Fresh Food vs Canned Food Essay

As children we often have no say in what we choose to eat. We were always taught to eat the food that was given to us on our plates. It’s not until we reach adulthood that we make conscious decisions on what we choose to consume. As adults we seem to indulge in the foods that make us happy, as well as the foods that will take the least amount of time out of our day to day schedule. Eating is an activity that we as humans do at least two times a day. We live in a world where the variety of food is immense, and we are responsible for what we eat. We choose what we would like to eat and how it will affect our bodies. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the differences between eating fresh foods instead of canned foods. There are many different reasons to keep in mind when choosing canned or fresh foods, such as flavor, health benefits, accessibility and cost. The most notable difference between these two kinds of foods is their flavor. Fresh foods have great flavor and taste because they keep all their natural conditions. Nothing is added or taken away, just the simple taste that nature has provided. Canned foods however, lack a lot of its flavor characteristics due to the fact that there are chemical products added to the natural foods. It’s logical that fresh foods will have a greater taste and flavor when consumed, just because of the time in which they have been prepared. Comparing both types of foods we notice another difference, there is a health factor that affects both of them. Canned foods lose some of the original fresh food nutrients when stored, and also it has to be tinned with many conservatives and chemical factors that prolong the shelf life. In some instances, apparent freshness of the food could also become toxic if consumed too often. Yet another difference between these two types of foods is the cost and accessibility. Canned foods are much more expensive than fresh foods. One could easily say that buying a pound of fresh carrots would cost the average shopper twice the amount of money, than buying two cans of carrots for under a dollar. The benefit of buying tinned foods is there accessibility, for example, it is easier to go down to your local supermarket and pick up a few canned green beans, instead of finding a market that specializes in fresh foods. As time goes on, we as adults are always in a rush to get somewhere or to finish something. It’s no surprise that the most important factor to an everyday adult is that canned foods require less work to prepare than fresh foods, just open and serve. As we can see it comes down to a personal choice, based on the time each person has, the money and the importance he/she gives to his/her nutrition and health. Therefore it is important that you consider your possibilities and choose the best type of foods for your convenience and lifestyle.

Biodel Inc

BUAD 490 3/14/13 Team Written Case Analysis (Concise) Biodel, Inc. BIODEL INC. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Biodel’s use of biotechnology expertise in the three prime areas of Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Immunodiagnostics has led their company into some great opportunities. Biodel created a synthetic serum to replace fetal calf serum and horse serum, and provide a more consistently available product for scientific researchers. Biodel’s Molecular Biology division used DNA technology to gain 60% of the market share of growth factors and stock the largest collection of commercially available synthetic nucleotides, which was 50% of their sales.Biodel’s research and development in Immunodiagnostics led to the invention of DEMA, a non-radioactive method for measuring a wide array of biologically important substance. The intelligence and vision of Dr. Oscar Feldman drove Biodel to a position of leadership in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Feldman has applied innovations in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology and Immunodiagnostics to increase market share for Biodel’s products. Dr. Feldman’s scientific friends and academic contacts offered Biodel high-quality technological advice and links to scientific community, and led to sophisticated research and development advances.Now the company is at a crossroad with decisions and direction necessary. In addition to strategic planning, the company would benefit from a modest re-structuring to streamline operations and prepare for unexpected events. Their future investments should be in areas where patent protection is likely, and in directions and projects that exploit their native expertise in molecular biology and genetic engineering. These technologies seem likely to transform health care in the next two decades.Having survived the threat of bankruptcy, Biodel now has a more balanced contract research portfolio and is poised to develop an even greater impact in the future. CURRENT SITUATION Bi odel's projected revenues for 1980 consist of $1 million in contract research, and around $1. 5 million in research products. The contract research revenue was split 70% from industrial research, and 30% government research. This research included work in Biodel's three main fields (molecular biology, cell biology, and immunology) as well as cancer chemotherapy and enzymology.These contracts are secured by Dr. Feldman through his relationships with other scientists. The revenue from research products also comes from the three main fields of Biodel. Nucleotides from the molecular biology area account for 50% of revenues, cell growth factors from the cell biology field account for 40%, and immunodiagnostics products account for the other 10%. Research product sales have been growing 35% over the last few years, even with limited marketing efforts. However, Biodel is being outcompeted in the immunodiagnostics market and further growth is not being pursued.Biodel has a very small staff, with the company split up into five different sections: the comptroller, advertising and sales, and then an experienced scientist manages each main field of the company. The scientists who manage their fields are all in charge of research and development, production, and even have some marketing responsibility. Dr. Feldman does not employ a marketing manager or a research director, instead filling both roles by himself. Feldman's style of management is very informal, preferring to walk around and talk to his employees rather than have them do unnecessary paperwork.The company itself is run more like an academic facility than a business, with the atmosphere more leaning towards challenging each other and making technological advances. In addition, employee turnover is very low so most of the staff is very experienced with the work that the company is doing. The staff is led by Dr. Feldman, who represents the main reason for low employee turnover. Biodel employees describe him as a u nique and enthusiastic man, and the reason why the company is so successful. Marketing had been a very inconsistent department, with Dr. Feldman usually assuming all of the major marketing responsibilities.But when Dr. Feldman decided that he needed to market his company more aggressively he hired Mr. Steve Kaplan who had been a marketing manager at a large pharmaceutical company. However, Mr. Kaplan and Dr. Feldman soon disagreed on who should direct Biodel's marketing strategy. Kaplan proceeded to spend a large amount of money on marketing, including hiring additional salespeople and other staff. These changes resulted in a 65% increase in sales, but marketing costs increased by 500%, which resulted in profits dropping from $95,000 in 1978 to $17,000 in 1979. As a result, Dr. Feldman is reconsidering Mr.Kaplan's direction in the marketing department. OPPORTUNITIES First, Biodel had under development a synthetic serum that would be used to satisfy growth requirements in cells. This would be an innovative product that could be a substitute for natural fetal calf serum and horse serum. However, a major problem with the fetal serum is the unstable fluctuation in cost. The cost is determined by the supply of the serum and the supply is determined by the number of calves that are slaughtered. The synthetic serum could offer a steady rate. The market is projected at $50 to $80 million.Biodel would have a competitive advantage over the competition and could attain 20% of the market share if they pursue this project. A big problem with this project is the uncertainty that Biodel will be able to receive a patent. That provides a major risk in this investment. Second, another project is available that is extremely intriguing to us. Biodel has the opportunity to produce a new product called DEMA. DEMA is a testing technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity. This product could be used to test for pregnancy, syphilis, hepatitis, cancer, toxins in food and carcinogens in the environment.DEMA is a healthier, safer, faster and cheaper way of testing than the radioactive method. There are no hazards or side effects to DEMA and it can provide the same results as radioactive tests. The problem with this project is the financial aspect. It is more expensive than the synthetic serum. Investments could total in the millions and the R costs could range from $1 to $3 million. However, this project has drawn the attention of major drug companies who are willing to participate in a joint venture with Biodel, which would help with the costs of the investment. Third, Biodel has been thinking about joining the genetic engineering field.The company has basic but not wide experience if this field but they have been a major supplier of molecular biology products. At the moment, there are four major competitors in the market; Cetus, Genentech, Genex and Biogen. The basic purpose of this field is to engineer a cell to produce a specific biological pr oduct. Competitors use the bacterium E. coli as their host cell, for the most part. Biodel has the opportunity to enter the market with a new strategy that involves the use of yeast as the host cell instead of E. coli. He and three other scientists believe that yeast would be a better host cell than E. coli.Yeast has a biochemical machinery that can allow the growth of medically relevant glycoproteins such as Interferon and Urokinase. These glycoproteins are used to inhibit the multiplication of cancerous cells and to disrupt blood clots. The investment costs for this project would be high, including salaries that Biodel would pay for Dr. Ballantine and three other highly successful scientists to work for them. However, the return on such an investment could be immense. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The Biodel Board of Directors should hold annual or semi-annual Board meetings to review company progress. Dr. Feldman should delegate more.The Board should be expanded by 1 or 2 people to achieve greater diversity and breadth of expertise. Succession planning should be considered in case Dr. Feldman died, or a division head left. 2. Mr. Kaplan’s marketing group should be streamlined and asked to focus on a marketing strategy for DEMA. The marketing group can probably be reduced to lower costs while maintaining the increase in research product sales. Challenge Kaplan to analyze the marketing group to understand the most valuable parts versus parts that are expendable. 3. Among the growth opportunities to pursue, the synthetic growth factor option does not seem likely to succeed.Although it is the least expensive investment, there is uncertainty that the patent protection can be obtained. Furthermore, researchers accustomed to fetal bovine serum may be unlikely to abandon a tried and true method. In contrast, the DEMA technology is a unique opportunity for Biodel. It eliminates the risks and hazards associated with radioactivity, which researchers would appreciate. Ther e is a high likelihood of patent protection. Based on the information in the case, the company needs a better understanding of how to bring this product to market.This could be a great project for Kaplan’s smaller marketing group. 4. Pursue Genetic Engineering, with the advice and guidance of the four academic experts. This is an important initiative and Biodel’s connections with the prize-winning scientists are important. They should be paid per diems and offered stock options. One of the four also should be invited to join the Biodel Board of Directors. APPENDIX A SWOT Analysis S- Strengths Biotechnology special expertise by the 1970’s in – (three prime areas of focus/ other fields) 1.Cell biology – culture technology paid off 60% share growth factor market 40% offspring sales 2. Molecular biology – DNA paid off 60% share growth factor market – stocked largest commercially available synthetic nucleotides (50% of sales) 3. Immunodiag nostics biology a. Sub categories – Cancer chemotherapy – Enzymology Offered high-quality technological advice, numerous links to scientific community, highly sophisticated research and development service Feldman was able to secure contracts with his personal relationships with scientists in the government and industry Low employee turnoverW – Weaknesses Molecular biology – — researchers used numerous substitutes Immunodiagnostics biology large firms aggressively entered and has not expanded since 10% of sales of research products -1980 – profitability varied on depending on intensity of product research and development By the 1980’s 60% of company’s revenue was from commercializing research Reliant on government contracts when they started making cut backs – 85% contracts are government – forcing Biodel into 1st layoff (damaging to long-term otential) 55 employees scientists and technicians — no marketing manager or research director hired (Feldman filled both positions with widespread contacts and scientific expertise) Staff meetings rare and no regular reports required from subordinates Poor Marketing – Products sold by mail Depends on word of mouth – trade shows, advertising, direct mail, ad phone solicitation — customer service â€Å"almost laughable† O – OpportunitiesGoal to manufacture and market biochemical products developed through their own research Cell Biology – synthetic serums to satisfy growth requirements in cell lines of tissue culture – replacing natural fetal calf serum (most widely used, horse serum was 2nd most widely used). Market of 50 million domestically and 80 million worldwide growing at 15%– no systematic analysis of serum market done Immunodiagnostics- opportunity to enter the market – new test technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity – new product DEMA – s impler, faster, and less expensive.Market in excess of $100 million and has potential to be over $1 billion. High possibility for a patent and a joint venture with a major drug company. Genetic engineering – exciting advantages/high return on investments Supplier of molecular biology products – nucleotides and synthetic genes sold – supported by genetic engineers – some cases biodel was soul supplier T – Threats Relying on government contracts lead them to the threat of bankruptcy Biodel’s spending strategies APPENDIX B Biodel Inc BUAD 490 3/14/13 Team Written Case Analysis (Concise) Biodel, Inc. BIODEL INC. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Biodel’s use of biotechnology expertise in the three prime areas of Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Immunodiagnostics has led their company into some great opportunities. Biodel created a synthetic serum to replace fetal calf serum and horse serum, and provide a more consistently available product for scientific researchers. Biodel’s Molecular Biology division used DNA technology to gain 60% of the market share of growth factors and stock the largest collection of commercially available synthetic nucleotides, which was 50% of their sales.Biodel’s research and development in Immunodiagnostics led to the invention of DEMA, a non-radioactive method for measuring a wide array of biologically important substance. The intelligence and vision of Dr. Oscar Feldman drove Biodel to a position of leadership in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Feldman has applied innovations in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology and Immunodiagnostics to increase market share for Biodel’s products. Dr. Feldman’s scientific friends and academic contacts offered Biodel high-quality technological advice and links to scientific community, and led to sophisticated research and development advances.Now the company is at a crossroad with decisions and direction necessary. In addition to strategic planning, the company would benefit from a modest re-structuring to streamline operations and prepare for unexpected events. Their future investments should be in areas where patent protection is likely, and in directions and projects that exploit their native expertise in molecular biology and genetic engineering. These technologies seem likely to transform health care in the next two decades.Having survived the threat of bankruptcy, Biodel now has a more balanced contract research portfolio and is poised to develop an even greater impact in the future. CURRENT SITUATION Bi odel's projected revenues for 1980 consist of $1 million in contract research, and around $1. 5 million in research products. The contract research revenue was split 70% from industrial research, and 30% government research. This research included work in Biodel's three main fields (molecular biology, cell biology, and immunology) as well as cancer chemotherapy and enzymology.These contracts are secured by Dr. Feldman through his relationships with other scientists. The revenue from research products also comes from the three main fields of Biodel. Nucleotides from the molecular biology area account for 50% of revenues, cell growth factors from the cell biology field account for 40%, and immunodiagnostics products account for the other 10%. Research product sales have been growing 35% over the last few years, even with limited marketing efforts. However, Biodel is being outcompeted in the immunodiagnostics market and further growth is not being pursued.Biodel has a very small staff, with the company split up into five different sections: the comptroller, advertising and sales, and then an experienced scientist manages each main field of the company. The scientists who manage their fields are all in charge of research and development, production, and even have some marketing responsibility. Dr. Feldman does not employ a marketing manager or a research director, instead filling both roles by himself. Feldman's style of management is very informal, preferring to walk around and talk to his employees rather than have them do unnecessary paperwork.The company itself is run more like an academic facility than a business, with the atmosphere more leaning towards challenging each other and making technological advances. In addition, employee turnover is very low so most of the staff is very experienced with the work that the company is doing. The staff is led by Dr. Feldman, who represents the main reason for low employee turnover. Biodel employees describe him as a u nique and enthusiastic man, and the reason why the company is so successful. Marketing had been a very inconsistent department, with Dr. Feldman usually assuming all of the major marketing responsibilities.But when Dr. Feldman decided that he needed to market his company more aggressively he hired Mr. Steve Kaplan who had been a marketing manager at a large pharmaceutical company. However, Mr. Kaplan and Dr. Feldman soon disagreed on who should direct Biodel's marketing strategy. Kaplan proceeded to spend a large amount of money on marketing, including hiring additional salespeople and other staff. These changes resulted in a 65% increase in sales, but marketing costs increased by 500%, which resulted in profits dropping from $95,000 in 1978 to $17,000 in 1979. As a result, Dr. Feldman is reconsidering Mr.Kaplan's direction in the marketing department. OPPORTUNITIES First, Biodel had under development a synthetic serum that would be used to satisfy growth requirements in cells. This would be an innovative product that could be a substitute for natural fetal calf serum and horse serum. However, a major problem with the fetal serum is the unstable fluctuation in cost. The cost is determined by the supply of the serum and the supply is determined by the number of calves that are slaughtered. The synthetic serum could offer a steady rate. The market is projected at $50 to $80 million.Biodel would have a competitive advantage over the competition and could attain 20% of the market share if they pursue this project. A big problem with this project is the uncertainty that Biodel will be able to receive a patent. That provides a major risk in this investment. Second, another project is available that is extremely intriguing to us. Biodel has the opportunity to produce a new product called DEMA. DEMA is a testing technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity. This product could be used to test for pregnancy, syphilis, hepatitis, cancer, toxins in food and carcinogens in the environment.DEMA is a healthier, safer, faster and cheaper way of testing than the radioactive method. There are no hazards or side effects to DEMA and it can provide the same results as radioactive tests. The problem with this project is the financial aspect. It is more expensive than the synthetic serum. Investments could total in the millions and the R costs could range from $1 to $3 million. However, this project has drawn the attention of major drug companies who are willing to participate in a joint venture with Biodel, which would help with the costs of the investment. Third, Biodel has been thinking about joining the genetic engineering field.The company has basic but not wide experience if this field but they have been a major supplier of molecular biology products. At the moment, there are four major competitors in the market; Cetus, Genentech, Genex and Biogen. The basic purpose of this field is to engineer a cell to produce a specific biological pr oduct. Competitors use the bacterium E. coli as their host cell, for the most part. Biodel has the opportunity to enter the market with a new strategy that involves the use of yeast as the host cell instead of E. coli. He and three other scientists believe that yeast would be a better host cell than E. coli.Yeast has a biochemical machinery that can allow the growth of medically relevant glycoproteins such as Interferon and Urokinase. These glycoproteins are used to inhibit the multiplication of cancerous cells and to disrupt blood clots. The investment costs for this project would be high, including salaries that Biodel would pay for Dr. Ballantine and three other highly successful scientists to work for them. However, the return on such an investment could be immense. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The Biodel Board of Directors should hold annual or semi-annual Board meetings to review company progress. Dr. Feldman should delegate more.The Board should be expanded by 1 or 2 people to achieve greater diversity and breadth of expertise. Succession planning should be considered in case Dr. Feldman died, or a division head left. 2. Mr. Kaplan’s marketing group should be streamlined and asked to focus on a marketing strategy for DEMA. The marketing group can probably be reduced to lower costs while maintaining the increase in research product sales. Challenge Kaplan to analyze the marketing group to understand the most valuable parts versus parts that are expendable. 3. Among the growth opportunities to pursue, the synthetic growth factor option does not seem likely to succeed.Although it is the least expensive investment, there is uncertainty that the patent protection can be obtained. Furthermore, researchers accustomed to fetal bovine serum may be unlikely to abandon a tried and true method. In contrast, the DEMA technology is a unique opportunity for Biodel. It eliminates the risks and hazards associated with radioactivity, which researchers would appreciate. Ther e is a high likelihood of patent protection. Based on the information in the case, the company needs a better understanding of how to bring this product to market.This could be a great project for Kaplan’s smaller marketing group. 4. Pursue Genetic Engineering, with the advice and guidance of the four academic experts. This is an important initiative and Biodel’s connections with the prize-winning scientists are important. They should be paid per diems and offered stock options. One of the four also should be invited to join the Biodel Board of Directors. APPENDIX A SWOT Analysis S- Strengths Biotechnology special expertise by the 1970’s in – (three prime areas of focus/ other fields) 1.Cell biology – culture technology paid off 60% share growth factor market 40% offspring sales 2. Molecular biology – DNA paid off 60% share growth factor market – stocked largest commercially available synthetic nucleotides (50% of sales) 3. Immunodiag nostics biology a. Sub categories – Cancer chemotherapy – Enzymology Offered high-quality technological advice, numerous links to scientific community, highly sophisticated research and development service Feldman was able to secure contracts with his personal relationships with scientists in the government and industry Low employee turnoverW – Weaknesses Molecular biology – — researchers used numerous substitutes Immunodiagnostics biology large firms aggressively entered and has not expanded since 10% of sales of research products -1980 – profitability varied on depending on intensity of product research and development By the 1980’s 60% of company’s revenue was from commercializing research Reliant on government contracts when they started making cut backs – 85% contracts are government – forcing Biodel into 1st layoff (damaging to long-term otential) 55 employees scientists and technicians — no marketing manager or research director hired (Feldman filled both positions with widespread contacts and scientific expertise) Staff meetings rare and no regular reports required from subordinates Poor Marketing – Products sold by mail Depends on word of mouth – trade shows, advertising, direct mail, ad phone solicitation — customer service â€Å"almost laughable† O – OpportunitiesGoal to manufacture and market biochemical products developed through their own research Cell Biology – synthetic serums to satisfy growth requirements in cell lines of tissue culture – replacing natural fetal calf serum (most widely used, horse serum was 2nd most widely used). Market of 50 million domestically and 80 million worldwide growing at 15%– no systematic analysis of serum market done Immunodiagnostics- opportunity to enter the market – new test technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity – new product DEMA – s impler, faster, and less expensive.Market in excess of $100 million and has potential to be over $1 billion. High possibility for a patent and a joint venture with a major drug company. Genetic engineering – exciting advantages/high return on investments Supplier of molecular biology products – nucleotides and synthetic genes sold – supported by genetic engineers – some cases biodel was soul supplier T – Threats Relying on government contracts lead them to the threat of bankruptcy Biodel’s spending strategies APPENDIX B

Movie Crash Essay Essay

The film â€Å"Crash† written and directed by Paul Haggis was taken place in Los Angeles. This movie illustrates how discrimination and prejudice has affected our everyday lives, due to the misconceptions we have of each other. All the characters in this movie are either victims of prejudice and discrimination or are guilty of it. To help us give more understanding about this movie I am comparing the movie Crash to Joseph Healey textbook, Race, Ethnicity, Gender & Class. In this movie we see a wide range and depth of prejudice and discrimination and it is not only the whites who are prejudice or discriminate but also minorities who are prejudiced and discriminate against other minorities. For better understanding first we need to learn the meaning of prejudice and discrimination. According to Joseph Healey â€Å"Prejudice is tendency of individuals to think and feel in negative ways about members of other groups.† Discrimination on the other hand, is actual, overt, individual behavior† (Healey 96). Healey thinks these two concepts do not always occur together. Healey believes that there are four different combinations of prejudice and discrimination. The first one is Timid bigot, Healey asserts, â€Å"A person who is prejudiced but doesn’t discriminate is a timid bigot† (Healey 96), An example of this is shown in the beginning of the movie Crash, when Dorri and her father, Farhad, are in a gun shop and the owner of the gun shop makes references to Osama bin Laden and Jihad thinking Farhad was Arab. When Dorri tells the gun shop owner that â€Å"You can give me the gun or give me back the money and I am really hoping for the money† (Crash), the gun shop owner gives her the gun because he is in a gun shop business for the money. This scene from the movie Crash shows a perfect example of timid bigotry; the gun shop owner is prejudiced but doesn’t discriminate due to his nature of work, he is a business owner and his interest is to make money. The second combination of prejudice and discrimination Healey mentions in his book is â€Å"Fair-Weather Liberal.† Healey states that â€Å"a person who discriminates without being prejudiced is fair-weather liberal.†(Healey 96). It’s more  like Officer Hansen who gets upset with Officer Ryan’s treatment to Cameron and Christine; he watched this whole scene but couldn’t stop Officer Ryan who is superior of him. He files a complaint against Officer Ryan and obtains his own squad car. Officer Hansen didn’t say anything to Officer Ryan instead he went back to his department and took an action against Officer Ryan. The third combination of prejudice and discrimination Healey mentions in his book is â€Å"All Weather Bigot† is when a â€Å"person is prejudiced and does discriminate† (Healey 96). In this case we can relate this definition to Officer John Ryan, who is white and racist against all color of people. Right after learning that the person who is handling his ailing father’s insurance case is black; he decides to take his frustration out by pulling over Cameron and his wife, who were black. This is also an example of the Scapegoat Hypothesis mentioned in Healey’s book, which describes how â€Å"people sometimes deal with personal failure or disappointment by expressing their anger on a substitute target, not against the object or person that actually caused their frustration† (Healey 98). In this case, Cameron was driving and did not violate any law; still Officer Ryan treated him and his wife Christine as inferior, and went so far as to molest Christine right front of her husband. Officer Ryan showed prejudice and discrimination by misusing his powers; he held Cameron and Christine until they surrendered their dignity. On the other hand, I believe Officer Ryan is not a bad person, because he is fighting for his ailing father and later in the movie he also saves Christine when she gets into car explosion. These different scenes from the movie illustrate that Officer Ryan who is racially prejudiced is ironically both villain and hero. The last combination of prejudice and discrimination Healey mentions in his book is â€Å"All-Weather Liberal† â€Å"a person who is neither prejudiced nor discriminate† (Healey 96). The best example for all weather liberal in the movie Crash is Daniel the locksmith. In the whole movie I did not see Daniel being racially prejudiced against any character. He is very quiet and the peaceful person in the whole movie and due to nature of his work, he usually works late at night. However, to me it seemed like that he doesn’t really care about working late nights rather he wants to spend more time with his family. Moreover, Crash demonstrates some other examples of stereotyping that are  mentioned in Healey’s book. According to Healey’s book, â€Å"Stereotypes are exaggerated overgeneralization† (Healey 99). It means that people often have distorted perception of another person or a group. They are based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, physical appearance and many other factors. An example can also relate to Daniel the locksmith, who comes to change the door locks for Jean and Rick’s house. By looking at his appearance and tattoo Jean sees him as a gang banger. She thinks after he leaves from her house he is going to give a copy of her house keys to his gang members and they will come to rob her house. That’s why she asks her husband Rick to get the locks changed again in the morning. Jean stereotyped Daniel based on his appearance. To me Daniel is a good guy, but Jean didn’t think of him as a family man. By looking at his appearance she made her judgment and thought of him as a gang banger but nothing else. There are some other terms that are mentioned in Healey’s book that can be related to the scenes in the movie. Another term from Healey’s book that is closely related to the movie Crash is â€Å"Selective Perception,† which means that â€Å"people often see what they expect to see, so stereotypes are often confirmed in a vicious circle.† The example can relate to Officer Hansen; from the first scene he is in, we can tell that he is not prejudiced and it seemed to me that Officer Hansen doesn’t have lots of experience with people outside of his race. In the movie he helps Peter, who is walking on the road side, by offering him a lift. This was the first time Officer Hansen seen prejudiced in the whole movie. Peter began laughing without explanation and Officer Hansen asked him to leave the car. Peter wanted to show him what he had in his pocket that was so funny. While Peter was reaching in his pocket, Offer Hansen panicked and shot Peter, who was innocent. That was the first time Officer Hansen had shown prejudiced; even though he was shown as a good man in the movie, he end up killing an innocent man. I think Office Hansen shot peter because he was afraid that his own life might be in a risk. Officer Hansen thought Peter was reaching his pocket for some kind of weapon and in seconds he made his decision and fire at Peter. The movie Crash shows many aspects of prejudice and discrimination. Crash explores many social encounters that are defined by different characters of  the movie. I think Crash represents the race relations in America and shows that how misconceptions and lack of communication makes our life situations very unstable. On the other hand, Healey’s Book Race, Ethnicity, Gender & Class have helped us with more understanding of prejudice and discrimination by giving us different combinations of racism and prejudice and by providing all important definitions. He even mentions that education have helped us with better understating of each other. But in my opinion we will never have that fully understanding of each other because somewhere on the line we forget who we are and the different people we are dealing with. Most time we think we don’t prejudiced or discriminate and sometimes we don’t even realize that we are prejudicing and discriminating against other people. I guess we are in modern racism.

Training Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Training Plan - Essay Example The training will involve a variety of instructional materials. To be specific, training manuals in form of booklets will be used, alongside visual aids which will be used during the presentations. In the booklet will be contained organized list of all the required items. This will range from technical terminologies involved during the construction, safety equipment that will be used during construction, and necessary procedures and processes that count much in the venture. The arrangement of these items is done alphabetically to ensure for easy access by each worker. It also ensures that there is a quick reference guide that would readily assist in addressing the unavoidable cultural diversity amongst the taskforce (CTRE, 2005). The taskforce and issues accruing- This is a component that must be incorporated in order to assist the supervisor to understand the play ground that will be involved during the construction process. This gives a systemized structure that will ensure every member within the company structure fits in their place and work effectively. The basic issues that amount to the task force revolve around three main items, thus; creation of awareness, building of individual skills and planning in order to take action (CTRE, 2005). Creation of Awareness- This is the phase that aims at enlightening all the participants that would be involved in the task force of building and construction all the processes. It cuts across the hierarchy divides, starting from the supervisor all the way down to other workers. The workers must also know such risks that will be involved like falling objects, chemical mixtures, man holes, poisonous gases and fumes, and in exchange observe individual safety measure. Alongside the aforementioned, the supervisor must be aware of the cultural diversification at the work place and come up with amicable measures in addressing it; alongside the help that

Business and Corporate Law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business and Corporate Law - Coursework Example Therefore, the study covers advice to a director on issues of legal implication of incorporating a company, the duties of a director, consequences of breach of duty by a director, the doctrine of ultra vires, the raise of capital by a Company, and types of capital and the naming of a Company. Rather than a partnership, which pertains to a business carried out by two or more individuals after coming into existence through registration under the UK Partnership Act of 1980. The partners have individual liability; an incorporated private company limited by shares means a company with two to fifty shareholders whose liability to the company debts becomes limited to the shares they contribute to the Company (Charlesworth 2005, p. 43).The Company must be registered under the UK Companies Act of 2006, an Act that regulates the governance of incorporated Companies. Therefore, the promoters of Dart Company operate now under a different act with different roles and responsibility distinct from those of partnership. Once incorporated or registered, Oliver M.S &Marshall, (1994) argue that the Company from the date of incorporation, mentioned in the certificate of incorporation becomes an artificial legal person or body corporate capable of the following: having a separate legal personality where the company acts solely rather than dragging the names of the shareholders in to the dealings; having limited liability, now the shareholders of Dart Company have liability to the Company debts limited to the shares held in the Company; having the ability to own property; having locus standi of suing, so legal suits come under the name Dart Limited Company rather than the share holders names (Oliver M.S &Marshall, 1994, p. 104). Similarly, having perpetual succession where the company cannot die naturally but legally, therefore, even if the shareholders of Dart Company where to die the company could survive and the shares be vested on the heirs. In

George Orwell's 1984 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

George Orwell's 1984 - Essay Example The ideology followed by the government is Ingsoc, or English Socialism, and represents what the socialist revolution has evolved into in the English speaking state of Oceania. The single party government is totalitarian and has a carefully constructed structure to perpetuate its rule. This structure is founded on basic principles of restricting freedom of thought, surveillance of population, perpetual war, and obliteration of history and facts. Strictly enforced class difference is also part of the government’s philosophy of a way to stay in power. Restriction on independent thinking is enforced by creating a new language called Newspeak, devoid of any words or phrases even remotely linked to freedom or independent thought. Everyone in the state is expected to learn and adopt Newspeak and the party’s rationale is that, over time, all vocabulary relating to freedom would be removed from the language and, therefore, thought could be controlled. The party believes that since all crimes and negativity originate initially from a thought, people in the state can be controlled by controlling thought itself1. Another dimension of thought control is the concept of Doublethink. Doublethink allows the government to construct realities by introducing lies which could be told blatantly, believing them to be true. This is done by manipulating distortion of belief where contradictory meanings of words and situations are accepted. The government, depending on its needs, could change the context and use alternate meanings to suit itself at any time. Changing these contexts and creating justifications to lies is done through obliterating or changing history itself. Any references in history which are contrary to desired contexts are removed and, as a consequence, a lie is taken as reality. In Orwell’s words, this was â€Å"controlled insanity† through which the government controlled

Medical Malpractice Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Medical Malpractice - Case Study Example The decision of the trial court was raised on appeal to the COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FOURTH CIRCUIT. The plaintiff, Sheila Webb, instituted the action in connection with the death of her son, Rodney Comeaux, the alleged victim of the medical malpractice. The main ground of the suit she filed was the negligence of the attending medical doctors and of the hospital appurtenant to the duty of the latter to closely monitor the said patient through its nursing staff. Rodney Comeaux died at the hospital on July 21, 1988. The defendants, on the other hand, were (a) the Tulane Medical Center Hospital where Rodney Comeaux was entered for confinement and diagnosis, and (b) a certain Dr. Abe Andes, a doctor of medicine supposedly specializing in hematology, who attended to the patient, decedent Rodney Comeaux. The civil complaint was filed with the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans which had original jurisdiction over the matter pursuant to the Rules for Louisiana District Courts. (TITLE II RULES FOR CIVIL PROCEEDINGS IN DISTRICT COURTS (EXCEPT FOR FAMILY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS AND JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS. RULES FOR LOUISIANA DISTRICT COURTS. [internet]). After the decision was handed down by the trial court, the matters at issue were raised on appeal to the COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FOURTH CIRCUIT, which had appellate jurisdiction over the suit in accordance with the applicable procedures.(Rule 1-2. Title and Scope of Rules. UNIFORM RULES LOUISIANA COURTS OF APPEALS. THE STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL FOURTH CIRCUIT. [internet]) The facts of the case Rodney Comeaux was full of complicated health problems since when he was young. Diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia at an early age of six months, Rodney was never in perfect health. Sickle Cell Anemia (or SCA for short) is a genetic abnormality in blood which is incurable. He had continuously suffered from pneumonia bouts and the anemia predicaments. During the month of June in 1988, Rodney, aged twenty three by then, complained of chest pains and stomach discomforts. He was brought to defendant Tulane Medical Center for admission. Dr. Abe Andes, the medical director of the hospital, attended to him. Released from the medical confinement on July 6, 1988, Rodney was prescribed an oral antibiotic called Keflex. He was advised to come back for an appointment with Dr. Andes on July 12 of that same year, specifically at two thirty in the afternoon of that date. Dr. Andes wrote down his findings as pulmonary infarction versus pneumonia. Before Dr. Andes, Rodney Comeaux was being treated at the SCA clinic by a certain Dr. Frempong, the the director of the said clinic. It was only in 1986 that Dr. Andes took over from Dr. Frempong. Hours before the designated visit on July 12, 1988, Rodney showed up at the SCA clinic where he complained of chest pain and request to meet Dr. Andes. The latter was then preoccupied attending to other patients who had prior

Household Saving In Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Household Saving In Australia - Essay Example Though the household savings rate has improved since bottoming out in 2003, they are still well below typical historical levels. After reaching a high of nearly 15 percent by the 1980s, there has been a steady decline, which hit a modern low of -2.7 percent in 2003 (Statistics portal 2009). The level has remained low and has shown no correlation to the rate of GDP growth during the last 30 years (Statistics portal 2009). However, the declining rate has a significant correlation to the personal debt to income ratio, as "in the 1980's, the average household owed less than $50 in debt for every $100 in income. In just 15 years, the ratio has tripled to almost $160 in debt for every $100 of income" (Gilbert & Disney, 2007, p.1). People are using disposable income to pay down and manage their debt, and there are little left for saving. Individually there are numerous reasons why an individual may choose to put some money aside, or fail to save anything. However, as a population there are some trends. Almost 75 percent of the people that make less than 20K per year had any savings, and this figure increased with income reaching 95 percent for those making over 60K (Harris, Loundes, & Webster 2002, p.209). In addition, people making over 60K were twice as likely to be saving for retirement, while those that make less than 20K were saving for an unforeseen emergency (Harris, Loundes, & Webster 2002, p.209). It has also been reported that women tend to save more than their male counterparts due to their living longer and having more retirement years (Loundes 1999, p.22). Superannuation and other 'forced' mechanisms for savings have been credited for the slight rebound in savings levels in recent years. Societies that saved have traditionally been thought to have healthy economies, but too much saving may reduce demand and slow the economy. Demand side economists suggest that in times of an economic slowdown, consumers and the government should borrow and spend rather than save. According to Skousen (2001, p.362), "if the public decides to save more during an economic turndown, it only makes matters worse". Consumers purchase fewer products, industry lays off workers, and there is less income to save. However, critics of demand side policies contend that increased savings would "have a favourable effect on interest rates, the rate of inflation, the current account deficit and future living standards" (Vamos 2008). The debate on individual savings is no less contentious than it was 75 years ago when Keynes argued that we could spend our way out of a depression. In conclusion, Australia has been following the world trend of a reduced level of savings for the last 30 years. In the current economic downturn, the time may not be ideal to recommend saving for the general public. However, for the individual there is never a wrong time. Savings may be needed for an unforeseen emergency or for their coming retirement, as well as help stabilize an economy that is already in a significant downturn. References Gilbert, R & Disney, S (eds.) 2007, Australia's National Saving Revisited: Where do we stand now, Press release from IFSA's National Savings Report, Sydney, AU, viewed 14 May

Reading Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Reading Reflection - Essay Example It helps bring out the element of suspicion in the story. When one is reading any literary work, it is necessary for the reader to shift from the real world to the imaginary world where he understands the story better (Guerin, 2005). The title of the book piqued my interest to know what Walter might be doing in the secret world and hiding it away from the real world. In his daydreams, Walter is portrayed as a man of high esteem. It would therefore be necessary for me as the reader to know the secret behind Walters’ high esteem. In the first instance of his daydream, the crew insinuates that the, â€Å"old man will get us through, he is not afraid of hell†. This instance creates an image of a man who is not afraid of situations. It is also interesting to know why other members hold the man in such a high esteem in his group. The scenes portrayed in the daydreams sustain my interest in the story. The first instance of a daydream Walter is a commander, the second daydream he is a famous surgeon attending to a millionaire. The last second daydream Walter is a witness in a courtroom whereas the last instance of a daydream, he is a captain of a warplane. My interest in this story was driven by the desire to know whether Walter wanted to become some of the people described in the daydreams in his real life. ... The reader should account his feelings with certain aspects in the literary work that makes him have the feelings. This approach requires the reader to connect with the story, and assess the insight that the connection with the story brought (David, 1984). It is also paramount for the reader to consider the connection with the story and other stories that he has read. He should then evaluate if the connection added anything new to what he already knew. In this story, there is a connection with the Walter’s day dreaming behavior. The daydreams in this story, which help the reader to connect with the story, enable one to understand the meaning of the story. Walter’s daydreams are all frenzied ranging from flying in the middle of a deadly storm, working with faulty machines in surgery room, as well as facing a firing squad boldly. It is evident that the daydreams may be prompted by the chaos in his life brought about by his relationship with his wife. His wife is portrayed as a person who always quarrels with Walter over one thing or another. The aspect of Walter daydreaming is a means of escaping tribulations in his real life. He wants to escape to a world where he is in control of his own situations. He escapes from the real world to an imaginary world where he is in control of his own affairs. It is however worth to note that his escapism leads him to more troubles. In one instance as he is daydreaming, he is unable to pack the car correctly only to be assisted by the packing attendant. While heading to town with his wife, he daydreams and ends up over speeding the car. His daydreaming behavior also makes him forgetful. He forgets what his wife requested him to buy before they left home. The style of telling the story helps us to

What is Education Policy Policymaking, Policy Implementation, the Essay

What is Education Policy Policymaking, Policy Implementation, the State, Ideology and Interest Groups - Essay Example While this articulation of the experiences learners are expected to undergo is quite vital to learning, it would not pay without a proper educational policy making and implementation by all stakeholders in the education sector (Ball, 2009a). The role of education policy in the realization of academic and professional growth for learners cannot thus be overemphasised. In its general sense, an education policy refers to the various systemic and structural arrangements by which the expected experiences and outcomes in an educational system can be achieved (Ball, 2009a). Importantly, these arrangements must maximize the attainment of these outcomes for students. However, in most cases, the policy structures and arrangements designed and implemented do not translate into the expected learning experience and outcomes. Unfortunately, the pressure piled upon schools, colleges, universities and their administrators, managers and teachers by stakeholders such as government authorities, school boards and parents for improved performance and experiences are partly responsible for the failed educational policies (Ball, 2009b). As a result of this kind of pressure, school managers and administrators end up having incoherent and mixed up policies that are not only hard to design but also to implement to fruition. Hence, instead of supporting learning institutions to achieve what is expected of them by the government and parents, schools end up failing due to excessive pressure and interest from the many stakeholders in the education system. Research has shown that there is not a single system of education and educational policy that would be best for all the stakeholders, including learners, teachers, parents, local communities, school boards and the regulatory bodies such as the central government. In education, just like other social issues, policies depend on various aspects of life in the target population (Les, 2006). In other words, education policy solutions are more based on case-to-case scenario instead of universal standards. Hence, discrepancies on education standards must be addressed based on th e immediate situation, which obviously has its complex and intertwined social, cultural and economic issues. Nonetheless, solving educational policy issues in whatever setting is never a complex task; all stakeholders are expected to do is to step aside and let education policy experts to design, develop, implement, evaluate, monitor, and reform education policy. These experts are also expected to incorporate the input of all educational stakeholders in executing their mandate. State and local skills and knowledge, educators, communities, parents are some of the stakeholders who must be involved in these exercises to design educational systems that function to achieve the expected experiences and objectives. This paper explores the concept of education policy with regards to policy making, implementation, ideology and interest groups or stakeholders. The Ideology and the Making of Education Policy Many an education policy is based on a market-based education system and reforms chara cterised by programs and strategies that promote choices and ready solutions to social, economic, political and cultural problems (Hanushek & Woessmann, 2008). However, some oppose this ideology for education, arguing that such an approach misperceives the function and objectives of education. In addition, the market-based approach to education is considered to weaken and threaten the democratic philosophies of education. However, both ideologies have been shown to have strengths and weakness and each jurisdiction may weight its options before adopting the ideology on which to base their

Assess the hierarchical structure of the court system in England and Essay - 4

Assess the hierarchical structure of the court system in England and Wales. To what extent does the common law doctrine of binding precedent engage with this structure - Essay Example The structure of the courts that lie along all the three jurisdiction are always arranged in accordance to the cases subject matter that have been brought before the court instead of the source of the laws that will be applied in making rulings to the cases. The latter formed a strong basis for a great deal in the whole court structure in England and wales until towards the end of the nineteen-century, but some influence is still seen to date. All the other courts in the hierarchical structure of the legal system are bound to any decision and judgments made by the House of Lords. Despite this bond, the decision is only exempted to the House of Lords rulings itself. Previously, the House of Lords used to be bound to its decisions that were made in previous rulings until the practice was changed back in the year nineteen sixty-six. The old practice rationale was that the decision made by the highest court in the country was meant to be final so that certainty in the law would be and henceforth finality in litigation. However, due to changes seen in the social conditions, the law was changed. The current practice, therefore, enables the highest court that is the House of Lords to adapt to the laws of England and wales so that it can be able to meet the ever-changing social conditions. In addition, to enable the structure to be able to pay its attention to the decisions made by the superior courts within the commonwealth. The freedom bestowed upon the House of Lords currently to change its decision that it made previously creates recognition that law, whether it has been expressed in cases or printed in statutes, is considered to be living. Because of this, institutions must change to adapt to the circumstances under which these laws apply if practical relevance of the laws is to be retained. The court of appeal lies second in the ranking of the courts.

Recent Trends in Hrm Essay Example for Free

Recent Trends in Hrm Essay Indian organizations are also witnessing a change in systems, management cultures and philosophy due to the global alignment of Indian organizations. There is a need for multi skill development. Role of HRM is becoming all the more important. Some of the recent trends that are being observed are as follows: †¢ The recent quality management standards ISO 9001 and ISO 9004 of 2000 focus more on people centric organizations. Organizations now need to prepare themselves in order to address people centered issues with commitment from the top management, with renewed thrust on HR issues, more particularly on training. Charles Handy also advocated future organizational models like Shamrock, Federal and Triple I. Such organizational models also refocus on people centric issues and call for redefining the future role of HR professionals. †¢ To leapfrog ahead of competition in this world of uncertainty, organizations have introduced six- sigma practices. Six- sigma uses rigorous analytical tools with leadership from the top and develops a method for sustainable improvement. These practices improve organizational values and helps in creating defect free product or services at minimum cost. Human resource outsourcing is a new accession that makes a traditional HR department redundant in an organization. Exult, the international pioneer in HR BPO already roped in Bank of America, international players BP Amoco over the years plan to spread their business to most of the Fortune 500 companies. †¢ With the increase of global job mobility, recruiting competent people is also increasingly becoming difficult, especially in India. Therefore by creating an enabling culture, organizations are also required to work out a retention strategy for the existing skilled manpower. NEW TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL HRM International HRM places greater emphasis on a number of responsibilities and functions such as relocation, orientation and translation services to help employees adapt to a new and different environment outside their own country. Selection of employees requires careful evaluation of the personal characteristics of the candidate and his/her spouse. Training and development extends beyond information and orientation training to include sensitivity training and field experiences that will enable the manager to understand cultural differences better. Managers need to be protected from career development risks, re-entry problems and culture shock. To balance the pros and cons of home country and host country evaluations, performance evaluations should combine the two sources of appraisal information. Compensation systems should support the overall strategic intent of the organization but should be customized for local conditions. In many European countries Germany for one, law establishes representation. Organizations typically negotiate the agreement with the unions at a national level. In Europe it is more likely for salaried employees and managers to be unionized. HR Managers should do the following things to ensure success- †¢ Use workforce skills and abilities in order to exploit environmental opportunities and neutralize threats. †¢ Employ innovative reward plans that recognize employee contributions and grant enhancements. †¢ Indulge in continuous quality improvement through TQM and HR contributions like training, development, counseling, etc †¢ Utilize people with distinctive capabilities to create unsurpassed competence in an area, e. g. Xerox in photocopiers, 3M in adhesives, Telco in trucks etc. †¢ Lay off workers in a smooth way explaining facts to unions, workers and other affected groups e. g. IBM, Kodak, Xerox, etc. HR Managers today are focusing attention on the following- †¢ Policies- HR policies based on trust, openness, equity and consensus. †¢ Motivation- Create conditions in which people are willing to work with zeal, initiative and enthusiasm; make people feel like winners. †¢ Relations- Fair treatment of people and prompt redress of grievances would pave the way for healthy work-place relations. Change agent- Prepare workers to accept technological changes by clarifying doubts. †¢ Quality Consciousness- Commitment to quality in all aspects of personnel administration will ensure success. †¢ Due to the new trends in HR, in a nutshell the HR manager should treat people as resources, reward them equitably, and integrate their aspirations with corporate goals through suitable à ‚  India is being widely recognized as one of the most exciting emerging economics in the world. Besides becoming a global hub of outsourcing, Indian firms are spreading their wings globally through mergers and acquisitions. During the first four months of 1997, Indian companies have bought 34 foreign companies for about U. S. $11 billion dollars. This impressive development has been due to a growth in inputs (capital and labor) as well as factor productivity. By the year 2020, India is expected to add about 250 million to its labour pool at the rate of about 18 million a year, which is more than the entire labour force of Germany. This so called ‘demographic dividend’ has drawn a new interest in the Human Resource concepts and practices in India. Indian HRM in Transition One of the noteworthy features of the Indian workplace is demographic uniqueness. It is estimated that both China and India will have a population of 1. 45 billion people by 2030; however, India will have a larger workforce than China. Indeed, it is likely India will have 986 million people of working age in 2030, which will probably be about 300 million more than in 2007. And by 2050, it is expected India will have 230 million more workers than China and about 500 million more than the United States of America (U. S. ). It may be noted that half of India’s current population of 1. 1 billion people are under of 25 years of age. While this fact is a demographic dividend for the economy, it is also a danger sign for the country’s ability to create new jobs at an unprecedented rate. With the retirement age being 55 to 58 years of age in most public sector organizations, Indian workplaces are dominated by youth. Increasing the etirement age in critical areas like universities, schools, hospitals, research institutions and public service is a topic of considerable current debate and agenda of political parties. The divergent view, that each society has a unique set of national nuances, which guide particular managerial beliefs and actions, is being challenged in Indian society. An emerging dominant perspective is the influence of globalization on technological advancements, business management, and education and communication infrastructures are leading to a converging effect on managerial mindsets and business behaviors. And when India embraced liberalization and economic reform in the early 1990s, dramatic changes were set in motion in terms of corporate mindsets and HRM practices as a result of global imperatives and accompanying changes in societal priorities. Indeed, the onset of a burgeoning competitive service sector compelled a demographic shift in worker educational status and heightened the demand for job relevant skills as well as regional diversity. Expectedly, there has been a marked shift towards valuing human resources (HR) in Indian organizations as they become increasingly strategy driven as opposed to the culture of the status quo.

National Situation on OSH in Liberia

National Situation on OSH in Liberia Name of participant: Habib K.N Sheriff Proposals for the improvement the national situation on OSH in Liberia Introduction To protect workers health and safety, a system has to be in place to ensure that the health and safety of the employees are consistently protected void of type and class of work. This system must enforce workers protection independent of the employers will, i.e. the system must ensure that the employers doesnt act at his/her will and pleasure even if it endangers the health and safety of the employees. Currently, there exist no recognized structure/policy in Liberia; however, there are specialist organizations and government bodies with direct functions in specific OSH disciplines. Unfortunately, even these bodies are dormant. As the government is meant to protect its citizenry, they must take the lead in the protection of employees. As a significant responsibility, government is to ensure decent work for all workers which include safe work. This is not unique to Liberia; it is included in the ILO Convention on Occupational Health Services No. 161 describes the occupational health service as an integrated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary team entrusted with essentially preventive functions and responsible for advising employers, workers and their representatives in undertakings on improving health at work, improving the working environment, promoting workers health, adapting work to the physical and mental capabilities of workers, and the overall development of the structural and managerial aspects of the workplace needed for health and safety (Introduction to the National OSH System, 2015). The government of Liberia being a signatory to the Convention 155 and Recommendation 164 of Occupational Safety and Health, 1981 of the ILO must therefore develop a policy consistent with best practice and strongly supported by law and used it to enforce OSH best practice in the country. This policy must have the support most preferably of all branches of the government: an act endorse by parliament and signed into law, explained by the judiciary and enforced by the executive. In such way, the highest office i.e. the office of the President supports the document thereby giving it the much needed enforcement. Strength and weaknesses of current OSH structure of Liberia: Strength Currently, there are a number of government ministries responsible to execute various OSH duties in the Liberia. These ministries are supported by law to organized specialist teams that will assist the improvement of specific sector through engagement and enforcement. They are empower to varying extend depending on the body and task they have to perform. Some even have powers of arrest- Ministry of Gender and development has the power to arrest individuals involved in child labor practices and turn the culprit over to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution, while others have powers to issue stop order like those issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Labor. Weakness Unfortunately, there is little that is been done by each of these organization. They are either dormant or lacks the manpower and technical knowhow to execute their responsibilities. Also, the support from government is lacking in some area. A major challenge in the current structure is the definition of scope and responsibilities. Several ministries tend to repeat similar roles. This is worsened by very poor communication between line ministries on cross-functional subjects. This result to unnecessary repetition like during inspections, and multiple instructions to businesses in the implementation of OSH. Proposed structure: Foundation Policy is commonly defined as a specific, deliberate course of action adopted by a government or public body to help fulfil its mandate. Any policy must be anchored in, and derive its authority from, formal legal powers and obligations and is thus an important instrument for decision-making processes. (National OSH Governance, 2015 edition), considering this definition, OSH must be enacted as the genesis for the formation of the system all that follows. This act will be aimed at strengthening its derivatives- the resulting policies and procedure. This act will be implemented through the established structure within the national framework. There must be agencies with responsibilities to perform different roles and develop regulations and Code of practices. With the support of the act, agencies can be held liable for not implementing these regulations or failure to meet best practice as prescribe in the Code of practice. Overtime, there will be collective barging which will further aid the full implementation of the policy and where necessary, technical standards to will be given by the responsible agency/authority to ensure bottle-necks are remove. Stakeholders structure Liberia has numerous ministries with OSH responsibilities, these ministries must be properly coordinated through a Competent Authority (CA) this CA must be legislated and made semi-autonomous to ensure that it acts with neither fear nor favor. The body should be so constituted and empower to countercheck the activities of line ministries responsible for the enforcement of OSH related issues in the country. For instance, in as much as health related subject falls within the ambit of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), the CA should have the overall responsibility to check the ministry and ensure that agencies are complying with regulations. Same must apply to the ministry of Labor which oversees labor related issues. The CA will oversee a tripartite council constituted by line ministries with OSH duties, private companies and workers council; also either as a part of the workers council or subsidiary bodies are the insurance and Traditional representation. This body- tripartite council will meet at regular intervals to discuss national OSH issues, whenever such meetings are held, the CA will chair and ensure proper documentation are stored with the authority. Other major bodies: Insurance bodies Although not directed regarded when naming the tripartite council, insurance plays a cardinal role in the overall establishment and maintenance of the OSH system in a country. Naturally, proper OSH management tends to greatly benefit insurance agencies by reducing compensation they pay out and increase their income. Therefore, when insurance agencies pay special attention to OSH by supporting proactive projects- prevention projects/campaigns, there will be marked improvement in the overall OSH system of the country. Traditional bodies To achieve realistic compliance to OSH policies, it is only wise to involve stakeholders having direct impacts on both the formal and informal occupational sector. In Liberia, farming is done basically through traditional methods and involves illiterate farmers using local methods. The importance of having this group represented cannot be overemphasized. Any council without a full representation of this group is incomplete because it excludes a significant number of workers hence it is not a proper representation of the overall workforce. Moreover, formulation of effective guidelines can only be done if the nature of the problem is fully understood. To understand the problem, there must be consultation which cannot be actualized without the involvement of local farmers; therefore, it is best to have the fullest representation of those carrying on the task when reviewing issues and making decisions. Rules and directives must be applicable to the people in the region for which they are design. If the tools use by a particular group of people is not known, how does a person risk assessing the task know the hazards inherent in such task? Benefits of the competent authority: Ambiguity The CA will remove ambiguity among ministries by deciding their scope and limitations in OSH. Quite frequently, line ministries do no fully know the limitations of their OSH duties as other ministries have similar functions. For instance, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) is responsible to ensure that working conditions are decent for all workers, this also is the responsible of the MOHSW who is responsible to ensure health care is optimum the workplace and that the working conditions doesnt hamper the health of the workers. Coordination A CA will ensure better coordination through joint projects and optimizing specialist skills when and where necessary. For instance, although decent work involves both MOHSW and MOL, where health is a key indicator of decent work, better coordination between these two line ministries will assist in deciding that MOHSW takes the lead due to their specialist skills in health. Unnecessary repetition and inspection CA will define the roles and limitations of each ministry. Since ministries have repeated or closely similar roles, some inspections are carried out more than once, this result to apprehension amongst businesses and industries at which these inspections are carried out, hence much lack of cooperation. Define reporting structure As a basic responsibility of the CA, it will collect reports on a timely basis and follow-up on gaps in various agencies. This define structure will regulate line ministries and agencies in complying with established guidelines. Also, reporting will aid during auditors to cross checked what is reported against what exist in the workplace. By this means, greater focus will be placed on the needed areas and removed the need for unnecessary attention. Technical services This body must be so constituted to have the necessary technical experience to facilitate training and provide assistance to various entities on OSH related subjects. Trainings should not be limited to technical services (working at height, use of PPE, lifting rigging and slinging, manual handling etc.); it should also include administration and structure in OSH. As the OSH program is relatively new in Liberia, this body must have the needed funding from government to provide 75-90% of the training free. This will encourage greater participation of organizations especially profit making ones who view OSH as additional expenditure. Conclusion: In Liberia to achieve and maintain an OSH system, a policy must be formed and controlled by a CA. This can be achieved by forming a tripartite council which meets regularly to establish and review national OSH framework and develop a plan of action. This council headed by the CA will also be supplemented by other bodies which will have full rights- these bodies must include Insurance and Traditional bodies. Said council must be supported by an act of legislation, fully constituted by all the relevant stakeholders and have the needed technical experience to properly guide the implementation of established guidelines and code of practices. This will create a fertile environment for a fast growing OSH culture where there will be more voluntary compliance. Although voluntary compliance is sought, the overall priority is to protect workers from harm physically or mentally, therefore, the CA should be given enforcement powers to act without warning when necessary. All should be cone with a basic rule Decent/safe work for all employees. Bibliography: Occupational safety and health module 6.1 -2015 edition Occupational safety and health module 6.2 -2015 edition

Threat Of New Market Entrants Management Essay

Threat Of New Market Entrants Management Essay For this assignment, we have chosen Rehm Grinaker Construction Company Ltd and have identified its strategic marketing strategies. The Construction industry plays a major role in transforming the wants and needs of people into reality; they are realised through construction projects which includes infrastructure such as roads, schools, houses, hospitals, airports, factories and dams. At present, the Construction industry in Mauritius is booming; many construction projects are being developed. Rehm Grinaker is considered as one of the leading construction company in Mauritius. Companys Profile REHM-Grinaker Co. Ltd is a renowned construction company in Mauritius and it was founded in 1991. Over the years, REHM-Grinaker has grown from modest beginnings into being a well-recognized, leading multi-disciplinary construction company reputed throughout Mauritius for delivering quality work on time.  REHM-Grinaker has a permanent workforce of over one thousand five hundred well qualified Mauritian staff.  In its 20 years of operation REHM-Grinaker has played a role in all sectors of the thriving Mauritian economy through the construction of commercial and office buildings, hotels and leisure facilities, stadia, luxury villas, industrial buildings, roads and bridges, healthcare facilities, the renovation of historical buildings, the construction of golf courses, marine works, water and sewage treatment plants, power plants, pipelines, and all types of major infrastructure and building works. REHM-Grinaker is a majority Mauritian shareholder company, with the added advantage of being able to access the expertise and resources of shareholder Aveng Grinaker-LTA, one of the largest Construction companies in Africa. Research Methodology The Construction industry has been facing a lot of issues, particularly when it comes to the marketing of their products because of the little significance given to the Marketing philosophy. Hence, the research methodology has helped to gather the required data for the research in order to better understand how REHM-Grinaker designed its marketing strategies to better sell its products. In an attempt to analyse the Strategic Marketing Management of REHM-Grinaker, an appointment was made with Mr P. Moothien Pillay, HR Manager at REHM-Grinaker in Arsenal on Monday 27th September 2012 at 10.00 a.m at the headquarters itself. All members of the group attended the in-depth interview. The latter covered various areas of the Strategic Marketing Management process, namely: Business Definition, Mission, Vision and Goals of REHM-Grinaker Marketing Audit: Internal and External Audits Marketing Objectives Marketing Strategies Marketing tactics/mix decisions Marketing Ethics and Social Responsibility Strategic Planning Evaluation and Control processes A short questionnaire (see Appendix 1) was designed as a guide in order to establish a flow in the way the questions were asked to the interviewee. The interview lasted for one hour and thirty-seven minutes and was recorded. From this interview, a proper analysis of REHM Grinakers marketing strategies was possible. Analysis of Findings The analysis and findings part will enable describe the information gleaned at REHM-Grinaker during the interview. All relevant data pertaining to the marketing strategies of this company will be studied thoroughly and commented on. Business Definition, Mission, Vision and Goals of REHM-Grinaker Business Definition Rehm Grinaker is a well known company in Mauritius providing construction services to firms and the government. It is among the leading companies in Mauritius since it has gained the reputation for delivering quality work on time.   Therefore, Rehm Grinaker particularly deals with big companies who can have the means to pay for the premium services it offers and hence the projects on which the company has worked are important ones and it uses the latest technology available to facilitate construction. For example, building the biggest shopping mall in Mauritius, that is, Bagatelle, on the Ring Road Phase 1 and the overlaying of the runway at the SSR International Airport. Mission Rehm Grinaker has five core values and for the company abiding by these is fundamental. The five core values are listed below: Safety Accountability Integrity Client satisfaction Employee fulfilment Hence, by implementing these values the company has been able to have a clear insight to develop its mission efficiently. Rehm Grinaker focuses immensely on providing quality service on time to its clientele to gain client satisfaction. However, achieving client satisfaction for Rehm Grinaker also means that this is done in accountability and integrity whereby its employees are safe and they are satisfied with their work. Thus, employees of Rehm Grinaker know these values and its importance and abide by them. Vision Build a better future. Rehm Grinaker has the above as its vision and this means the company wants the countrys advancement and by providing premium construction services it is contributing towards achieving its vision. Converting Environmental Opportunities into Organizational Opportunities This refers to fulfilling the unmet or changing customer needs; satisfy the unsatisfied buyer groups or using new means or technology for delivering value to prospective buyers. At Rehm Grinaker, the service that they provide to their customers is always up to date since they focus on delivering quality service. For instance, the company tries to minimum damage as much as it can pertaining to the environment and also tries to use eco friendly materials. Hence, its clientele are satisfied and the case whereby there are unsatisfied customers is quite rare. Nevertheless, if it happens then the company tries to find out the reasons which has caused dissatisfaction and takes the necessary actions to remedy the situation. As well, Rehm Grinaker uses the latest technology regarding its machines and equipments to facilitate the tasks of its employees and also to deliver premium construction services. Hence, the company invests in technology so that it is able to use the most efficient means in construction. Additionally, Rehm Grinaker is known to deliver quality service on time; this means the company respects the deadline given to complete its work and the latest technologies as well as the qualified labour force helps to achieve this goal. Marketing Audit Swot analysis of Rehm Grinaker Strengths The Rehm Grinaker has trained and motivated staff to serve its customers. This can benefit the organization in terms of greater productivity and serving customers better. It helps to improve the organisations image when dealing with customers. Rehm Grinaker offers specialized construction schemes to its customers. Therefore customers are now faced with greater choice and may customize what they want to build. in this context Rehm Grinaker is more customer focused. The organization operated in an environmental friendly way. The quality of service is provided at its highest. Since the organisations main motto is Quality on time, the organization makes sure that any project is being delivered on time with the highest quality. Weaknesses The cost of production is increasing every day. The cost of materials such as cement and iron bars are examples amongst others. It is difficult for the company to keep in touch with technological advances due to high cost of investment. Opportunities Rehm Grinaker can take advantage of government projects such as the building of new road networks and other projects. Expatriated labour is available at cheaper rates from countries like China and India. This can bring a decrease in the labour cost resulting in lower costs of production. Financial support is provided by banks. This can be used to improve the companys financial position. Threats There is existence of other competing firms in the construction industry such as Gamma Civic, Padco, and General Construction amongst others. Internal Audit of Rehm Grinaker This includes the objectives of Rehm Grinaker that is, it has evolved to become one of the leaders in the multidisciplinary building and civil engineering construction services. Structure of Rehm Grinaker: The management team comprises of the following: Managing Director Executive Director Financial Director Construction Manager Commercial Manager Rehm Grinaker has achieved many successes for instance it is known to have built Bagatelle Mall, and Caudan Phase II. It is presently involved in the construction of Ring Road Phase I, overlaying of the runway at SSR International Airport among other projects.  Moreover, it also provides a quality service to its clients on time and it is also considered to be a profitable and well known construction company since it originates from one of the largest construction companies in South Africa. External Audit of Rehm Grinaker The external audit comprises of the following: Micro environment-Consists of employees, customers, suppliers, competitors, intermediaries who are involved with production and sales. Employees-Rehm Grinaker Construction Ltd provides its employees the necessary tools and equipment for them to carry out their tasks effectively and efficiently. For instance, the workers wear reflective vest, hard hat, gloves, safety glasses and security shoes. Safety and security facilities are provided to the workers and in order to motivate them to work in difficult conditions incentives are also given to them. Customers-Rehm Grinaker delivers its projects on times to satisfy its customers and to maintain a good Customer Relationship Management. It also makes follow ups with its clients due to the rising customer expectations and increased competiveness has become a key feature of the construction industry. Suppliers-Rehm Grinaker buys construction components from Gamma Civic Ltd and Betonix Ltd. The company focuses on quality and prompt delivery in order to meet customer expectations that is raw materials need to be provided on time and it also believes in maintaining good Supplier Relationship Management. Competitors-The competitors in the construction industry are differentiated in terms of brand name, quality, and price and among others. They influence the factors when making tenders and bids to obtain a construction contract. Intermediaries- Rehm Grinaker engages only in offering construction services to clients. Hence, when Rehm Grinaker needs to buy construction materials for its construction projects it negotiates directly with Gamma Civic Ltd. External audit Porters Five Forces Model The importance of designing competitive strategy is to relate REHM-Grinaker to its environment in which it is operating. The strategic marketing manager seeking to develop an edge over rival firms can use the Porters model to better understand the industry context in which the construction firms operate in Mauritius. Michael Porter provided a framework that models an industry as being influenced by five forces: Threat of new market entrants The barriers to entry into the current Mauritian construction markets is not high, because there are common technology used, access to distribution channels and low scale investment. The only possible barrier is the goodwill that the current companies have established. Hence, the corporate image in the construction market is one competitive advantage. With the development of the current economic globalisation, more and more foreign companies are entering the Mauritian construction market. Furthermore, Mauritius forms part in the World Trade Organisations, SADC, and COMESA. These multinational organisations, either developed countries (e.g LAXCON Construction from Kenya) or from industrialized countries such as Colas Ltd is from France; these companies have an upper hand in terms of technology, management skills or capital as well as costs. This will bring a serious threat to the current companies, including REHM Grinaker. Threat of substitute products In the construction industry, the threat of the substitute can be assumed not existent, because of the non-substitutional nature of products or services provided by the industry, for instance there will be the absolute use of cement, rock sand, hollow concrete blocks, aggregates, iron bars and other such materials during the construction of any building, and so the question of having close-substitutes does not arise as such. Bargaining Power of Buyers In the construction industry, customers choose the contractor through a tender system. For instance, they will prefer the contractor offering the lowest price for its service and as REHM Grinaker wants to position its service as a quality service rather than relying on a penetration pricing strategy to win a bid. It somehow wants to differentiate itself from competitors like IREKO which offers a poor service at a much lower cost. Therefore, to REHM Grinaker, customers satisfaction is very important to build its repute across Mauritius and will hence comply with each and every of their exigencies (for instance, changing the whole architecture while construction is already underway, short notice deadlines) to avoid switching to competitors. Bargaining power of suppliers REHM Grinakers main suppliers are Gamma Materials Ltd, UBP. The latter are well known for providing quality products and have a considerable impact on the final delivery of REHM Grinaker to its clients. So, REHM Grinaker has no other choice but rely on these specific suppliers. Unlike Gamma Civic, it does not have the possibility of cutting on the buyer by going forward vertical integration that is produce its own raw materials itself. Hence, it is compelled to keep a good relationship with its suppliers. Existing competitive rivalry between competitors As in any industry in Mauritius and abroad, there is rivalry among competitors and the construction industry is not left out. For instance, the main rivals of REHM Grinaker are: General Construction Co Ltd, Gamma Civic, PAD Co., and BCE. So according to the strategies used by its main competitors, REHM Grinaker has to tailor-make and thus differentiate its strategies in order to outmatch them and be a leader of this market. PESTLE Analysis of REHM GRINAKER Political and Legal factors According to the manager of REHM Grinaker, the government focuses heavily on foreign contractors which impacts negatively on REHM Grinaker in the form of competition. Moreover, certain companies in the construction sector are more privileged when compared to Rehm Grinaker since they got high political background. On the other hand, for the legal factors, REHM Grinaker needs to agree upon several binding laws such as the labour laws and safety laws impose by the government. For example according to the safety law, it is recommended to have one full time registered safety officer and for REHM Grinaker it employs one senior safety manager, two safety managers and six trainee safety officers. Economic factors For the economic factors, the manager of REHM Grinaker believes that the construction sector in Mauritius is fluctuating. The demand is falling and according to him investors also are not investing their money as they are looking for the stability of the Mauritian economy. He also mentioned that due to the recent downturn, the economic situation is unstable for the construction industry as a whole. Social and Environmental factors As for the social factors, 2% of REHM Grinaker profits go for the CSR fund where the bulk of the money goes mainly for the unprivileged and disable children. For example they donate funds to APEIM and to several schools for disabled children. On the other hand, for environmental factors, the manager believes in building what is designed. He pointed out they do care for the environment when they are undertaking construction work and for each project they undertake, an environment management plan is prepared whereby according to him it consists of how to promote a safe environment that is not to harm the environment. A plan for management of waste also is prepared and strategies on how to avoid less pollution such as noise and air pollution while working. Technological factors Nowadays REHM Grinaker is engaged into the construction of huge buildings such as Bagatelle and SIT business and knowledge centre with the help of new and modern equipments. According to the manager, REHM Grinaker makes use of big cranes to facilitate and makes it easier to work. They also make use of reusable equipment, such as metal which is more flexible instead of wood which were used long ago. Moreover, one example of new equipment that was used in the construction of Bagatelle is the post tension cables. THE BCG MATRIX In the light of the information obtained from the interview with Mr Moothien Pillay, it could be deduced that REHM Grinaker is found in the Star segment of the BCG Matrix. The organization is one of the market leaders in the construction sector with so many outstanding projects in the pipeline. THE ANSOFF MATRIX As from the Ansoff Matrix, and according to the interview, it could be deduced that REHM Grinaker is actually in the Market development section. Since its 21 years of existence, it has not quite diverted from its main activity which is the construction of infrastructures. However, this company has been trying to capture new markets at all times. It is going for more prominent projects. From the extension and renovation of small buildings, it has of late been involved in the construction of Bagatelle and Cascavelle Malls, which are, if not, the biggest projects REHM Grinaker has ever embarked on. Marketing Ethics and Social Responsibility One of the most important marketing assets of REHM Grinaker, according to the Manager, is its corporate image. As far as ethical considerations are concerned, integrity is one of the main core values of REHM Grinaker. Personal relationships with suppliers, clients and project managers are always managed in an ethical manner and the organization does not run on bribes. There is no preference for family members of employees in the organization and a decent salary is given to all employees. No one worker on sites is exploited. Therefore, REHM Grinaker makes it an adage to work in the cleanest environment. And if anyone is aware of any unethical behaviour, it is the onus of that person to report it. Therefore, REHM Grinaker wants live up to its good reputation and this is the best marketing strategy it can possibly flaunt. Furthermore, as any organization, REHM Grinaker does not fail to contribute 2% of its profits to the CSR Fund. Nonetheless, it has also engaged itself in many social work activities. Since its headquarters is found in a poverty-stricken area, REHM Grinaker has chosen to help the underprivileged children living in the vicinities. The company namely invested in education training as well as in organizing events for them during the festive season. Again, through this endeavour, REHM Grinaker wants to differentiate itself and improve its corporate image. STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS In todays highly competitive business environment, organisations must engage themselves in strategic planning that clearly defines the mission, objectives and assesses both the internal and external situation to formulate strategy, implement the strategy, evaluate the progress and make adjustments as necessary to stay on track. THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS Mission Objectives Situation /Strategic Analysis Strategy Formulation/ Strategic Choice Strategy Implementation/Control Strategic Analysis/Situation analysis The environment Pestle analysis of Rehm Grinaker Strategic Capabilities Swot analysis of Rehm Grinaker Stakeholders expectations The stakeholders of Rehm Grinaker expects that the management and the employees perform their duties conscientiously, honestly and in accordance with the best interests of them and the company. Moreover, Rehm-Grinaker is a preferred contractor for most of the major stakeholders in the industry because the company has built its success on achieving quality on time not only to the final construction product but when dealing with partners in the construction process as well. Organisational Culture The organisation culture of Rehm Grinaker is to deliver quality work on time. Strategy Formulation/Strategic Choice Given the information from the environmental scan, the firm should match its strength to the opportunities that it has identified, while addressing its weaknesses and external threats. In addition to that to have superior profitability, firms seek to develop a competitive advantage. In the case of Rehm Grinaker, it can be seen that the company has competitive edge in providing sustainable construction works and the most important competitive advantage that the firm has over its competitors is the accessibility to the expertise and resources of shareholder Aveng Grinaker-LTA, one of the largest Construction companies in Africa. Strategy Implementation/Control The selected strategy is implemented by means of programs, budgets and procedures as well as the implementation of the strategy must be monitored and adjustments made as needed. In the case of Rehm Grinaker, the company must assess their actual performances and have detailed specifications on contracts completed such as Bagatelle Infrastructure, La Croisette Bulk Earthworks, Terre Rouge Verdun, and among others.

Human Child Growth and Development Essay -- essays research papers

From preschool into early elementary school, children have begun to develop their gross motor skills. They have developed a â€Å"mature pattern of walking† and are ready to test their physical abilities to the limits. Also fine motor skills have begun to develop, however more slowly. Along with motor skills children are developing their visual, tactile, and kinesthetic senses. A child’s sensory skills are helpful in learning language.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A child’s proper growth depends greatly on their nutrition and health. A healthy diet is essential to the developing child. Food should never be used to reward, punish, or bribe a child. Instead children should have three healthy meals with snacks in between. It is also important for children to have good self care behaviors (including bathing, washing hands, brushing teeth), and adequate sleep.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rapid growth of the brain and nervous system continues during the early years of a child’s life, however because of birth defects or health problems some children may be at a risk of cognitive delays. Problems such as Autism, where children may have a difficult time with language skills and sensitivity to touch, behavioral problems, or chemical exposures can all affect a child’s cognitive development. For most children though with a proper diet and plenty of stimulation cognitive abilities will develop rapidly, and by about 7 years ones cognitive skills have become â€Å"functionally related to the elements of adult intelligence.† Psychologists a...