Monday, September 30, 2019

The Policy Process Part Iii

The Policy Process, Part II University of Phoenix HCS 455 The Policy Process, Part II In the paper the author discussed The Policy Process, Part I on how Medicare part D became a policy. The author discussed the details on the formulation, legislative, and implementation stages of the policy. Now time to look at the final stages of the process, of Medicare Part D. Which are evaluation, analysis, revision, and methodology stages. In every policy there will be an evaluation stage to see how the policy will work and what needs to be done to evaluate the process. Evaluation StageThe evaluation stage is a process in which policymakers in the Senate and House look at a policy and evaluate the future outcomes of a policy in this case Medicare Part D. For instance once of the evaluation process would be how policymakers would evaluate the pharmaceutical companies to make sure to keep prescription costs down. Another would be to evaluate how many senior citizens are enrolling in the plan. As well as making sure senior citizens have all the information available to them to choose the correct plan that fits their prescription needs. For instance the Kaiser Foundation did a study on the technical problems of Medicare Part D.One of Kaiser’s findings seen confusion on which prescriptions would be covered from the numerous plans that an individual can choose from. As well, as medical providers not getting the new medical software to transition Medicare Part D into their computer systems. This meant that difference agencies like, doctors, insurance companies, and pharmacies run different programs and that have different policies on how to share patient’s information. Now on the other hand, if all these agencies can have the same software this would allow everyone in the patient’s medical circle to share the same codes and computer language.Thus, not having to have a great deal of public pain and confusion about the patient’s drug coverage’s. Another problem was transferring large patient’s files from one insurer to another insurer can take up to six months, from a 2004 study from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission(Terri Emerick, 2006). One of the solutions to these problems would be to evaluate the information which is being sent to senior citizens. Medicare should send out their booklet to all senior citizens that are in the drug plan. All senior citizens should write down their medications which they are taking.Many seniors that do go to their local senior centers should go online and check out the Medicare website for information. As well calling Medicare to ask questions about which plan will work best for them. Do not forget to talk to your local pharmacist he or she might be able to tell the names of the plans which cover the prescriptions. By evaluating these areas policymakers can get information from outside agencies to do research and come up with results from polls, interviews, and surveys. In ev aluating all this information policymakers can form an analysis of Medicare Part D and see what need to be done.Analysis Stage Analyzing Medicare Part D as the author stated earlier one of the problems where the technical problems between the different agencies and sharing patients information. On February 17, 2009 President Obama signed a $787 billion dollar stimulus bill which puts $150 billion dollars on spending health information technology (Omini MD, 2009). This new plan physicians and health professionals will now receive incentives for implementing IT programs into their computer systems. Becoming paperless will maximize Medicare as well as physicians and medical professionals.By 2015 it will be mandatory that all physicians and medical professionals use IT programs. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by December 31, 2009 under the stimulus act will develop a set of standards, implementation methods, and criteria for the new IT system to be in pl ace (Chris Silvia, 2009). Another analysis was made about the enrollment period. The enrollment period to enroll in a drug coverage plan is from November 15th through December 31st. Many elderly individuals felt they were getting rushed into signing up for a plan.Most of them were confused and explaining why they must pick a new drug coverage program every year. Many individuals fail to sign up within the six week time frame due to their medical or mental condition. This is something that would need to be analyzed and see if they can extend the enrollment period from six week to 12 weeks. Start the enrollment period on October 1st instead of November 15th. This would give many elderly individuals plenty enough time to pick, choose, and switch plans before the December 31st end date.In this entire analysis one must think there should be revisions made to the policy to make it better. Revision Stage In revising a policy starts by looking to see which policies need to be updated or cha nged to make the policy better. On September 5, 2008 one of the revisions in Medicare Part D was the use of Electronic Prescription Program (E-prescribing) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expects that Medicare Part D sponsors will have all the necessary contracts and systems in place should prescribers desire to use E-prescribing (Claudia Schlosberg, n. . ) As stated in the paragraph above with IT systems for physicians and health professionals using paperless system will maximize Medicare. This revision will not only help out pharmacies but help out physicians. Now this information will allows doctors to find out what prescriptions the patient has used in the past and where the patient usually goes to pick up his or her medications from. By revising this policy everyone in the medical community can deliver faster and better care for the individual.Since many senior citizens continue to do work, due to their low income, CMS has revised a section on Medicare Part D f or employers. Employers whom are offering medication drug coverage’s to Medicare individuals will now disclose to CMS if the plans the employer is offering are creditable. To make sure that the prescription drug plans are creditable, the plans must equal or exceed the actuarial value of defined standard prescription drug coverage under CMS guidelines (Kutak Rock, 2007).This revision in Medicare Part D is very important for seniors, this way seniors can know if the program that they have from work is creditable and make a decision on whether or not he or she should waive the enrollment of Medicare Part D. They employer must submit to CMS all the prescription drug plans that they offer to see if the plans follow CMS guidelines. Employers must also send out information to those individuals in the plan on or before the Medicare Part D enrollment date of November 15th of each year. Purpose and MethodologiesOne of the methodologies in Medicare Part D was to make sure senior citizen s get help with their drug prescription costs. Even thou CMS has many plans to choose from seniors need to do their part in researching some of the plans via internet, CMS hotline, and talking to their pharmacist. In turn the E-prescribing was another to help physicians and pharmacies to collect information more quickly without using any paper. By having everything computerized pharmacists can receive and gather information quickly compared to the old practice of using a fax machine.Using a computer eliminates misplaced fax paper, paper jams, or the fax did not go through. This saves time and money on both parts for the physician and pharmacists. IT software stimulus package the president Obama signed this year to help all healthcare professions to go paperless and receive patient’s information more quickly than before. This as well will save time and money for healthcare professionals in managing patient’s data to make sure all parties involved get the information the y need for billing and medical information.So these are just some of the purposes and methodologies for some changes in the Medicare Part D. Conclusion As more senior citizens coming into retirement Medicare Part D will be a major focus of discussion on the political front. Both Democrats and Republicans have different ideas on how to evaluate, analyze, and revise Medicare Part D. Of course, from the author’s perspective having IT software programs in place will help out indeed for all healthcare professionals and providers. Now with the Obama stimulus plan sign this year hopefully, all healthcare professions can be on the same track to get these IT systems in place.The benefits are enormous to getting information faster to the right people, especially in an emergency. Although CMS needs to do a better job on informing seniors about the prescription drug plans, so that way they can make better judgments on the plan they choose. Even better yet cut down on some of these plans these are way too many of them and they are confusing seniors on which plan to choose from. Either way policymakers from both sides need to work with healthcare professional to see what can be done to improve on Medicare Part D. References Chris Silvia (2009).Practices paperless before 2012 could maximize Medicare bonuses. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://www. ama-assn. org/amednews/2009/03/16/gvsa0316. htm Claudia Schlosberg (n. d. ). CMS Revises Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Manuel-Chapter 7 Medication Therapy Management and Quality Improvement Program. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://www. ascp. com/advocacy/upload/ASCP%20Summary%20of %20CMS%20Chap%207%20Revisions. pdf Kutak Rock (2007). Medicare Part D: CMS Revises Model Notice and Disclosure Notice Requirements. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://www. utakrock. com/publications/employeebenefits/EBCA1107. pdf Omini MD (2011). Medicaid, health IT to see billions from stimulus package signed by Obama. Retri eved December 2, 2011, from http://www. myemrstimulus. com/tag/emr-software/ Omni MD (n. d. ). Medicaid, health IT to see billions from stimulus package signed by Obama. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://www. myemrstimulus. com/tag/emr-software/ Terri Emerick (2006). Part D:Rx for Disaster. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://www. epluribusmedia. org/archives/features/2006/0511part_d. html

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Define and discuss what is hearsay, what is not hearsay, and some common exceptions to the hearsay rule

Hearsay is a testimony given in which the witness does not directly hear or experience what he or she is giving testimony to. In that case, the testimony being declared is hearsay because what is being asserted was not experienced first hand by the declarant, and therefore cannot really testify if it happened or not because the information came from someone else. This brings complications because the original or first-hand witness is not present in the court, and thus, cannot be cross-examined, or thoroughly scrutinized. For this reason, hearsay is generally unaccepted as evidence in the US court system, especially in criminal cases.But as with all rules, there are exemptions to it as well. There are instances when hearsay is the only way to present a certain piece of evidence. For example, if the original witness has passed away, then presenting hearsay testimony is the only available course of action. In this case, the court must consider the hearsay evidence Some common exemptions are dying declarations or a statement made while the person is dying; declarations against interest or when the person testifies to something that may cause some negative effect on the witness. . How has the Crawford vs. Washington case impacted the admissibility of hearsay evidence in criminal trials? The case of Crawford vs. Washington is a landmark court decision which necessitated the need redraw the rules guiding the use of hearsay evidence. The Supreme Court overturned the decision of the Washington Supreme Court and upheld the decision of the Washington Court of Appeals to reverse Michael Crawford’s conviction for assault and attempted murder against Kenneth Lee.The case revolved around whether Susan’s recorded statements in the police station would be admissible as evidence against her husband. Under court rules, spouses are not allowed to testify against their partner, without the express permission of the suspect, or if the spouse is the complainant in the c ase. In Crawford vs. Washington, the plaintiff presented the court with Susan Crawford’s testimony in front of the police; the defense argued that this evidence cannot be accepted because Michael, the suspect, cannot confront the testimony because Susan, as his spouse, cannot stand witness in his trial.The court denied the defense’s petition and accepted Susan’s recorded statement made to the police where she said that Kenneth was not holding a weapon at that time. This testimony shattered the defense’s not guilty plea by virtue of self-defense, and Michael was convicted of the crime. The element of hearsay in this case lies in the fact that Susan’s recorded testimony is presented by the police, and Susan cannot be presented in court to corroborate or refute the statement because as Michael’s wife, she cannot do so.In this case, the Supreme Court overturned the conviction because Michael’s right to confront the witnesses testifying ag ainst him was denied. Based on this, the Supreme Court decided to strike out Susan’s recorded statement, and thus, there was insufficient evidence to convict Michael, and he was exonerated. 3. Discuss some of the situations where the exclusionary rule does not apply, despite the commission of some constitutional violation by the government. The Exclusionary Rule holds that any evidence that is gathered through unlawful or unconstitutional means will not hold in any criminal trial.Particularly, any evidence that is gathered through self-incrimination under duress or ignorance, and unlawful searches and seizures will not be recognized by any criminal court in the United States. The Exclusionary Rule is one of the principal ways to enforce a system of checks and balances within the US court system. This prevents any abuse or misuse from taking place. This rule is the reason why police are mandated by law to inform suspects of their Miranda Rights, especially when they will be de tained and interrogated.If the Miranda warning was not explicitly given, then any statements made during the ensuing interrogation will not be considered by the court. Of course there are exclusions to the Exclusionary Rule as well. The Exclusionary Rule is very specific only in so far as establishing the guilt or innocence of the suspect is concerned. This evidence can still be presented in order to question the reliability or honesty of the defendant’s testimony. Another exclusion is called the inevitable discovery doctrine.This doctrine argues that there are some pieces of evidence, gathered though an unlawful search, that would have eventually been discovered by elements of the law in the normal course of their investigation. This assumption maintains that the evidence would have been found; and that it is only a matter of time before it is discovered. There are also many cases wherein the exclusionary law may be challenged, depending on the circumstances that led to the unlawful search. 4. Discuss the Fifth Amendment privilege against self incrimination and some of the various situations where it does not apply.The Fifth Amendment ensures the privilege of an accused to refuse to answer questions that might further incriminate or be used against him. This right can be invoked at any given time; during investigation, up until the final deliberation of the case. The Fifth Amendment can only be invoked during a direct questioning or interrogation. This right against self-incrimination protects the individual from saying something that might further damage his or her case. There are cases when the individual may choose to disclose what he or she knows about a particular case in exchange for immunity.The government often uses this to bait the â€Å"bigger fishes†, for example in a criminal ring or network. In order to gather valuable information that would lead to more indictments, law enforcers offer immunity against criminal persecution. They ma y also be entered into the witness protection program to ensure the witnesses and their families’ safety. 5. Discuss the four major tests that govern the admissibility of confessions in criminal trials. The Fifth Amendment prevents and protects suspects from making self-incriminating statements, and because of this, the US courts do not accept confessions at face value.Before accepting confessions as evidence in a court case, it must pass a four-pronged test made to establish if the confession was indeed given voluntarily; without threat or coercion of any kind. The first test asks whether the statement was given voluntarily or not. This establishes the circumstances surrounding the act of confession. The second determines if the confession was given in spite of being given the Miranda warning. This means that the confession was given in full deliberation, and acceptance of the consequences of his confession.The third test finds out if any sort of waiver was issued by the sus pect. Finally, the fourth determines if the waiver, if there is one, is clear and unambiguous, without any room for double meaning or misinterpretation. In this case, a waiver refers to a document or a recorded statement that certifies that the suspect is relinquishing his/her legal rights and is giving a full confession. However, this waiver presupposes a thorough understanding of one’s rights before these rights can actually be waived. If the suspect is not capable of such discernment, then the confession might be disputed. . How do some of the rules of evidence limit or even frustrate â€Å"the search for the truth? † Discuss the operation of these rules and their impact on â€Å"justice. †The basic prerequisite of any case is being able to present enough evidence to determine if the suspect is guilty beyond reasonable doubt. If the evidence fails to show guilt beyond reasonable doubt, then the suspect should be acquitted. In a criminal case, the prosecutor h as the burden of proof; meaning that the defense is not required to present any evidence if the prosecutor failed to make their case in the first place.As such, being able to present material evidence is important for â€Å"justice†. The problem is that sometimes, the rules governing the admissibility of evidence prevents the truth from coming out, and impairs the fair disposal of justice. However, it is a fair trade. The rules of evidence ensure that the rights of the accused are protected, even as the rights of the innocent are upheld. It is not foolproof, but it is the best arrangement that can be made under the circumstances; a compromise to balance the rights of everyone involved.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Beccarias Criminal Justice Theories

This paper examines the role Beccaria played in shaping criminal justice. This paper studies the life of Beccaria and his theories on criminal behavior and justice. It analyzes his work, Essay On Crimes and Punishments, and its influence in criminal justice systems throughout the world. The paper looks at how Beccaria viewed the criminal and the crime and its overall effect (damage) to society.From the paper: `This paper examines the contributions of Beccaria in the context of his own time, the lasting effect that they have had on the jurisprudential and penological systems of the modern Western world. After a general introduction to Beccarias ideas and his model of crime, this paper looks at the results of three contemporary studies that incorporate the ideas and models of Beccaria. This examination of current research will allow us to evaluate the ways in which Beccarias idea, born in such a different historical context, may still guide us in attempting to guide us in creating ever more just, more fair and more effective means of punishing criminals and allowing all of society (including criminals, victims, and the rest of us) to prosper.` Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Beccarias Life and Timesand Theoretical Underpinnings 3. Beccarias Classical Theory of Crime 4. Three Modern Studies 5. Conclusion

Friday, September 27, 2019

How satisfactorily do the elements of state practice and opinio juris Essay

How satisfactorily do the elements of state practice and opinio juris explain the process of customary international law formation - Essay Example Therefore this essay shows that though there is a distinction between state practice and opinio juris but the element of both these (i.e. state practice and opinio juris) assists in the formation of customary international law. The actions are the state practice whereas the statements are opinio juris. Hence, custom can be formed by the actions only when these actions are came with a juncture of the action’s legality. Opinio juris relates statements of belief instead of real beliefs.3 In addition to this, opinio juris is presented by the resolutions and pacts as both of these are the statements regarding the activity’s lawfulness, instead of cases of that action. The information used for this essay is taken from different websites by using the search engines. In this essay we will first assess customary international law and then we will discuss how does state practice and opinio juris are used for the formation of customary international law. In general, it is accepted that two components that are necessary for the presence of customary international law are state practice and an impression that this practice is mandatory, allowed or prohibited, based on the type of the regulation, as a question of law (opinio juris). According to international justice court â€Å"It is naturally self-evident that the object of customary international law is to be searched mainly in the state’s real practice and opinio juris.†4 After the assessment of customary international we continue our essay and start assessing the one of the element of customary international law i.e. state practice. For this purpose the source the use is the book name â€Å"Legal Personality in International Law,† written by Roland Portmann. The content related to the state practice taken from this book is discussed below; To assess the state practice, it has to be considered whether

Thursday, September 26, 2019

E-commerce, Distance Selling Regulations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E-commerce, Distance Selling Regulations - Essay Example This exclusion has been implemented by the Distance Selling Regulation 5 (1) (f).3.Auctions are not however excluded from the scope of the E-commerce Directive 2000/31/EC. 4. It seems therefore, that for purposes of the Sale of Goods Act 1979, an internet auction may be regarded as an 'auction', so that the consumer protection provisions apply to business sellers in internet auctions.5 The effect of this definition is that sellers of goods have to comply with the implied terms in sections 12 (title), 13 (sale by description), 14 (implied terms about quality and fitness) and 15 (sale by sample). According to Section 14(2) of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 " Where the seller sells goods in the course of a business, there is an implied term that the goods supplied under the contract are of satisfactory quality." Many issues arise in this context for example whether the provider of an auction platform is liable for the goods sold on his platform if they are not of satisfactory quality.What if the consumer is unable to locate the seller of the goodsHere Regulation 19 of the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 would apply if the online provider merely hosted the website and would be immune to criminal liability where had no actual knowledge that the goods being sold on his website were not of satisfactory quality. The online provider would also be immune against civil liability where the auction provider does not have actual knowledge of the unlawful activities or information . So for example an auction provider would not be liable in damages for a goods which were defective unless he had actual or constructive knowledge of this problem.However the position would change if the Auction service provider has received sufficiently precise notice about the defective goods and does n ot stop advertising them.6 Also where a business seller engages in unfair commercial practices on an auction platform towards consumer sellers, Regulation 19 would not stop the Office of Fair Trading from taking enforcement action against the provider of the auction platform.The auction provider will also be subject to the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 and the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. Consumer to Consumer Transactions Last but not the least Section 14 does not apply to consumer to consumer sales although the advent of online bidding has increased the complications caused by such transactions. For example the EBay system has blurred the difference between sellers and buyers with its simplified selling arrangement. ________________________________________________________________ Critically consider the application of the Distance Selling Regulations in the context of contracts made using e-mail or through a web-page. This question requires the discussion of the UK Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations which came into force on 31 October 2000 and implemented

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Economics - Essay Example For this giant, coffee is not the main product but only a component of it. Starbucks is not just all about coffee but being able to relax and socialize at its warm and comfy ambiance. However as the article emphasizes, the performance of the specialty coffee shop in the market is adversely affected by the economic slowdown in the United States. As consumers try to squeeze their disposable income to cover all their expenditures, they also turn to industry players which offer coffee for a fraction of a cost of what Starbucks charge. Thus, McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts are eating up into the company’s shares with their cheaper alternatives. In response to this, Starbucks is test marketing $1 bottomless coffee in order to curb competition. Analysts have commented that Starbucks will lose big time with this strategy because it lowers revenue. Yet this paper argue that economically speaking, this new strategy will not erode profitability in consideration of the company’s market . The specialty coffee sector can be referred to as a monopolistic competitive market. This type of competitive environment is a middle ground between two maxims namely perfect competition and monopoly and shares characteristics of both. In monopolistic competition, the market has many buyers and sellers just like in a perfectly competitive one (Samuelson & Nordhaus 116). In the specialty coffee sector, buyers are diverse ranging from ordinary students to corporate executives while sellers like Starbucks and Gloria Jeans compete for market share. As opposed to monopolistic and perfectly competitive markets, sellers differentiate their products to appeal to customers. As discussed above, Starbucks use marketing techniques like advertising and brand name in order to set itself apart from other competitors like McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts. This is very important to all companies wanting to

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

What causes homelessnenn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What causes homelessnenn - Essay Example Rumors may tarnish the quality of a product, but adverts will tend to assure that the product is good. Most people from South America and Canada believe that posters are best for making adverts. Students from Middle East and Asia were of a contradicting opinion saying Televisions are the best for making adverts. Whether pitching or promoting products and services, all businesses need to make advertisements in order to make connections with their current and prospective customers. Small scale businesses face challenges in making choices on whether to spend their small advertising budgets on television or posters. Print adverts often come with lower sticker prices than the television adverts. TV adverts are strong and have a variety of advantages that the posters lack. Making adverts over the television is more effective than the posters because it reaches out to customers over a wide area at the same time. All students from Ilac and one person from Canada said that at one particular point, they bought items because adverts trapped their attention. Brilliant and effective advertising involves making the right message to the appropriate people at the most appropriate time. Adverts have the potential to grab peoples’ minds and thoughts by including two or more brilliant ideas that sweeps people mind and make them to take appropriate action of purchasing a product right away. The adverts will enhance customer-product relationship. Advertising is a method of communication that makes the consumers be fully aware of the specific services and products available in the market. It is crucial to create brand positioning, awareness, and among potential customers. There exist multiple media through which these adverts are made and promoted such as radios, televisions, internet, and printed media (newspapers, magazines, and billboards). Adverts can be made in various forms

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

You chose it for me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

You chose it for me - Essay Example I have always admired famous racers like Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton for their feats in those tiny but powerful speed machines. Drag racing, like the F1 series and indeed any other racing type involves; speed and acceleration competitions with the main difference being that in street, drag racing, anyone can participate. Furthermore, one does not need a special car, however, people often adjust their vehicles for maximum performance; in addition, a drag race involves only two cars at a time while other motorsports have as many as the course can safely hold. A drag race is a contest in which cars race over a predetermined distance usually a quarter mile with the winner being the one who reaches the finish line first, it is done on a drag strip. The racing event takes the form of two-vehicle racing at a time with each loser being eliminated from the contest and the winners proceed until only one is left, and this is the ultimate winner. In as much as I am a motor sports enthusiast, I rarely actively participate, and even when I drive fast, it is often within speed limits. Nonetheless, this does not prevent me from enjoying the racing experience since watching the cars is every bit as fulfilling as it would be driving them especially in view of the fact that it much less risky. On the Friday night of fun, it would be fitting to say I had the best time of my life in respect to motor sports, this is because although drag races do not rival the F1and other professional racing experiences, in terms of speed, cars, and stunts, I got to watch from the sidelines as opposed to the Television screen. This proximity helped to â€Å"feel† the race on a personal level, more so, many of the drivers were my friends and cheering them was a fabulous deal of fun since we could discuss the races later on and try to determine how they could be improved with giving a spectators perspective to the drivers. This race was a chance for me, the drivers and

Monday, September 23, 2019

Attribution Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Attribution Theory - Essay Example For people to interpret the causes of particular behaviour performed by other individuals, it is necessary for them to observe the behaviour, and attribute external or internal causes to it. Any outside body or agent that triggers or causes the event is an external factor while factors that are within the control of an individual and are a part of his/her personality are the internal factors (Shackleton, 1995). An example of how attribution theory can be applied in our daily lives could be our reaction to, say, having a good social circle. An individual who is a loner and has no friends to talk to will always be found complaining about how the world is so cruel and unjust. This is attributing an external factor to the event. However, a person who is the life of a party and is acquainted with a lot of people will be found claiming that it is so because of his being so attractive and smart. As obvious, this case refers to an internal factor or the factor which is within a person. There are many factors which are related to attribution. The determination of the causes depends on three things (Kelly, 1967). Distinctiveness, the first one, tells whether the person's actions are distinct and different from other situations. The second is consensus, which tells whether other people behave in the same way to the same situation. The third factor is consistency, which finds out whether the individual behaves the same way consistently to the same situation. The theory predicts that whenever there is high distinctiveness, the causes of the behaviour are external and with low distinctiveness, the factors are internal. For consensus, it is an external factor whenever there is a high consensus and an internal factor when the consensus is low. High consistency indicates an internal factor while low consistency depicts an external factor. In fact, when we apply attribution theory, there are two types of errors which can result in distorted attributions. One is the fundamental attribution error and the other is self-serving bias. (1) Fundamental attribution error: It occurs when people overestimate the effects of internal factors while underestimating the effects of external factors when judging the behavior of others (Martinko, 1995.) It is when the actions of people are attributed to their traits and personality rather than the external influence that may have led them to such an action. (2) Self-serving bias: This error, also known as attributional bias, refers to the tendency of individuals to claim responsibility for successes while attributing failures to other causes or factors (Martinko, 1995.) It is just one way of imaging what is pleasing to us rather than the realistic situation. One factor which can be related to this bias is whether there is a reward or punishment proclaimed for certain behavior (Harvey & Smith, 1977). It is suggestd that when we suceed, we tend to overestimate the internal factors which could be our talent and effort and underestimate the external factor which could be the help of others. Yet, if we were failed, we would overestimate the external factors which could be lack of collegue's co-operation, and underestimate the internal factors such as our laziness. This indicates that people would explain the same behavior to events differently if it occurred differently (. Systematic bias: It is a form of self-serving bias and occurs when people generally tend to think that they are better at tasks that are

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Similarities between college and high school Essay Example for Free

Similarities between college and high school Essay College and high school are very similar because they both focus on making us a better player in the race of life. First of all, students have to earn good grades. In college students have to get good grades in order to have a better career, likewise in high school pupils have to get decent grades to get accepted into a better college. Second, the classes are similar. The courses we take in college and high school have same context, however college courses are more challenging. In addition, college and high school teaches the same way. They both have textbooks, teachers, classrooms, homework, and of course the final exam. Moreover, they both have clubs and organizations. High school and college have organizations and clubs that a student can join that fits their interests, these organizations and clubs can make their college application or a resume look worthy. For these reasons, it is clear that college and high school have similarities in many ways. College and high school are very similar because they both focus on making us a better player in the race of life. First of all, students have to earn good grades. In college students have to get good grades in order to have a better career, likewise in high school pupils have to get decent grades to get accepted into a better college. Second, the classes are similar. The courses we take in college and high school have same context, however college courses are more challenging. In addition, college and high school teaches the same way. They both have textbooks, teachers, classrooms, homework, and of course the final exam. Moreover, they both have clubs and organizations. High school and college have organizations and clubs that a student can join that fits their interests, these organizations and clubs can make their college application or a resume look worthy. For these reasons, it is clear that college and high school have similarities in many ways. College and high school are very similar because they both focus on making us a better player in the race of life. First of all, students have to earn good grades. In college students have to get good grades in order to have a better career, likewise in high school pupils have to get decent grades to get accepted into a better college. Second, the classes are similar. The courses we take in college and high school have same context, however college courses are more challenging. In addition, college and high school teaches the same way. They both have textbooks, teachers, classrooms, homework, and of course the final exam. Moreover, they both have clubs and organizations. High school and college have organizations and clubs that a student can join that fits their interests, these organizations and clubs can make their college application or a resume look worthy. For these reasons, it is clear that college and high school have similarities in many ways. College and high school are very similar because they both focus on making us a better player in the race of life. First of all, students have to earn good grades. In college students have to get good grades in order to have a better career, likewise in high school pupils have to get decent grades to get accepted into a better college. Second, the classes are similar. The courses we take in college and high school have same context, however college courses are more challenging. In addition, college and high school teaches the same way. They both have textbooks, teachers, classrooms, homework, and of course the final exam. Moreover, they both have clubs and organizations. High school and college have organizations and clubs that a student can join that fits their interests, these organizations and clubs can make their college application or a resume look worthy. For these reasons, it is clear that college and high school have similarities in many ways. College and high school are very similar because they both focus on making us a better player in the race of life. First of all, students have to earn good grades. In college students have to get good grades in order to have a better career, likewise in high school pupils have to get decent grades to get accepted into a better college. Second, the classes are similar. The courses we take in college and high school have same context, however college courses are more challenging. In addition, college and high school teaches the same way. They both have textbooks, teachers, classrooms, homework, and of course the final exam. Moreover, they both have clubs and organizations. High school and college have organizations and clubs that a student can join that fits their interests, these organizations and clubs can make their college application or a resume look worthy. For these reasons, it is clear that college and high school have similarities in many ways.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Painting The Sistine Chapel By Michelangelo Religion Essay

Painting The Sistine Chapel By Michelangelo Religion Essay Michelangelo painted the Sistine chapel between 1508 and 1512. Later a student of his, Giorgio Vasari, writes that when the work was thrown open the whole world came running to see what Michelangelo had done and certainly it was such as to make everyone speechless with astonishment(Gillgren,(2001). The Sistine chapel is profoundly Christocentric. It was not made as a form of intellect but as a form of worship. It is not an argument or an Iconic display, although both of these are present in the painting. The critical examination of the chapel at times loses the simplicity that this is just great art (Dixon, (1988). The focus of Michelangelos art was man, which on the surface seems to confirm Burckhardts analysis of the Renaissance. Neo-Platonism, however, provided a framework for reconciling secularism with Christianity. The Neo-platonists interest in man stemmed from his belief that man was that element which tied the universe together. His interest in beauty, as reflected in Michelangelos preoccupation with the nude, arose from his identification of beauty with the highest good. Far from being worldly in content, the Neo-Platonist argued that the body was the dungeon of the soul; Michelangelos contorted figures symbolize the struggle of the soul to free itself from matter and achieve a vision of God (Robb, N. (1935). In his book Painting of the High Renaissance in Rome and Florence, S J Freedberg made an effort to define the art of Michelangelo in relation to Neo-Platonism. It is said that can the art of Michelangelo in the Sistine chapel be reduced to concepts like Neo-Platonist or Christian. An iconological understanding must acknowledge both, and also recognize that with the human form is not made from tradition and a lot is Michelangelos own interest in Classical sculpture and to the very particular culture of humanist Italy at the beginning of the Sixteenth century. Upon entering the chapel, one can see historical scenes close to the entrance. These sides are filled with figures, while the scenes close to the altar only show a few figures. The Prophets and the Sibyls by the entrance are smaller than the ones by the altar. Even as the architecture is expanding, the first Prophets and Sibyls are seated steadily on their thrones. The latter ones further in almost seem to be gliding down the wall toward the floor (Gilgren, (2001). There are two competing explanations for this. One thought is formalistic and the other one iconological. Then there is a third, a quite uncomplicated explanation has really not been given its due consideration: The crescendo makes it possible for the spectator entering the chapel through the old entrance (not the present one, where most people enter today) to see the whole work in just one gaze. The figures close by are smaller and the scenes more crowded, the ones further away are larger and more sculptural-and can there fore be seen all the way from the entrance. While taking in this view is easy to understand the crescendo as a means toward making the work available to the spectator. It is a way to communicate (Gilgren, (2001). Michelangelo and the thought of the Neo-platonic Academy suggest that the Renaissance was not as secular or as pagan as Burckhardt would have us believe. Christianity was still a potent a force. The modes of expressing it in the Renaissance, however, were different from those of the Middle Ages. While Saint Bernard and the Benedictine tradition urged the Christian to abandon life in the world, Renaissance Neo-Platonism found God in beautiful things. The Renaissance man did indeed tend to worship the world, but at least for the Neo-Platonist, this was part of the worship of God. Michelangelo once said that art is brought from heaven. Only divine inspiration could have created the David and the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and it was to the divine that Michelangelo wished to appeal (Robb, N. (1935). The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in a way follows a similar pattern. When the ceiling is divided it is done so in a series of squares, triangles and circles. There are three zones to the ceiling division. The lower zone where very little light is received is defined by De Tolnay as peopled by a race enduring variations of the human condition. According to Fleming, the middle zone is a mix of Old Testament prophets and some pagan symbols that have knowledge of the Divine and mediate between man and God. The contrast of the pagan symbols and biblical prophets suggests a idea which is not completely Christian. The use of prophets and pagan examples side by side kind of suggests that Michelangelo was looking at the qualities they shared as being important instead of the specific beliefs they stood for. They are according to Fleming the inspired men and women who, through the exercise of their minds and imaginations, became the mediators between the human and divine spheres. Angels would have been representing these symbols in most of the other traditional Christian art. The ceiling of the chapel is perhaps the most famous. In the center the story of many and his relationship with God is shown. The famous finger to finger painting in the center is very well known and everywhere replicated in the world today. It looks like the ceiling is a portrait of biblical history from creation and then ending with the Last Judgment. The first scene which is the Drunkenness of Noah is consistent with Neo-Platonism. Neo-Platonism will often show the lowest state of a soul by drunkenness. The panels of the ceiling go on to show man in his low state to creation. In the panel the Creation of Adam, there are two under the arm of God. As De Tolnay states One is a girl, who represents the Platonic idea of Eve, preexisting in the divine intellect. The last panel, God Dividing the Light from Darkness, shows what a depiction of a complete pure being is. In the Creation of Eve, Michelangelo portrayed God as a human. If you start with at the beginning with the Drunkenness of Noah, the painted story goes through biblical history to where freedom finally and forever is achieved. The panels, because of this progression may then be interpreted as a Neo-Platonism manifesto (Vess, D. (1998).

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Terry Tempest Williams and Mormonism Essay -- Terry William Mormon Ess

Terry Tempest Williams and Mormonism In Mormon religion, formal blessings of healing are given by men through the Priesthood of God. Women have no outward authority. But within the secrecy of the sisterhood we have always bestowed benisons upon our families. Mother sits up. I lay my hands upon her head and in the privacy of women, we pray. (158) Terry Tempest Williams is fully aware that she is contradicting the church when she writes â€Å"women have no outward authority,† yet she still chooses to take part in a ritual of healing that can only be performed by the men. Williams, however, does so in privacy and in the â€Å"secrecy of the sisterhood.† The word secrecy hints at the idea of doing something which is not accepted and against certain beliefs of today’s church. She was born and raised in a home of devout Mormons who follow the traditional beliefs of their faith. She acknowledges that the Mormon Church places great importance on obedience. In college she began to question her faith and today would not consider herself an â€Å"orthodox Mormon,† although Mormonism still has an impact in her life and work. In her writing, Williams continually contradicts the values of the Mormons. In Refuge, she subtly defied the restrictions inflicted upon women by the Mormon Church. She briefly addressed the issue of having children and the role of women. Williams’ family, for the most part was very supportive of her book. It was met, however, with some criticism from Mormon academic journals, disapproving of her defiance towards the church. In an interview Williams said, â€Å"that obedience in the name of religion or patriotism ultimately takes our souls. So I think it's this larger issue of what is acceptable and what is not; where d... ...mately takes our lives.† She is consistently but subtly challenging the orthodoxy of Mormonism. (http://www.insideoutsidemag.com/archives/articles/2001/09/terry_tempest_williams.asp) Williams will continue to act in civil disobedience against some of the beliefs held in the Mormon Church; questioning everything she is taught. She attributes her work in part to her faith. This is perhaps because of her upbringing in Mormonism and her vision of a person in white that confirmed her faith. The love she had for her mother was perhaps another reason; Williams’ mother was a devout Mormon who took her religion seriously and closely followed its traditions. The independent spirit that she possesses, however, keeps her from accepting Mormonism in its entirety. She believes that it is right to challenge one’s beliefs, that it prevents one from blindly accepting everything.

Principles of Good Policing: Avoiding Violence Between Police and Citiz

Thesis Statement: police discretion is the framework for promoting justice in police-citizen interactions in the traffic sector.     Police officers face a myriad of challenges in their line of duty. Most cases necessitate sound decisions to settle disputes amicably. When they apply discretion in an incoherent manner, they may end up abusing human rights. Therefore, they apply it when dealing with legal sanctions such as making arrests, giving out a ticket and stopping the offending party. Miller, Blackler and Alexandra (2006) state "police are specialized role players who preserve order and enforce the law" (p. 11). Sometimes, vagueness results when communities fail to engage in a consensus to streamline the issues that constitute criminal behavior law. Communities and legislatures trust the police officers' capacity to exercise discretion.     The Ride and Purpose of the Paper     The purpose of the paper is to identify who the police on patrol stop on the roads. It will also examine the cause of police confrontation with citizens, and how this influences and affects their work. What is more, it will analyze the forces that the police use to arrest the culprits in many cases. It will act as an examination of the importance of officers’ discretion while on patrol. Views on Discretion     Many people interpret police activities from pre-conceived ideas because they happen away from the citizens' view. The privacy creates a circumstance that allows police officers’ discretion in the way they react and handle citizens that breach the law. The research community tries to investigate the issues that concern the police officers' conduct while responding to citizen's woes and their interaction with them. The gap that exists in... ...oals due to the environment's needs that require rapid response. When they enforce discretion properly, they respond to margin situations in the best way possible. â€Å"However, if they fail to control it, they may infringe the constitutional provisions. Dempsey and Forst (2013) state "one of the ways of controlling discretion, particularly the improper application of discretion is through the establishment of employee early warning systems" (49). Proper discretion is a sure way of restoring sanity in the traffic system owing to its accrued discipline.      References Dempsey, J. S, & Forst, L. S. (2008). An Introduction to Policing. Belmont, CA:     Thomson/Wadsworth. Dempsey, J. S, & Forst, L. S. (2013). Police. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning. Miller, S, Blackler, J, & Alexandra, A. (2006). Police Ethics. Crows Nest, N.S.W: Allen &     Unwin.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Economic Factors Effects on the Pilgrimage of Grace Essay -- History

Sparked in Lincolnshire in October 1536 and expanding rapidly through Yorkshire and the far north, the Pilgrimage of Grace was a popular rising that presented a â€Å"major armed challenge to the Henrician Reformation† . The first modern writers, Madeline Hope Dodds and Ruth Dodds, argued that it was an association of interest groups with their own worries and priorities. Shortly after, A. G. Dickens supported the Doddsian argument stating that he saw a â€Å"fundamental divergence of interests and attitudes between gentry and commons† . Then, C. S. L. Davies offered an alternative argument that emphasised religion as the cause of the Pilgrimage. In addition, Sir Geoffrey Elton argued that the Pilgrimage was the result of the â€Å"unexpected overthrow of Anne Boleyn in the spring of 1536 and the consolidation of power at court and in government by Thomas Cromwell†. Thus, historians have and will continue to argue endlessly about the true causes of the Pilgrimage; on balance, a collection of factors contributed rather than an overriding cause. As a result, it is fair to say that the rising incorporated a mixture of political, religious, social and economic issues. Therefore, economic factors were only partly to blame for the Pilgrimage of Grace. Firstly, politics was partly to blame for the Pilgrimage of Grace; hence, by early 1527 King Henry VIII sought a divorce from Catherine of Aragon. Though, it is hard to pinpoint exactly why, the most plausible explanation is his belief that â€Å"his marriage was barren because of its illegality† and Catherine’s failure to produce a male heir. This is because Henry argued that it was blasphemous of him to marry his brother’s widow and he needed a son in order t... ...t, principle, fear-dabbled in treason† , became involved in the Pilgrimage of Grace. But, Elton’s argument is at least useful in the sense that it gives a helpful view on popular attitudes during this period. Works Cited Beer, Barrett L. Rebellion and Riot: Popular Disorder in England during the reign of Edward VI (1982). Bush, Michael. ‘Up for the Commonwealth’: the significance of tax grievances in the English rebellions of 1536, English Historical Review 106 (1991). Davies, C. S. L. ‘Popular Religion and the Pilgrimage of Grace’ in Order and Disorder in Early Modern England, eds. Anthony Fletcher and John Stevenson (1985). Fletcher, Anthony. Tudor Rebellions (1997). Hoyle, R.W. The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s (2001). Shagan, Ethan H. Popular Politics and the English Reformation (Cambridge, 2003).

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

How Technology Has Changed Our Lives in Just 10 Years

Q: How has technology changed in the past 10 years? A: The biggest technology change of the last 10 years is the proliferation of the internet into mainstream society. It started with the widespread adoption of email. From that modest foothold, the internet grew to become what it is today: the de-facto medium for human communication. Q: Why has it changed? A: The internet is a better mousetrap. Before, we had snail mail, telephones, newspapers, encyclopedias, libraries, record albums, radio, television, and movie theaters. All were slow and cumbersome and controlled by a relative minority. The internet is fast, affordable, and widely available. What’s more, it seems to facilitate some innate human desires to share, to be liked, and to be in control of our environment. The internet age is customizable, on-demand, instantaneous. Q: Is it all good? Why or why not? A: Everything is a tradeoff. The internet accelerates many aspects of life, and sometimes that can be a scary thing. However, the good outweighs the bad. Over time the global nature of the internet will help normalize the standard of living around the world. This might be unattractive to prosperous nations in the short term, but in the long term it is good for everyone. Q: What will technology be like 10 years from now? A: Ten years from now we’ll be interacting with devices (and by extension, each other) using sophisticated I/O hardware that tracks our eye movements, senses the motion of our bodies, and possibly even reads our thoughts. It sounds like science fiction, but there are companies who are already competing in these areas. In terms of output, I would not be the least bit surprised to see advances in sense areas that are currently ignored – i. e. taste, touch and smell. It might be more than 10 years out, but when I can download a venti house blend from Starbucks. com, I’ll know we’re making real progress.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Bad News

Bad News Letter Guidelines Tips: Before you start writing the letter, you have to ask yourself the following questions: 1. Is the letter for internal or external communication? * How close are the sender and the receiver? The Salutation (Dear / Hello / Mr. / Wolfgan? ) and the Closing (Sincerely / Best / Love / Regards? ) should pay attention! 2. How many parties are involved in the event? (a Mainland company IS NOT the name of the supplier!! ) 3. Do you understand the basic manufacturing process of a product / the product? NO Google it then!! Make sure you understand the meaning of ‘supplier’, ‘electrical component’, ‘assemble’, and ‘end product’ because components are very different from end products). 4. What is the role and duty of each part involved? 5. What is the event happened? What is the damage to the factory? Why is it related to the large consignment? What is the bad news exactly What is the real problem led by the incid ent in the factory? What is the immediate impact on the large consignment? 6. Is there any damage involved in the case? What kind of damage (e. g. financial, relationship†¦etc.? ) will bring to the company?And recommendations on solution? What kind of short- / long- term effect will bring between the company and the supplier? 7. What’s the immediate solution to the immediate problem? Why and How is it going to solve the problem 8. What other concerns is arose from the incident that constitute impact / damage to the company in longer term? What’s your suggestion / solution? What are the reasons to support your suggestion / solution? 9. Some of you mention about ‘customers / clients’. Where are they in the chain? What’s their role? If they are involved, what kind of damage will cause to them due to the incident?Why is it important to keep relationship with the clients? What is / are the solution(s)? What are the benefits of the solutions (in the short-term or long-term? ) Salutation| Internal or External? Dear / Hello†¦ Billy / Mr. Chan†¦ | Buffer| Think of it as an introduction of an article. It should briefly preview the main messages of the letter. The last sentence leads in to the next paragraph. | Reason & Bad News| Begin with the incident Bad New Implication to the consignment? | Immediate Impact & Solution| Begin with a sentence linking last paragraph’s last sentence. Briefly and clearly states the mmediate impact to the company or other party involved the solution why will it solve the impact| Longer-term Impact & Solution| Begin with a topic sentence hinting this paragraph is about longer term planning Briefly state the concern clearly states why the concern can be an issue to the company explain the solution clearly and logically (using â€Å"logic transitional words†) states the possible positive outcome. | Closing | Short and simple. Simply asking for approval / comments / meeting for fur ther discussion†¦ etc. And be positive| Complementary Close| Internal or External? Sincerely / Regards / Best / Best Regards? | Bad News Bad News Letter Guidelines Tips: Before you start writing the letter, you have to ask yourself the following questions: 1. Is the letter for internal or external communication? * How close are the sender and the receiver? The Salutation (Dear / Hello / Mr. / Wolfgan? ) and the Closing (Sincerely / Best / Love / Regards? ) should pay attention! 2. How many parties are involved in the event? (a Mainland company IS NOT the name of the supplier!! ) 3. Do you understand the basic manufacturing process of a product / the product? NO Google it then!! Make sure you understand the meaning of ‘supplier’, ‘electrical component’, ‘assemble’, and ‘end product’ because components are very different from end products). 4. What is the role and duty of each part involved? 5. What is the event happened? What is the damage to the factory? Why is it related to the large consignment? What is the bad news exactly What is the real problem led by the incid ent in the factory? What is the immediate impact on the large consignment? 6. Is there any damage involved in the case? What kind of damage (e. g. financial, relationship†¦etc.? ) will bring to the company?And recommendations on solution? What kind of short- / long- term effect will bring between the company and the supplier? 7. What’s the immediate solution to the immediate problem? Why and How is it going to solve the problem 8. What other concerns is arose from the incident that constitute impact / damage to the company in longer term? What’s your suggestion / solution? What are the reasons to support your suggestion / solution? 9. Some of you mention about ‘customers / clients’. Where are they in the chain? What’s their role? If they are involved, what kind of damage will cause to them due to the incident?Why is it important to keep relationship with the clients? What is / are the solution(s)? What are the benefits of the solutions (in the short-term or long-term? ) Salutation| Internal or External? Dear / Hello†¦ Billy / Mr. Chan†¦ | Buffer| Think of it as an introduction of an article. It should briefly preview the main messages of the letter. The last sentence leads in to the next paragraph. | Reason & Bad News| Begin with the incident Bad New Implication to the consignment? | Immediate Impact & Solution| Begin with a sentence linking last paragraph’s last sentence. Briefly and clearly states the mmediate impact to the company or other party involved the solution why will it solve the impact| Longer-term Impact & Solution| Begin with a topic sentence hinting this paragraph is about longer term planning Briefly state the concern clearly states why the concern can be an issue to the company explain the solution clearly and logically (using â€Å"logic transitional words†) states the possible positive outcome. | Closing | Short and simple. Simply asking for approval / comments / meeting for fur ther discussion†¦ etc. And be positive| Complementary Close| Internal or External? Sincerely / Regards / Best / Best Regards? |

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Wipro Hrm Policy

Wipro is an Indian multinational, provider of information technology services, consulting, outsourcing services and research and development services. It is headquartered in  Bangalore, Karnataka, India. As of 2012, the company has over 1,30,000 employees and a worldwide presence with global centers across 54 countries. Human resource management may be defined as a set of policies, programmes and practices designed to maximize both personal and organizational objectives. OBJECTIVES OF WIPRO HRM: * Effective utilization of the available human resources. * Organizational structure of relationship. Development of human resource and rewarding them. * Compatibility of individual goals with those of the organization. * Maintain high morale of the employees. ACTIVITIES OF HRM * Recruitment. * Selection. * Placement. * Training. * Performance Appraisal. * Compensation. * Maintenance. RECRUITMENT Wipro’s recruitment consists of three rounds. ROUND 1 : * Written test. * Verbal test. * Aptitude test. * Technical test. ROUND 2 : Round 2 is a technical test. ROUND 3 : Round 3 is the final stage of the recruitment process and it concludes with the HR meeting.Wipro Recruitment Drive organized by IPSR career center on Thursday, 7th October 2010 was another accomplishment in a long line of others. The venue – BVM College, Cherppunkal, Kottayam was teeming with candidates from all over the state. More than 600 job seekers attended the event, with a good 312 candidates having been shortlisted PLACEMENT Upon joining, the incumbent shall be given an employee code number by  Manager(HR) and he shall fill up the joining forms and shall submit the same to the Manager(HR) for further course of action. Wipro recruit 40%employees  from campus  recruitment.Another  popular  source  for Wipro’s Recruitment is the Online Placement through National Skill Registry (NSA). Wipro’s campus placement for the year 2010-2011 TRAINING At Wipro, The HR departm ent knows how critical time is for fulfilling training needs and hence developed competency in the area of rapid learning. An emerging form of content development, Rapid Learning helps to develop content in a short span of time using various tools. Wipro has strategic partnerships with leading technology provider to help employees choose the tool that suits their requirement best.Based on research conducted in this area, Rapid Content Development can be used for any of the following content areas: * Critical training. * Minor change. * Short shelf life. * Frequent updates. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Are people developing as fast as the business is moving? In order to answer performance related questions, Wipro offers an integrated end-to-end performance management solutions. This solution is based on global people processes drawn from best practices and helps organization steam line their performance and evaluation process.Wipro’s  Performance  Management solution not only hel ps you establish the best practices in Performance Management like  360degree appraisal, MBO, etc, but enables reduced Performance Management cycle time without compromising on the sub-processes which are so critical to HR values, like Work Planning Conference, Work Plan Establishment, Development plans and Objective setting, Interim Review, Overall evaluation, detecting Performance deficiencies, Tracking, Documentation and Archiving. Once reviewed by HR dept. Assistant (HR) updates the records for each employee’s score in the database.COMPENSATION Compensation is a systematic approach to providing monetary value to employees in exchange for work performed. Compensation may achieve several purposes assisting in recruitment, job performance, and job satisfaction. Wages and salaries structure is very vital for the retention of the employees as due to stiff competition if proper salary is not given then the employees might shift to organizations providing higher salary. Theref ore proper salary along with various other incentive methods should be used to retain the current employee work force.Recently Wipro increased wages for its employees by 8%. EMPLOYEE WELFARE ACTIVITES 1) Education: Wipro has its own institute, where education is given to the employees’ children absolutely free. The school has classes from JR. kg to class-XII and is an english medium school. Free transportation facility is  also provided to them. 2) Medical: Company’s philosophy is â€Å"Nobody should die without fund†. Company believes its responsibility towards health services to the provident of the employees go beyond the statutory provision. Being the petrochemical ndustry some of their process are considered hazardous. The company recognises the importance of good occupational health services. Therefore,  at  the  manufacturing  sites, they have well equipped, full fledged medical centre which are manned round the clock. 3) Housing: The company ha s it’s own township at different locations in Bangalore. If a house is available, the new employees are allotted the house otherwise the company can also hire a house. All the maintenance houses provided to employees by company is done by  the company. ) Canteen: The company gives canteen facility under which food is provided to the employees but it is not compulsory for them. The employees get the allowance in their salary. The Contract Cell at Wipro invites tenders and the Contract  cell signs detailed agreement with the contractor. The operation of the canteen is given on the contract. 5) Sports: To motivate the employees the company organises different sport tournaments i. e. Cricket, Volleyball, Table Tennis, Badminton, etc. ) Recreational activities: For the recreation of the employees, the company organises a get together with the families once in a year. The company also arranges for a short distance picnic for which the employess are allowed Rs. 100/- and free tr ansportation. 7) Club Membership: The purpose of the club membership is to meet other members of the industrial community and interact with them for relation personnel leisure. 8) Insurance Policy: Wipro provides personal accident insurance policy of Rs 100000 for employees.Premium of the company is half pay by employee and other will be paid by Wipro. ANNUAL LEAVE Every employee gets an annual leave of 30 days and if more than 30 days is taken, then leave will be deducted from the next year. ANNUAL SICK DAYS In a year, 5 days are given as leave for sick days. If more than 5 days are taken, a certain amount will be deducted from the salary. EDUCATION * Learning through internet is provided. * Education tie-ups: It provides Post Graduate Software Management (PGSM) program. It also gives middle management course for 5 weeks and distance learning.BENEFITS * Medical assistance program is provided to all its employees. * Interest free loan is also provided to all its employees. * It prov ides credit cards for the employees as per the policy. * It provides Wipro Employee Stock Option Plan which allows Wipro to enable its employees to share the success of the company and be rewarded. RECOGNITION & REWARD * Wipro Hall of Frame. * Mastermind. * Thanks a zillion. * Dear boss. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ON WIPRO VIKRAM ADITYA KAR (1210721) NEHA RATHI (1210733) ASHWARIYA NAG (1210784)

Saturday, September 14, 2019

What does it mean to be German

German, because they feel guilty for the history Of Germany and do not want do be classified as a national socialist, but they should dare to say that, because the time changed and Germany became one of the worlds most important and known countries and not known for fascistic ideologies or cruelties, but rather for their economy or their politic, not to forget they many different cultural aspects. Let me begin with a general definition of what it means to be German. I think nearly everybody would agree to the fact, that a person who owns theGerman nationality and lives inside the boundaries of Germany is a German in general, but obviously this is just a rough description of a German citizen. In my opinion every person has to define his or her own definition of what does it mean for him or her to be German, but I will start to create my own one. Many various significant German personalities reached a high prestige in certain sections of Germany's culture. To name some of these, I can name Albrecht Dourer as one of the greatest painters of Germans history, or the great literati Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Frederica Schaller.Even if you should not adorn yourself with borrowed plumes you can be at least proud for these persons who were Germans. Politics and culture influenced the identity of the Germans and their sense of human being, but that does not mean that every person is defined by the times actual standing of these factors. The question for me is what makes me personally proud to be a German citizen? Is it the German language? No question, that German is one of the hardest languages on the earth and this makes me proud to speak this language fluently, but it is not my favorite one in point of the sound. Usage like Greek, English, or Italian are my favorite ones in this point of criticism. Is it the kind of governmental system which makes me proud to life here? For sure democracy is the kind of governmental system, many various countries aspiring for and that why this is one Of my mature reasons am proud to live here. Other countries have to contend with cruel dictatorships or prevalent health diseases, but Germany does not have these problems, which makes me proud as well. Is it the culture which makes me feel proud to life in Germany?The capacity of great prestigious German prominences is nearly unlimited. From Conrad Deadener to Conrad Use, every political, cultural or scientifically section was enriched by important German personalities. These idols make me feel a kind of patriotic. However the main actual reason I am glad to live here is the status of Germany in the eyes of the other countries of the world. Many countries actually orientating their selves towards the federal republic of Germany, which makes me love my country even more. Nevertheless Germany is not perfect.I am not talking about satirical facts, because many people had done this before, but actual problems like the debts of the state are not the most worthwhile fact I can be glad of my home country. On the other hand these debts are not the biggest in comparison to other countries, but in fact that debts are not worthwhile in general this is a negative fact against Germany. To come to a very important point, which should not be forgotten is that Germany is actually one of the most peacefully countries on the earth. Considering to this, Germany made a big development since 1 940, which make me look in the future expectantly.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Human Infections in the Year 2009 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Human Infections in the Year 2009 - Essay Example These impacts could range from just interfering to the normal metabolic functions of the host organisms to the instant cause of death to the host. There are many types of infection in the human contexts such as parasitic, bacterial, or viral infections. Many of these infections caused many human lives throughout the ages. From the bubonic plague to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome, infections played an important involvement in humans' history, religion, and evolution. The breakthrough of the microscope gave way to the discovery of microorganisms. There are two types of cell that could be found in the living world, the prokaryotic and the eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells are primarily characterized by the absence of nuclear membrane within the cell while eukaryotic cells have nuclear membrane that separates the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from the other organelles in the cytoplasm of the cell. Bacteria are microorganisms believed to be the first life forms on earth. Prokaryotes could be eubacteria or true bacteria, or archaebacteria. The difference between eubacteria and archaebacteria are the absence of muramic acid in the cell wall of archaebacteria, the presence of ester linkage between lipids in eubacterial cell membrane and ether linkage in archaebacteria, the different structural types of ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase present between the two, the resistance of archaebacteria to chloramphenicol, streptomycin, and kanamycin, and the hig h tolerance of archaebacteria to strive in extreme physico-chemical factors of environments such as hot or cold temperature, high salinity, and others as compared to eubacteria. Furthermore, some other differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes are the presence of cell wall in most prokaryotes which is composed of mucopeptide, and polysaccharide protein, while, most eukaryotic cell wall is polysaccharide. The absence of mitochondria and chloroplast organelle in prokaryotes is also observed. The presence of plasmids- a circular extra-chromosomal double stranded DNA capable of self replicating and could transfer genetic information to nuclear DNA for the cellular survival- in prokaryotes is commonly observed although some eukaryotes could have plasmids, the occurrences are very rare. The ability of prokaryotes to reduce sulfur, fix atmospheric nitrogen to N2, produce their own food with the utilization of inorganic nutrients, and the ability to store poly-B-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is detected (Pandolfi et al. 2007). Among the infections known to science, the bacterial infections are the most common. Different kinds of diseases are caused by different kinds of bacteria. Eubacteria or true bacteria or simply bacteria could be classified into groups through their shapes, sizes and staining technique used to view them. There are six basis of classifying bacteria. These are shape, Gram reaction, atmosphere, spores, biochemistry, and serology test. Bacterial shape could be cocci, spiral, or bacilli. Cocci are spherical, bacilli are long and thin shape, and spiral could vary in wavelength and curve. On the other hand, classifying bacteria through Gram reaction is based on its cell wall properties. The Gram reaction could result to Gram-negative or

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Why did the Oligarchs exercise so much influence in Russian political Essay

Why did the Oligarchs exercise so much influence in Russian political and economic life in the period 1993 -99 - Essay Example They did not move quickly enough, however, and in the autumn of that year Yeltsin simply dissolved the old former soviet political apparatus and declared that a new Duma (Parliament) would be elected. The Duma election was scheduled for 1995 and Yeltsin himself ran for re-election as president in 1996. These events characterized a period of immense political and economic instability and this was the environment in which a new breed of key players was born: the so-called â€Å"Russian Oligarchs†. The term â€Å"oligarch† is derived from the Greek meaning â€Å"governing by the few† and it usually has negative connotations relating to the abuse of power. There are at least four important factors which contributed to the emergence of the oligarchs and their growing influence in both politics and economic life in the period 1993-1999. This study will look at each of these in turn: By the autumn of 1993, it was clear to all observers that the old Soviet systems had fallen away and there was no immediate substitute in place. Yeltsin relied upon his personal authority and the support of the military to wrest control out of a disintegrating situation. The scene was set for a new era. Waller (2005: 13) analyses this decade under the heading â€Å"The Yeltsin years 1991-1999: reaping the whirlwind† and this is a good description of the mood in Russia across all sections of society. Old systems and habits had simply been swept away and no one could tell what would happen next. Other commentators stress the risks inherent in the new situation: â€Å"Russia and the other post-communist societies had to feel their way forwards on the edge of a precipice in the dark.† (Sakwa, 2008: 303). The majority of the population seems to have suffered a certain amount of shock and paralysis. The old communist regime had produced many inefficient

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Tidball's Category of Churches (Discussion) Assignment

Tidball's Category of Churches (Discussion) - Assignment Example Indeed these classifications of church made by Tidball (2008) bears some substance because their existence has confirmed their legitimacy. The main theme of his book is to lay emphasis on the importance of church in mission today as well as ministry today. In the present times, various churches have become endangered due to their dispersed geographical location around the world. Not all cultures are welcoming and may show hostility towards church expansion or ministry work. In any case, the functioning of a ministry is greatly impacted by the culture in which it operates. Culture is an important factor when considering how a ministry operates in a particular environment. The cultural context plays a dominant role because churches operating in different circumstances and settings are characterized by a specific pattern of functionality. This pattern of operation may be distinct in many cases and thus, culturally driven churches are likely to have a different model of working. What Tidball (2008) has tried to communicate is that the cultural context is significant in determining the specific model being followed in a particular church. The endangered church is widely reflected in the Epistle of Jude and 2 Peter. Similarly, references of a despised church and compromised church are present in 1 Peter and John’s letters respectively. Tidball (2008) has explored ministry quite extensively as they are referenced in the New Testament. Tidball (2008) has laos considered the cultural and environmental context in which they operated where they sometimes involved an unwelcoming atmosphere. The main point which Tidball (2008) has tried to explain is that ministry work should be guided by the gospels and the New Testament. The New testament contains a wide range of cultural environments where churches operated during a particular period of time. Hence,

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Business in Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business in Literature - Essay Example In the novel The Ladies Paradise, the new recruit Denise is not used to displaying her salesgirl charm and feel violated, defenseless and naked because she is treated like a machine for modeling clothes. The job requirement was that the women had â€Å"to be attractive for the sales rooms† she consents to be attractive according to the stores standards to the leering men and the unethical Monsieur Jouve who would harass the girls that worked in the store by forcing them to buy into his good-will and making sexual advances towards them which was seen as a privilege given his position as the owner. This goes against the moral concept of the market as the Monsieur is only seeking to maximize his profit in this case his sexual gratification. The fulfillment of self-interest will contribute to the common good in the market according to John Stuart Mill; the Mauss theory acknowledges that the market cannot ignore the ethics of self interest in the market. His anthropology is based o n the aspect of giving and receiving in the market as a basis for social integration that is important in the economic interactions. Honesty and respect acknowledges the morality of exchange and interdependence of social relations in the market. Mauss anthropology emphasizes that responsibility is a fundamental constituent of ethical subjectivity therefore responsibility for other human beings legitimizes economic actions. Tono Bungay novel offers an ethical critique of the impact of the late nineteenth century capitalist modernization in the homeland. The story also traces the effects of the accelerated economic transformation to the social arrangements and classes in the society. The ethical dilemma arises where the aristocrat society subjects the bourgeoisie to exploitation and machinations in entrepreneurship. There is a struggle of capital and labour. This also describes the modern

Monday, September 9, 2019

Analyzing of an Adverstisement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyzing of an Adverstisement - Essay Example This is a dialogue based advertisement that starts off with a question about what is technology. Then it shows an actual depiction of what one perceives of technology. It shows a series of technical binary, robotics and air browsing then moving on to the next question which asks what technology does for us. This is where the advertisement manages to connect with the audiences by adding a human emotional element to the whole depiction of technology. It shows moving images with a child who is able to walk with the help of an engineered amputation and how he can play and have his shot at normal life. Next it shows how the paint application enables an elderly to try his hand at art with the ease of mouse and various functions available. It then shows children being able to view 3D videos of outer space for better understanding. Lastly, as a part of the whole answer it shows video conferencing between two school classes and the happiness with which they can see children their age study th e identical subjects thousands of miles away. It also shows doctors benefiting from the 3D technology by better understanding the human body and structure and their power to gain precision in X-rays. The advertisement then shows words that say and highlight that technology unites people. As a depiction of this fact, they show emotional images of people connecting with their loved ones miles away. One frame shows a soldier who can view his new born and morally support his wife through child birth through video chat and another show a young girl dancing excitedly at seeing her father on a wide screen. The robotic voiceover is effective in connecting the whole technological aspect with a human one (YouTube, 2014). The advertisement then moves onto the inspirational aspect of technology that has enabled human beings to do the impossible. The visuals and voiceover complement this statement by showing innovative hand leg amputations that allow special people to function just

Issues and controversies in management project Case Study

Issues and controversies in management project - Case Study Example McDonald's evidences the validity of the stated. Renown for its corporate social responsibility record in its home country, and owing a sizeable percentage of its market share to this, upon expansion into foreign markets, McDonald's exported its CSR principles along (Bronn, 2006). Hence, in the 32 of the countries in which it operates, it has over 200 Ronald McDonald Houses, charity organisation which support underprivileged children (Bronn, 2006). It has also embraced environmentalism and committed itself to green practices, publicly acknowledging its responsibility towards the preservation and conservation of an increasingly fragile environment and ecosystem (Paton, 2007). Operating on the basis of these and other practices designed to underscore its commitment to CSR, McDonald's has successfully entrenched itself in the communities within which it operates. Indeed, a significant part of its market success and ability to penetrate the barriers to foreign market entry are a direct o utcome of the fact that it projects an image of a company which wants to give, not just take, from its community (Paton, 2007). Corporate ethics, albeit strongly related t... rnationalisation, it is imperative that multinationals acquire an understanding of the ethical systems particular to the foreign markets in question and adhere to them. For instance, in some cultures, gender segregation is an inviolable ethical principle, with the implication being that foreign entrants should adhere to this practice. In others, child labour is not viewed as unethical and the employment of children may be interpreted as the extension of assistance to an impoverished family. However, since this last is not viewed as an ethical practice and its implementation as universally unethical, not to mention a violation of international law, multinationals who engage in this practice may irreparably damage their market standing. This means that in designing their ethics guidelines, companies must create a fine balance between international and national ethical systems. McDonald's has managed to achieve this balance. On the one hand, it adheres to universal ethics guidelines whi ch dictate the imperatives of fair wages, non-discriminatory labour practices Royle, 2005) and quality goods from suppliers (Verschoor, 2001). On the other, it respects the cultural ethics of its host environments whereby, for example, it does not employ women in its restaurants, in concession to the segregation precept, although it does in its offices (Heck, 2003). The point here is that upon entry into foreign markets, the company does try to embrace and adhere to local ethical precepts, even as it abides by international ones, so as to facilitate entry and acceptance. Branding Competitive advantage is a critical determinant of successful entry into foreign markets and of surviving the challenges of globalisation and realising its promises. Branding is a managed process to

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Extra Credit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Extra Credit - Essay Example On researching the ecological and agricultural characteristics in the Denver area it is found that the peculiar climatic condition experiencing there is between desert climate and humid climate. Hence the climatic condition prevailing there is considered as mild evapotranspiration climate. Since this city is at high altitude this peculiar climatic condition provide the quality of the Mediterranean weather such as dry summer and wetter winter. It is considered that the city has 79 official neighborhoods. Hence the residents of this metropolitan area are mainly the neighborhood communities. The features of these neighborhoods vary each other and they include large skyscrapers, twentieth century houses and modern styled twenty first century buildings. The neighborhoods which are closer to the Denver city comprises of denser buildings which are old styled. The developments of the neighborhoods which are not closer to the concerned city had taken place immediately after Second World War. The buildings at these areas were constructed with modern materials and hence they appeared in high style. Still farther neighborhoods were with suburban characteristics and the people in that area could be recognized by means of their features. Majority of the neighborhoods have parks and other modern facilities and these are considered as the key peculiarities of these neighborhoods. The important neighborhoods of Denver city are Lower Down Town, Union Station Neighborhood, Washington Park, Capitol Hill, Highland Cherry etc. All these neighborhoods have very important roles in the metropolitan developments of the Denver city. Parks are the main peculiarities of the Denver city. As per the survey conducted in 2006 this metropolitan city has more than 200 parks in its credit which vary from mini parks to giant ones. All these parks are with beautiful landscape architects. Since the Denver city is situated at high altitude these are no scarcity for mountain

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Hillary Clinton Campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hillary Clinton Campaign - Essay Example An excellent writing skill must be employed for an intelligent idea could be senseless without it being well-expressed. Though base on his/her opinion, the writer must be very careful with such strong emotions or personal bias as that could be a hinder in presenting a rational explanation. Prior to writing, the author must first check his own view specially if it was from an incoherent source or was formed many years ago. Faludi, on the first part of her article had made a concise yet substantial view of the current politics in America as she creatively relates it to the gender issue using the masculine myth as she expound on Boone's "Rescue" tableau. Her struggle to convince her reader to adhere to her strong preference towards McCain has been made very obvious as she presents the facts in a very explicit manner that displays McCain's masculinity in contrast to Obama's femininity. She needs not to make a last statement her conclusion because it has been clear in every part of her text. This discrimination, however, could possibly elicit the danger of appearing so biased that the reader would not want to continue reading knowing that they would be presented with the same presentation of the same argument. She has a great tendency to persuade her audience of her perspective that were based upon agreed-upon facts and shared values between McCain supporters and Obama's detractors. Her argument would be effective in aggravating McCain's supporters' admiration towards the politician, but for those on the opposite view as well as those in the middle, the article should have been inconspicuously partial. Collins' has concisely yet completely defined his own position early in his text as he dealt with a distinct, contentious issue. He skillfully states his stance without distorting any information. This he had done by having a profound knowledge on the issue beforehand thus he managed to create a logical explanation that have the power to convince even Clinton's supporter. He quoted reliable authorities like the person of Muriel Fox who was one of National Organization for Women's founder to back-up his idea. As using the first person weakens argument (Jordan-Henley, 2008), he need not to pronounce his text using such. He had refrained from presenting any bias by pointing out the bad side, "Her campaign was messy, and it made some fatal tactical errors" (Collins, 2008) as well as the good side, "But nobody who sent her a donation could accuse her of not giving them their money's worth" (Collins, 2008) of his opposing points. Allowing this type of compromise and portrayal of justice ha d been one of his effective tactics that had surely won neural readers' approval. Speaking adeptly, his discreet words and reasonable details have the power to move skeptics. Among the three authors, Herbert was apparently the only one who had backed up his idea using a considerably acceptable source, quoting from national poll by Lifetime television as well as nonpartisan campaign. He had been very clear with his topic as he creates an actual picture of the current gender issue that U.S. was experiencing at the very moment. He's introduction had been nonetheless factual and the rest of the text was

Friday, September 6, 2019

Blackberry Case Study Essay Example for Free

Blackberry Case Study Essay Once the leader of mobile devices for business associates across the United States, in recent years BlackBerry has loss significant market share to its competitors such as Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android. Struggling to keep afloat, although BlackBerry only holds five percent of the total mobile device industry, it still succeeds in its consulting business solutions that BlackBerry offers its clients. BlackBerry Business Solutions offers hardware, software, and applications to improve businesses’ performance in several industries such as healthcare, wholesale and retailing, pharmaceuticals, and financial services. The need for efficiency and access to data in the healthcare industry has recently become a standard protocol of how physicians and healthcare providers treat patients. Especially since the handheld electronic devices and e-commerce applications markets have been expanding rapidly, this trend has in turn provided an outlet of immediate access and diversity of physician-oriented applications available in the marketplace. Research conducted by Manhattan Research states, â€Å"more than 80 percent of U.S. physicians [have] smartphones [in] 2012up from 64 percent in 2009and half of that group will use their phones for patient care, administrative functions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Versel). BlackBerry has recognized these needs from the healthcare industry providing unique and customizable solutions to various clients’ problems by providing them with solutions and applications offered by their 70+ Healthcare ISV (independent software vendor) partners (Partner Solutions). BlackBerry has distinguished their business model by, â€Å"still dominat[ing] among physicians and healthcare application developers, through the iPhone and Google Android are closing the gap quickly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Versel). BlackBerry can see their successes throughout the entire healthcare continuum by offering e-commerce solutions that improve business and clinical performance across several categories within the healthcare industry which differentiate the services the can offer various businesses than Apple and Android. For instance, Mercy Health Partners, a conglomerate of 30+ hospitals across four states, needed to be able to provide immediate mobile access to patient records and clinical information at the bedside so physicians can more efficiently manage patient care (BlackBerry). BlackBerry Business Solutions were able to uniquely assess Mercy Health Partner’s needs and expand their health information systems by offering an e-commerce application called Clinical Xpert Navigator provided by on of their partners, Thompson Healthcare (BlackBerry). The Clinical Xpert Navigator gave Mercy a way to access and securely deliver patient information such as patient medications lists, transcribed report, lab results, and electronic health records at their various locations and right at their patients bedside tables. As a customer, Mercy Health Partners received an exclusive BlackBerry Enterprise Solution as apart of their business solutions model, which ran on BlackBerry smartphones and tablets making it a cost-effective use of their technology. This cost efficiency has in turn resulted in benefits seen in both Mercy Health Partners’ business performances but also their clinical patient care performance. The necessity for time in today’s society is critical for any industry. BlackBerry’s Business Solutions offer clients within the healthcare industry more time through e-commerce applications that directly improves the quality of care, access to care, and continuous care they can ultimately offer their patients in need and help save more lives. http://www.itproportal.com/2012/03/30/iphones-share-us-smartphone-market-very-close-android/ http://sg.blackberry.com/newsroom/success/Mercy_BCS.pdf

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Operations Strategy Case Study of Factory

Operations Strategy Case Study of Factory Consultants Report |  An Operational Review  of  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Factory† Contents (Jump to) 1. Executive Summary 2. Introduction 3. Strategic Review 4. Operational Issues 4.1 Processes 4.2 Plant/Equipment 4.3 Customers 4.4 Contractors/Supply Chain 4.5 Personnel 4.6 Environmental 4.7 Market/Competitors 5. Recommendations 6. Further Recommendations 7. Conclusion 8. Bibliography 9. Appendices 1.  Executive Summary This Report has identified the Pea Factory (the Factory)’s operations strategy as focusing on producing quality products, on time and satisfying the bespoke requirements of its customers. It achieves this through its quality controlled operational processes and procedures. Unfortunately these processes and procedures are not without problems, which are categorised under the following headings; processes, personnel, environmental, plant/machinery and market/competition. Problems encountered with quality issues can be addressed by carrying out a review of the whole process using qualitative and quantitative methods, applying benchmarking techniques and reviewing the whole system and applying total quality management methodology. The introduction of computerisation into the administrative process would eliminate human error and remove communication problems within the control room. It may also provide the opportunity of reducing costs (over a period), with the removal of personnel. The supply chain is a fundamental area for focus, as this is crucial for the survival of the business. Ensuring the supply chain is running smoothly is not only an extremely difficult thing to achieve and it can also be extremely costly. The management team need to focus on maintaining good relations with all suppliers, contractors and subcontractors. Many of the issues, such as lack of capacity, the requirement for additional equipment, increased market share etc could easily be improved with the acquisition of a competitor. This needs serious consideration, although it obviously requires investment by the parent company. In the meantime however, by implementing the recommendations in this report, the Factory can and will move closer to achieving sustainable competitive advantage and improving productivity, whilst reducing costs. 2.  Introduction This Report has been commissioned to provide an operational review of â€Å"The Pea Factory† (the Factory). The operations strategy will be identified together with an analytical review being carried out on the operational problems facing the Factory. Areas such as; how the entire process is controlled, the use and maintenance of the equipment, the focus on the customers’ needs and the use of quality control amongst other areas. The Report will also make recommendations for improvements to the operation, which will eliminate many of the problems highlighted. For instance, the introduction of a computerisation into the control room to monitor the process from start to finish would remove many of the timing and communication issues experienced. In undertaking the research for this report there were a number of other aspects of the operation that were identified, which would benefit from improvement and they are also contained within this report. 3.  Strategic Review In order to complete a strategic review of the Factory, it is necessary to first understand what is meant by the term operations strategy. According to Slack et al1], it is; â€Å"the total pattern of decisions and actions which set the role, objectives and activities of the operation so that they contribute to and support the organisation’s business strategy.† In order to develop an operations strategy, the operations manager has to consider a number of factors such as the needs of customers, as well as what the competition are doing. According to Porter(2); â€Å"an organisation should aim to achieve sustainable competitive advantage† The Factory achieves this by focusing on their customer requirements and by producing a quality product, in a timely fashion and at a reasonable cost. The ability to adapt and be flexible in its approach to its customer’s demands is an important feature in the organisation’s strategy. The Factory concentrates on its core competencies (that of the production of frozen vegetables) rather than diversifying into other products such as pizzas, pies and other products. Specialisation is key to the strategy. Whilst sufficient information is known about the Factory’s operations strategy, little is known about the Group’s strategy, and how the Factory’s operations strategy fits with it, other than to say that they are specialist food producers. 4.  Operational Issues A review of the processes and procedures of the Factory using a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis was undertaken (see Appendix 1 attached). This identified several operational problem areas, which have been grouped under the following headings; processes, plant/equipment, customers, contractors/supply chain, personnel, environmental and market/competitors. 4.1  Processes The operation’s process is coordinated from the control room. Unfortunately the control systems used are manual ones, with any change in process being amended on â€Å"the board†, this manual process could lead to errors, miscommunication and time delays. With the limited daily processing capacity, even if there was greater demand, the organisation would not be able to cope. Further, there is little room for error with the tight time line from picking to blanching. Quality issues with stock held in quarantine, and bulk peas needing to be run though the Sortex colour sorter, several times, results in wasted time and cost. 4.2  Plant/Equipment The extensive use of expensive machinery means that the organisation’s overheads are high with costly down time through failure (particularly unplanned). This has a detrimental effect of the Factory’s ability to achieve its targets and to fulfil orders, costing the organisation both time and money. 4.3  Customers Tailor made packaging for its customers may have a negative effect on the cost base. Satisfying the customer’s needs is an important aspect of the organisations strategy, but the question needs to be asked, as what cost? In order to answer this question, detailed financial information would be required for analysis. 4.4  Contractors/Supply Chain The use of so many contractors in various parts of the process does lead to problems such as communication, control and quality. Differing yields and size containers results in identification and storage difficulties. Using multiple storage contractors could result in missing stock and lack of quality control. This could result in down time and ultimately affect the quality of the product. 4.5  Personnel Fluctuating staff levels at different times of the year causes particular problems for the organisation. The need to train and re-train new staff results in delays and errors. Lack of communication causes costly delays. Such seasonal work may not be entirely satisfying thereby creating problems with lack of job satisfaction, and therefore lack of attention to detail. 4.6  Environmental Environmental issues are a major headache. The weather clearly impacts on the production of the pea crop. The varying weather patterns create uncertainty and scheduling issues. The crop rotation cycle also restricts the level of produce provided in any given region at any given time. This limiting factor can result in not enough of the product being available. 4.7  Market/Competitors An analysis of the competitive environment reveals that there is at least one privately owned competitor who is using aggressive pricing in the market. There is also the issue of the major retailers controlling the market. If one of the retailers decides to stop using the Factory then this will negatively impact the level of profitability and sustainability of the business. All of these issues need to be addressed immediately and the recommendations for doing so are highlighted in the next section. 5. Recommendations All operation managers experience difficulties and this is certainly the case at the Factory. In order to achieve operational effectiveness, Slack et al (3), agrees that there should be; â€Å"Smooth customer flow, a clean, well-designed environment, sufficient goods to satisfy demand, sufficient staff to serve customers, appropriate quality of service, a continuous stream of ideas to improve its operations†. What better way to measure a smooth customer flow than to introduce a computerised system which will track the stock, deliveries and all the processes from start to finish. This would require significant investment, but would have the benefit of eliminating human error and reducing overhead (by reducing the number of staff required to fulfil the function). Whilst this would affect staff morale, a programme of empowerment should be implemented combined with a reward scheme or performance measurement which would motivate the staff to achieve their individual and the organisation’s goals. A Total Quality Management (TQM) process should be implemented, the characteristics of which are; â€Å"meeting the needs and expectations of customers, covering all parts of the organisation, including every person in the organisation, examining all costs which are elated to quality, especially failure costs, getting things right first time, developing systems and procedures which support quality and improvement, developing a continuous process of improvement†.4] Using a process flow chart (similar to that shown in Appendix 2) would help to clearly identify what happens during the operations process and therefore show up the problem areas. Input-output analysis could be undertaken. Further analysis could be carried out using scatter diagrams, cause-effect diagrams and Pareto5] diagrams. The issue of the limited daily processing capacity could be improved with the purchase of additional equipment. Additional quality checks should be introduced into the process in order to eliminate time wasting through re-sorting the product, and the down time of equipment. This could be done through benchmarking or other continuous improvement mechanisms. According to Deming the PDCA6] (plan, do, check, act) cycle should be used, alternatively business process re-engineering which has been very popular recently. That is: â€Å"the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in the critical, contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed.†7] Although this has been criticised as being the latest fad, as well as being an excuse for removing personnel and it could ultimately result in the loss of essential experience from the Factory. Additional preventative maintenance should be scheduled which would help resolve part of the issue of the unplanned downtime. The employment of an additional maintenance person would also speed up the process. The issue of bespoke packaging of the product for the customer should be debated within [2]the management team. If uniform packaging is introduced, this could result in a reduction in costs. However this needs to be [3]carefully weighed up against the customer needs and ultimately deciding not to purchase from the Factory. A customer quality survey could be conducted in order to ascertain the possible effect of this suggestion. The supply chain is also a critical area for the Factory to keep tight control on. According to Waller8]; â€Å"The supply chain is a complex network of suppliers, manufacturers and distributors whose ultimate objective is to provide goods and services to the client in a timely manner. The reliability of this supply chain depends on all the people in the network, plus the reliability of all the equipment employed including transportation vehicles, sophisticated machines and computer based information systems.† The use of contractors is a major issue that needs to be addressed. Formal contracts should be drawn up setting out the conditions of the relationship (if it has not already been done); with penalties for missing certain key targets being made. Consideration should be given to the Factory acquiring its own transportation, storage and packaging facilities. By focusing on the JIT (just-in-time) approach within the operation, it may further improve and simplify matters, as, according to Slack et al9]; â€Å"JIT is a disciplined approach to improving overall productivity and eliminating waste. It provides for the cost effective production and delivery of only the necessary quantity of parts at the right quality, at the right time and place, while using a minimum amount of facilities, equipment, materials and human resources. JIT is dependent on the balance between the supplier’s flexibility and the user’s flexibility.† The need to keep a close eye on inventory is essential for the Factory, and to keep it as low as possible, thereby freeing up essential funds for other areas of the business. The Factory needs to address all of these issues as a matter of urgency. Some of the recommendations identified here would involve capital investment. Therefore, further analysis would need to be undertaken once the necessary financial information is available, in order to present a robust business case to the parent company. The Factory needs to; â€Å"secure essential increases in productivity (which) requires the combined efforts of all functions. The increased use of technology has resulted in maintenance making a major contribution to the effective efforts in most business†1]0) In addition to the problem areas identified above, there are other areas that could be improved in the future, and these are mentioned in the following section. 6.  Further Recommendations Purchasing is an area that is significant to the business, as Slack et al1]1)suggests: â€Å"purchasing at the right time and in the right quantity can impact on the operations performance in terms of delivery, speed, delivery reliability and flexibility.† A separate review of the purchasing process and department should be initiated at some stage. Undertaking a financial review may also identify further improvements or reductions within the business (environmental, taxes, transportation and fuel costs). Using forecasting tools such as qualitative and quantitative methods to more accurately predict risks, time horizons, and economic indicators could also identify further areas to improve. Other problem areas that may be addressed include the environmental influences on the Factory. It should be possible to produce product all year using the poly-urethane tunnels that are seen in the countryside. The use of such tunnels would extend the growing period and lifecycle and allow pea production to take place all year, without the peaks and troughs that are currently happening. Further, if the organisation wanted full control of its entire process, then perhaps it should consider the acquisition of land to produce the product itself. Finally, in terms of the competition, we already know that one competitor is privately owned. In order to achieve transformational growth, rather than organic growth and consequently achieve many of the objectives identified above, the organisation should acquire this competitor. There would, of course, be issues with the merger of another organisation into its current business, but the increase in market share, the ability to produce more products and the access to additional equipment that this would bring, would seem to be an obvious answer to many of the problems. A thorough business case would have to be submitted to the parent company to qualify and quantify this proposal. 7.  Conclusion The operations strategy of the Factory is aimed at producing quality goods, on time and to their customer’s exacting requirements. This is achieved at the Factory, but at what cost? A thorough review of the Factory has revealed a number of areas that can be improved. Areas such as by identifying the process through the use of flow charts, then any weaknesses can be readily identified. The three quality checks that are currently undertaken is insufficient to prevent quality issues occurring, therefore additional checks should be implemented. Computerising the operations process would eliminate communication problems and speed up the process together with reducing costs. Focusing on JIT and TQM would enhance the process further. Not forgetting staff morale. Their input is critical in ensuring the process runs smoothly, whether it is the manual or computerised method. Including reward schemes and introducing empowerment is a means of involving the staff in the process and in achieving the goals and objectives of the organisation. If the parent company is willing to invest further, then transformational growth can be achieved by acquiring a competitor, land, a haulage company and by producing its own packaging. In order for the parent company to consider this, a business case would need to be produced, justifying the recommendation. The Factory has a great number of strengths, not least of which is its; location, quality product and specialist knowledge, however, by addressing its operational weaknesses and threats, it is possible to achieve sustainable competitive advantage and to continue to achieve its operational strategy, goals and objectives. 8.  Bibliography Cheng TCE, Podolsky S (1993) Just in Time Manufacturing, Chapman Hall (Pages 21 – 175) Fitzsimmons JA, Sullivan RS (1982) Service Operations Management: McGraw Hill (Pages 7 – 25) Hill, Terry. (2002) Operations Management Strategic Context and Analysis, Basingstoke: Palgrave (pages 184-547) Johnston, R. Clark, G. (2001) Service Operations Management, Harlow: FT/Prentice Hall (pages 25 73) Johnston R, Chambers S, Harland C, Hanson A, Slack N (1997) Cases in Operations Management: Financial Times, Pitman Publishing 2nd Ed (Pages 5 – 503) Lowson, R. (2002) Strategic Operations Management The New Competitive Advantage: London, Routledge (Pages 5 158) Muhlemann, A. Oakland, J Lockyer, K. (1992) Production and Operations Management, 6th Ed, Harlow: FT/Prentice Hall (Pages 63-150) Slack, N. Chambers, S. Johnston, R. (2004) Operations Management, Ed 4, Harlow, Pearson Education (pages 5 798) Sutherland, J. Canwell, D. (2004) Key Concepts in Operations Management, Basingstoke: Palgrave (Pages 19 117) Taylor, D. Brunt, D. (2001) Manufacturing Operations and Supply Chain Management, London: Thomson Learning (Pages 5 37) Waller, D.L. (2003), Operations Management: a supply chain approach, London, Thomson Learning (pages 88 595) Wild, R (2002) Operations Management, London: Continuum (Pages 17 187) www.cips.org [emailprotected] Appendices Appendix 1 – SWOT Analysis Appendix 2 – Flow Chart of the Factory Pea Production Process [1]Slack N, Chambers S, Johnston R (2004) Operations Management Ed 4, Harlow Pearson Education p77 Michael Porter from Lowson R (2002) Strategic Operations Management The New Competitive Advantage, London, Routledge, page 29 [4]4,5, 6, 7 From Slack et al p695-696 [5] [6] [7] [2] [3] [8] Deming from Wild, Operations Management p 636 [9] Slack et al p548 [1]10 Hill T, (2002) operations Management – Strategic Context and Analysis, Basingstoke, Palgrave p184 [1]11 Slack et al p478