt below that asks you to talk about your intended field of study. You might start that essay by saying: â€Å"You might have been surprised to see The Daily Stormer listed alongside the New York Times in the list of publications that I regularly read above. I included that site because I have long followed the work of the Southern Poverty Law Center , and I am interested in studying how white supremacist ideas spread in our modern media ecology.† (Indeed, the Columbia Journalism school just so happens to be doing a lot of work on exactly this issue.) This category is the most general, meant as an opportunity to showcase what you do when you are not reading. This can include anything from big music concerts to theatre performances to museum exhibits. You can even list video games (there is a rapidly growing world of philosophically and emotionally sophisticated games, like That Dragon, Cancer , that are worthy of study alongside any other work of literature). You can also use this category to display your interest in international issues. Maybe you attended an exhibition on the art of climate change in Beijing or were captivated by Gianfranco Rosi’s Fire at Sea . Maybe you are a regular reader of the trendsetting African literary blog Brittlepaper . But what if you haven’t done lots of fancy travel? What if you don’t live in a big city with lots of fancy museums? Even small local events are worth listing here if you got something out of them. There is no reason why you should be shy about including a local theater production, a community dance competition, or an exhibit from a local artist. Showing that you are aware of the various forms of art and life that flourish outside the circuit of Guggenheim Fellowships and Booker Prizes can add an important dimension to your application. In this essay, the admissions officers want to know why you want to attend Columbia in particular. Not just because it is a big fancy school with brand recognition, but because you are attracted to the specific courses Columbia offers, the ways it trains its students, and social and cultural institutions that surround it in New York City. Columbia wants to know that you have taken some time to research what they have to offer. Before you can write a compelling answer to this question, you will need to dig deep on their website. For this essay, generic kiss-up praise for Columbia’s â€Å"high-quality academic curriculum, outstanding professors, and talented students† is not going to cut it. Anyone can write that. You should also try to reach beyond patinas to the things that Columbia touts in its promotional materials. Everyone who is applying to this school knows that Columbia is â€Å"famous† for being located in New York city, for having all of its students take a â€Å" Core † curriculum, and for emphasizing academics over athletics. The admissions officers’ eyes probably glaze over a little bit every time they hear a student parroting back to them a line like this: â€Å" I am excited to take Contemporary Civilization and join into the tradition of students who have, since 1919, assembled to discuss important works of moral and political thought from Plato to the present .† A good response to this prompt starts with the recognition that it is not just asking you to tell what is â€Å"valuable† about Columbia itself. They are asking you to talk about how the values and commitments that make you a distinctive and interesting person are related to the dazzling array of opportunities that Columbia has to offer. You want to share something that is specific about yourself and pair it with something equally distinctive about the university. Maybe members of your community have recently been deported, and you are especially interested in the work that Columbia’s School of Journalism has done reporting on that issue. Maybe your interest in mathematics and computer science led you to start reading up on automata theory , and you are excited to attend the Math department’s Samuel Eilenberg Lectures — a series named for a former Columbia professor who made great contributions to that field. As you do your web search to try and find out how your interests intersect with Columbia, the more specific you get, the better. Columbia is a massive institution, and there is a lot happening there — much of which your admissions officers might not even know about! If you can teach them something about their own institution, then you are more likely to capture their attention. Another thing that makes Columbia distinctive is not just the work that happens within its walls, but also its location in New York City. Maybe you are excited to take an Art History class where you can go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and see â€Å" The Death of Socrates † in person while reading The Phaedo . Maybe you are interested in the socioeconomic issues associated with gentrification , and want to study first hand the classic case of Brooklyn. As you write this essay you should not be afraid to talk about how your interest in Columbia lies in how that institution is related to the urban environment that surrounds it. Note: This final question differs slightly between applicants to Columbia College or to the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. For applicants to SEAS, there is no option to apply as undecided, so the second sentence is omitted from this prompt. The admissions committee is interested in knowing what you find fascinating about your field and what you have done to broaden that interest. They are trying to weed out people who are applying for a given major just because it sounds fancy. But, more than that, they also want to see what makes you tick, how your passion for learning carries you beyond your high school classes, and what keeps you up at night in a fever pitch of wonder and excitement. You want to find the best, and most concise, way to showcase your passion. 300 words are a lot fewer than you would think! At , we have broken down the â€Å"Why Major?† essay into two main questions: Your essay should seek to address both of these questions with as high a degree of specificity as possible. Because this essay is so short, it is difficult to address a general field. You cannot fully explain your love of a subject with a mere 300 words. â€Å"I love astronomy† is not sufficient. Instead, you could write more specifically about your interest in exoplanets and astrobiology. Include a personal story about stargazing as a child that sparked your love of the field and mention scientific research completed in high school that further cultivated your interest in the stars. It’s also possible that you are still figuring out what you want to study. No intellectually curious seventeen-year-old is ever certain about the topics and disciplines that will drive their future studies. One way to communicate your interest and your desire to continue exploring a given topic is to talk about a recent conversation you had with someone who is already immersed in a field that you are curious about. An essay might begin: â€Å"Ever since my high school teacher combined potassium permanganate and glycerol and set his lab coat on fire, I’ve been fascinated with the chemical property of flammability. In order to learn more, I reached out to John McJohnson, a graduate student studying autoignition temperatures at the University of California, Davis. What most excited me about our conversation was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Of course, in order to write this essay, you need to actually have a conversation with someone who is working in that field. If you live in a town that has a research university, and if you are considering majoring in chemistry, you can actually go to the chemistry department’s university website, find a professor or graduate student whose work looks interesting to you, and send them an email asking to meet for coffee. This may seem intimidating, but we can assure you that there are lots of researchers who might be willing to take 30 minutes out of their day to talk with a young person about their work. You might not get a response (most of these people are very busy), but the sooner you get used to reaching out to potential future colleagues and making connections, the better off you’ll be. No matter what approach you take to this question, you’ll want to be sure to avoid cramming in too much jargon in an effort to communicate your technical mastery. You only have 300 words, and the point of this essay is not to dazzle your reader but rather to show what practical steps you’ve taken to explore and develop your intellectual interests.   However, you choose to write your essays, dare to be a little creative. Don’t just describe the university that the Columbia admissions officers already know. Ideally, they will see their campus a little bit differently after having read what you imagine it might be to you. As Columbia’s website says, they are looking for students who â€Å"will take greatest advantage of the unique Columbia experience and will offer something meaningful in return to the community.† The advice we’ve offered in this article is only a sampling of what we try to do with our clients at . If you want help on your Columbia application and essays, check out our College Apps Program and our Essay Editing Program .

On the debate surrounding legislation for same-sex couples Essay

On the debate surrounding legislation for same-sex couples - Essay Example From the research it can be comprehended that a same-sex partner residing with his/her partner is considered to be a cohabitee. Such an arrangement causes the person to have no rights invested in the property and the risk of homelessness is very real should separation occur. Cohabitants possess no statutory rights to occupation; such rights are only claimable through the use of equitable principles such as trusts or proprietary estoppels. The court indeed has shown a desire to rule in a manner that prevents injustice, though this is a far cry from the positive rights that are granted to married couples. The courts have indeed expressed a need as well as a desire for Parliament to reform the law in cases such as Hammond v Mitchell and Stack v Dowden. Many ask why, if the law is prepared to assign the same rights to same-sex couples and married couples, it does not simply allow the former to enjoy the institutions of marriage. The same need for reform is evident in the law in relation to children. While the Children Act 1989 defines parental responsibility in a gender-neutral manner, it is most often the case that the mother of a child born out of wedlock is given automatic parental rights. How does this fare when applied to same-sex couples who are parents? It is clearly recognised that â€Å"the legal definition of families has changed over time†. This is evident in, as has been stated, the change in social attitudes towards the institution of marriage, the birth of children out of wedlock, and the rights of unmarried couples. The law, although it has greatly moved forward in relation to heterosexual partnerships, has been reluctant to codify any such similar approach to same-sex couples. The courts have attempted as far as is possible to interpret the law in a manner that allows unmarried couples (heterosexual and same-sex) to be granted the same, or similar rights to married couples. In other decisions, the court has clearly expressed a desire for legi slation which gives them the freedom to positively grant same-sex couples the same rights as married couples, recognising that this needs an extension of the law of civil marriage to same-sex couples. In the case of Fitzpatrick v Sterling Housing Association (2000), the House of Lords recognised that the definition of family has increasingly become a legal concept. While the couple in the case were not married, the court could not class them as family, yet it expressed a need to reform the law to allow

Emergency Response & Crisis Comm Plans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emergency Response & Crisis Comm Plans - Essay Example The Crisis Centre includes two component parts. The first is the Operational Control Incident Centre (OCIC) which is the corporate command and control centre that provides policy guidelines, responds to enquiries from the media fraternity, and has admission to a wide selection of resources such as key personnel and communication instruments. The second component part is the Emergency Procedures Information Centre (EPIC). EPIC provides the coordination and control of all passenger and family information for the British Airways and liases with activated Telephone Enquiry Centers (TEC’s) worldwide, including the U.S.A. The second component part will support the OCIC in providing information and support (Belliotti, 2008).   However, the British Airways Emergency Response Plan does not mention any background on the anticipated crisis. There is a general mentioning of a possible accident but does not include any further details as to the type of crisis that can occur. In case a crisis does occur, the emergency response plan has outlined various specific actions that will be taken to address the needs of the families of the passengers involved. Detailed sections are included in the plan specifying the most relevant and necessary actions to be taken in case of an accident. The plan contains specific instructions on corporate command and control centre to be carried out by the OCIC and the EPIC. Overall, the plan is well presented with specific sections to address specific issues that are likely to come up in case of an accident. All the anticipated problems are dealt with in the emergency response plan and specifically put the interest of the involved families and stakeholders first. However, the Emergency Response Plan does not highlight the stakeholders on the nature of the accident for which the plan was proposed. It fails to inform the stakeholders on the specific nature of the accident. Considering the nature of the plan, the anticipated

Case study about UPS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Case study about UPS - Essay Example Companies are focusing on the distribution system for providing a sustainable growth for the firm by understanding the adverse effect of the different environmental factors involved with the system which contributes significantly to global warming (McKinnon et.al, 2010, p. 3). Understanding sustainability is the major issue in the modern trend of the business which is very well implemented by UPS in their business process. UPS believes its sustainability as the core driver of their business. It not just about their care towards the different processes but it is the major requirement for their sustainable growth. It is the commitment of the firm not only towards the customers but also towards the employees of the firm. It is believed to be their responsibility towards the planet earth along with the community on which the company operates their business (UPS-f, n.d.). Over the years UPS is constantly craving new ideas and programs for better sustainability efforts. The company consistently improved its business operations and invested in greener shipping projects and also into effective logistics system to serve more efficiently to the customers of the company. UPS donated huge time on training and development of its employees and tried to focus on providing opportunities to the people to match with the need of the organization and the community at the same time. The company incurred a huge investment of $325 million into the training program of which 54 % is concentrated towards the development of safety training for the logistic system. UPS promoted about 1,168 employees to the company management in the year 2010 for a strong building of the base for the company. The carbon neutral small package service from the company gives a great competitive advantage for the firm to differentiate its service from the other player of the market. UPS is also involved into donating $1 million towards the support program for the Haitian relief effort.

Marketing and strategy Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing and strategy - Article Example The key learning's of the study include an explanation and discussion of six variations of a basic value curve model that has worked successfully for leading companies in various industry segments including Home Depot, Quicken, Polo Ralph Lauren, Bloomberg, Borders Books and Barnes & Nobel, Starbucks, and others. These "value innovation" models include looking at competitive boundaries from differing perspectives such as: across diverse industries; from a variety of strategic groups within industries; evaluating the full chain of customers within an industry; looking at the relationship of products and services; evaluating the fundamental customer appeal of products and services; and utilizing perspective over time (Kim & Mauborgne 1999). The approach identifies and graphs the relative value level of certain key elements specific to an industry including product, service, and delivery components. As the scope of business drivers evolves, it includes a complex array of socio-economic, political, environmental and other factors, including the complexity of application of the model the ability to measure the contribution to value. The model becomes a study of business variables that can be addressed or influenced by specific methodologies designed to provide a unique value proposition in a specific business environment. In relation to this proposal, the recommendation for a new value curve model specific to Norwich Business School is based on creating new market space (increased market share) without regard to the traditional limiting parameters typically used in competitive analysis. This proposed value curve model for Norwich will look at such components as cost, time requirements, access, innovative curriculum targeted to specific needs, and the value proposition of the acquired degree. Selection of these elements and the subsequent emphasis placed in relationship to the rel ative level, are established from parametric data, traditional business theory, innovative strategic planning sessions, consumer surveys, and traditional competitive analysis. These activities are supplemented with research of best practices of successful or complimentary companies in the field of education. In combination the value curve model provides a compelling agenda to contribute incremental educational value. This effort is supplemented by a focus on the discipline of critical thinking, and on an approach to the study that encourages implementation and application. In short, apply concepts proven in traditional business analysis to the learning process without preconditioned biases. Theoretical Understanding In evaluation of the various "value curve" models there is a clear communication of the problem and the approach to value proposition modeling. The several examples and associated value curve models are based on individual case studies of successful companies in diverse industry segments. Identification and explanation of the four step concept used to develop the value curve include the theory of asking questions associated with the effort to focus on new value. The questions deal specifically with the ability to reduce below industry standards, eliminate unnecessary standards, create new industry standards, and raise industry standards as appropriate. These four factors assist in the creation of a new look at value components. Incremental data points are established with a review of successful com

Attachment between friend and romantic partner Case Study

Attachment between friend and romantic partner - Case Study Example The study has covered 50 respondents (students) of Bournemouth University age ranges from 18 to 25 with their academic qualifications of bachelor degree for survey. The selected respondents' versions in terms of their relationship status with their friends and romantic partners (now and then) are the findings of the study. The research survey was carried out in the month of '', 2009. On one hand, the study has explored the relationship status in terms of attachment level of students at their different ages with their friends and romantic partners considering their dependency level and competitiveness attitude towards them and on other hand, it has tried to analyse why the attachment style of students will differ as per their age variations with their friends and romantic partners. Through these two explorations, a substantial contribution to identify the behavior of students at different ages with their different relationship (Friends/Partners) status can be supposed to say. According to Bowlby (1973, 1980), experiences with attachment figures generate representational or "working models" that guide behaviour, affect, and perceptions in later relationships. The earliest working models are formed during infancy and early childhood, partly in response to interactions with parents and other significant caregivers (Van IJzendoorn, 1995). During social development, models of different attachment figures coalesce into more generalised, higher-order models of the self and significant others, even though models of central attachment relationships remain intact (Main, Kaplan, & Cassidy, 1985). Throughout childhood and adolescence, working models of new people and new relationships begin to develop based on these earlier models. New models, therefore, are not entirely independent of earlier ones given that earlier models guide how information about new persons and relationships is encoded, processed, interpreted, stored in memory, and eventually acted on (Bowlby, 1973; Collins, Guichard, Ford, & Feeney, 2004; Crittenden, 1985). Effective modulation of negative emotional experiences is fundamentally important to both mental and physical health. This process is associated with an individual's experiences of security within attachment relationships, and that this association is mediated by parasympathetic nervous system functioning. These findings open up a host of provocative questions regarding the basic biopsychology of the attachment system and the multiple ways in which interpersonal experiences with attachment figures become integrated, over time, into psychological, behavioral, and biological patterns of emotion regulation. Future research on these issues is important for integrating the increasingly sophisticated bodies of knowledge on social relationships and physiological functioning that have developed within the social-psychological, developmental, and behavioral medicine traditions. Such integration is critical for elucidating how and why humans' most intimate and important relationships shape bot h mental and p

CSR and Recruitment methods used by Four Seasons Essay

CSR and Recruitment methods used by Four Seasons - Essay Example Prezi facilitates this process by providing a virtual whiteboard from which presentations can be made into conversations. Traditionally, presentations have always taken the form of monologues where the presenter simply talks and passes information with very minimal engagement from the audience. Prezi offers a shift from such a monotonous process. Prezi offers consumers very critical information regarding presentations and how to improve communication in such situations. It is recognized that information is better passed through visual enhancements. Prezi therefore designs various images, videos which are used in enhancing presentations. Prezi offers cloud-based platforms hence the users can always present from their desktops, tablets of phones. One of the greatest strengths of Prezi is its reliance on communication as a tool for business. The company recognizes that people will always have to communicate and this translates into the continual need for the services. In addition, the company has developed a tradition of listening and paying attention to criticism and this provides a better way of learning and improving services. Prezi focuses on special metaphor in ensuring that the audience remembers the content better. Considering the fact that a presentation is only as effective as the information the audience captures and remembers the company invests a lot in developing techniques which ensure that the audience’s memory is always engaged. Strength arises from Prezi’s traditional focus on elegance and style. For a long time, the company has been known to create very beautiful products which captivate the users. On this, the joy is always on making the users smile. More importantly, it is always about simplicity and this ensures that the users get products they can easily use and love. On the other hand, it is realized that while the communication solutions provided by Prezi are simple and stylish, challenges often arise as new products

Rebuttal abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rebuttal abortion - Essay Example It’s the abortion that, in many cases, is unwanted by the woman, not the baby. Most often, the father of the child, not wishing to accept responsibility, may beg or even threaten a woman until she agrees to the abortion. â€Å"In 95 percent of all cases the male partner played a central role in the decision† (Zimmerman, 1977). This and other studies have illustrated clearly that most women decide against their own conscience. A myth espoused as fact is that the aborted fetus is no more than a cluster of cells, a bit of tissue unable to even feel pain. A developing embryo has a unique set of fingerprints as well as different genetic patterns than its mother. It is a human being unto itself. If one defines death as the stoppage of a heartbeat and murder as the forceful and intentional stopping of a heart then abortion is surely murder. If the existence of a heartbeat legally defined life, then almost all abortions would be illegal as the heart is formed by the 18th day in the womb. A British medical journal reported that when a pin is stuck into an eight-week-old fetus, it opens his mouth in a crying motion and pulls his hand away. By week five, eyes, legs, and hands begin to develop. â€Å"By week six, brain waves are detectable, mouth and lips are present and fingernails are beginning to form. By the eighth week the baby can begin to hear. Every organ is in place, bones begin to replace cartilage, and f ingerprints begin to form† (National Right to Life Foundation, n.d.).   ‘Pro Choice’ activists argue that women should have access to safe abortions, that ‘a nation founded on and dedicated to civil liberties could allow its citizens to resort to dangerous self-abortion procedures.’ That too is a false premise. Ninety-seven percent of women who have had abortions describe intense pain experienced during the procedure despite the

International Trade and Nepal Essay Example for Free

International Trade and Nepal Essay An isolated, agrarian society until the mid-20th century, Nepal entered the modern era in 1951 without schools, hospitals, roads, telecommunications, electric power, industry, or civil service. The country has, however, made progress toward sustainable economic growth since the 1950s and is committed to a program of economic liberalization. Nepal has used a series of five-year plans in an attempt to make progress in economic development. It completed its ninth economic development plan in 2002; its currency has been made convertible, and 17 state enterprises have been privatized. Foreign aid accounts for more than half of the development budget. Government priorities over the years have been the development of transportation and communication facilities, agriculture, and industry. Since 1975, improved government administration and rural development efforts have been emphasized. Agriculture remains Nepals principal economic activity, employing 80% of the population and providing 37% of GDP. Only about 20% of the total area is cultivable; another 33% is forested; most of the rest is mountainous. Rice and wheat are the main food crops. The lowland Terai region produces an agricultural surplus, part of which supplies the food-deficient hill areas. Economic development in social services and infrastructure has not made dramatic progress due to GDP dependency on India. A countrywide primary education system is under development, and Tribhuvan University has several campuses. Please see Education in Nepal for further details. Although eradication efforts continue, malaria had been controlled in the fertile but previously uninhabitable Terai region in the south. Kathmandu is linked to India and nearby hill regions by road and an expanding highway network. The capital was almost out of fuel and transport of supplies caused by a crippling general strike in southern Nepal on February 17, 2008. Major towns are connected to the capital by telephone and domestic air services. The export-oriented carpet and garment industries have grown rapidly in recent years and together now account for approximately 70% of merchandise exports. Nepal was ranked 54th worst of 81 ranked countries (those with GHI 5.0) on the Global Hunger Index in 2011, between Cambodia and Togo. Nepals current score of 19.9 is better than in 2010 (20.0) and much improved than its score of 27.5 in 1990 Relations between India and Nepal are close yet fraught with difficulties stemming from geographical location, economics, the problems inherent in big power-small power relations, and common ethnic, linguistic and cultural identities that overlap the two countries borders. New Delhi and Kathmandu initiated their intertwined relationship with the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship and accompanying letters that defined security relations between the two countries, and an agreement governing both bilateral trade and trade transiting Indian soil. The 1950 treaty and letters stated that neither government shall tolerate any threat to the security of the other by a foreign aggressor and obligated both sides to inform each other of any serious friction or misunderstanding with any neighboring state likely to cause any breach in the friendly relations subsisting between the two governments. These accords cemented a special relationship between India and Nepal that granted Nepal preferential economic treatment and provided Nepalese in India the same economic and educational opportunities as Indian citizens. Jayant Prasad is Indias ambassador to Nepal. Nepal is developing county with an agricultural economy. In recent years, the countrys efforts to expand into manufacturing industries and other technological sectors have achieved much progress. Farming is the main economic activity followed by manufacturing, trade and tourism. The chief sources of foreign currency earnings are merchandise export, services, tourism and Gurkha remittances. The annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is about US$ 4.3 Billion. Agriculture : Eight out of 10 Nepalese are engaged in farming and it accounts for more than 40% of the GDP. Rolling fields and neat terraces can be seen all over the Terai flatlands and the hills of Nepal. Even in the highly urbanized Kathmandu Valley, large tracts of land outside the city areas are devoted to farming. Rice is the staple diet in Nepal and around three million tons are produced annually. Other major crops are maize, wheat, millet and barley. Besides food grains, Cash crops Like Sugarcane, oil seeds, tobacco, jute and tea are also cultivated in large quantities, Manufacturing : Manufacturing is still at the developmental stage and it represents less than 10% of the GDP. Major industries are woolen carpets, garments, textiles, leather products, paper and cement. Other products made in Nepal are steel utensils, cigarettes, beverages and sugar. There are many modern large-scale factories but the majority are cottage or small scale operations. Most of Nepals industries are based in the Kathmandu Valley and a string of Small towns in the southern Terai Plains. Trade : Commerce has been a major occupation in Nepal since early times. Being situated at the crossroads of the ancient Trans-Himalayan trade route, trading is second nature to the Nepalese people. Foreign trade is characterized mainly by import of manufactured products and export of agricultural raw materials. Nepal imports manufactured goods and petroleum products worth about US$ 1 billion annually. The value of exports is about US$ 315 million. Woolen carpets are Nepals largest export, earning the country over US$ 135 million per year. Garment exports account for more than US$ 74 million and handicraft goods bring in about US$ 1 million. Other important exports are pulses, hides and skins, jute and medicinal herbs. Tourism : In 1998, a total of 463,684 tourists visited Nepal, making tourism one of the largest industries in the Kingdom. This sector has been expanding rapidly since its inception in the 1950. Thanks to Nepals natural beauty, rich cultural heritage and the diversity of sight-seeing and adventure opportunities available. At one time, tourism used to be the biggest foreign currency earner for the country. Nepal earned over US$ 152 million from tourism in 1998. INDEPENDENT POLITICAL HISTORY 1950–1970 In the 1950s, Nepal welcomed close relations with India, but as the number of Nepalese living and working in India increased and the involvement of India in Nepals economy deepened in the 1960s and after, so too did Nepalese discomfort with the special relationship. Tensions came to a head in the mid-1970s, when Nepal pressed for substantial amendments in its favor in the trade and transit treaty and openly criticized Indias 1975 annexation of Sikkim which was considered as part of Greater Nepal. In 1975 King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev proposed that Nepal be recognized internationally as a zone of peace; he received support from China and Pakistan. In New Delhis view, if the kings proposal did not contradict the 1950 treaty an extension of nonalignment, it was unnecessary; if it was a repudiation of the special relationship, it represented a possible threat to Indias security and could not be endorsed. In 1984 Nepal repeated the proposal, but there was no reaction from India. Nepal continually promoted the proposal in international forums and by 1990 it had won the support of 112 countries. 1970–1980 In 1978 India agreed to separate trade and transit treaties, satisfying a long-term Nepalese demand. In 1988, when the two treaties were up for renewal, Nepals refusal to accommodate Indias wishes on the transit treaty caused India to call for a single trade and transit treaty. Thereafter, Nepal took a hard-line position that led to a serious crisis in India–Nepal relations. After two extensions, the two treaties expired on March 23, 1989, resulting in a virtual Indian economic blockade of Nepal that lasted until late April 1990. Although economic issues were a major factor in the two countries confrontation, Indian dissatisfaction with Nepals 1988 acquisition of Chinese weaponry played an important role. Treaties and letters exchanged in 1959 and 1965, which included Nepal in Indias security zone and precluded arms purchases without Indias approval. India linked security with economic relations and insisted on reviewing India–Nepal relations as a whole. Nepal had to back down after worsening economic conditions led to a change in Nepals political system, in which the king was forced to institute a parliamentary democracy. The new government sought quick restoration of amicable relations with India. 1990s The special security relationship between New Delhi and Kathmandu was reestablished during the June 1990 New Delhi meeting of Nepals prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Indian prime minister V.P. Singh. During the December 1991 visit to India by Nepalese prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, the two countries signed new, separate trade and transit treaties and other economic agreements designed to accord Nepal additional economic benefits. Indian-Nepali relations appeared to be undergoing still more reassessment when Nepals prime minister Man Mohan Adhikary visited New Delhi in April 1995 and insisted on a major review of the 1950 peace and friendship treaty. In the face of benign statements by his Indian hosts relating to the treaty, Adhikary sought greater economic independence for his landlocked nation while simultaneously striving to improve ties with China. India sponsored Nepals admission to the U.N.O. in 1990. 21st century Nepal remains poor and deprived in 21st century while India has acquired a central place in the world with a very high development rate. In 2005, after King Gyanendra took over, Nepalese relations with India soured. However, after the restoration of democracy, in 2008, Prachanda, the Prime Minister of Nepal, visited India, in September 2008. He spoke about a new dawn, in the bilateral relations, between the two countries. He said, I am going back to Nepal as a satisfied person. I will tell Nepali citizens back home that a new era has dawned. Time has come to effect a revolutionary change in bilateral relations. On behalf of the new government, I assure you that we are committed to make a fresh start. He met Indian Prime minister, Manmohan Singh, and Foreign Minister, Pranab Mukherjee. He asked India to help Nepal frame a new constitution, and to invest in Nepals infrastructure, and its tourism industry. In 2008, Indo-Nepali ties got a further boost with an agreement to resume water talks after a 4 year hiatus. The Nepalese Water Resources Secretary Shanker Prasad Koirala said the Nepal-India Joint Committee on Water Resources meet decided to start the reconstruction of breached Kosi embankment after the water level goes down. During the Nepal PMs visit to New Delhi in September the two Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction at the age-old close, cordial and extensive relationships between their states and expressed their support and cooperation to further consolidate the relationship. The two issued a 22-point statement highlighting the need to review, adjust and update the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, amongst other agreements. India would also provide a credit line of up to 150 crore rupees to Nepal to ensure uninterrupted supplies of petroleum products, as well as lift bans on the export of rice, wheat, maize, sugar and sucrose for quantities agreed to with Nepal. India would also provide 20 crore as immediate flood relief. In return, Nepal will take measures for the promotion of investor friendly, enabling business environment to encourage Indian investments in Nepal. In 2010 India extended Line of credit worth $ 250 million 80,000 tones of foodgrains.Furthermore, a three-tier mechanism at the level of ministerial, secretary and technical levels will be built to push forward discussions on the development of water resources between the two sides. Politically, India acknowledged a willingness to promote efforts towards peace in Nepal. Indian External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee promised the Nepali Prime Minister Prachanda that he would extend all possible help for peace and development. In 2008, the Bollywood film Chandni Chowk to China was banned in Nepal, because of a scene suggesting the Gautama Buddha was born in India. Some protesters called for commercial boycott of all Indian films. BORDER DISPUTES So far as the Indo-Nepal border demarcation is concerned, Nepal-India Joint Technical Level Boundary Committee is working for the last 21 years (since 15 November 1981). But the boundary business is not yet completed. There may be so many reasons the boundary business not to be completed in due time, though it has the target to complete it by 2003. However, this type of target had been fixed many times in the past as in 1993, 1998 and 2001. But the target was not materialized. The main reasons and issues of the boundary business with India is the border encroachments, disputes on certain segments, divergence of opinion on basic materials such as maps and old documents for demarcation, slackness in joint survey field teams and so on and so forth. Nepal and India has two broad issues concerning border business: Border Demarcation Border Management BORDER DEMARCATION The Treaty of Sugauli of 4 March 1816, Supplementary Treaty of 11 December 1816 and Boundary Treaty of 1 November 1860 delineate the boundary of Nepal with India. British East India Company made treaty of Sugauli on 2 December 1815 and it was provided to Nepal to make the counter signature by fifteen days. But Nepal did not make the signature in due time, because of unwillingness. It was finally ratified after 92 days under pressure and compulsion enforced by the British regime that they will invade Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. Eventually, it was not signed by the King or Prime Minister/Maharaja but by only the courtier Chandra Shekhar Upadhaya. So there were disputes and conflicts and controversy on the borderline even after the ratification of the Treaty. Historical Border Disputes : There were so many issues of disputes just after the Sugauli Treaty. Some of the disputed areas are cited as examples as follows: Disputes on Siwalik Range : whether the borderline runs from the crest (ridge) of the Siwalik Range or northern or southern foot-hill of the range! Origin of the river Mechi : whether it is originated from north-east of Antoo Hill or from north-west! Dunduwa Range : India had claimed that the border line should be followed on the northern foot from Arrahnala to Talbagauda, whereas Nepal denied it. Dispute on ownership of the village and settlements of Ramnagar Zamindari area. Dispute on the lands adjoined with the districts of Tirahoot and Sarun. Land area of Sharada Barrage constructed by India on the river Mahakali. Disputes on the borderline of the river and rivulets, whether it has to be taken on the old course or the new channel. Disputes on the demarcation of borderlines in agricultural land, forest area and village areas, where there are not conspicuous features. Some of the above mentioned disputes were settled with mutual discussions. For example, identification of the origin of the river Mechi was solved by Campbell, taken as the origination from north-east, though Captain Lloyd had judged in 1827 that the area falls under the jurisdiction of Sikkim. Similarly, the dispute of Dunduwa range was solved jointly by Lieutenant Col. Mac Andrew and Siddhiman Singh Rajbhandari on 7 January 1875 that the borderline shall be demarcated on the southern foot-hill of Dunduwa Range from where the plain area begins. Regarding the disputes of Ramnagar Zamindari area, it was settled on 2 January 1841 with an Ikararnama of 95 people of village-heads, gentlemen, Chautaria and Guru Gharana. As far as the matter of the exchange of lands of Sharada Barrage is concerned, Nepal has not yet received 36.67 Acre of land from India. These are some of the examples of the then border issues between Nepal and East India Company. The main problem lies that Nepal’s southern borderline on the Indo-Gangetic plain with India does not run from the prominent natural features such as mountain peaks, passes, crests etc. NEPAL IS ONE OF THE POOREST COUNTRIES in the world and was listed as the eleventh poorest among 121 countries in 1989. Estimates of its per capita income for 1988 ranged from US$158 to US$180. Various factors contributed to the economic underdevelopmentincluding terrain, lack of resource endowment, landlocked position, lack of institutions for modernization, weak infrastructure, and a lack of policies conducive to development. Until 1951 Nepal had very little contact with countries other than India, Tibet, and Britain. Movement of goods or people from one part of the country to another usually required passage through India, making Nepal dependent on trade with or via India. The mountains to the north and the lack of economic growth in Tibet (Chinas Xizang Autonomous Region after 1959) meant very little trade was possible with Nepals northern neighbor. Prior to 1951, there were few all-weather roads, and the transportation of goods was difficult. Goods were able to reach Kathmandu by railroad, trucks, and ropeways, but for other parts of the country such facilities remained almost non-existent. This lack of infrastructure made it hard to expand markets and pursue economic growth. Since 1951 Nepal has tried to expand its contacts with other countries and to improve its infrastructure, although the lack of significant progress was still evident in the early 1990s. The effects of being landlocked and of having to transit goods through India continued to be reflected in the early 1990s. As a result of the lapse of the trade and transit treaties with India in March 1989, Nepal faced shortages of certain consumer goods, raw materials, and other industrial inputs, a situation that led to a decline in industrial production. Nepal-India Joint Technical Level Boundary Committee : Nepal-India Joint Technical Level Boundary Committee is working for the last twenty-one years. It is going to relocate the missing pillars, reconstruction of the damaged and dilapidated pillars, clear ten-yard width no-man’s land and preparation of strip-maps of both the sides of borderline. But it has not resolved the issues, such as Kalapani-Limpiyadhura, identification of the source or river Kali, Susta dispute, Mechi controversy etc. These are the major issues and problems of demarcations of border between two nations, which should be settled in higher level (most probably in head of the government level) with diplomatic and political level talks. The issues climb slowly up to the ministerial level but it is instantly pushed back to the technical level, which has its limitations as the nature of the problem. In such a fashion, major issues have not yet given yield by the higher level decision making authorities. BORDER MANAGEMENT There is an open border system between Nepal and India, whereas Nepal has its controlled border system with China. It needs passport and visa to go to China and recently Hong Kong, after China regained it from Britain. If we have a look back on the border management system between Nepal and India, anyone entering into Nepal particularly to the Kathmandu valley and towns of Tarai in general, had to get Rahadani or visa from the district administrations. It was prior to the restoration of Naya Muluk by Nepal in 1860, as the controlled border system was prevalent during that period. Afterwards, it was started slowly to keep the border open for recruiting the Nepalese hill and sturdy boys in British Gurkha regiment. The second factor was to have easy and free access of British and Indian goods and material into Nepal and Tibet (via Nepal). Next was to secure raw materials from Nepal to India such as timber, forest products, herbs and medicinal plants, hides and skins etc. Open Border System : Nepal-India Peace and Friendship Treaty of 31 July 1950 motivated for the openness of border between two countries. After the installation of democracy in Nepal in February 1951, it became major turning point in reinforcing the Nepal-India border open with the accelerated movement of Indian nationals into Nepal. Indians used to come to Kathmandu as politicians as advisors to the Nepalese ministers, overseers as technical experts, unemployed citizens as teachers, retailers as whole seller businessmen etc. Similarly, Nepalese were also free to go to Indian cities in search of jobs and works as guards, domestic workers and restaurant waiters. All these phenomena can be cited as Nepal India open border as it is unique in the world in the sense that people of both countries could cross the international borderline from any point / any time. Single citizen could cross the frontier of both the sides without any record running to and fro so many times a day. Impact of Open Border System : Every object has its two aspects as every coin bears two faces. And every item has its negative and positive impacts. Similarly, Nepal-India open border system has its negative and positive impacts for both the nations. But Nepal has experienced a large percentage of negative impacts in many cases, as compared to India. If we make an inventory, negative impact outnumbers the positive one for Nepal. Followings are the impacts of open border system : Positive Impact: As we make a list of positive impacts, it may be the followings: Easy access: The most positive aspect of open border system is the easy movement of people of both the countries. Strengthens relationship: People to people relation on the frontiers of both sides has been maintained and strengthened due to free movement of people on either side of the border. Rescue operation: Prompt services have been offered and provided on either side during calamities and disasters. Health service: When there is an epidemic, health services can be offered from both the sides. Instant supply of labour: When there is a shortage of local labour in one side it can be supplied instantly from other side. Competitive Market: There is always a competition between the businessmen of the cross-frontier towns to be benefited to the consumers.. Prompt Supply of food grains and daily stuff: Unrestricted border has made comfortable for the prompt supply of food grains and daily foodstuffs from either side of the territory, where there are shortages. Open border has economically benefited the inhabitants of both sides of the border from the sell and purchase of livestock products, vegetables and daily kitchen stuff in Hat Bazars (open-roof markets) taking place regularly in various days a week in different parts on either side. An Overview of Nepalese Economy There is nothing much to talk about when it comes to Nepalese economy. The data doesnt paint a rosy picture at all. In fact the picture looks grim. Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world. In fact Nepal doesnt stand anywhere to its otherwise developing neighbors such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Thanks to the Sub-Sahara African countries, it is not considered the poorest economy now. Nevertheless, with almost 45% of its population living below the poverty line, Nepal has to do much catching before being termed a Developing Economy. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for 38% of GDP. Most of the agriculture activities take place in the Tarai region. The sub-standard equipments and pesticides along with the medieval mode of agriculture make it a tough affair. The industrial sector is in a dismal condition. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. These things are hardly considered industrial activities by New-school economists. Due to its long stint with monarchy and feudalism, Nepal has one of the most uneven distributions of resources and wealth in the Asia. This has led to the birth of counter initiative movements such as Maoism. Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict and counter insurgency initiatives have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism. These are considered the up coming hot cakes in New-wave economy. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however. There are lots of reasons for this such as the small size of the economy, technological backwardness, landlocked geographic location, civil strife and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

Research and Account Essay Example for Free

Research and Account Essay Report One: Old Deanery care home One staff member has been sacked and seven suspended from one of Englands largest care homes after an undercover probe by BBC Panorama found poor care. The filming at the Old Deanery in Essex showed some residents being taunted, roughly handled and one was slapped. The home said it was shocked and saddened by the allegations. Care minister Norman Lamb described the images as absolutely disgusting and said there could be a role for the use of CCTV in care homes. Care Quality Commission figures seen by the BBC show over a third of homes that received warning notices since 2011 still do not meet basic standards. Allegations of poor care and mistreatment at the 93-bed home in Braintree, where residents pay roughly  £700 per week, were first raised by 11 whistle-blowers in August 2012. see more:identify reports into serious failures Essex County Council put it on special measures for three months until concerns were addressed. But secret filming by Panoramas undercover reporter over 36 shifts found many of the same sorts of issues reported a year earlier, including: a woman slapped by a care worker who had previously been complained about for her poor attitude towards residents the same woman, who has dementia and is partially paralysed after a stroke, was also repeatedly mocked and taunted by other care workers cries for assistance from a resident suffering a terminal illness ignored as she sought help for the toilet, and her call bell for assistance left unplugged on one occasion a resident bed-ridden with a chronic illness left lying in his own excrement after two care workers turned off his call bell without assisting him Report Two: Winterbourne view care home The 11 defendants – nine support workers and two nurses – admitted 38 charges of either neglect or ill-treatment of five people with severe learning difficulties after being secretly recorded by a reporter for the BBCs Panorama programme They were filmed slapping extremely vulnerable residents, soaking them in water, trapping them under chairs, taunting and swearing at them, pulling their hair and poking their eyes. Whistle-blower Terry Bryan,  a former nurse at the home, contacted the BBC after his warnings were ignored by Castlebeck Ltd, which owned the hospital, and care watchdogs. Hours of graphic footage recorded during a five-week, undercover BBC investigation in February and March last year, showed one support worker, Wayne Rogers, telling a resident: Do you want me to get a cheese grater and grate your face off? Do you want me to turn you into a giant pepperoni? Rogers slapped another resident across the cheek, saying: Do you want a scrap? Do you want a fight? Go on and I will bite your bloody face off. His colleague Alison Dove was recorded saying a resident loved pain, then saying to the resident: Simone, come here and Ill punch your face. Dove threatened another resident when she broke a window in the lounge with a chair. She was recorded snarling: Listen, in future Im going to let you sit on the fucking floor, cos you dont deserve a chair. On another occasion, Dove, Graham Doyle and Holly Draper restrained a female resident as a fourth member of staff, Sookalingum Appoo, forced a paracetamol tablet into her mouth. Later, during the same incident, Doyle put on a mock-German accent and, mimicking a Nazi guard, slapped the resident over the head with his gloves shouting: Nein, nein, nein, nein. The Panorama investigation, which was screened in May 2011, led to a serious case review two months later, which criticised Darlington-based Castlebeck Ltd for putting profits before humanity. These reports show that safeguarding of the individuals involved should have been enforced. The failings to do with this incident could have been due to the fact that the care homes were: under staffed over worked language barriers not had up-to-date training trained in dementia a better approach to safeguarding across agencies a better system for flagging concerns and referrals better information sharing A most recent report from CQC on 1st April 2014 shows  that overall, providing care, treatment and support that meets peoples needs and staffing, required improvement. The Old Deanery also had a CQC report from June 2012 which showed staffing problems and when residents pressed their bells in their rooms, they were waiting a long time until they were attended to. This shows that these issues were not addressed. Also the staff employed at The Old Deanery care home ignored or failed to recognise the individuals rights and need for protection. There was poor communication, planning, coordination and thoughtlessness which left each individual in an abusive and dangerous situation. The government review found as well as reports from the police, the CQC and the local NHS drew the following conclusions, to Winterbourne Views case: Patients stayed at winerbourne view for too long and were too far from home- the average length of stay was 19 months. Almost half of patients were more than 40 miles away from, where their family or primary careers lived. There was extremely high rate of physical intervention- well over 500 reported cases of restraint in a fifteen month period. Multiple agencies failed to pick up on key warning signs-nearly 150 separate incidents- including AE visits by patients,police attendance at the hospital, and safeguarding concerns reported to the local council- which could and should have raised the alarm. There was clear management failure at the hospital- with no registered manager in place, substandard recruitment processes and limited staff training. A closed and punitive culture had developed- families and other visitors were not allowed access to the top floor wards and patient bedrooms, offering little chance for outsiders to see daily routines at the hospital.

Definition Of Energy Crisis Importance Of Energy Environmental Sciences Essay

Definition Of Energy Crisis Importance Of Energy Environmental Sciences Essay An energy crisis is any great blockage in supply of energy resources to an economy. It often refers to a decrease in the supply of electricity as compared to its demand. None can deny the importance of energy in todays world. Energy drives mans domestic life, industry, agriculture, and his automobiles, etc. Whenever there is a storage of energy all walks of life are affected. Pakistan face a severe energy crisis these days. Present energy crisis has passed all the previous ones. Pakistan has installed capacity of about 19500MW. The major contributors of this figure are WAPDA, KESC, IPPs and PAEC. WAPDA generates 11327MW and minority shares in the total population of energy in the country. KESC contributes 1756MW, PAEC 427MW and IPPs 5500MW. The country takes this amount of energy from three main sources: HYDREL, THERMAL, and NUCLEAR. HYDREL power is 6444MW, from which Tarbela power plant, Mangla power plant and Ghazi Barotha power plant. The main contribution towards the country tota l power is from thermal source. This type of energy is produced by Rental power plant(RPPS) and Independent power plant(IPPs) under authority of private power board. Pakistan atomic energy commission (PAEC) is generating electricity from nuclear fuel sources. Karachi nuclear plant and chashma nuclear power plant are producing 472MW of electricity. Pakistan has capacity to generate 50,000MW energy from hydrel source only but it produced only 6444MW out of this figure. The country has total coal reserve is 185 billion tones which can serve the country energy situation for centuries. The coastal belt of Sindh separate 1046 Km has wind energy potential of 50,000 MW according to some estimates. Pakistan has sunlight duration of about sixteen hours a day and twelve months a year and this sunlight can generate about 100,000 MW of electricity for Pakistan, almost free of cost. The current power production of country from all sources is about 13000 MW, Whereas demand is about 17500 MW. Thus this significant equality between the demand and supply of power and this disparity has pushed the country in crisis. It has been estimated that total energy requirements of the country in 2030 will be around 160,000 MW, Whereas present generation capacity of the system is only 19,000MW. Fortunately Pakistan is capable of this meeting target with the potential at its disposal. For example, its hydrel potential is close to 40,000MW, Gas can produced 50,000MW, coal can produced more then 50,000MW, and the balance of 1000MW can be produced by nuclear power plants. Only the need of time is better policy making. Energy crisis has its far reaching ravages from economic to social life. The factors which had led to this situation would be discussed in the pervious paragraphs. Industrial growth accordingly the demand of electricity has been multiplied in the past few year but, the government and concerned authorities have failed to keep pace with the growing demands of industrial sector and agriculture sector. Agriculture sector has grown over the years with its own strain over the power distribution equation but not anticipated by the policy. Agriculture consumption of electricity was about 11% in 2005-2006 which rose upto 14%, according to FBS. The rate of increase in demand is many times greater than the rate of generation of power. So, the result is energy shortage. Another factor responsible for energy crisis is corrupt practices of the masses in collaboration with the concerned authorities. Electricity theft is contained particularly in far flung areas. The employees of wapda and kesc are involved in this power theft by providing illegal connections to the people. People also enjoy more than one meter in the same home to evade tariff, It has divided the collection of revenue and also causes loss of power. Line losses of electricity during its distribution from the site of production to the ultimate consumer are high in Pakistan owing to its factors. The distribution lines are in Pakistan either outdated and damaged, there is no proper maintenance of these lines. Line losses from 20% of the total power transmitted through the lines. It means 20 units of every 100 units is wasted and not paid by the consumer. The roots of the energy crisis can be found to almost two decades back with advert of highly generous 1994 policy for independent power producer (IPPs). With this policy a dramatic shift occurred in the generation source and it made the country hostage of an irregular rising and falling in number or amount in international oil and gas prices. The present cause of energy crisis is over reliance on expensive imported fuel mix. Before the implementation of 1994 policy the country electricity generation was trusted on fuel mix approximately 70 or 30 in support of hydro thermal. This changed dramatically over the next decade and fuel mix become 30percent hydro an 70percent thermal by the end of 2010. The cost of this policy could be understood with the following comparison. Wapda is generating electricity from hydro source at Rs.1.03 kwh, While in public sector thermal power plant provided the same at Rs.8.5 kwh. However the (IPPs), provided the same at Rs.9.58 kwh. This cost increased fo r the consumer due to line losses and theft in the transmission and distribution systems. Not only single megawatt of electricity has been added to Pakistan national grid stations since 2000 record breaking economic growth and population expansion. In this land, blessed with fast flowing rivers, there is no reason for us to not increase our hydel capacity to lower electricity cost, Inter central trust shortage, regarding the location of dams is a major cause of this low hydel production. More importantly, those down rivers dont want to see their share of sources of water reduced. The project of kala bagh dam was conceived(responsible) almost half century ago. Had it been constructed on time Pakistan would not faced the energy problem that it is challenged today. Similarly gavader maga project has been built by china and balochistan is its biggest beneficiary but its own provincial leadership is raising all kinds of serious objections to make it controversial. World over coal based power is cheap and largest source of power generation. The abundance of this cheap power in the power mix of a country pulls down the average price of power and more electricity cheap and affordable. Coal based power is not rocket science. It is intermediated technology and takes an average of 36 months for a coal power plant project to come on stream. The demand for power is ever increasing but no maga project has been started since the start of energy crisis. According to some estimates the demand of power is increasing at a rate of 9% while the production rate has increased by 7% only. It has contributed to energy crisis. Not only the new generation capacity was added to the system but also the transmission and distribution network was upgrade. Pakistan has witnessed a population explosion over the years. It had population of about 84,254,000 in 1981 with 28.8% people living in cities. Current population of the country is estimated to be 17,800,0000 with 32.2% people living in urban areas. But the generation of power and population increase have remained out of this phase with one another leading energy shortage.

Free Things They Carried Essays: Syntactic and Paratactic Interpretation :: Things They Carried Essays

Syntactic and Paratactic Interpretation of The Things They Carried  Ã‚  Ã‚   The syntactic and paratactic styles of interpretation are both needed to interpret Tim O’Briens â€Å"The Things They Carried†.   The syntactic aspect of interpretation deals with the imaginary or the things that aren’t said, but that are implied or that happen outside of what is said.   Paratactic interpretation deals with the concrete details that stand out and are specifically stated.   The media, although it didn’t change the outcome of the war much because it provided coverage of both negative and positive aspects, it was the first war to be covered by the media and therefore what it did cover, people believed. This can be observed in Tim O’Briens novel on the coverage of how the war started and how it was covered after the war started.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The historical approach to this novel with respect to the syntactic aspect can be observed if one looks at what the media said had started the war.   The media stated that the war had been started because U.S. ships had been fired upon in friendly waters by hostile warships. Paratacticly this makes sense and should have started a war in which we sent over troops that felt that they were protecting their country, which might have actually changed the outcome of the war.   Syntactically, though, the story was that we had been in two previous tiffs (Cuba and Laos) and had lost.   This caused the president to be looked at in an unfavorable light, which made him and others in power, to stage a war that he thought we could win.   In reality there were no known hostile ships anywhere near the area that our ships went down and he was blindly following a belief that communism should be contained in order not to have a domino effect.   The media later portrayed t his portrait of the war, but it was too late for many young teenagers that had just gotten out of high school. Another example of syntactic analysis is where the media reported a death count.   Paratactically the death count represented the number of bodies dead, but this is misleading.   The death count, for one thing, is misleading because the entire country was covered with mines and these explosives killed both friend and foe. After they had gone off, there was little left of the body.   This leads to miscounting because if the body is blown into microscopic pieces it is hard to tell if one, two, or three people died, and who’s side they were on.

Compare and contrast the view that ‘An Arrest’ is a tale of nature Essa

Compare and contrast the view that An Arrest is a tale of nature rejecting a human villain with the view that it is concerned only with a vengeful superego ‘An Arrest’ is an ambiguous story. You can look at it in different ways. One way to see it is as a tale of nature rejecting a human villain. This view is put forward right from the beginning. When the narrator uses words such as â€Å"confined† and â€Å"fugitive† to describe the state of Orrin Brower, he creates the image of an animal isolated from human society. This is because ‘confined’ is usually a word to do with animals or mad people who are not allowed to be in contact with humans Further evidence to support the argument of Orrin Brower being portrayed as a savage beast comes when the author writes that he had, â€Å"recovered liberty,† which is like an animal being released into the wild. Orrin Brower does not feel guilty for beating Burton Duff or think of the consequences of his actions, as a human would; he only feels and acknowledges his freedom which is an animal-like thing to do. When he is on the run he decides to escape to the forest which may be as he is treated like an animal he starts to believe that he is one. The fact that the narrator states ‘he had the folly to enter a forest’ suggests that even though he thinks of himself as an animal, Brower is not and therefore does not belong in the forest- this proves that nature will inevitably try to discard him. As he enters the forest, we are told that ‘the night was pretty dark with neither moon nor stars visible’ which could be seen as a nature trying to confuse Brower. We begin to doubt Brower’s animal-like image when Bierce writes, â€Å"Brower had never dwelt thereabout, and knew nothing of the lay ... ...re following him to the prison was not human at all. As I mentioned earlier Brower has committed some serious crimes which are the result of the id part of his brain taking over. The id is the part of our brain which wants all our basic needs- our Inner Desires- such as sleep, food and sex. However our superego stops us from becoming lazy, greedy or rapists. What happened to Brower is that his id took over and his superego was shunned so he committed these crimes without any guilt. At the clearing in the forest, Brower’s superego suddenly starts operating again and conjures up the image to make the guilty conscience, which comes with it, disappear by sending him back to justice. Bierce seems to have dropped many hints to leave both views arguably correct. Personally, I think Bierce has done this deliberately to leave the story as ambiguous as the title.

Dialectics of Internal and External :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Dialectics of Internal and External ABSTRACT: The central topic of this paper is the analysis of the dialectical interdependency of internal and external in the theory of language as a symbolic system. Referring to and analyzing the philosophic legacy of W. von Humboldt, B. Russell, L. Wittgenstein, F. de Saussure and G. Spet, the author concludes that the dialectics of internal and external is not an accidental and episodic phenomenon of language. It rather is an intrinsic, ontological trait apart from which an adequate cognition of the essence of language is impossible. Taking the internal form as a logical structure, it is possible to view it as something "higher and fundamental" in language, something that is attainable more by intuition than by research. The internal intellectual base of this grammatical stability lies in the sphere of purely logical forms. If internal word formulations are related to and governed by the spirit, then the external forms in fact conceal an inner grammatical and syntactic edifice. Th e laws of external speech functioning are manifested, for example, in bilingualism, which may be viewed either as a social phenomenon related to individual thinking and classificatory abilities or as an evidence of the existence of common verbal structures in human consciousness. The author proposes to transfer such linguistic terms as "bilingualism" and "contamination" into a different context as a way of seeking new topical domains within the linguistic philosophy and the philosophy of language. The empiricism of specific language functioning in the form of bilingual language contamination brings us back to the assumption of the existence of uniform internal metalanguage structures of verbal thinking. The Internal Form as a Language Structure Ever since Bertrand Russell, analytical philosophy has searched for an inner logical form of the sentence that could be true with respect to the world. Obviously, the superficial external grammatical form of sentences that we comprehend is a weak expression of the true form of corresponding facts. "Poor grammar" introduced many errors in traditional metaphysics disallowing distinctions available exclusively in the new logic. There is a need for a "philosophical grammar" — a grammar, because we speak about the form of the sentences, and philosophical because it should address not only the external but also the internal grammatical structures and reflect their interactions and transmutations thus revealing forms and elements that create the reality of true sentences. A new meaning of philosophy began with Wittgenstein's Tractatus.

Shangri-La Hotels and Landmarks Berhad (Malaysia)

For the hospitality industry, the average revenue they earn through their continued operations within year 2007 to year 2009 increased in year 2008 and then decline in year 2009. The reason revenue decline in year 2009 is probably is the side effect of the bad economy during end of year 2008. For Landmarks Berhad, their business decline for three years continuously. This shows that their management level is not done their job perfectly. The average revenue for year 2008 should be higher than the previous year; this is happened on the Shangri-La Hotels but not on Landmarks Berhad. They could use the bad situation of our economy as the main reason for the decline in revenue for year 2009 but not for year 2008. Besides that, when we look at the average liquidity of hospitality industry, their average should be around 1. 5 or less since the largest inventories held by a hotel are in the form of guest rooms, and these are included under property, plant and equipment which is a part of fixed assets. Therefore hotels can operate with a liquidity ratio less than 1. 5. Creditors might prefer to see a high ratio of current assets to liabilities since it provides a positive indicator of that particular company’s capability to repay its debt obligations. However for the owner of the company in hospitality industry, a high ratio in liquidity may indicate that more money is being tied up in working capital and is not used nicely. Generally the owner of a hotel company will try to maintain the current ratio which is at the acceptable to ownership and creditors. Furthermore, when we look at the activity ratio, Landmarks berhad’s average collection period and average payment period is much higher than Shangri-La Hotels; and the inventory turnover ratio shows that Landmarks is not being used their total asset effectively. These show that the risk taking by the company operation is higher as well. May be we can’t deny that the earnings of Landmarks Berhad in year 2007 is very higher compare to the average revenue of Shangri-La Hotels, but majority of the earnings of Landmarks Berhad in year 2007 were earned by sold their current asset (total asset held for sale) from discontinued operations. The average revenue of Landmarks Berhad gained from sale was actually much lower than the average compared to the Shangri-La Hotels. This shows that their return is very unstable compared to the Shangri-La Hotels. Thus, we could suggest that Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad is the best company compared to Landmarks Berhad.

Describe the Process Consultation Essay

Describe the  process consultation. Discuss when it should be used and how it applies to organization development. Process consultation (PC) is a general framework for carrying out helping relationships. It is oriented to helping managers, employees, and groups assess and improve processes, such as communication, interpersonal relations, decision making and task performance. Schein argues that effective consultants and managers should be good helpers, aiding others in getting things done and in achieving the goals they have set. Thus, PC is more a philosophy than a set of techniques aimed at performing this helping relationship. The philosophy ensures that those who are receiving the help own their problems, gain the skills and expertise to diagnose them, and solve them themselves. Thus, it is an approach to helping people and groups help themselves. Schein defines process consultation as â€Å"the creation of a relationship that permits the client to perceive, understand, and act on the process events that occur in (her/his) internal and external environment in order to improve the situation as defined by the client. † The process consultant does not offer expert help in the form of solutions to problems, as in the doctor-patient model. Rather, the process consultant works to develop relationships, observes groups and people in action, helps them diagnose the way they are carrying out tasks, and helps them learn how to be more effective. In the OD literature, team building is not clearly differentiated from process consultation. This confusion exists because most team building includes process consultation—helping the group diagnose and understand its own internal processes. However, process consultation is a more general approach to helping relationships than is team building. Team building focuses explicitly on helping groups perform asks and solve problems more effectively. Process consultation, on the other hand, is concerned with establishing effective helping relationships in organizations. It is seen as key to effective management and consultation and can be applied to any helping relationship, from subordinate development to interpersonal relationships to group development. Thus, team building consist s of process consultation plus other, more task-oriented interventions (Cummings & Worley, 2009, p. 253). Describe the key success requirements for a microcosm group intervention. A microcosm group onsists of a small number of individuals who reflect the issue being addressed. For example, a microcosm group composed of members representing a spectrum of ethnic backgrounds, cultures, and races can be created to address diversity issues in the organization. This group, assisted by OD practitioners, can create programs and processes targeted at specific problems. In addition to addressing diversity problems, microcosm groups have been used to carry out organization diagnoses, solve communications problems, integrate two cultures, smooth the transition to a new structure, and address dysfunctional political processes. Microcosm groups work through â€Å"parallel processes,† which are the unconscious changes that take place in individuals when two or more groups interact. After groups interact, members often find that their characteristic patterns of roles and interactions change to reflect the roles and dynamics of the group with whom they were relating. Put simply, groups seem to â€Å"infect† and become â€Å"infected† by the other groups. The following example given by Alderfer helps to clarify how parallel processes work. An organizational diagnosis team had assigned its members to each of five departments in a small manufacturing company. Members of the team had interviewed each department head and several department members, and had observed department meetings. The team was preparing to observe their first meeting of department heads and was trying to anticipate the group’s behavior. At first they seemed to have no ‘rational† basis for predicting the top group’s behavior because they â€Å"had no data† from direct observation. They decided to role-play the group meeting they had never seen. Diagnostic team members behaved as they thought the department heads would, and the result was uncanny. Team members found that they easily became engaged with one another in the simulated department-head meeting; emotional involvement occurred quickly for all participants. When the team actually was able to observe a department-head meeting, they were amazed at how closely the simulated meeting had approximated the actual session. Thus, if a small and representative group can intimately understand and solve a complex organizational problem for themselves; they are in a good position to recommended action to address the problem in the larger system (Cummings & Worley, 2009, p. 279). Discuss why the matrix structure is the best and most flexible organization structure. Some OD practitioners have focused on maximizing the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses of both the functional and the self-contained-unit structures, and this effort has resulted in the matrix organization. Matrix organizational designs originally evolved in the aerospace industry where changing customer demands and technological conditions caused managers to focus on lateral relationships between functions to develop a flexible and adaptable system of resources and procedures, and to achieve a series of project objectives. Matrix organizations now are used widely in manufacturing, service, and nonprofit, governmental, and professional organizations. Every matrix organization contains three unique and critical roles: the top manager, who heads and balances the dual chains of command, the matrix bosses (functional, product, or area), who share subordinates: and the two-boss managers, who report to two different matrix bosses. Each of these roles has its own unique requirements. In a matrix organization, each project manager reports directly to the vice president and the general manager. Since each project represents a potential profit centre, the power and authority used by the project manager come directly from the general manager. Matrix organizations, like all organization structures, have both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, this structure allows multiple orientations. Specialized, functional knowledge can be applied to all projects. New products or projects can be implemented quickly by using people flexibly and by moving between product and functional orientations as circumstances demand. Matrix organizations can maintain consistency among departments and projects by requiring communication among managers. For many people, matrix structures are motivating and exciting. On the negative side, these organizations can be difficult to manage. To implement and maintain them requires heavy managerial costs and support. When people are assigned to more than one department, there may be role ambiguity and conflict, and overall performance may be sacrificed if there are power conflicts between functional departments and project structures. To make matrix organizations work, organization members need interpersonal and conflict management skills. People can get confused about how the matrix works, and that can lead to chaos and inefficiencies (Cummings & Worley, 2009, p. 319). What is the TQM approach to employee involvement and how does it differ from other approaches? Discuss Deming’s influence on this approach. Total quality management (TQM) is the most recent and, along with high-involvement organizations the most comprehensive approach to employee involvement. Also known as â€Å"Continuous process improvement† and â€Å"continuous quality,† TQM grew out of a manufacturing emphasis on quality control and represents a long- term effort to orient all of an organization’s activities around the concept of quality. Quality is achieved when organizational processes reliably produce products and services that meet or exceed customer expectations. Like high-involvement designs, TQM increases workers’ knowledge and skills through extensive training, provides relevant information to employees, pushes decision-making power downward in the organization and ties rewards to performance. When implemented successfully. TQM also is aligned closely with a firm’s overall business strategy and attempts to change the entire organization toward continuous quality improvement. TQM is a philosophy and a set of guiding principles for continuous improvement based on customer satisfaction, teamwork, and empowerment of individuals. TQM applies human resources and analytical tools to focus on meeting or exceeding customer’s current and future needs. There are a series of planned improvements that will ultimately influence the quality and productivity of the organization. Like high-involvement designs, TQM increases workers’ knowledge and skills through extensive training, provides relevant information to employees, pushes decision-making power downward in the organization and ties rewards to performance. When implemented successfully TQM also is aligned closely with a firm’s overall business strategy and attempts to change the entire organization toward continuous quality improvement. (Cummings ;amp; Worley, 2009, p. 359). Discuss the motivational approach to job design. What are the key dimensions that lead to high work quality and internal motivation? The motivational approach to work design views the effectiveness of organizational activities primarily as a function of member needs and satisfaction, and seeks to improve employee performance and satisfaction by enriching jobs. The motivational method provides people with opportunities for autonomy, responsibility, closure (that is, doing a complete job), and performance feedback. Enriched jobs are popular in the United States at such companies as AT;amp;T Universal Card, TRW, Dayton Hudson, and GTE. The motivational approach usually is associated with the research of Herzberg and of Hackman and Oldham. Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation proposed that certain attributes of work, such as opportunities for advancement and recognition, which he called motivators, help increase job satisfaction. Other attributes that Herzberg called hygiene factors, such as company policies, working conditions, pay, and supervision, do not produce satisfaction but rather prevent dissatisfaction—important contributors because only satisfied workers are motivated to produce. Successful job enrichment experiments at AT&T, Texas Instruments, and Imperial Chemical Industries helped to popularize job enrichment in the 1960s. Although Herzberg’s motivational factors sound appealing, increasing doubt has been cast on the underlying theory. Motivation and hygiene factors are difficult to put into operation and measure, and that makes implementation and evaluation of the theory difficult. Furthermore, important worker characteristics that can affect whether people will respond favorably to job enrichment were not included in his theory. Finally, Herzberg’s failure to involve employees in the job enrichment process itself does not suit most OD practitioners today. Consequently, a second, well-researched approach to job enrichment has been favored. It focuses on the attributes of the work itself and has resulted in a more scientifically acceptable theory of job enrichment than Herzberg’s model. The research of Hackman and Oldham represents this more recent trend in job enrichment. Considerable research has been devoted to defining and understanding core job dimensions. Figure 50 summarizes the Hackman and Oldham model of job design. Five core dimensions of work affect three critical psychological states, which in turn produce personal and job outcomes. These outcomes include high internal work motivation, high-quality work performance, satisfaction with the work, and low absenteeism and turnover. The five core job dimensions—skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback from the work itself—are described below and associated with the critical psychological states that they create (Cummings ;amp; Worley, 2009, p. 377). References Cummings, T. G. , ;amp; Worley, C. G. (2011). Organization development ;amp; change (11th ed. ). Australia; Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning.