Victory Begins at Home - World War II Posters

Adjusted Present Value The Value Of Knowing Your Value

The Value of Knowing Your Value The ability to provide an accurate valuation of a business is one of the most critical capabilities of an organization when it comes to operations. Valuation is obviously crucial when it comes to the prospect of selling a business but its usefulness starts well before that point in a business’s life. Periodic, accurate valuation of a company is equivalent to the pulse of a company and is perhaps the most critical method of evaluating the impact, either negative or positive, of past decisions. There are numerous methodologies available to estimate the valuation of a company at any given time but they all have one common goal: accuracy. Greater accuracy depends on the number of inputs that can be correctly†¦show more content†¦Another widely used and taught model is the Weighted-Average Cost of Capital (WACC) model (Luehrman,1997). This method consists of determining a company’s valuation based only on the current capital structure and by valuing projected returns based on the percentage of capital categories: equity, preferred stock, and debt (Cornett et al., 2015). This method is less accurate than APV based on assumptions that must be made about the required inputs and less flexible since it only bases calculations on current structure, but still can be a valuable tool for determining overall value of a company. Another popular method of valuation is Comparable Company Analysis process. This process focuses primarily on comparing the company in question to other similar companies in the same market (Shaked et al., 2010). This method is somewhat limited in its applicability based on its reliance on a number of other companies in the same area of the market for an accurate valuation. Additionally, this generic type of model is not useful in decision making within the company but is strictly limited to total company valuation. It does, however, allow for some customization since the specific factors to be com pared can be selected by the analysis team. Because of these facts, and the method’s ease of use from outside the company, this methodShow MoreRelatedUnderstanding Yield to Maturity1085 Words   |  5 Pagesdefinition found states â€Å"The rate of return anticipated on a bond if it is held until the maturity date. YTM is considered a long-term bond yield expressed as an annual rate. The calculation of YTM takes into account the current market price, par value, coupon interest rate and time to maturity. It is also assumed that all coupons are reinvested at the same rate. Sometimes this is simply referred to  as yield for short† (Yield to Maturity, 2008). YTM is a measurement of the return of the bond. 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Napster Persuasive Essay Example For Students

Napster Persuasive Essay The Napster Debate1. BackgroundThe Napster software (http://www.napster. com), launched early in 1999, allows internet users to share and download MP3 files directly from any computer connected to the Napster network. The software is used by downloading a client program from the Napster site and then connecting to the network through this software, which allows sharing (uploading and downloading) of MP3 files between all users connected to the network. While Napster does not condone copyright infringement, there is no opportunity in the software to stop this, or for royalties to be paid to artists whose songs are being duplicated for free. Unlike similar file-sharing applications (Gnutella, Freenet), Napster limits users to uploading/downloading of MP3 files only. These files are compressed wave (.wav) files. The advantage of MP3 files is that they are approximately one-tenth the size of the corresponding .wav file and can be close-to-CD-quality. It is for this reason that many artists, record labels and other music industry stakeholders are concerned by the MP3 file format and applications like Napster that simplify the sharing of copyrighted material. Other file formats in common use on the Internet are not as threatening to the recording industry; primarily due to the reduced quality of the recording. Real audio (.ra, . rm) files have reduced sound quality (comparable to radio) and are usually streamed over a different protocol, allowing people to listen to songs without having (or being able) to download the source files. Another music file format common on the internet is the midi format. These files are of no threat to the music industry because the files are not actually a recording of the music; rather a set of instructions to the computer as to what sounds to play (and there is no way to duplicate vocal tracks). This file format is also becoming outdated and being used less and less. 2. ImpactThe reaction from recording artists, record labels and other music industry players has been varied, but primarily anti-Napster. The first action to be taken against Napster was by the band Metallica. In April of this year, they sued Napster Inc for copyright infringement. The case was settled out of court when Napster agreed to ban some 300,000 users who had allegedly downloaded Metallica songs. Again in June Napster Inc was sued for copyright infringement by The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), a trade group representing the US recording industry, alleging Napster is enabling and encouraging the illegal copying and distribution of copyrighted music. Napster claims that Audio Home Recording Act that permits copying of material for personal use, allows its uses to swap MP3s. Napster further claims immunity by defining the company as an ISP under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The RIAA unsuccessfully applied to have an injunction to stop Napsters operations until after the court case in September, so Napster will continue to operate until (and if) the court rules against Napster. Other artists and record labels (http://www.napster.com/speakout/artists. html and http://www.napster.com/speakout/labels.html) have responded to the advent of Napster and similar applications in a more positive way, embracing the new technology rather than rejecting it. On their website, the Offspring says MP3 technology and programs such as Napster are a vital and necessary means to promote music and foster better relationships with our fans. Interestingly enough, the Offsprings last album, Americana, was made available online illegally before commercially released, yet it is the bands best-selling album to date. Furthermore, a number of surveys have proven that Napster users actually buy more CDs, after sampling the songs online (http://www.theregister. .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a , .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a .postImageUrl , .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a , .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a:hover , .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a:visited , .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a:active { border:0!important; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a:active , .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf58692ae7f2727e605f7968c1e3b114a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: English Parts of Speech Essayco.uk/content/1/12093.html). It is this issue that is at the core of the RIAA lawsuit, whether Napster and similar applications will mean reduced CD sales. Napster does challenge the traditional distribution of music (CDs, cassettes, vinyl etc) but whether this should be viewed as a threat or simply a new medium to be exploited by the music industry is another issue. Some record labels, most notably Epitaph (http://www.epitaph.com) have partnered with sites like e-music. com to sell full albums and single songs in MP3 format over the web. In this case, the record company has in fact gained a new distribution method, rather than seeing it as the enemy. Of course, in this scenario, the record company

Costco Wholesale free essay sample

While Cost is the leading wholesale provider in the world, it still has obstacles and barriers to navigate through as t continues to sustain its operations. To summarize some of these challenges and to determine which of the challenges is the strongest and why, the 5 competitive forces model will be used. The 5 competitive forces model holds that competitive pressures on companies within an industry come from 5 different sources. These include: 1. Competition from rival sellers 2. Competition from potential new entrants 3. Competition from producers of substitute products 4.Supplier bargaining power 5. Customer bargaining power Most often, the strongest of the 5 competitive forces is often the competitive erasures created by the rivalry among competing sellers. This remains true in this case with Cost Wholesale as well. The wholesale segment of retailing in North America as a whole produced over $1 55 billion in 2011 alone, and it was growing at a rate of 15-20 percent faster than retailing as a whole. It has no assurances of continued supply, pricing or access to new products, and any vendor could at any time change the terms upon which it sells to it or discontinue selling it. Because of its efforts to adhere to high quality standards for which available supply may be limited, particularly for certain food items, the large volume its demand may not be consistently available. Costco’s suppliers are also subject to risks, including labor disputes, union organizing activities, financial liquidity, inclement weather, natural disasters, supply constraints, and general economic and political conditions that could limit their ability to timely provide us with acceptable merchandise precluding delivery of merchandise and may not be identified before it sells the merchandise to its members (Costco Wholesale Corp. , 2012). Costco has the buyer power in the big box industry. When Costco is the primary obligor, is subject to inventory risk, has latitude in establishing prices and selecting suppliers, can influence product or service specifications, or has several but not all of these indicators, revenue and related shipping fees are recorded on a gross basis. Because of its high sales volume and rapid inventory turnover, it generally sells inventory before it is required to pay many of our merchandise vendors, even though we take advantage of early payment discounts when available. To the extent that a greater percentage of inventories are financed through payment terms provided by suppliers rather than by its working capital (Costco Wholesale Corp. , 2012). Costco buys the majority of its merchandise directly from manufacturers and route it to a cross-docking consolidation point (depot) or directly to our warehouses. Costco’s depots receive container-based shipments from manufacturers and reallocate these goods for shipment to our individual warehouses, generally in less than twenty-four hours. This process maximizes freight volume and handling efficiencies, eliminating many of the costs associated with traditional multiple-step distribution channels (Costco Wholesale Corp. , 2012). Making its operations more efficient and its members loyal to its rapid service. Facing competition from discounters that dont charge a membership fee, Costco has been busy expanding and retrofitting its warehouses to accommodate fresh food sections and other ancillary units, such as gas stations, optical departments, pharmacies, and food courts (Hoover’s, Inc. 2012). Along with the expansion of products, Costco has expanded its premium private-label, Kirkland Signature, to differentiate the companys offerings from intense competition. On the international front,

Pathogens free essay sample

Analyse Barry Turners ideas on Pathogens and critically evaluate how pathogens could lead to a large scale disaster. In your discussion you are encouraged to investigate the thoughts of other leading authors on root cause analysis and how these compare and contrast to Turner’s ideas. (2996 words, including diagrams). In the course of this paper I will assess Barry Turner’s ideas on pathogens in his manmade disaster model, whilst evaluating its practical relevance compared to root cause analysis, using historical events to provide context and support my conclusions. Much of our contemporary basis for disasters having a social, as well as technical origin was precipitated by the ‘man-made disaster model’ of Barry Turner (Turner, 1978; Turner, 1994; Turner and Pidgeon, 1997). His work stipulated the presence of a social factor inherent in accidents, generally due to the complex nature of their harboring systems. This work has since been built upon in both US and European contexts (Vaughan, 1990; Toft and Reynolds, 1997), two of such developments being Perrow’s (1984) normal accident theory and Reason’s (1990) Swiss cheese model. We will write a custom essay sample on Pathogens or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This body of literature and its subjective approach to identifying risks are often said to adopt a ‘socio-technical’ systems view. Crucially this lens of system design and management recognises the need to broadly consider both the technical and social factors at play in disasters (Cherns, 1987), in contrast to objective methods which are deemed to overlook the ‘socio’ element. As such, those concerned with maintaining control within their organisation must consider three channels of control: both managerial and administrative as well as technical (? gure 1). (? ure 1) Essential to the socio-technical framework is recognition that conditions for disaster do not arise overnight but instead â€Å"accumulate over a period of time† during an incubation period (Turner and Pidgeon, 1997, p. 72). In this time a con? uence of preconditions known as Pathogens interact with one another. It is important to now highlight two distinct features of socio-technical a nalysis. Firstly, it is the accumulation and interaction of such pathogens which foster disaster, when each independently is unlikely to result in a similarly extreme outcome. Secondly and of similar importance is the axiom that disasters are a â€Å"signi? cant disruption or collapse of the existing cultural beliefs and norms about hazards† (Pidgeon and O’Leary, 2000, p. 16). Synthesising these two points then, such incubation periods occur when a series of small events, discrepant with the existing organisational norms occur and accumulate unnoticed. Disasters are then precipitated by a trigger event, which, in light of the build up of pathogens to a critical level leads to a catastrophe. In his paper, Turner (1994) identi? s two distinct trends which can be seen as symptomatic of pathogen build up in complex systems; sloppy management and unsound system design, both of which we will now explore. Within the umbrella issue of poor management I have collected Turner’s thoughts and identi? ed speci? c precondition enablers. Fore-mostly is the issue of information mis-use, but speci? cally information asymmetries. Such asymmetries might arise when individuals throughout the hierarchy fail to pass on and reveal information, whether deliberately or otherwise, whilst often the information is mistakenly passed to those who cannot effectively use it. Importantly, there are also cases of deliberate disregard for information as we will see shortly. Signi? cantly this information issue is enhanced as often it cannot be readily identi? ed. Agents operating within the environment believe it is normal and acceptable for such a ‘degraded state’ to prevail (Weir, 1991). If this is the case, it precludes the possibility of pre-condition neutralisation, as it becomes impossible to recognise the behavior as divergent, as it is no longer discrepant with the organisational norm. Turner (1994) goes on to postulate that an ef? ient operating state of information cannot in-fact exist, as the balance it calls for is impossible to reach. Surely, whilst too little information fosters the so called ‘degraded environment’, we could envisage that too much information would result in equal, if not greater inef? ciencies due to a saturated environment underpinned by the bounded rationality of agents within the system. Concurren tly, we ? nd certain system structures which are known to be particularly susceptible to this dif? culty. The literature has often spoken of the dif? ulties that can arise through information friction and overload where we ? nd hierarchal rigidity, such as a bureaucracy (Simon, 1947), with alarming information failures in the FBI, DOJ and CIA preceding the 9/11 attacks (Kramer, 2005). Similarly, such in? exible structures are prone to the phenomenon of ‘groupthink’ (Janis, 1982). Here the authority commanded by management allows them to not only enforce their unrealistic views upon surrounding agents, but to ensure agents are brought in beneath them who are like-minded, ensuring that the issue is systemic. The second trend identi? ed is system properties. In such cases, as the complexity of technology systems becomes increasingly developed, there is the possibility of disasters occurring due to unforeseen interactions. This theory was developed by Perrow (1984) in response to the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island and their elimination can only be achieved through system reengineering (Turner and Toft (1988)). Such actions should be focused on moving away from tightly coupled, interdependent elements, as evidenced in serious E-Coli outbreaks caused by the spread of infected meat through the standard food distribution network (Pidgeon and O’Leary (2000)). Support in the literature which calls for the broad scope of socio-technical theory is notable. According to two papers cited by Turner (1994), 70-80% of all disasters are precipitated by a social – administrative and managerial – fault, with subsequent public enquiries proposing a similar percentage of changes in such social contexts (Drogaris, 1991; Turner and Toft, 1988). Similarly, a study by Blockley (1980) found that in the case of 84 technical failures, greater attention had to be paid to both political and organisational conditions which were deemed to foster human error (alluding to the aforementioned institutional norms). He found that technical failures were underpinned by managerial and administrative frailties such as engineers who were fully aware of technical issues but failed to report them. Also, though such complex systems are inevitably unique, the previously outlined pattern of failure is one which is found time and again in disasters around the world. To illustrate this pattern, I have constructed a chain of causality which appropriately contextualises Turner’s (1994) model using the Bhopal chemical leak (? ure 2). (? gure 2) By employing a socio-technical systems view, dangerous gaps were uncovered in the safety culture and environmental awareness not only at the plant, but throughout increasingly industrialised, developing economies (Broughton, 2005). Such problems are not isolated to developing nations however; another disaster which was scrutinised heavily occurred in January of 1986, when the space-shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after take-off. Similarly to the Bhopal chemical incident, concerns were expressed prior to the disaster however a fundamentally different method of ad-hoc analysis was used in the Presidential investigation that followed. Traditionally, accidents had been viewed in a linear, two dimensional fashion where each failure is linked in a sequential chain (Qureshi, 2008). One such method of assessment is root cause analysis (RCA), which seeks to identify the primary element in the chain and was chosen by the Challenger investigative body. Such an approach seems a reasonable and logical response when it is inherent in human nature to search for â€Å"simple technical solutions as a panacea’ (Elliott Smith, 1993, p. 226). In most cases, stakeholders primarily look for a simple explanation to help them understand the issue, often to assess liability. According to the RCA literature, once this root cause has correctly been identi? ed, through corrective action the issue should be resolved and will consequently not occur again. In light of the events of the Challenger disaster, both machine and human loss including a civilian, the public and government need to identify a ‘root cause’ seems understandable, particularly when the circumstances of the disaster point to a technical fault. The investigation concluded, relying heavily on the video-evidence available from over 200 cameras, that a failure in the o-ring seal in the right solid-rocket-booster caused the explosion, having been rendered ineffective due to the cold weather. Through my own investigation and that of others however, such ? dings seem to grossly oversimplify the events that lead up to the disaster. Roger Boisjoly, an engineer employed at booster manufacturer Morton Thiokol already knew of the technical shortcomings, in fact expressing concerns speci? cally of the shuttle exploding (Seconds From Disaster, 2007). He made two efforts to make senior of? cials aware prior to launch: initially writing a memo to Thiokol managers six mo nths in advance, ? nally arranging a teleconference the night before the ill-fated voyage in an increasingly desperate attempt. The outcome of the conference had little effect in the wake of heavy resistance from NASA representatives such as Lawrence Mulloy, head of rocket booster technology. Incredibly, this resistance came even in the face of photographic evidence of the o-ring cold weather liability, from recovered boosters from a Discovery launch in similar weather a year earlier. In an independent investigation author James Chiles uncovered further issues which could have been readily identi? ed with a more fastidious safety culture (Seconds From Disaster, 2007). Having made it through the initial launch phase, Chiles postulates that the o-ring rupture would not in-fact have proved fatal as the fuel’s aluminium additive resealed the leak after launch. It was only when Challenger passed through a violent jet-stream (winds of over 300 kilometers per hour) that this makeshift seal was re-opened, causing the explosion. The existence of this jet-stream could easily have been identi? ed as a commercial airliner, passing through the launch area half an hour earlier had already reported it and it subsequently showed up on Challengers ? nal telemetry. It was overlooked however when NASA weather balloons, which had in-fact drifted away from the launch area, reported nominal conditions. Attributing the disaster to the o-ring failure alone is to apply a narrow-minded view to the issue and might have ultimately done more harm than good. In the subsequent investigation into the Columbia disaster years later, the investigation found NASA liable by not having reconciled the organisational safety philosophy in the wake of Challenger. Indeed, Morton Thiokol went on to supply the new shuttle boosters and Lawrence Mulloy was made head of all propulsion systems at NASA. Following the Columbia reentry disaster years later it was stated, â€Å"the foam debris hit was not the single cause of the Columbia accident, just as the failure of the joint seal that permitted O-ring erosion was not the single cause of Challenger. Both Columbia and Challenger were lost also because of the failure of NASA? s organisational system† (Columbia Accident Investigation Board, 2003, p. 195). Similarly telling was an independent investigation conducted by Nobel Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman. His observations of the Challenger disaster at no point mention the o-ring but instead focused on the failings in NASA management (Lentz, 1996). Feynman’s ? ndings were relegated to the appendix of the investigation report. Lessons were not learned, and it is my belief that the elementary nature of the ? ndings, emphasising a technical fault over obvious gross mis-management were at least partially to blame for what followed. The weaknesses of RCA become clear then, particularly in light of industry developments since the 20th century with system complexity becoming commonplace. Importantly, Hollnagel (2004) notes that particular industries that are problematic for such analysis are aviation, aerospace, telecommunications, power production (nuclear particularly) and healthcare. I believe what makes these distinct, is not just their highly technological systems, but the high degree of human autonomy found in these industries. RCA is also undone in the context of complex systems due to its sequential view of events as following one another, ensuring it can’t tackle bidirectional causality (e. g. competitor response to marketing initiatives (Okes, 2009)). Looking at the Bhopal and NASA examples, it’s clear to see that such systems require an epidemiological approach and perspective, as whilst the factors and preconditions can be viewed chronologically, importantly it’s not because of such a chronological manner the disaster occurred. Whilst we could conduct multiple RCA’s to identify multiple root elements, there is little consensus on how to aggregate such ? ndings and implement appropriate solutions. This is of particular issue in the healthcare industry which relies heavily upon RCA (Root cause analysis, 2012). It is my belief this over-reliance on a limited tool is due to the common need to place liability in the wake of healthcare accidents, to assess potential legal action and remuneration. Further issues are it’s inability to effectively tackle human errors such as sloppy management, and the tools limitation to its users bounded rationality and knowledge: RCA is not able to expand its users understanding beyond incumbent mental faculties. The alignment of disasters explored with Turner’s (1994) model are evident. In the Challenger case particularly, we see how it was the interaction of mis-management (not utilising critical information), high wind conditions as-well as the technical o-ring de? ciencies which combined to cause disaster. According to Chiles (Seconds from Disaster, 2007), if you were to remove the high-altitude jet-stream, the aluminium seal may not have shaken loose and the shuttle may have continued unharmed. This supports our earlier axiom of pathogen interaction as necessary for disaster. Following the events at Hillsborough, the Archbishop of York Dr. John Habgood, speaking at the memorial said â€Å"events of the magnitude of Hillsborough don’t usually happen just for one single reason, nor is it usually possible to pin the blame on one single scapegoat Disasters happen because a whole series of mistakes, misjudgments and mischances happen to come together in a deadly combination† (Taylor, 1989, p. 20). Indeed, public inquiries following con? rmed as much. The examples explored perfectly illustrate both the broad nature of preconditions – technical and human – in provenance, as well as the existence of an incubation period. As such, they lend credibility to socio-technical theory as a descriptive tool. At the same time I believe its strengths go beyond post-hoc analysis, being ideal for usage as a prescriptive form of risk assessment and systems design. Recent developments in literature have focused in this area by learning from highly reliable organisations (HRO’s). Remedial measures include incident learning systems (illustrated in ? gure 3 overleaf), the promotion of organisational learning and reevaluation of institution culture in order to realign and rede? e the norms (Carnes, 2011; Reiman, 2007), as done in the US Nuclear Power Industry. Pidgeon (2012) similarly promotes organisational learning alongside senior management commitment to safety, shared care and concern for hazards and a recognition of their impact, as-well as realistic and ? exible norms and rules about hazards. Empirical evaluation by Rognin, Salembier and Zouinar (1998) utilising a complex systems approach have also explor ed the aviation industry, recognizing their use of mutual awareness, mutual monitoring and communication as preventative tools toward a Pathogenic environment. These prescriptions are all highly congruent with one another, adding weight to their applicability for research based management. (? gure 3. Cooke and Rohleder (2006)) This having been said, RCA does have its place amongst certain post-hoc analysis. Many different forms exist and have been employed with great effectiveness in non complex systems which are isolated from a human factor. Two distinct examples are Toyota’s development of the iterative ‘? ve-whys’ method (Bodek, 1988) in tandem with Ishikawa diagrams (1968). This example is a staple tool in the Toyota production process and required learning during employee induction. An example of it’s usage is illustrated in ? gure 4. However, I postulate Toyota’s success with RCA is due to the automated nature of system design in their production process and the lack of human autonomy found in their plants, as opposed to alluding to any great power in the framework. (? gure 4. Ohno (2006)) To summarize, assessing the two models and addressing them as mutually exclusive concepts, RCA clearly has merits when applied to purely technical systems and failings. Whilst there is some literature which maintains the two are not such exclusive methodologies, this has been beyond the scope of my analysis. Once we begin to look at increasingly complex systems, RCA clearly becomes unsuitable. Socio-technical theory in contrast has considerably greater scope as both a descriptive and prescriptive tool. As such, it is my ? rm belief that in a world of increasing complexity, with ? rms heavily investing in the design of more complex systems facilitated by greater computing capabilities, root-cause analysis is at best a foundation tool. Often it is likely to be insuf? cient to identify an appropriate cause and even when it can, further investigation should be employed using a systems view which accommodates complexity in order to rescribe suitable changes. As such, in the coming weeks, I would expect the investigation into the Texas fertilizer plant explosion to go considerably beyond RCA in its analysis, though using it initially to satisfy the public need for a quick answer in the wake of such human loss.

Business Productivity Growth Hypothesis Essays - Free Essays

Business Productivity Growth Hypothesis Essays - Free Essays Business Productivity Growth Hypothesis In this assignment, we will attempt to study the effects that difference in Income Ratio (henceforth known as I.R.) between the years 1980 and 1990 have on the Productivity Growth (P.G.) during the same period of time. The Income Ratio of one specific year can be found if we take the average income of the richest faction of a country (the richest 20% of the population) and divide it by that of the poorest faction (the poorest 20%). In this assignment, the Income Ratios that were used were those of 13 different countries. The I.R.'s on both 1980 and 1990 were taken for all these countries and, to find the difference between them, the I.R. for 1990 was divided by the I.R. for 1980, for each country. These new numbers illustrate the change of I.R. between the two years so that we can compare how the P.G. changes in relation to the changes in the I.R.. On this assignment, we use inductive reasoning to examine the data and find a theory (a hypothesis) that would combine the data given in a way that would make sense, based solely on our data. How do we know if the "theory" that we formulate makes sense? In this case we will plot the points (derived from the column "I.R. 1990/1980," going on the x-axis, and the column "Productivity Growth 79-90," on the y-axis). According to how the points are on the graph in relation to the Average Point (0.94,1.45) (point that is an average of all values and which divides the graph into four Quadrants), if 80% of these points are where they would be expected to be to conform to the hypothesis, then there is no reason to reject this hypothesis. If, on the other hand, the majority of the points does not conform to our hypothesis (are not where they were predicted to be), then it is rejected. Another method of reasoning frequently used by Mainstream economists is "deductive knowledge," as opposed to "inductive," described above. Their theory is formulated and only then it is applied to the data. Their theory on this subject suggests that productivity within a country grows when the population has incentives to work harder (or to work more). When the gap between rich and poor increases (an increase in I.R. form 1980-90, resulting in a larger ratio on the column I.R. 1990/1980), so does the population's eagerness to work, therefore increasing the Productivity Growth. Since when one variable goes up the other also goes up, there is a positive (or direct) correlation between the two. Mainstream economists use deductive reasoning to deduce that there exists a positive correlation between the two factors. In short, their hypothesis is that when the Income Ratio increases, the Productivity Growth also increases, since people are more motivated. For this to be true, we would expe ct a line going up and to the right on the graph, passing by Quadrants II and IV. Most points (80% or more) would have to be on these two Quadrants. This, however, is not the case (see graph), since only about 30.77% of the points plotted satisfy these conditions. Since the original hypothesis was rejected, we might want to see if there is a negative correlation between the two variables (that is, as one goes up, the other goes down). Our new hypothesis would then be "as the Income Ratio increases, the Productivity Growth decreases." Then, in the case of a high I.R., people in lower classes would rationally start to feel insecure and that their work is not being recognized by society, therefore losing motivation and producing less. In this case, since there's a negative correlation, one would expect the line on the graph to go downwards, from left to right, passing on Quadrants I and III. If this hypothesis were valid, 80%+ of the points would have to be on these Quadrants. This is also not the case, for only 69.32% of the points are on the appropriate Quadrants. Like the first, this second hypothesis also has to be rejected. After analyzing these two relationships and seeing that neither is valid, we conclude that there is no direct relationship between the two variables tested. That does

Mental health nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Mental health nursing - Essay Example Understanding is most often than not can be achieved in careful study and research of behaviours, patterns, beliefs, among other prevalent practices and knowledge in the nursing and health care relations and practices. Likewise, it is very critical for every health care studies and research to adhere to scientific, systematic process as can be achieved through objective measurement, through the imposition of control in order to be able to describe, explore and explain (Playle, 1999) the nature of the subject matter under investigation. Benton and Cormack (2000) have been very instrumental in defining a format for the method of mental health research issues as they have designed it to identify strengths and weaknesses of every study for inclusion, assessed, and careful consideration allows that the more ambiguity there will be and hence greater care needed in drawing conclusions from the paper. The framework they have presented have always been used in most instances to help the process of critiquing as it is a comprehensive framework covering most points needed in the critiquing process. The framework may be applied to both qualitative and quantitative research but without very clear research questions or objectives, a study cannot progress in a systematic and efficient manner so that the researcher must have established a specific purpose for the study, thereby allowing decisions to be made about methods and resources, and ethical issues will be identified. Playle (1999) likewise pointed out that identification of the overall nature of research will lead to examination of more depth the two stages of the research process which are the development of research questions and establishing current knowledge through awareness of existing literatures. Cormack and Benton (2000) insisted that without very clear research questions or objectives, a study cannot progress in a systematic and efficient manner. Burns and Grove (1997) specified that much time is spent in narrowing down a broad area of interest although many research or studies have very specific questions, objectives and hypothesis. Still, clear purpose must be provided to guide the research process (Burns and Grove, 1997). DISCUSSION: With a premise that little evidence exists to indicate that community psychiatric nurses can achieve the results reported by expert cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), a study conducted by Turkington, et al (2000) aimed to "assess the effectiveness and safety of a brief cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention in a representative community sample of patients with schizophrenia in secondary care settings." The study used the method of pragmatic randomized trial performed involving 422 patients and carers to compare a brief CBT intervention against treatment as usual and the results showed that "patients who received CBT (n=257) improved in overall symptomatology (P=0.015; number needed to treat [NNT]=13), insight (P

The positive, beneficial functions of IR law Essay

The positive, beneficial functions of IR law - Essay Example 114). The losses suffered from World War I and World War II caused the international community to review international laws and this brought about the creation of the United Nations, a body that is charged with upholding international laws and preventing such conflicts from reoccurring. For instance, the UN peace keeping missions have brought about sustainable peace in conflict regions, like in the Ethiopia – Eritrean war and the conflict in Darfur, Sudan. If international laws were absent in such cases, it is most likely that there would be never ending conflicts in such parts of the world. International laws also regulate the conduct of states that have competitive advantage over others with regard to commons. Likewise, these laws are useful in terms of protecting the position of disadvantaged parties in such situations as Hoffmann (1968) has pointed out (p. 115). It would be difficult for landlocked countries to have access to sea ports if the international laws were non-existent. It is therefore great that the United Nations Convention put in place the Law of the Sea which provides landlocked countries with access to sea ports and therefore allows them to trade competitively. In the end, international law allows disadvantaged states end up with a fairly level playing field similar to that of their more advantaged counterparts. Additionally, Hoffmann (1968) emphasizes that international laws allow for the gathering of support from the international community on matters of interest (p. 115). International laws recognize that a states sovereignty does not necessarily translate to the protection of laws and upholding of values. Human rights and environmental conditions can easily be victimized when a states activities go on unquestioned or unchallenged. The reason for the invasion of Iraq by the United States, although highly criticized, was argued to be a mission to disarm the Saddam Husseins regime off weapons of

Intellectual and Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Intellectual and Property Law - Essay Example James and Jeremy find out about the conversation after they receive phone calls from all three manufacturers. They are furious that he has consulted external companies without their consent. Aim This paper aims to investigate the potential infringements of intellectual property that James and Jeremy owned and to provide possible remedies that are available to them and to provide a legal advice to them for the future course of action. Objectives In order to achieve the aim of this paper, the paper will has following objectives to achieve: 1. To study the intellectual property rights in United Kingdom 2. To study the possible infringements of intellectual property rights. 3. To investigate the remedies that the victims of intellectual property rights theft can avail. 4. To provide a legal analysis as to the case of James and Jeremy. 5. To develop a legal advice for James and Jeremy to follow in order to seek remedies from the United Kingdom Courts, if any. Intellectual Property Rights Laws in the United Kingdom The term intellectual property refers to the intangible creations of mind which are given physical form and contains or overtime develops financial value (Barney & Green, 2001). For instance, when a person visualizes a design and then creates it on paper or on computer program, creates an intellectual property. This intellectual property can be protected from copycats or thieves who can steal it and then reproduce it for commercial gains (Bimal & Kumar, 2012). The owner of an intellectual property has the right to protect it from any potential infringements and seek remedies for it in case infringement has occurred. However, not all intellectual properties can be directly protected. The Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) recognizes several types of intellectual property rights. These are: Patents, Designs, Copyrights, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, Integrated Circuits, Plant Breeders Rights, etc (Gaff, Loren & Spinnery, 2012). Most of them have to be applied for their grant and rest of the intellectual property right do not require such seeking. Instead, they are automatically created. Patent is a right that is granted by the Government of a country for an invention. Design is a right that protects the aesthetic and visual appearance of a product. The design right acknowledges the right of its owner and provides an exclusive right to make, use, copy, import or export or assign the design for any purpose he may deem fit. Copyrights is a right that is created automatically. It is a right not to copy a work that has been created by an author and has been reserved its ownership with that author. Trade secrets comprises of confidential information, documents, secret formulas, or any private information that if leaked to any one can create substantial loss to its owners (Chapman, 1986). For instance, the Coca Cola recipe is protected as a trade secret and has not been leaked for over a century now (Breach of Confidence, 2006). In case any of its employees or management who are privy to that secret formula have revealed the actual formula or sold it to someone for commercial gains would have incurred an intellectual property rights infringement (Risch, 2012). In legal terminology it is known as breach of confidence. In English law, the breach of confidence is derived from the doctrine of equity. Thus, a person whose confidence in another

Study of Recurrent UTI among Mothers in the Philippines

Study of Recurrent UTI among Mothers in the Philippines INTRODUCTION Background of Study Millions suffer, only a few understand. In Barangay Ula, Recurrent UTI is one of the leading causes of morbidity among 40 households with a prevalence of 82.5% in which a bulk of 57% comprises of mothers. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevailing infectious diseases with a substantial financial burden on society. An estimated 13,000 deaths annually are attributed to UTIs. The magnitude of the problem worldwide is becoming very apparent.Globally, there are an estimated 150 million urinary tract infections per annum. Nearly 20% of women who have UTI will have another, and 30% of those will have yet another, but of the last group, 80% will have recurrences. In the Philippines, UTI continues to be among the top five reasons for consultations in health facilities nationwide. It is one of the ten leading causes of morbidity in all ages with a rate of 127.84 per 100,000 population. Recurrence of UTI among these mothers is greatly affected by behaviors. In this regard, the study would like to focus on the UTI-related behaviors of mothers, in Barangay Ula, diagnosed with recurrent urinary tract infection. Review of Related Literature According to Al-badr and colleague (2013), urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common clinical bacterial infections in women, accounting for almost 25% of all infections. Around 50–60% of women will develop UTIs in their lifetimes wherein Escherichia coliis the most common organism in all patient groups, but Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Proteus,and other organisms are more common in patients with certain risk factors for complicated urinary tract infections (Kodner and Gupton, 2010). Hooton and Gupta (2013) defined recurrent urinary tract infection as ≠¥2 infections in six months or ≠¥3 infections in one year. Most recurrences are thought to represent reinfection rather than relapse, although occasionally a persistent focus can produce relapsing infection. Recurrent uncomplicated urinary tract infection is a common presentation to urologists and family doctors. A survey data suggest that 1 in 3 women will have had a diagnosed and treated UTI by age 24 and more than half will be affected in their lifetime. In a 6-month study of college-aged women, 27% of these UTIs were found to recur once and 3% a second time (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3202002/). Many women suffer from frequent UTIs. About 20 percent of young women with a first UTI will have a recurrent infection. With each UTI, the risk that a woman will continue having recurrent UTIs increases.Some women have three or more UTIs a year. However, very few women will have frequent infections throughout their lives. More typically, a woman will have a period of 1 or 2 years with frequent infections, after which recurring infections cease (http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utiadult/). In a study of college women with their first UTI, 27 percent experienced at least one culture-confirmed recurrence within the six months following the initial infection and 2.7 percent had a second recurrence during this same time period. When the first infection is caused by Escherichia coli, women appear to be more likely to develop a second UTI within six months than those with a first UTI due to another organism. In a Finnish study of women ages 17 to 82 who had E. coli cystitis, 44 percent had a recurrence within one year(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3202002/). A number of factors also appear to increase the risk of recurrent UTIs such as biological or genetic factors, behavioural risk factors and even the pelvic anatomy (http://www.uptodate.com/contents/recurrent-urinary-tract-infection-in-women). In symptomatic women, predictors of recurrent UTIs include symptoms following intercourse, signs or symptoms of pyelonephritis, and prompt resolution of symptoms with antibiotics. Nocturia and persistence of symptoms between UTI episodes are strong negative predictors for recurrent infection (http://www.aafp.org/afp/2010/0915/p638.html). According to Hooton and Gupta (2014), sexual intercourse, diaphragm-spermicide use, and a history of recurrent UTI are strong and independent risk factors for UTI. Even spermicide-coated condom use results in an increased risk of UTI. However, risk factors specific for recurrent UTI have received relatively less attention. In one large case-control study of women with and without a history of recurrent UTI, the frequency of sexual intercourse was the strongest risk factor for recurrent UTI in a multivariate analysis. Other risk factors identified were: 1) Spermicide use during the past year; 2) Having a new sex partner during the past year; 3) Having a first UTI at or before 15 years of age; and 4) Having a mother with a history of UTIs. Sexual activity can move microbes from the bowel or vaginal cavity to the urethral opening. If these microbes have special characteristics that allow them to live in the urinary tract, it is harder for the body to remove them quickly enough to prevent infection. Following sexual intercourse, most women have a significant number of bacteria in their urine, but the body normally clears them within 24 hours. However, some forms of birth control increase the risk of UTI. In some women, certain spermicides may irritate the skin, increasing the risk of bacteria invading surrounding tissues. Using a diaphragm may slow urinary flow and allow bacteria to multiply. Condom use is also associated with increased risk of UTIs, possibly because of the increased trauma that occurs to the vagina during sexual activity. Using spermicides with diaphragms and condoms can increase risk even further (http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utiadult/). According to Wilkinson and Treas (2010), perinneal care is part of routine hygiene care. When washing the perineum, it must be from front to back to prevent contaminating the urethra with any fecal material left in the anus. Fecal particles left on skin can cause skin breakdown due to enzyme activity, and may increase the risk of a urinary tract infection because of the presence of E. coli in the feces. During menstruation, it is important to change sanitary pads, tampons or menstrual cups regularly. The standard time for a sanitary pad is once every six hours, while for a tampon is once every two hours. Sanitary napkins are made of cotton wool and gel. When an individual bleed into one, most of the blood gets soaked in, but at a certain point the pad gets saturated and may leak. Another consideration is that menstrual blood – once it has left the body – gets contaminated with the body’s innate organisms. When these organisms remain in a warm and moist place for a long time they tend to multiply and can lead to conditions like urinary tract infection, vaginal infections and skin rashes. Therefore changing is essential (http://health.india.com/diseases-conditions/hygiene-during-menstrual-periods-10-things-you-should-know/). General Objective At the end of the study, we will be able to describe the UTI- related behavior of mothers in Barangay Ula, Tugbok, Davao City who were diagnosed with Recurrent UTI from 2009 to 2013 in terms of personal hygiene, sexual activity and birth control method. Specific Objectives To determine the personal hygiene practices of mothers base on the following parameters: Handwashing Perineal care Type of underwear used Usage and changing of panty liners Changing of sanitary pad during menstruation To determine the sexual activity of these mothers To determine the birth control methods used by mothers Significance of the Study This study will provide a reference point on the personal hygiene practices of mothers regarding UTI. The data gathered will be used as a guide in forming future program strategies in decreasing the prevalence of Recurrent UTI in the area. The results of the study will also serve as an insight on the following parties: Barangay health care providers (doctors, nurses and midwives) to provide and disseminate proper information to BHWs and mothers about the behavioural risk factors that can cause recurrence of UTI; Barangay health workers (BHWs) as the most accessible source of information, they should be equipped with the proper and adequate information regarding the behavioural risk factors causing UTI; Mothers to assess whether their personal hygiene practices are correct. This will also, in a way, equip mothers and correct any malpractices they have. There are indeed many cases of recurrent UTI which were not prevented because the mothers have poor personal hygiene practices. Mothers should therefore be properly equipped with adequate understanding of the personal hygiene practices that can be of great importance in the prevention of UTI. Hence, this knowledge can lead to the resolution of this problem. Definition of Terms Behavioural Risk Factors – the elements that predisposes the mothers in having recurrent UTI. Recurrent UTI – Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection; the reinfection involving the urinary tract including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Mother – a person who has been pregnant and has already given birth regardless of her marital status. Personal Hygiene Practices – set of actions performed to care for one’s health Perineal Care an everyday hygienic practice of washing the perineum Chapter 2 Methodology Research Design Descriptive research was used in this study. The study aims to determine the Behavioural Risk Factors of Mothers diagnosed with Recurrent UTI in Purok 6, Barangay Ula, Tugbok District, Davao City. Locale of the Study The study will be conducted in Purok 6, Barangay Ula, Tugbok District, Davao City. Unit Analysis The subject of this study is a Mother diagnosed with Recurrent UTI residing in Purok 6, Barangay Ula, Tugbok District, Davao City. Sampling A total enumeration of 40 mothers will be included in the study. Variables and Measures Data Collection Procedure The testing in this study is focused on the behavioural risk factors of mothers diagnosed with Recurrent UTI, through the scheduled interview of all Mothers in Purok 6, Barangay Ula, Tugbok District, Davao City. Treatment of Data The data was analyzed using the summary statistics like means and frequency distribution. Ethical Consideration We will provide each participant with informed consent forms. Confidentiality of participants’ information and answers will be of our paramount consideration. Chapter 3 Results This section shows the results of the study. The respondents were the 40 mothers of Purok 6, Barangay Ula, Tugbok District, Davao City. Table 1. The Frequency Distribution of 40 Mothers According to Diagnosed Cases of Recurrent UTI Table 2. The Frequency Distribution of 40 Mothers According to Behavioural Risk Factors Chapter 4 Discussion Limitation of the Study The study was limited to all mothers residing in Purok 6, Barangay Ula, Tugbok, Davao City. This was limited on a scheduled interview with the participants. Diagnosed Cases of Recurrent UTI The results showed that 33 mothers were diagnosed with Recurrent UTI while 7 of them were not diagnosed at all with the infection. Behavioural Risk Factors The results showed that all of the mothers were practicing handwashing before and after doing perinneal care. It also showed that a total enumeration of 40 mothers was washing their perineum everyday in which almost all of them were doing it about 1 to times a day. They knew that it is really important to maintain cleanliness within one’s self. About 24 of the mothers were using water and soap in washing their perineum, 11 mothers were using feminine wash while 5 of the mothers were only using water for perinneal care. Out of the 40 mothers doing perinneal care, 19 were washing their perineum from front to back and the remaining 21 mothers were doing it from back to front. The type of underwear used by 28 mothers was made of cotton while 8 of them used spandex and 4 used silk underwear. 22 mothers interviewed were using panty liners in which 19 of them changes their panty liners once to thrice in a day. Of all mothers, 27 were still having their monthly menstrual period while 13 of them were already menopausal. Among the mothers who were still having menstruation, 18 of them were changing their pads at least 1 to 3 times a day, 8 mothers change 4 to 6 times in a day while only 1 mother changes her pad at least 7 times in a day. There were 29 mothers who were sexually active who all had only 1 sexual partner. 26 of which were doing perinneal washing before sexual intercourse while 28 of the sexually active mothers were doing perinneal care after sexual intercourse and 26 of the said mothers were urinating before and after sexual intercourse. No mother was with catheters at the time of interview. This means that catheter is not the cause of the recurrence of UTI among the 40 mothers in the Purok. Birth control methods were used by only 18 mothers wherein 12 of them did not want to have a baby anymore while the remaining 6 were not yet ready to have a baby. The rest of the 22 mothers were not using any birth control methods because 18 of them were already menopausal and 4 of them were said to be pro-life. On the other hand, out of the 12 mothers who used family planning, 8 mothers used condoms. With these results, it revealed that many of the mothers who were diagnosed with recurrent UTI were having personal hygiene malpractices such as washing their perineum from back to front wherein it moves bacteria from the anus close to the urethra. Another was how often they change their panty liners as well as their sanitary pads in a day as the pads get contaminated with the bodies’ innate organisms. When this happens, organisms will multiply in such warm and moist environment leading to urinary tract infections. Chapter 5 Summary of Results, Conclusion and Recommendations Summary Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevailing infectious diseases with a substantial financial burden on society. Globally, there are an estimated 150 million urinary tract infections per annum. Nearly 20% of women who have UTI will have another, and 30% of those will have yet another, but of the last group, 80% will have recurrences. In the Philippines, UTI is one of the ten leading causes of morbidity in all ages with a rate of 127.84 per 100,000 population. In Purok 6, Barangay Ula, Recurrent UTI is one of the leading causes of morbidity among 40 households with a prevalence of 82.5%. A bulk of 57% comprises of mothers. The results showed that 33 mothers were diagnosed with Recurrent UTI while 7 of them were not diagnosed at all with the infection. The results showed that all of the mothers were practicing handwashing before and after doing perinneal care. It also showed that a total enumeration of 40 mothers was washing their perineum everyday in which almost all of them were doing it about 1 to times a day. About 24 of the mothers were using water and soap in washing their perineum. The type of underwear used by 28 mothers was made of cotton. 22 mothers interviewed were using panty liners in which 19 of them changes their panty liners once to thrice in a day. Among the mothers who were still having menstruation, 18 of them were changing their pads at least 1 to 3 times a day, 8 mothers change 4 to 6 times in a day while only 1 mother changes her pad at least 7 times in a day. 26 out of 29 sexually active mothers were doing perinneal washing before sexual intercourse while 28 of the sexually active mothers were doing perinneal care after sexual intercourse and 26 of the said mothers were urinating before and after sexual intercourse. On the other hand, out of the 12 mothers who used family planning, 8 of them used condoms. With these results, it only revealed that many mothers who were diagnosed with recurrent UTI were having personal hygiene malpractices. Conclusions At the end of the study, we were able to determine the personal hygiene practices of mothers base on handwashing, perineal care, type of underwear used, usage and changing of panty liners, and changing of sanitary pad during menstruation. We were also able to determine the sexual activity of mothers associated with the prevalence of Recurrent UTI. Lastly, we were able to determine the birth control methods used by mothers that predispose them to recurrent UTI such as the use of condoms and IUDs. Recommendations To the City Health Office: conduct lectures and seminars on Recurrent UTI To the Barangay Officials: provide support on the programs on Recurrent UTI To the BHWs: attend lectures and workshops regarding Recurrent UTI

Solar Hot Water Systems and Materials of Construction :: essays research papers

The materials used in solar hot water systems must be carefully chosen to ensure that the unit will be efficient but also affordable. The efficiency of the conversion of sunlight energy to heat energy of the water depends on the materials of construction and the efficiency of heat transfer of the materials. Solar hot water systems use the processes of conduction to transfer the heat absorbed from the sun to the water and convection to move water through their structure. This assignment discusses the materials used in construction of solar hot water systems and their heat transfer properties. 2.0 Conduction Conduction is the process of transferring energy through a material from one point to another. Conductivity (k) is the rate at which the energy is transferred and its units are Watts per metre Kelvin or (W/mK). The higher the rate of conductivity the faster energy is transferred through the material. Conduction can occur in two different ways in solids; the first is by crystal vibration waves (phonons) where particles of high kinetic energy vibrate rapidly and bump into other particles to transfer energy from one point to another. The second way is by delocalised electrons or free moving electrons which transfer energy throughout materials much better than atoms do, as their energy to mass ratio is much higher than that of atoms. This allows the electrons to travel much faster throughout a substance and transfer energy faster. For a material to be a good conductor of kinetic or electrical energy it requires both methods of conduction, which is found in metals and some other materials (i.e. graphite). The conductivity of a solar hot water system’s materials are important ie. adequate insulation is required to prevent energy being lost to the unit’s surroundings. Materials for the pipes should not resist the transfer of thermal and kinetic energy being passed through the pipes to the water in the collector panel (shown in Fig 1.). The conductivity (k) of a material can be described by the following equation. The contribution of ke increases with free electron concentration. Copper is an abundant, cheap metal with great thermal and electrical conductivity. It is strong, malleable and ductile making it an ideal material for water pipes. Copper has a thermal conductivity (k) value of 398 W/mK, which is below silver’s thermal conductivity of 428 W/mK however still much larger than other metals such as Aluminium (247 W/mK) or steel (60 W/mK).

Employee Theft

†¢Explain the reasoning behind employee theft. Employee theft could be a result of many issues that arise at the place of employment. Low morale at the workplace is a major reason why businesses suffer from low production and stealing at the workplace, especially if the employee feels that the business or company has wronged or mistreated them in some way. Another reason would be if the employee feels that they are underpaid or under-appreciated for their performance. In sales, lack of control over inventory makes it easier to steal because the employer does not have preventive measures to avoid it. Preventive measures are crucial to reducing the risk of employee theft. If preventive measures are not existent then the opportunity to steal is very high. The best way to control employee theft is to set policies and guidelines regarding the issue. If there are no set consequences to employee theft then employees will continue to steal, because they think that they won’t be punished. †¢Explain ways the culture of our capitalists society encourages attitudes like those Sheehy describes. I would say a culture of technological revolution and an ever expanding ‘action-packed’ business world, along with an image shaped by a culture of video games and action movies has definitely contributed to encouraging attitudes like those Sheehy describes. As it is stated in the text, â€Å" The college students in particular, reports Sheehy, believed that a no- holds- barred, trample- over- anybody, get- what –you- want approach is the necessary and glamorous road to success. This relates directly to the John Rawls notion of justice as fairness. Rawls lists the following among the equal basic liberties: â€Å"freedom of thought and liberty of conscience; the political liberties and freedom of association, as well as the freedoms specified by the liberty and integrity of the person; and finally, the rights and liberties covered by the rule of law. † This notion is characteristic of the capitalist society. There are many contributing factors surrounding employee theft. I think that the desire to steal is a direct result of your moral values. Sheehy stated, employee theft accounts for 50 percent more revenue loss for retailers than shoplifting. So what’s causing the employees to steal? Some employees may steal because the opportunity presents itself, others may steal because it’s part of their DNA, and some may still because they feel that they may be underpaid therefore; they are entitled to more and will compensate themselves. For example, I have a friend that was a Shift Manager at Popeye’s and she was recently fired for stealing money. I asked her to rationalize her actions; she stated that she was getting underpaid and was upset because the company recently hired a new Shift Manager with a higher salary. She also, stated that she was very flexible, worked long hours if needed, and always helped others with their tasks and duties. Bottom line, she felt that the company did not value her hard work and dedication; therefore she stole the money to even the score. She is now looking for a job and her unemployment was denied due to theft. I believe the employees that steals from their workplace, did not take time out to think about the consequences if their caught. In summary, the attitudes Sheehy shared in his report is evident in most businesses today. Some people feel that they will do enough just to get by until something else comes along. Others may feel unappreciated and underpaid, which may cause them to steal from the company to make up the difference. The implications of the work ethics Sheehy reported in the article will have a negative impact on future American businesses, which may cause businesses to close and an increase in corporate fraud. If society does not change the attitudes, we will be a nation without purpose. Having strong work ethics and a mindset of appreciation for the workforce/ environment will help shape our future. Would you report an overpayment to your manager or would you pocket the money if a customer forgot to get his/her change? As mentioned earlier, Sarah reported the overpayment to her manager and coincidently the customer returned back to the store for her change 3 hours later. Sarah displayed a level of integrity and appreciation for her workplace. I believe we still have hope. Sheeny, J. (2010). A New Work Ethic? In W. H. Shaw, Business Ethics (p. 164). http://www. ifpo. org/articlebank/employee_theft. html Explain the reasoning behind employee theft. Sheehy reported that the number cause of employee theft is peer pressures, teenagers are been forced to steal in order to become part of the pack, they feel like they are not been compensated accordingly with their jobs to the nature of their jobs so they feel like it is their given right to get what is owed to them. Also because they can get away with it, it is hard to prove something when no one is willing to tell the truth because they all do it. Explain ways the culture of our capitalists society encourages attitudes like those Sheehy describes. People can actually do what they want to do, if you have a job that you hate, you will not be able to motivate yourself to perform the way you suppose to. On my email signature a work I have a quote saying â€Å"find something you love to and you will never have to work again a day in your life†. It is important that your job should be a hobby, something you are willing to do even if you are not getting paid, but the economy is causing for more people just to take any kind of job in order to survive even if they hate what they are doing.

Essay on Civil Rights

Essay on Civil Rights Essay on Civil Rights Essay on Civil RightsThe development of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1940s – 1970s contributed to the consistent transformation of the US society through the elimination of inequality in basic human rights between white Americans and African Americans as well as other racial minorities. In this regard, Rosa Parks protest and desegregation, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 were the major developments of the Civil Rights Movement aiming at the elimination of inequality between white Americans and African Americans as well as other racial minorities.Rosa Parks protest was one of the turning points in the US history on the way to desegregation. Prior to her protest and refusal to give in the seat in the ‘white’ part of the bus to a white man, the segregation was taken for granted (Hine 154). The segregation created conditions for the racial divide in the US which could have grown wider and turn into a sort of apartheid conducted in th e SAR (Garrow 382).In this regard, the open protest and open manifestation of civil disobedience by Rosa Parks had triggered the active social struggle of racial minorities for desegregation in the US. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that segregation affected not only the public transport but also other fields, such as education (Dalfiume 101). The desegregation movement, which started in terms of the Civil Rights Movement due to Rosa Parks and similar manifestations of public protest against segregation, contributed to the elimination of racial inequality and desegregation of the US, including not only transportation system but also schools and other fields, where segregation used to be deeply-rooted and progressing (Shockley 132).The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the major legal act introducing the principle of racial equality in terms of human rights and liberties in the US (Korstad Lichtenstein 792). The introduction of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the major l egal act that eliminated racial inequality and banned discrimination based on racial differences in the US (Yuill 276). The introduction of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 accomplished the long lasting struggle of African Americans for equal rights and liberties compared to the white majority.The Fair Housing Act of 1968 was another major legislative change that granted African Americans with equal rights compared to the white majority and, more important, laid the ground for better economic conditions for African Americans because real estate was and still is the milestone of the economic independence of Americans (Dann 69). In such a way, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 was not only the political but also economic law that formally created conditions for the equality of white Americans and African Americans (Branch 71). This is why this legal act was one of the major changes brought by the Civil Rights Movement that had opened new, wider opportunities to stand on the equal ground compar ed to the white majority.On the other hand, the introduction of the Fair Housing Act still failed to provide African Americans with better economic opportunities to close gaps between them and white Americans. In this regard, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 attempted to prevent discrimination in the US on the ground of the racial background of Americans. The Civil Rights Act eliminated discrimination in the field of employment that meant that African Americans had got the opportunity to get better jobs and earn more. The Fair Housing Act provided them with equal right to buy and own houses without any restrictions caused by their racial background.In such a situation, the major problem African Americans faced was the lack of education which prevented them from obtaining better jobs. But, in this regard, the elimination of segregation could have closed the gap between white and non-white students because formally they had got equal educational rights because of the elimination of segreg ation initiated by Rosa Parks and other civil rights activists (Hine 156). However, the problem of African Americans’ inequality was resolved only partially because the elimination of segregation did not bring them economic opportunities to obtain higher education (Robnett 1668). The lack of the good education virtually annihilated their rights to the equal employment compared to white Americans granted in terms of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The lack of well-paid jobs and real access of African Americans to those jobs deprived them of constructing or purchasing houses on the equal ground to white Americans, the right granted to African Americans in terms of the Fair Housing Act of 1968.Thus, the major advancements in the Civil Rights Movement, such as desegregation driven by Rosa Parks and other civil rights activists, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Fair Housing Act of 1968, provided African Americans with equal rights and liberties compared to white Americans but still they fa iled to eliminate the economic disparity between the two racial groups, at least in a short-run perspective. On the other hand, these major developments contributed to closing gaps between white Americans and non-white Americans since all of them have got equal rights and liberties and, in the course of time, African Americans and other racial minorities attempt to eliminate the persisting inequality.

Contrast of Women in Tess of the DUbervilles and The Wife of Baths Prologue essays

Contrast of Women in Tess of the D'Ubervilles and The Wife of Bath's Prologue essays The portrayal of Thomas Hardy's character Tess in his work Tess of the D'Ubervilles and Geoffrey Chaucer's character of Alisoun in his work The Wife of Bath's Prologue is such that both women are seen by society at the given time in history as rebellious, discontent, and badly behaved . Though these portrayals are the result of the cultural values held at said time, they have been immensely influenced by the ideas that the authors respectively had of women as well as the lens of context that each character is viewed through. The belief that these two characters 'behave badly' is highlighted through double standards in the novels' respective societies as well as pristine character representation that Chaucer and Although the mindset in which women are viewed has changed drastically over the years, the attitudes that men in the Victorian Era had towards women greatly influenced the representation of Tess that Hardy gives to us in his book. Throughout the Victorian Era, women who were married were treated as 'lesser humans,' and were valued by their husbands if they were efficient, submissive, and most importantly - faithful. The women that had acted in a sexually impure way were referred to as "fallen women," and in all essence were cast aside by society because of the 'dirtiness' that they carried with them. In Hardy's novel, the character of Angel Clare viewed Tess as a possible lover because he was under the impression that she was not sullied in any way. While observing her during breakfast as she talks to the other dairy-folk he described her as "a fresh and virginal daughter of Nature" (Hardy 137), but just a little while later, once Tess lets him know about her past affairs with Alec, his opinion of her changes instantaneously. Instead of being understanding or at the very least forgiving, he thinks of Tess now as an imposter and someone to stay clear of. The sudden chang...

Foundation of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Foundation of Management - Essay Example Specifically, culture is the personality of an organization around which the whole organization revolves. Therefore, it is necessary to make a fundamental criterion and embed these core values with the individuals/employees of the organization. Without its existence, the energy of all the members will dissipate in terms of plans, decisions, and operations. Over the past decade, the concept of organizational culture has gained significant importance and acceptance. It is considered as a way to understand human systems. Each element of culture can be viewed as an environmental condition that has a great impact on the entire system and its subsystems. Increased competition, mergers, acquisitions, alliances, advancements and diversification in various workforce departments have created an urgent need for strong organizational culture (Daft, 2008). Thus, the role of culture in organizational development cannot be overlooked. An accurate understanding of organizational culture will not onl y help in directing activities towards the productive manner but it will also avoid the destructive influence of those employees who are not committed and loyal to the goals of the organization. ... For instance, if the organization’s mission is to provide excellent customer services but the employees are not empowered with the authority to carry out the required responses or results then this discrepancy will lead to a major decline in the overall performance of the company (Alvesson, 2002). In this regard, it is the premise of this paper that in order for a business organization to be successful, culture is the most important notion, and management can put efforts to foster ‘right culture’ in the organization. In order to be SUCCESSFUL, Culture is the MOST IMPORTANT thing The concept of culture is described as how employees or members of any organization understand their world and their position in it (Alvesson, 2002). There are varieties of definitions attached to the world ‘culture’, most of them are widely in acceptance and they share the same aspects. Schein's defines organizational culture as "A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems that has worked well enough to be considered valid and is passed on to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems" (Schein, pp. 30-39, 2010). In simpler terms, organizational culture includes a group of people who are trained to deal with a situation through guidelines or by those around them. It works like any other social learning process. One important aspect of organizational culture is that it is deeply rooted within its members. It creates the identity of the company and shapes the identity of its workers as well. This social identity is valuable in for company’s market position and an inherent conflict with the employees values can be a serious disadvantage. Due to this fact, companies transmit their values

Gender Violence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Gender Violence - Research Paper Example The disparity reveals that women define violence in broader terms than men, thus creating a gap between the genders in the way in which they perceive aggressive acts. This disparity can contribute to social study on the topic of violence between the genders, in particular, violence against women, in learning how best to inform and educate on the topic of violence. In addition, social policy can be framed according to an understanding of these gaps so that more effective results in ending violence against women in order to have a more satisfied population. Differences in the definition of violence between men and women Introduction This study was conducted with the purpose of understanding the ways in which differences are observed in defining violence between men and women. Men, typically seen as a more aggressive gender, provide a contrast to the way in which women see violence. Women typically are put on alert when any aggressive action is made by a man, while men often do not inte rpret an aggressively physical action as violence. This difference may be due to the way in which men engage in sports in comparison to women or through the wider space of vulnerability that women experience in comparison to men. Studying the ways in which men and women perceive violence will allow for a greater framework for society to determine how to respond to physically aggressive actions in society. ... Through examining the results of both the qualitative and quantitative study, a discussion was made about the issue of violence and the way in which it is perceived by both genders. Research questions help to narrow the way in which a study is approached. The following research questions will be used to frame the topic of study: 1. What is the definition of violence for men? 2. What is the definition of violence for women? 3. How does a man respond to violence? 4. How does a woman respond to violence? 5. What factors contribute to the differences about the perceptions of violence between men and women? Through exploring different aspects of these questions by creating a survey instrument that studies concepts that lead towards the answers of the research question, the research can become meaningful in regard to the hypotheses. The following hypotheses provide for a null hypothesis and its alternative for which the research will be conducted. Hypotheses Null Hypothesis: Men and women define violence differently and therefore experience physically aggressive behavior differently. Alternative Hypothesis: Men and women define violence the same and therefore experience physically aggressive behavior the same. Literature Review Anderson and Taylor (2008) suggest that the inequality between genders can be explained through frameworks of sociological theories which include functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction. Anderson and Taylor (2008) state that functionalists belief that male roles as instrumental and female roles as expressive. Functional theory supports static roles for the genders, thus creating conflict with feminists who believe that static roles are limiting to women. The organization of social roles contributes to the inequality

Conflict Resolution at the St. Clare Hospital Term Paper

Conflict Resolution at the St. Clare Hospital - Term Paper Example Personality conflict is also seen in the process. The CEO differs with other physicians and employees in the work process resulting into them calling for action. The hospital also faces differences in leadership. The CEO and the operation officer are willing to maintain their plan of reducing costs to increase their revenue. However, the physicians are not buying the idea and are quite furious about it. Moreover, there is conflict of differences in working styles. The style the CEO and the operating officer are willing to adopt differs from that of the other physicians in the facility. This is resulting into lack of cooperation in the hospital resulting into more crises in the health facility. This might even be represented in their work performance resulting into lack of patient’s satisfaction in the end of it all (Wrench, 2013). In handling the visible work place conflict in the health facility, it is important for the CEO and other physicians to come into a consensus. They should agree on how to work out the problems arising in the health care without dwelling much on one part. The CEO should avoid handling the problems alone since collaboration is essential in ensuring increased revenues of the hospital. The CEO ought to schedule a meeting with the physicians together and hear their views. He should avoid siding with any outside source whose sole aim would be to jeopardize the operations of the hospital. Each view aired by each physician should be considered and only the best implemented. They should then sit down and go through the suggested ideas one by one and implementing the most important of them all. This would reduce the conflict seen with a very high rate since the physicians would view the CEO as one who respects the views of employees. The most important thing to consider is that communication is very crucial in any workplace setting. Lack of proper communication between

Post-Civil War Urbanization Pros and Cons Essay Example for Free

Post-Civil War Urbanization Pros and Cons Essay The Post-Civil War era of urbanization in the United States created a number of improvements and positive results that outweighed the negative aspects of the time. The country witnessed an increase in population, a better public school system, and increased social reform movements. During urbanization, the population of the United States rose. In 1860, none of America’s cities had a million citizens but by 1890, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia all had more than one million inhabitants. With a population of approximately 3. 5 million people, New York became the second largest city in the world. A wave of immigration from Europe contributed to the increase in population. These â€Å"New Immigrants† came from eastern European nations such as Italy, Greece, and Poland. The increase in population allowed for the increase in other sections of society. As the population increased, the need for education also rose. The number of public high schools in America grew between the 1880s and the 1890s. The idea that a free government could not function successfully with uneducated and ignorant people became more widely accepted. Colleges became increasingly necessary and schools designed for training teachers expanded. Education was greatly helped by the Morrill Act of 1862 which granted public lands to the states for support of education, many of which became state universities. Urbanization and the population boom allowed for education to greatly increase. The problems surrounding the immigrant and working class helped awaken a new social reform movement. Jane Adams was a college-educated reformer against war and poverty. In 1889, she established the Hull House as a settlement house to help immigrants. More settlement houses were established and used as centers for activism and social reform. In 1893, the Hull House successfully lobbied for an Illinois anti-sweatshop law to protect women workers and prohibit child labor. Urbanization after the Civil War helped to reawaken the Social Reform movements in America. Urbanization helped the United States of America rebound after the Civil War. The Population boom, growing education, and social reforms were all beneficial results that changed the nation. Though there were some negative aspects of urbanization, the good results outweighed the bad. Kaitlyn Lucas Ms. Rizzo AP United States History B February 10, 2014 Urbanization Cons The post-Civil War age of urbanization had terrible effects on the nation as a whole. The good aspects of urbanization were not worth the bad aspects that accompanied them. The United States of America faced new problems. Urbanization led to pollution and waste production, and a disturbance in rural America. People who lived in the country produced very little waste. They used and renewed the resources at their disposal. Once urbanization began to pick up and new businesses such as Sears began to package things in throwaway bottles, boxes, bags, and cans, getting rid of waste became a problem. Pollution became a real problem in cities and sanitary facilities could not keep up with the waste produced by the booming population. The cities were filled with a permanent stench due to impure water, uncollected garbage, unwashed bodies, and animal droppings. Urbanization removed and replaced many jobs, particularly those in agriculture. Farmers were drawn from their fields and moved to cities to work in factories. Rural America was declining and giving way to the rise of urban America. Local general stores were replaced by large chain department stores such as Macy’s. The era of urbanization increased the division between classes. The Wealthy lived in suburban mansions and the poor lived in dirty slums, many struggling to survive. Urbanization created mass waste production, and the decline in rural America. Any good that came out of post-Civil War urbanization, was overshadowed by the negative aspects of the time period.

War of 1812 :: American America History

War of 1812 War of 1812, conflict between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815. Fought over the maritime rights of neutrals, it ended inconclusively. Background Over the course of the French revolutionary and the Napoleonic wars between France and Great Britain (1793-1815), both belligerents violated the maritime rights of neutral powers. The United States, endeavoring to market its own produce, was especially affected. To preserve Britain's naval strength, Royal Navy officers impressed thousands of seamen from U.S. vessels, including naturalized Americans of British origin, claiming that they were either deserters or British subjects. The United States defended its right to naturalize foreigners and challenged the British practice of impressment on the high seas. Relations between the two nations reached a breaking point in 1807 when the British frigate Leopard fired on the USS Chesapeake in American territorial waters and removed, and later executed, four crewmen. In addition, Britain issued executive orders in council to blockade the coastlines of the Napoleonic empire and then seized vessels bound for Europe that did not first call at a British port. Napoleon retaliated with a similar system of blockades under the Berlin and Milan decrees, confiscating vessels and cargoes in European ports if they had first stopped in Britain. Collectively, the belligerents seized nearly 1500 American vessels between 1803 and 1812, thus posing the problem of whether the United States should go to war to defend its neutral rights. Americans at first prepared to respond with economic coercion rather than war. At the urging of President Thomas Jefferson, Congress passed the Embargo Act of 1807, prohibiting virtually all U.S. ships from putting to sea. Subsequent enforcement measures in 1808-1809 also banned overland trade with British and Spanish possessions in Canada and Florida. Because the legislation seriously harmed the U.S. economy and failed to alter belligerent policies, it was replaced in 1809 by the Non-Intercourse Act, which forbade trade with France and Britain. In 1810 Macon's Bill No. 2 reopened American trade with all nations, but stipulated that if one belligerent repealed its antineutral measures, the United States would then impose an embargo against the other. In August Napoleon announced the repeal of the Berlin and Milan decrees on the understanding that the United States would also force Britain to respect its neutral rights. Although Napoleon continued to seize American vessels in French ports, President James Madison accepted his statements as proof that French antineutral decrees had been lifted.

1920s Cars Essay

In 1918, only 1 in 13 families owned a car. By 1929, 4 out of 5 families had one. In the same time period, the number of cars on the road increased from 8 million to 23 million. In fact, the industry grew so fast; by 1925 over 10% of all people in the workforce had something to do with production, sales, service, or fueling of automobiles. Buying on Credit At first, a buyer had to have cash to purchase a car. Banks were unwilling to lend money for something that was difficult to seize if the borrower stopped making payments. A car could be moved from place to place, unlike a house or land. In 1919, General Motors and Dupont introduced the concept of buying a car on credit. But instead of getting financing through a bank, they formed the General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC). By 1926, 75% of all car buyers were entering into credit purchase agreements. Ford’s Sales Decline Between used car sales to lower income families, and attractive financing options on new cars for the middle class, Ford began to see a decline in sales. After resisting change for several months, Ford finally chose to shut down production from May to November 1927 to design a new car and re-tool his factories. Ford sold 300,000 Model A’s before the first one appeared on the market. It quickly became the most popular car, but the unplanned shutdown had cost Ford plenty. With over 40 other companies making cars in 1929, competition began to increase. The Car’s Influence on Society The automobile changed the way people worked, conducted their business, and shopped for needs and wants. Doctors were among the first to buy cars, which made it easier for them to make house calls. Police officers could now answer calls more quickly than on foot or horseback. Cars also changed how people spent their leisure time. It gave us easy access to the world beyond our neighborhoods, our cities, and even our states. With a car, some extra income, and more leisure time, motor vacations became popular.