Emeregency Management (Basic Quantitative Methods) Essay

Emeregency Management (Basic Quantitative Methods) - Essay Example Since health effects are included in the scope of consequences, then it may be said that as per ASME specifications, severity of injuries would have been included as part of the assessment of risk as early as the asset characterization stage. Other ASME literature makes further reference to severity, this time in direct relationship to fatality or injury, an illustrates with a table of â€Å"severity ranking†. In this ranking scale, S5 (â€Å"Very High†) specifies â€Å"offsite fatalities and multiple onsite fatalities†; S4 (â€Å"High†) is the â€Å"severity rank for the possibility of onsite fatalities as well as offsite injuries†; S3 (â€Å"Medium†) is allocated to the absence of â€Å"fatalities or injuries anticipated offsite, but with the possible widespread onsite serious injuries.† S2 (â€Å"Low†) is designated for â€Å"onsite injuries that are not widespread but only in the vicinity of the incident†; and S1 (â€Å"Very Low†) is associated with â€Å"possible minor injury onsite; no fatalities or injuries anticipated offsite† (ASME, 2006:28). Such a ranking would lead one to reason, therefore, that indeed RAMCAP would allow for the cons ideration of severity of injuries anticipated in a possible incident. Smith (2006, April), presenting the case for the U.S. Department of Homeland Securities, is inclined to agree with the ASME. On the other hand, a more careful reading of the Cox (2008) article, as already mentioned, specifically stated RAMCAP does not consider severity of injuries (p.1750), although it does allow for the â€Å"severity of possible adverse consequences† (p.1755). Cox argues that there are serious limitations of â€Å"severity† in the RAMCAP model, which essentially requires the estimation of all factors in quantitative terms. First limitation is that there is â€Å"no objective certainty-equivalent for uncertain

Child and Young Person Development Essay Example for Free

Child and Young Person Development Essay †¢Schools/starting nursery is a part of everyday life the child/ young person will have to make this transition many times in their life. The transition that most children/ young people experience is moving from one school or care setting to another will happen a number of times over a child’s life for many different reasons and the challenges of the transition will change each time and will have to be handled in different way. †¢Toilet training is a big step for most children/ young people as they have to learn to read their own body signals and to understand what they should do at this point. †¢Sibling. It is common for children to have younger brothers and sister and they will have to learn to deal with the transition of having a baby in the house. †¢A parent starting a new job or doing more hours at work so the parent is not around when the child expects them to be or may not understand where the parent is going. †¢Moving house to accommodate a growing family or due to parent separation/ loss there are many other reason to move house also all of which with effect the transition progress of the child differently †¢ Separations/ divorce can be very difficult on children and young people of all ages as it can lead to many other transitions that take place moving house changing schools feeling of loss and confusion all of which can be very difficult for a young person to understand and cope with. †¢Puberty can be very difficult for some young people to cope with the mood swings, confident issues or low self -esteem, how the body changes, how it can affect their relationships with others and how others may see them. Children and young people mostly learn to cope with a number of different changes or transition in their life time and they will develop their own ways of dealing with the transitions, children and young people will still need to helped and guided

Definition Essay - Art and Excellence :: Expository Definition Essays

Definition Essay - Art and Excellence Art is why I get up in the morning, but my definition ends there, ya know, it doesn’t seem fair that I’m living for something I can’t even define, and there you are right there in the meantime. –Ani DiFranco, â€Å"Out of Habit,† Living in Clip Art seems to be such an all-encompassing word it defies definition. The artist Ani DiFranco blatantly says in her music that she cannot define art although it is intimately and passionately tied into her life and interpersonal relationships. Ani Difranco is an artist, but why is she an artist? What about her and her music make her an artist? What makes her music art? What is the difference between this enterprise and that of being a world-class physicist? Was Einstein not a true artist? Is physics not an art? If it is an art, is it art? When one attempts to analyze and define art, these sorts of questions inevitably arise, making any objective notion of what art is exceedingly difficult to determine. In fact, we find that nearly everybody has his or her own unique conception of art. Of course, it may be argued that everybody also has his or her own unique conception of a spoon or any other idea, but art seems something over and above this. The incredible depth , richness, and complexity of art do not merely allow for, but seem to necessitate the myriad conceptions of art we find in the world around us. I believe the level to which anything can be considered art depends on the level of originality, skillfulness, effectiveness, and other such relative characteristics providing opportunities for the excellent performance or unbelievable creativity we typically associate with art. To begin explaining what is meant by art’s reliance on relative characteristics, let us analyze the word deep. How do we know when something is deep? Should we consider any body of water greater than four inches in depth deep and anything less deep shallow? It seems fairly obvious that the word depth refers solely to relative phenomena. Deep is a fairly simple property to which we make the switch from shallow at some arbitrarily and relatively defined level on the gradient of depth.

Enjoying King Lear :: King Lear William Shakespeare Literature Essays

Enjoying King Lear If there was ever a historical King Lear, his memory has faded into mythology and/or been conflated with others. Llyr and his son Manannan are Celtic ocean-gods; Manannan reappeared in Yeats's plays and the "Dungeons and Dragons" games. The "children of Lir / Llyr" were transformed into waterbirds in another Celtic myth. Anglo-Israelite lore describes ("Llyr Lleddiarth "Half-Speech", king of Siluria / the Britains, father of Bran the Archdruid, who married Anna, the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea; his close relatives included Cymbeline (Cunobelinus, fictionalized in Shakespeare's later play), and Caractacus (Caradoc), a well-attested historical figure better-known today from the children's song ("It's too late... they just passed by"). In the Mabinogion, one of Llyr's two wives is Iweradd ("Ireland"). Geoffrey of Monmouth ("History of the English Kings", around 1140), who provides our oldest written reference to King Lear (spelled "Leir"), describes him as a pre-Christian warrior king in what is now southwest England. (Click here to read it yourself.) This area now includes Cornwall (origin of cornish game hens.) Saint Albans ("Albany", for which the capital of New York State is named, is farther away. In the old story remembered by Geoffrey, Lear asked his three daughters whether they loved him. Two claimed to do so extravagantly, while the third said she loved him only as a daughter should. Lear disinherited the honest daughter. The story appears elsewhere in world folklore; there is an Eastern European version in which the honest daughter says she loves her father as much as she loves salt. Lear went to live with his first daughter, bringing a hundred followers. She demanded that he reduce his followers to fifty. Lear then went to live with the other daughter, who reduced the n umber to twenty-five. Lear went back and forth between the daughters until he was alone. Then the third daughter raised an army, defeated the other two, and restored him to his kingdom. (The story appears in Holinshed, who adds that Cordelia succeeded her father as monarch and was deposed by the sons of her sisters.) This tale about how actions speak louder than words had recently been played on the London stage in "The True Chronicle of King Leir.

The Golden Lily Chapter 18

JILL DIDN'T GIVE ME any starry-eyed looks at breakfast the next morning, which was kind of a relief. Micah had surfaced again, and while they weren't as flirty as they'd been in the past, the two were chatting animatedly away about a science project she had. Eddie and Angeline were equally engrossed in conversation, making plans for when she was free of her suspension. Her blues eyes were alight with happiness as they talked, and I realized that she had legitimate feelings for him. She hadn't just been throwing herself at him for the sake of conquest. I wondered if he knew. It would've been easy to feel like a fifth wheel here, but instead, I was pleased and content to see my little cohort getting along so well. Stanton's conversation had still left me conflicted, but there was nothing wrong with appreciating the peace around here. I would've been happier still if Trey's behavior had also normalized, but when I reached my history class later, he was absent yet again. I had no doubt he'd claim he had family stuff, but my earlier suspicions were returning, about whether his family might be responsible for his injuries. Should I report my worries to someone? Who? I didn't want to jump to conclusions either, which left me in a bind. Eddie and I always sat near each other in that class, and I leaned toward him before the bell rang, pitching my voice low to address another concern. â€Å"Hey, have you noticed that Jill's been kind of acting weirdly around me?† â€Å"She's got a lot going on,† he said, ever quick to defend her. â€Å"Yeah, I know, but you had to have noticed her last night. In the library? I mean – keeping in mind I'm terrible at figuring this stuff out – it was like she had a crush on me or something.† He laughed at that. â€Å"She was kind of laying it on thick, but I don't think you have to worry about some romantic complication. She just looks up to you a lot, that's all. Part of her still wants to be a brave fighter who rushes out fearlessly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused as he savored that idea, a mix of pride and rapture on his face before he tuned back into me. â€Å"But at the same time, you're starting to show her there all sorts of ways to be powerful.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"I think. But speaking of her being a brave fighter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I studied him curiously. â€Å"Why don't you train her anymore? Don't you want her to hone her skills?† â€Å"Oh, yeah. That. Well†¦ there are a few reasons for it. One is I need to focus on Angeline. Another is that I just don't want Jill worried about that. I'll do the protecting.† Those were exactly the reasons I'd guessed. The next one was not. â€Å"And I guess†¦ the other thing is that I don't feel right being in contact with her like that. I mean, I know it means nothing to her†¦ but it means something to me.† Again, my social skills took a moment to kick in. â€Å"You mean, you don't like that you have to touch her?† Eddie actually blushed. â€Å"It doesn't bother me, that's the problem. Better for us to spend time together in a hands-off way.† I hadn't expected that, but I could understand it. Leaving Eddie to his own inner demons, I soon got caught up in the day and wondering what had happened to Trey. I'd hoped he'd come into class late, but he didn't. In fact, he didn't surface for the rest of the day, not even when I was finishing up my independent study. I'd thought he might come by again for homework. â€Å"You look troubled,† said Ms. Terwilliger, watching me pack up when the bell rang. â€Å"Worried about getting your project in on time?† â€Å"No.† I'd actually finished two of the charms, but I certainly wasn't going to tell her that. â€Å"I'm worried about Trey. He keeps missing school. Do you know why he's out? I mean, if you can tell me?† â€Å"The office notifies us if a student will be out for the day, but they don't tell us the reason. If it makes you feel better, Mr. Juarez's absence was called in this morning. He hasn't disappeared.† I almost mentioned my fears about his home but held off. I still needed more evidence. Between worrying about Trey, Ms. Terwilliger's work, the Warriors, Brayden, and all my other myriad complications, I knew I couldn't waste any of my free time. Nonetheless, I went to Adrian's after school on a mission I couldn't refuse. On our way to Wolfe's class earlier this week, Adrian had mentioned offhandedly that he hadn't had the Mustang looked at by a mechanic before purchasing it. Although my own novice assessment hadn't found anything wrong with the car, I pushed for Adrian to get the car examined – which, of course, meant I had to look up a specialist and make the appointment. It was just before my textile museum date, but I was certain I had time to make it all work. â€Å"The guy I bought it from seemed pretty trustworthy,† Adrian told me, after we'd dropped the car off with the mechanic. He'd told us he'd look at it right away and that we could hang around and wait. His shop was on the outskirts of a suburban area, so Adrian suggested we go for a walk through the neighborhoods. â€Å"And it ran just fine when I did the test drive, so I figured everything was okay.† â€Å"That doesn't mean there aren't problems you can't see. It's best to be safe,† I said, knowing I sounded preachy. â€Å"Bad enough you got a car you can't drive.† Glancing over, I saw a small, half smile on his face. â€Å"With your help, I'll be a pro in no time. Of course, if you don't want to help anymore, I'll just wing it and figure it out on my own.† I groaned. â€Å"You already know what I'd say about – wow.† The neighborhood we were in was pretty affluent. In fact, I'd say the houses bordered on being bona fide mansions. We stopped in front of one that looked like a cross between a hacienda and a southern plantation, large and sprawling with a pillared porch and pink stucco siding. The front yard was a mix of climates, green grass with palm trees lining the path to the house. The trees were like tropical sentries. â€Å"Gorgeous,† I said. â€Å"I love architecture. In another life, I'd have studied that – not chemicals and vampires.† As we continued on, we saw more of the same, each house trying to outdo the others. All of them had high fences and hedges blocking their backyards. â€Å"I wonder what's back there. Pools, probably.† Adrian stopped in front of another. It was as yellow as his car and showed another mix of styles, like a southwest version of a medieval castle, complete with turrets. â€Å"Nice juxtaposition,† he remarked. I turned, knowing my eyes were wide as I stared at him. â€Å"Did you just use juxtaposition in a sentence?† â€Å"Yes, Sage,† he said patiently. â€Å"We use it all the time with art, when we're mixing different components. That, and I know how to use a dictionary.† He turned from me and scanned the house, his eyes resting on a gardener who was out trimming some hedges. A sly smile crossed Adrian's lips. â€Å"You want to see the back? Come on.† â€Å"What are you – † Before I could say another word, Adrian strode up the granite pathway and cut across the lawn to where the guy was working. I didn't want anything to do with this, but the responsible part of me couldn't let Adrian get into trouble. I hurried after him. â€Å"Are the owners home?† Adrian asked. The gardener had stopped his clipping and stared at Adrian. â€Å"No.† â€Å"When will they be back?† â€Å"After six.† I was astonished that the guy was answering these questions. If I'd been asked them, I would've assumed someone was staging a break-in. Then, I saw the glazed look in the gardener's eyes and realized what was going on. â€Å"Adrian – â€Å" Adrian's eyes never left the other man's face. â€Å"Take us to the backyard.† â€Å"Of course.† The gardener dropped his hedge clippers and headed for a gate on the side of the house. I tried to get Adrian's attention to stop this, but he was outpacing me. Our guide stopped at the gate, entered a security code, and led us to the back. My protests died on my lips as I gazed around. This back property was almost three times the size of the front. There were more palm trees ringing the yard, along with a terraced garden full of plants, both native and non-native. A huge oval shaped pool dominated the space, its turquoise hue startling against the gray of the granite that surrounded it. On one side of the pool, several steps led up to a smaller, square pool. It could only hold a few people, and a waterfall poured out from it, down to the larger pool. Tiki torches and tables around the pools completed the lush setup. â€Å"Thanks,† Adrian told the gardener. â€Å"Go back to your work. It's okay if we're here. We'll see ourselves out.† â€Å"Of course,† the man replied. He walked back the way we'd come in. I snapped back to reality. â€Å"Adrian! You used compulsion on that guy. That†¦ I mean, it's†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Awesome?† Adrian walked over to the steps leading up to the upper pool. â€Å"Yeah, I know.† â€Å"It's wrong! All of this. Breaking and entering, and compulsion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shivered, despite the sweltering heat. â€Å"It's immoral. Controlling someone else's mind. You know it! Your people and mine both agree.† â€Å"Eh, no harm done.† He climbed to the top of the pool and stood on its edge, surveying his kingdom. The sun brought out chestnut glints in his brown hair. â€Å"Believe me, that guy was easy to control. Weak-willed. I barely had to use compulsion.† â€Å"Adrian – â€Å" â€Å"Come on, Sage. Not like we're going to hurt anything. Check out this view.† I was almost afraid to go up there. It was so rare for any of the Moroi here to use their magic that it was easy for me to pretend it didn't exist. Seeing Adrian use it – the most insidious kind – made my skin crawl. As I'd told Ms. Terwilliger in our charm discussion, no one should be able to control another like that. â€Å"Come on,† Adrian repeated. â€Å"You're not worried I'm going to compel you up here, are you?† â€Å"Of course not,† I said. And I meant it. I didn't know why, but some part of me knew Adrian would never, ever harm me. Reluctantly, I went to join him, hoping that would encourage him to leave. When I reached the top, my jaw dropped. The intimate pool hadn't seemed that high, but it gave us a stunning view of the mountains off in the distance, rugged and majestic against the blue of the sky. The larger pool glittered below us, and the waterfall made it look like we'd entered some mystical oasis. â€Å"Cool, huh?† he asked. Adrian sat down on the small pool's edge, rolled up his jeans, and took off his socks and shoes. â€Å"Now what are you doing?† I asked. â€Å"Making the most out of this.† He put his feet in the water. â€Å"Come on. Do something bad for a change. Not that it's really that bad. We aren't trashing this place or anything.† I hesitated, but the water was intoxicating, as though it too could wield compulsion. Settling down, I copied Adrian and dipped my bare feet into the water. Its coolness was startling – and wonderful – in this intense heat. â€Å"I could get used to this,† I admitted. â€Å"But what if the owners come home early?† He shrugged. â€Å"I can talk us out of it, don't worry.† That wasn't exactly reassuring. I turned back to the gorgeous view and lush property. I wasn't always the most imaginative person, but I thought back to what I'd said about living another life. What would it be like to have a home like this? To stay in one place? To spend days by the pool, soaking in the sun, and not worrying about the fate of humanity? I fell into daydreams and was so caught up that I lost track of time. â€Å"We have to get back to the shop,† I exclaimed. Glancing over, I was astonished to see Adrian watching me, a look of contentment on his face. His eyes seemed to study my every feature. Seeing me notice him, he immediately looked away. His usual smirky expression replaced the dreamy one. â€Å"The mechanic will wait,† he said. â€Å"Yeah, but I'm supposed to meet Brayden soon. I'll be – † That's when I got a good look at Adrian. â€Å"What have you done? Look at you! You shouldn't be out here.† â€Å"It's not that bad.† He was lying, and we both knew it. It was late afternoon, and the sun was merciless. I'd certainly felt it, though the coolness of the water had helped distract me. That, and I was human. Sure, sunstroke and sunburns were concerns, but I loved the sun and had a high tolerance for it. Vampires did not. Sweat poured off Adrian, soaking his shirt and hair. Pink blotches covered his face. They were familiar. I'd seen them on Jill back when she'd been forced to play outdoor sports in PE. Left unchecked, they'd turn into burns. I jumped to my feet. â€Å"Come on, we have to get out of here before you get worse. What were you thinking?† His expression was astonishingly nonchalant for someone who looked like he would pass out. â€Å"It was worth it. You looked†¦ happy.† â€Å"That's crazy,† I said. â€Å"Not the craziest thing I've ever done.† He smiled as he looked up at me. His eyes grew slightly unfocused, as though they were seeing more than just me. â€Å"What's a little crazy here and there? I'm supposed to be doing experiments†¦ why not see which is brighter: your aura or the sun?† The way he looked at me and spoke unnerved me, and I remembered what Jill had said, how spirit slowly drove its users insane. Adrian hardly seemed insane, but there was certainly something haunted about him, a definite shift from his usual sharp wit. It was as though something else had seized hold of him. I remembered that poem line, about dreaming and waking. â€Å"Come on,† I repeated. I held out my hand. â€Å"You shouldn't have used spirit. We need to get you out of here.† He took my hand and staggered to his feet. A rush of warmth and electricity went through me, just as it had the last time we touched, and our eyes held. For a moment, all I could think about were his earlier words: You looked happy†¦ I brushed such sentiments aside and quickly got him out of there, only to discover the mechanic hadn't finished. At least in his shop, we were able to get Adrian some water and air conditioning. As we waited I texted Brayden. Running an hour late with family stuff. Sorry. Will be there as soon as I can. My phone chimed back about thirty seconds later: That only leaves an hour for the textile museum. â€Å"That's not nearly enough time,† said Adrian deadpan. I hadn't realized he'd been reading over my shoulder. I moved the phone away and suggested to Brayden we just meet for an early dinner. He concurred. â€Å"I'm a mess,† I muttered, checking myself out in a mirror. The heat had definitely taken its toll, and I looked sweaty and worn. â€Å"Don't worry about it,† Adrian told me. â€Å"If he didn't notice how awesome you were in the red dress, he probably won't notice anything now.† He hesitated. â€Å"Not that there's even anything to notice. You're as cute as usual.† I was about to snap at him for teasing me, but when I looked over, his face was deadly earnest. Whatever retort I might have managed died on my lips, and I quickly got up to check our status, in order to hide how flustered I felt. The mechanic finally finished – no problems found – and Adrian and I headed downtown. I kept watching him anxiously, afraid he'd pass out. â€Å"Stop worrying, Sage. I'm fine,† he said. â€Å"Although†¦ I'd be better with some ice cream or gelato. Even you have to admit that'd be good right now.† It would, actually, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. â€Å"What is it with you and frozen desserts? Why do you always want them?† â€Å"Because we live in a desert.† I couldn't argue with that reasoning. We reached his place, and I swapped cars. Before he went inside, I inundated him with advice about getting water and resting. Then, I spoke the words that had been burning inside of me. â€Å"Thank you for the poolside outing,† I said. â€Å"Your near-sun-stroke aside, that was pretty amazing.† He gave me a cocky smile. â€Å"Maybe you'll get used to vampire magic after all.† â€Å"No,† I said automatically. â€Å"I'll never get used to that.† His smile immediately disappeared. â€Å"Of course not,† he murmured. â€Å"See you around.† I finally made it to dinner. I'd chosen an Italian restaurant, filled with the scents of garlic and cheese. Brayden sat at a corner table, sipping water and earning glares from the waitress, who was probably impatient for him to order. I sat down opposite him, dropping my satchel beside me. â€Å"I am so sorry,† I told him. â€Å"I had to do this thing with my, uh, brother.† If Brayden was mad, he didn't show it. That was his way. He did, however, give me a scrutinizing look. â€Å"Was it something athletic? You look like you ran a marathon.† It wasn't an insult, not by any means, but it did take me aback – mostly because I was thinking of Adrian's comment. Brayden had had almost nothing to say about my Halloween costume, but he noticed this? â€Å"We were out in Santa Sofia, getting his car looked at.† â€Å"Nice area. Keep going up the highway, and you can get to Joshua Tree National Park. Ever been there?† â€Å"No. Just read about it.† â€Å"Iconic place. The geology's fascinating.† The waitress came by, and I gratefully ordered an iced latte. Brayden was more than happy to tell me about some of the park's geology, and we soon fell into our comfortable rhythm of intellectual discussion. I didn't know the park's specific makeup, but I knew more than enough about geology in general to keep up. In fact, I was able to talk on autopilot while my mind wandered back to Adrian. I recalled again what he'd said about the red dress. I also couldn't shake the comment about me being happy, and how that was worth his suffering. â€Å"What do you think?† â€Å"Hmm?† I realized I'd lost the thread of our conversation after all. â€Å"I asked which type of desert you find more striking,† Brayden explained. â€Å"The Mojave region gets all the hype, but I actually prefer the Colorado Desert.† â€Å"Ah.† I slipped back into the flow. â€Å"Um, Mojave. I like the rock formations better.† This triggered a debate of the regions while we ate, and Brayden seemed happier and happier. He really did like having someone who could keep up with him, I realized. None of my books had said anything about the way to a man's heart being through academic debates. I didn't mind it, though. I liked the conversation, but it didn't exactly send thrills through me. I had to remind myself it was still early in our relationship – if I could even call it that. Surely the head over heels part would come soon. We talked for a long time after the meal was over. The waitress brought us an unsolicited dessert menu when we finished, and I surprised myself by saying, â€Å"Wow†¦ I can't believe how much I want gelato right now. That never happens.† Maybe the sweat and heat had leached my nutrients†¦ or maybe I still had Adrian on the brain. â€Å"I've never heard you order dessert,† said Brayden, sliding his menu away. â€Å"It's not too much sugar?† It was another of those weird statements of his that could be interpreted a number of different ways. Was he judging me? Did he think I shouldn't have any sugar? I didn't know, but it was enough for me to close the menu and set it on top of his. With no other scheduled forms of entertainment for the night, we decided to just go for a walk after dinner. The temperature was down to moderate levels, and it was still light enough out that I wasn't as concerned about the Warriors of Light jumping out from corners. That didn't mean I ignored Wolfe's teachings, however. I still kept an eye on my surroundings, watching for anything suspicious. We reached a small park that only took up one city block and found a bench in the corner. We sat down on it, watching children play on the opposite side of the lawn while we continued a discussion on bird watching in the Mojave. Brayden put his arm around me as we talked, and eventually, we exhausted the topic and simply sat in comfortable silence. â€Å"Sydney†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I turned my gaze from the children, surprised at Brayden's uncertain tone, which was very different from the one he'd just been using to defend the superiority of the mountain bluebird over the western bluebird. There was softness in his eyes now as he looked at me. The evening light made his hazel eyes take on a little more gold than usual but completely hid the green. Too bad. Before I could say anything, he leaned forward and kissed me. It was more intense than the last one, though still a long ways from the epic, all-consuming kisses I'd seen in movies. He did rest his hand on my shoulder this time, gently bringing me a little closer. The kiss also lasted longer than previous ones, and I again tried to let myself go and lose myself in the feel of someone else's lips. He was the one who ended it, a bit more abruptly than I would've expected. â€Å"I – I'm sorry,† he said, looking away. â€Å"I shouldn't have done that.† â€Å"Why not?† I asked. It wasn't so much that I'd been yearning for the kiss as it was that this seemed exactly like the kind of place you'd want to kiss: a romantic park at sunset. â€Å"We're in public. It's kind of vulgar, I suppose.† Vulgar? I wasn't even sure if we were really all that much in public, seeing as no one was next to us and we were in the shade of some trees. Brayden sighed with dismay. â€Å"I guess I just lost control. It won't happen again.† â€Å"It's okay,† I said. It hadn't seemed like that much of a loss of control, but what did I know? And I wondered if maybe a small loss of control wasn't such a bad thing. Wasn't that kind of the basis of passion? I didn't know that either. The only thing I knew for sure was that this kiss had been a lot like the last one. Nice, but it didn't blow me away. My heart sank. There was something wrong with me. Everyone was always going on about how socially inept I was. Did it extend to romance as well? Was I so cold that I'd spend my life never feeling anything? I think Brayden misread my dismay and assumed I was upset with him. He stood up and held out his hand. â€Å"Hey, let's go walk to that tea shop one block over. They've got this local painter's art on display that I think you'll like. Besides, no calories in tea, right? Better than dessert.† â€Å"Right,† I said. Thinking of the gelato didn't cheer me up any. The Italian place had had pomegranate, which kind of sounded like the best thing ever. As I stood up, my cell phone rang and startled both of us. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Sage? It's me.† I had no reason to be mad at Adrian, not after what he'd done for me, but somehow I felt irritated by the interruption. I was trying to make the most of this night with Brayden, and Adrian unsettled everything. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked. â€Å"Are you still downtown? You need to come over right now.† â€Å"You know I'm out with Brayden,† I said. This was pushy, even for Adrian. â€Å"I can't just drop everything and entertain you.† â€Å"It's not about me.† It was then that I noticed how hard and serious his voice was. Something tightened in my chest. â€Å"It's about Sonya. She's missing.† The Golden Lily: A Bloodlines Novel

GIFTED SHO YANO

GIFTED SHO YANO GIFTED SHO YANO Did you know that a nine-year-old youngster is a college student? He is supposedly the youngest freshman in the state's history to attend a university. Sho Yano is attending Loyola University right here in Chicago. Sho Yano is a gifted child in many ways and they are the following: Yano's intelligence, his accomplishments, and my opinion toward Yano's geniuses.Sho Yano is a very intelligent young boy. At the age of three, Sho began to read and write and then a year later he had mastered the skills of a first grader. Sho had an intellectual mind, which meant that whatever he observed he had the ability to learn it very quickly. Till today Sho continues to watch the world with a kind of fascination, which no child would know to do. And at the age of eight, Sho took an I.Q. test in which he scored an above average mark.SHO-Boat

Guilded Age Essays - Economic Ideologies, Andrew Carnegie

Guilded Age Essays - Economic Ideologies, Andrew Carnegie Guilded Age There are many different views on whether or not business should be regulated during the Guilded Age. The rich who controlled the government at the time were against any kind of regulation of business. They wanted one hundred percent capitalism. The workers on the other hand wanted the business to be regulated, and the legalization of unions. I am going to support the ideas of the business owners. There were many wealthy business owners who believed in the gospel of wealth. This was the idea that God made the rich rich and the poor poor. This was a common thought process of the Guilded Age. Andrew Carnegie was a major follower of this thought. This is shown in his speech Wealth. In this speech he says that rich and poor are necessary for the race. It also describes how it is survival of the fittest. The ideas of the gospel of wealth are a scary concept today. If you look at it with a revisionist viewpoint the idea that rich are rich because God said so leaves us open for so much discrimination. The thoughts of this time were not able to see this, and the business owners wanted to keep the power in their hands. Document E also has a touch gospel of wealth in it. It talks about a preacher telling his parishioners to go out and make money. It says that it is the persons job to go out and become rich. It also talks about how the rich are the most honest of all people. That because they have money you are the least likely to lie because you dont have too. Many people of the era said that the money would be there even if the rich werent there, but Document G contradicts this idea. It says that the money is there because of the rich, along with the money that other people have. So the thoughts of the era by the rich tells point towards no regulation. The gospel of wealth was a main reason that the owners were able to keep the regulations from coming about. Without the big business of the Guilded Age we might not have developed into the superpower we did in this century.

Corporate Social Responsibility of Starbucks Essay Example

Corporate Social Responsibility of Starbucks Essay Example Corporate Social Responsibility of Starbucks Paper Corporate Social Responsibility of Starbucks Paper Corporate Social Responsibility of a company: Starbucks Starbucks, the largest coffeehouse company in the world, is a company that tries to make business in a socially responsible way. The firm is not only about making coffee but also about treating with dignity the clients and the environment where they are operating into. Hereby, we will discuss the different actions undertaken by Starbucks in order to be socially correct. One word that could best describe the mission of the company is  «commitment ». First, Starbucks is commited to its origins. It invests great amounts of money that benefit coffee producers, as well as the natural environment. By doing that, it helps to improve the lives of coffee farmers and at the same time they protect the environment where they cultivate their beans. Moreover, Starbucks supports the preservation of the environment. It tries to reduce waste from its operations and to recycle, in order to have a healthier planet. Some examples are the use of environmentally friendly products, the recognition that the fiscal responsibility is crucial to the future of the world’s environment, and the measure of the progress for each project. In addition, Starbucks shows its commitment to its partners. Therefore, it provides a great working environment by treating each employee with respect and dignity. Furthermore, it embraces diversity by recruiting people from all over the world. Last but not least, the coffeehouse does not forget the local communities. Its purpose is to contribute to those communities by encouraging its partners to become active participants in the place where they work. In conclusion, Starbucks is a company that respects people, the environment, and consequently, the planet. The coffeehouse could be a great example for other companies that do not care about social issues and just try to increase their profits. If other companies followed the way that Starbucks is operating, the world would become a better place to live. Bibliography: http://gr. starbucks. com/en-US/_Social+Responsibility/_Social+Responsibilities/Environment+Mission+Statement. htm

Ancient Egyptian Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ancient Egyptian Religion - Essay Example During ancient history of Egypt, most religious practices centered on the pharaoh, who used to be the king of Egypt. This pharaoh was believed by ordinary Egyptians to be descended from the gods, as Egyptians, during this old time in history, believed in many deities, not just one God. In that sense, the pharaoh acted as the intermediary person between people and the gods. Another important aspect of the ancient Egyptian religion was the sincere belief in the afterlife and this belief shaped their funerary practices. As such, ancient Egyptians made great efforts to ensure the survival of their bodies and souls after death, providing tombs, grave goods, and offerings to preserve the bodies and spirits of the deceased. After believing in a number of deities for long periods of time, a new religious trend started to emerge, depending on monotheism and belief in one God. The birth of Moses represented the climax of this religious trend in old Egypt. Moses lived during the 13th or the 14t h century B.C. The story of the name as mentioned in the second chapter of the Exodus answers the question. The story says that the Egyptian princess who saved the child from the Nile gave him his name: â€Å"because I picked him up from the water†, so he will be called Moshe. But it is obvious that this is not the appropriate explanation (Freud, "Translation and study by Dr. Abdel Moniem El Hefny". 1991, 26) In another version of the story, an author says in Jadishness Lexicon magazine the interpretation of the name in the Torah is â€Å"the one who was picked up from the water† (the name of Moshe only means â€Å"the one who was picked up†). This opinion may be supported by two other arguments; the first one is that it is absurd to say that an Egyptian princess knows the Hebrew language, and the second one is that it is most probable that the water from which the child was picked up is not the Nile ("A History of Christianity in Egypt"). Many people suggested a long time ago that Moses’ name is derived from the Egyptian language because of a newly published book written by the chronicler Peristide, â€Å"Egypt’s history†: â€Å"It is important to notice that the name of Moses is an Egyptian name. It is not other than the word mose that means â€Å"a child†, which is an abbreviation of the compound name, for example â€Å"Amon Mose† that means â€Å"the child Amon† or â€Å"Betah Mose† that means â€Å"the child Betah†. But this divine name has been gradually omitted by use, and was limited to the boy’s name of Moses. However, when Peristide mentioned unrelated names, he reviewed the list of the names of the Egyptian kings which are similar in terms of the religious connotations, for example â€Å"Ah-Moses† (Ahmos), â€Å"Tut-Moses† (Tuhutmos) and â€Å"Ra-Moses† (Ramses). (Soliman, 1988, 25) Many authors who discovered that the name Moses is an Egyptian name, to conclude that the one who bears an Egyptian name must be Egyptian himself, or at least to say that this is possible (Freud, "Translation and study by Dr. Abdel Moniem El Hefny", 1991, 26). The first family where he was born is usually a special family according to legends. But it is here a very modest Jewish family. And the second family where the child was raised is, as usual, a modest one. But here, it is the Egyptian royal house as the princess has raised him by her side. This discrepancy from the traditional type of legends seemed really odd to many researchers, to the extent that Eduardo Myer and others said that the original form of the legend was different; as Pharaoh had a dream warning him of his grandson who will be dangerous to him and to his kingdom. Therefore, this resulted into delivering the child to the Nile waters

DuPond fibre Inc Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

DuPond fibre Inc Marketing - Case Study Example Thus the technological upgradation works need to be undertaken without causing much harm to the prevailing business volumes. Further, all the management functions too need to be appropriately re-engineered to meet the future growth expectation of the company and also to retain its competitive advantage being enjoyed currently. The brief descriptions on the type of initiatives being undertaken in the various departments are explained as follows. The supporting data and the other relevant information about all the decision being presented here given separately in the Appendix. The raw materials being used in both type of the processes are the same and no significant change in the type materials procured for the process exist. But the change in volume of procurement would certainly vary occurs across the sites of production. Earlier, pattern of procurement was identical at site 1 and site 2, while the site 3 had almost three times higher rates of procurement than the earlier mentioned locations. But in the changed scenario all the locations would be having same procurement patterns after full-scale operations are in place at all the centers of production. And with increased volume requirement identification the current suppliers would be given the license of the supply and also to maintain the identical quality of materials supplied. On production sigi On production sigifinificant changes are expected. The change over of operations from the production of one type of fibre to the other need a careful planning. Both at site 1 and site 2, a new set of facilities would be installed. This might require atleast 3 to 4 years due to the process involved in approvals and installation works. In 2006, the modification to the facilities could also be initiated as the sales forecast is lesser in 2008. This process might require only 2 years. Once, site 1 modifications is completed ,site 2 works could also be initiated. Thus by 2009 , four fully functional facilities would be in operation to produce the modified fibre. The only one of the three units at the site 3 shall be changed to accommodate the new type of production process. The other two types here shall be retained for the manufacture of non-woven fibres. Sales and Marketing The major change in the marketing process is to bring a new set of customers to its modified fibre product. Though all its non-woven customers have not shifted to the newer product, it leaves a big exercise to create a new set of clients for its products (Kotler and Amstrong, 2001). The major marketing campaign involves extensive business conference that has been arranged for all the industry operators to create the importance of the modified fibre supplied by the company. The sales team would be set into operation to generate the potential sales. These exercises have a time of 4 years from now as the forecasted sales is 3 million Kg in the year 2009. With the prevailing demand for these type of fibres, the sales team would generate higher sales volume as the expected sales from this product category is 30 million Kg of fibre. Finance/ Costing Based on the forecasts presented in demand it is estimated significant investments would be required during the period from 2006 to 2009 (Beasley, n.d.). The with the total volume of sales in 2006 is reported as 24.7 million Kg of fibre. With the prices of 0.9 UD dollars for every Kg of non-woven fiibre, the

Effective Management in Construction Industry Essay

Effective Management in Construction Industry - Essay Example These materials are useful even to construction managers with general knowledge on management. This essay is geared towards putting together the essential components as far as construction manager's roles are concerned in ensuring the timeliness of a specific project. It tries to emphasize the traditional yet crucial management functions such as planning, organizing, staffing, budgeting, and coordinating and its contribution to the completion of the project within deadlines set. This also provides inputs or synthesis of studies related to construction industry that is contributory to improving implementation efficiency and completed projects' quality. Let us consider a project and its management in the general context in order to understand the process. Project management in the universal context is defined by most literatures as a process by which an idea or project is created, processed, and accepted, and from which resources, whether materials, financial and manpower, are allocated, directed, and carefully coordinated to achieve the goals with the optimum quality, cost, and timeliness (Hendrickson 1998, Jones 2003, FTA 2006:1-9). Based on the definition of the Federal Transit Administration, a project is "made up of a group of interrelated work activities constrained by a specific scope, budget, and schedule to deliver capital assets needed to achieve the strategic goals of an Agency" (2006: 1-3) or a corporate organization for that matter. These aspects hold specifically true for construction projects, over-all goals of which revolve around the idea of delivering the project on time, with quality, and ensuring optimum benefits to the company and the owner. The interrelated tasks inherent in a project, in most cases, require specialized workers to handle and deal with. The efficiency of the management teams in handling the works within a project dictates the pace by which it is done and is among the most crucial in completing the project within the time frame. Besides, it is the management that closely deals with the owner, users or sponsor of a construction project and "it will be wise for any owner to have a clear understanding of the acquisition process in order to maintain firm control of the quality, timeliness and cost of the completed facility."(Hendrickson 1998) There are a lot of approaches to project management that a project manager can use depending on the type of work to be done. Individual projects may vary in their scope of work and life cycle. Recent innovative approaches to project management as far as construction industry is concerned are a subject of many researches and studies in the field. These studies and recommendations from researches can be applied in the actual management of the project. FTA (2006:1-9) states that the project management process begins with identification of the user requirement, project constraints, resource needs, and establishment of realistic objectives to meet the strategic goals. The common life cycle is presented in Figure 1. It usually starts with user demand and ends up to the structures intended usable life. Figure 1 The Project Life Cycle of a Constructed Facility (Hendrickson 1998) The primary concern of the construction manager is

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

Personal Statement Example Hence, my path to pursue a degree in nursing was not a very smooth one. However if I can have the zeal to pursue this passion, it will motivate others to do the same in a positive manner. One of my greatest achievements is the fact that I have always taken pride in my work ethic. As a second year in adult nursing training, I have been exposed to the medical environment at a very early age. I have seen how the person giving care can make all the difference in a patient’s life. As a result, I started to do voluntary work for charity in an elderly people’s home. I have first handed scarcity of exceptional medical care, but also be deprived of immediate attention at times because of its scarcity, and still leave happy with gratitude regardless to the waiting time. This has led me to understand the value of nursing care that is so essential to provide absolute care for those who need it the most. A part of me believes that the gratitude being a caregiver via my volunteering is what served as a catalyst for this passion. I loved the fact that I was able to provide care for them, which manifested in their gratitude. It wasn’t until I started working in a hospital that I got a clear understanding of how I want to proceed in my journey to become a nurse. One of the most challenging elements I had to endure during my endeavor in nursing is to follow my passion, even if it meant that the field was not lucrative. I worked extremely hard to bring my family from oversees as depicted through working in two nursing homes. It taught me the value of my passion, and that I want to do something that is fulfilling in my life. Most individuals will never understand that because they merely work for money. As depicted through my tenure, I have always been focused on harnessing my academic development and strongly feel that obtaining an admission would be a logical

Corona positive and negative effect on high voltage technology ( Research Paper

Corona positive and negative effect on high voltage technology ( engineering) - Research Paper Example The process by which a current flows into a neutral fluid (air) from an electrode with high potential, by ionizing the fluid in order to create a plasma region around the electrode, is known as corona discharge. Charge is then passed to the nearby areas of lower potential by the ions, or the ions may recombine and form neutral gas molecules. A large enough potential gradients at a point cause the fluid at that point to be ionized and become conductive. A charged object with a sharp point causes the electric field strength around the point to be much higher than elsewhere. When the air around this point becomes conductive, it increases the apparent size of the conductor, making the new conductive region less sharp. This makes the ionization region not able to extend past this local region. Outside the region of conductivity and ionization, the charged particles will find their way to an opposite charged object where they will be neutralized. During the formation of corona, the air around the conductor becomes conductive. This leads to a virtual increase in the effective diameter of the conductor. Due to the increased diameter, the electro-static stresses reduce between the conductors. This reduces the maximum voltage gradient between the conductors. Coronas can be used to eliminate particulate matter from the air streams. The air is first charged, the charged stream is passed through a comb of alternating polarity. This is done to deposit the charged particles onto the oppositely charged plates Corona is able to generate sound energy during its activity. This audible noise can be able to increase during foul weather conditions especially with a lot of rain. Rainwater drops may collect at the surface of the conductors thereby increasing the corona activity, which will make the humming, or crackling sound to be heard especially near transmission lines. Corona is also responsible for causing radio frequency noise especially near transmission lines.

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

Personal Statement Example Hence, my path to pursue a degree in nursing was not a very smooth one. However if I can have the zeal to pursue this passion, it will motivate others to do the same in a positive manner. One of my greatest achievements is the fact that I have always taken pride in my work ethic. As a second year in adult nursing training, I have been exposed to the medical environment at a very early age. I have seen how the person giving care can make all the difference in a patient’s life. As a result, I started to do voluntary work for charity in an elderly people’s home. I have first handed scarcity of exceptional medical care, but also be deprived of immediate attention at times because of its scarcity, and still leave happy with gratitude regardless to the waiting time. This has led me to understand the value of nursing care that is so essential to provide absolute care for those who need it the most. A part of me believes that the gratitude being a caregiver via my volunteering is what served as a catalyst for this passion. I loved the fact that I was able to provide care for them, which manifested in their gratitude. It wasn’t until I started working in a hospital that I got a clear understanding of how I want to proceed in my journey to become a nurse. One of the most challenging elements I had to endure during my endeavor in nursing is to follow my passion, even if it meant that the field was not lucrative. I worked extremely hard to bring my family from oversees as depicted through working in two nursing homes. It taught me the value of my passion, and that I want to do something that is fulfilling in my life. Most individuals will never understand that because they merely work for money. As depicted through my tenure, I have always been focused on harnessing my academic development and strongly feel that obtaining an admission would be a logical

Post high school through adulthood Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Post high school through adulthood - Article Example Unemployment has a strong impact in individual development since it directly affects one’s means of living. Without a stable job, an individual’s capacity to grow is suppressed because of the limited capacity to endeavor on activities that might strengthen a person’s personal disposition and social interaction. For instance, a jobless student would either drop out from school if there really is no chance of getting work to support tuition fees. Some would also dismiss getting into hobbies or sports activities since these are added costs on leisure. Since unemployment is a worldwide issue for several years now due to the current economic crisis, the bearing of this issue if felt by almost everyone particularly of the working class. Personally, the decreasing unemployment rate affects me in a way that the opportunities for me in getting a stable job in the future after my studies is scarce and therefore a great challenge to deal with. Every year, thousands of new graduates are facing the same problem and worse, there is no guarantee that the number of work available for the whole population will expand and stabilize. Hence, the government must develop policies to strengthen the economy by providing enough jobs for its people and increase trade and investment programs. Gilger, Mark Jr. (August 4, 2012). County employment rate increases in June. The Republican Herald. Retrieved from

Analysis Annual Report 2010 Bayer Essay Example for Free

Analysis Annual Report 2010 Bayer Essay Profitability Which indicators have been brought forward in the annual report of the company? Which specific targets are aimed at? How does the group state and assess the evolution of profitability in the annual report? Is there more recent public information about this issue? Where? Is this information in line with the one mentioned in the annual report? Is it indicating a similar evolution? What are the main propositions of the company to improve its profitability? Financing What is the global financing strategy of the group? What is the evolution of the financing cost (several indicators)? What is the shareholders’ remuneration program? What are your sources (of information) regarding this issue? Investments What are the main investment / disinvestment policies? How are these investments financed? What is the outlook of the company regarding this issue? Consolidation process What are the most important consolidated subsidiaries? (Eventually mention the approximate number of subsidiaries)? Are there associated companies? What is the evolution of the income attributable to shareholders (or result part of the group)? What are the comments of the company regarding this issue? What kind of indicators does the company report about shareholder value? Are those indicators compared with other information? International standards Does the group announce the non-publication of some standards? If yes, for which reasons? Among explanatory notes associated with the consolidated accounts, choose one that is relative to a specific standard. For this note, report essential characteristics that highlight the differences in terms of recording and reporting in the relation to Belgian GAAPs. What is the impact of IAS/IFRS referential (if any) on the account that is concerned by this note? Global diagnostic Is there important recent information about this company? Would you invest in this company? Why? Business sector What is the main business of the group? Firstly, we have to know that Bayer was founded in Barmen, Germany in 1963 by Friedrich Bayer and Johann Friedrich Weskott his partner. It is a global and an inventor company with core competencies in the domain of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. They produce and provide services to benefit people and improve their quality of life. In addition, they seek to create value with the help of innovation, growth and high earning power. For them, sustainability is very important for their social and ethical responsibilities. Its headquarters are in Leverkusen. This is one of the largest phamarceutical companies in the world and has three sebgroups: Bayer CropScience, Bayer HealthCare and Bayer MaterialScience. Led by the management holding company, they also have three services companies which operate independently: Bayer Business Services, Bayer Technology Services and Currenta. Are there other activities, complementary businesses within the group? Bayer CropScience has products in crop protection and nonagricultural pest control. It also has activities in seeds and plant traits. Bayer HealthCare is Bayers pharmaceutical and medical products subgroup. It is involved in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of products. It comprises a further four subdivisions: Bayer Schering Pharma, Bayer Consumer Care, Bayer Animal Health and Bayer Medical Care. Bayer MaterialScience is a supplier of high-tech  ­polymers, and develops solutions for a broad range of applications relevant to everyday life. Bayer Business Services located at the Bayer USA Headquarters in Pennsylvania. It handles the information technology infrastructure and technical support aspect of Bayer Canada and USA. Bayer Technology Services is engaged in process development and in process and plant engineering, construction and optimization. Currenta offers services for the chemical industry, including utility supply, waste management, infrastructure, safety, security, analytics and vocational training. What are the main groups competitors? The main group’s competitors are Merck Co, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Sanofi Aventis. Indeed, GlaxoSmithKline have the second post in the pharmaceuticals world just behind Pfizer. Sanofi Aventis is in fourth place and Merck Co and Bayer share the third place. Which main risks (that are inherent to this business sector) does the company mention? Which hedging policies are put in place? Business operations necessarily involve risks. So according to Bayer, effective management of risks is a key factor in sustainably safeguarding a company’s value. Risks are assessed both qualitatively and quantitatively in determining strategies of the strategic business entities. The risk management system is set on the Group Intranet. Directive published explains the basic principles of this management in accordance with German Law.According to Bayer Group, the definition of the risk is represented by events and possible developments within or outside of the group that would decrease the value of the company. These risks are described as follows: Legal risksBayer Group is exposed to numerous legal risks from legal disputes or proceedings to which they are currently a party †¦ So it is therefore possible that legal or regulatory judgments could significantly affect the revenues and earnings of the company.Industry-specific risksSome governments intervene directly in setting prices and the government reimbursement systems favoring less expensive generic pharmaceuticals over brand-name products, which diminish earnings from Bayer’s pharmaceutical products and could potentially render the market introduction of a new product unprofitable. So if it necessary, Bayer’s Group adjusts his business plans according to the significance of governmental intervention. Sales of the Group are subject to seasonal fluctuations and CropScience business particularly affected by weather conditions. Moreover the early identification of trends in the economic market is important elements of the Bayer’s Group business management. Finally where it appears strategically advantageous they may acquire a company or part of a company and combine it with their existing business. The integration processes associated with their acquisitions are steered by integration teams. Appropriate resources are provided to support the integration processes.Product development risksThe Group’s competitive position, sales and earnings depend significantly on the development of commercially viable new products and technologies’ production. So they therefore devote substantial resources to research and development. Furthermore it is possible that effects of their products may be discovered after regulatory approval or registration. So litigations and associated claims for damages due to negative effects can materially diminish their earnings.Regulatory risksOur life science businesses, in particular are subject to strict regulatory regimes relating to the testing, manufacturing and marketing of many of our products. In some countries regulatory controls have become increasingly demanding like in the USA or in EU. That may increase product development costs. So Projects have been initiated to coordinate the implementation of new regulatory controls and mitigate any negative implications for the business. Patent risksA large proportion of Bayer’s products is protected by patents. When a patent defense is unsuccessful, or if one of our patents expires, our prices are likely to come under pressure because of increased competition from generic products entering the market. The legal department, in conjunction with the relevant functional departments, regularly reviews the patent situation. Potential infringements of Bayer’s patents by other companies are carefully monitored so that legal action can be taken if necessary. Production, procurement market and environmental risksProduction capacities at some of their manufacturing facilities could be adversely affected by, for instance, technical failures, natural disasters †¦ This applies particularly to the biotech products because of the highly complex manufacturing processes. If in such cases they are unable to meet demand they may suffer declines in sales revenues. So they address product and environmental risks by way of suitable quality assurance measures. In addition, they are committed to the international Responsible Care initiative of the chemical industry. IT risksMajor disruptions or failure of global or regional business systems may result in loss of data and impairment of business and production processes. As a consequence technical precautions such as data recovery and continuity plans have been established together with the internal it service provider to address this risk. Risk to pension obligations from capital market developmentsThe Bayer Group has obligations to current and former employees related to pensions and other post-employment benefits. Changes in relevant valuation parameters such as interest rates, mortality and rates of increases in compensation may raise the present value of the pension obligations. This may lead to increased pension costs or diminish stockholders’ equity. Financial risksIn this part we are speaking about the management of financial and commodity price risks. As a global enterprise, Bayer is exposed in the normal course of business to credit risks, liquidity risks and various market price risks that could materially affect its net assets, financial position and results of operations. The various risks associated with financial instruments are outlined below together with the relevant risk management systems. In this risk there is a lot of subcategories: Credit risks: arise from the possibility of the value of receivables or other financial assets being impaired because counterparties cannot meet their payment or other performance obligations. To effectively manage the credit risks from trade receivables, Bayer has put in place a standardized risk management system Credit limits are set for all customers. Finally to minimize credit risks, financial transactions are only conducted with banks and other partners of first-class credit standing in line with predefined exposure limits. Liquidity risks: arise from the possibility of not being able to meet current or future payment obligations because insufficient cash is available. Those problems are centrally managed in the Bayer Group. Sufficient liquid assets are held to meet all of the Group’s payment obligations when they fall due, thereby ensuring solvency at all times. The size of this reserve is regularly reviewed and adjusted as necessary to current conditions. Then credit facilities also exist with banks. Markets risks: relate to the possibility that the fair value or future cash flows of financial instruments may fluctuate due to variations in market prices. Market risks include currency, interest rate and other price risks, especially commodity price risks. Currency risks: since the Bayer Group conducts a significant portion of its operations outside the euro zone, fluctuations in currency exchange rates can materially affect earnings. Currency risks are identified, analyzed and managed centrally and systematically. The scope of hedging is evaluated regularly and defined in a corporate directive. Then a significant proportion of contractual and foreseeable currency risks is hedged, mainly through forward exchange contracts and currency options. Interest rate risks: The Bayer Group’s interest rate risks arise primarily from financial assets and liabilities with maturities exceeding one year. Interest rate risks in the Group are analyzed centrally and managed by the central finance department. This is done in line with the duration set by the Board of Management, which implicitly also includes the ration of fixed-rate to floating-rate debt. Then the duration is subject to regular review. Other price risks (especially price risks): The Bayer Group requires significant quantities of petrochemical feed stocks and energy for its various production processes. The prices of these inputs may fluctuate considerably depending on market conditions. This applies particularly tothe MaterialScience business. They have addressed this risk by concluding long-term contracts with multiple suppliers. The operation of their production facilities requires large amounts of energy, mostly in the form of electricity and steam. To minimize the exposure to energy price fluctuations, they aim for a balanced diversification of fuels for steam production and a mix of external procurement and captive production for power generation. As we can see the overall risk assessment is based on a consolidated view of risk each. There were no risks identified may endanger the existence of the group in 2010. And this is the continuation of the previous year. Profitability Which indicators have been brought forward in the annual report of the company? Which specific targets are aimed at? The profitability of a company makes the relationship between the results obtained by the company and the means used to achieve this result. The result of a business can be estimated thanks to different criterion, such as:Operating income: Which one measures the earnings generated from the production activity of the company? The profit of the year: Which measures the net result of the company, when expenses and benefits have been taken into account? The Value Added: which measures the wealth created thanks to the production function of the company? Similarly, the means used by a business can be measured by:The total of assets: this corresponds to the measurement of assets used by the company to produce. The equity: measurement of all financial resources used to produce starting. Capital stock: it is all the financial resources made available to the company by shareholders. We must not forget that a business can be profitable but still have a lower profitability of its sector. That’s why its profitability should be compared with the one of its main competitors. Thus a possible lack of competitiveness could be detected. There are 3 kind of profitability: Return on business ; Return on assets ; Return on equity. The profitability indicators highlighted by the Bayer Group in its annual report are the following: EBIT (before special items) EBITDA (before special items); Cash flow return on investment ; Earnings per share ; ROE (return on equity); ROA (return on assets). So concerning specific targets we believe that shareholders, investors and potential investors, suppliers and staff are the key audiences that are intended profitability indicators. How does the group state and assess the evolution of profitability in the annual report? Is there more recent public information about this issue? Where? Is this information in line with the one mentioned in the annual report? Is it indicating a similar evolution? The group assesses its profitability by focusing on the various indicators mentioned above. In its annual report, the group highlights a number of indicators of profitability, which are: EBIT EBITDAThese indicators are reported in order to allow a more accurate assessment of business operations. The company considers EBITDA before special items to be a more suitable indicator of operating performance since it is not affected by depreciation, amortization, impairments or special items. By reporting this indicator, the company aims to give readers a clearer picture of the results of operations and ensure greater comparability of data over time. EBIT for 2010 came in at â‚ ¬ 2,730 million whereas it was â‚ ¬ 3,006 million in 2009. This decrease is due to several factors that are: Sales of the Bayer Group rose by 12.6% from the previous year to â‚ ¬35,088 million; in 2009 the amount was â‚ ¬31,168 million, thanks largely to the recovery in the Material Science business. Adjusted for currency and portfolio effects, sales grew by 8.0% ; The cost of goods sold advanced by 13.0% to â‚ ¬17,103 million. This was mainly due to a considerable increase at MaterialScience, which in turn resulted chiefly from the growth in volumes and higher average raw material prices for the year. The ratio of the cost of goods sold to total sales was 48.7%, this ratio increased by 0, 1%, it was 48, 6% in 2009. Selling expenses rose by 11.1% year on year to â‚ ¬8,803million, it was â‚ ¬7,923million in 2009, and were thus equivalent to 25.1% of sales. Health Care accounted for the greater part of the increase. The group raised their research and development expenses in 2010 by a further 11.2%,the amount increased from â‚ ¬2,746million in 2009 to â‚ ¬3,053million in 2010;

Internet addiction among adolescents

Internet addiction among adolescents Internet addiction among adolescents Abstract Today’s world is a technology driven world, where all the people are linked to the use of internet in one way or the other. Mainly it is the adolescents who use the internet services the most, be it for the gaming purposes, studies or any other. But with the advent of internet technology, life has obviously become easier on the part of adolescents. Each of the innovation brings along with it many of the hurdles or risks. One of the main risks that are associated with the use of internet is internet addiction among adolescents. Keyword: Internet addiction, Adolescents, Internet technology, Internet services Internet addiction among adolescents The technological development of the internet in the initial stages was designed for the promotion of research and communication among various technological institutions. This is also linked to the usage of internet by the adolescents (Aydm, B., San, S. V, 2011). This is because, in the technological institutions, there were mainly the adolescents only who used the internet for the research purposes. But with the advent of new technological era, HCL Company made various handy browsers that made the usage of internet by the adolescents more flexible and appropriate (Hamid, 2015). Then eventually after the coming in of the smart phones, the usage of internet became more accessible to the adolescents. Diagnosis Clinical disorders have been the most fatal things that have been identified to date in regards to the excessive usage of internet. In the clinical disorders have, it is insomnia and depression that are the most common among adolescents who have excessive usage of the internet technologies (Aydm San, 2011). Insomnia is on the rise among adolescents who over use the internet because, they are deprived of the sleep as they all the time are glued to the internet. Moreover depression is on the rise among the adolescents (Esen et al., 2013). This is because most of the adolescents are inclined towards the usage of internet and mainly the social media. As a result, many of the adolescents engage themselves in the fake profiles. As a result, when the bitter truth is out, most of the people go in a state of depression. Thereby insomnia and depression are among the top most disorders that are linked to the internet addiction among adolescents. Correlation to Personality Behaviours, Preferences and Environments It has been found that whenever a person is stress or a stressful situation, people become stressed or engage themselves with the use of internet. This is something that is common among the adolescents. They immerse themselves in the cyber space in order to combat stress. Whereas some others who lack confidence level, escape themselves to online interaction. Also the personality traits like extroversion and high emotional instability are also some of the factors that are negatively correlated with internet addiction and are seen among the adolescents (Hariri et al, 2015). Among some others are insomnia and depression that affect the individuals or adolescents the most. There are various advantages that the internet has provided to the adolescents. Like with the use of internet, it became easier for the adolescents to learn through the e-books. Moreover, they also were able to learn by sitting at one place through video conferencing via the internet. This was one of the most valuable advantages that the adolescents had with the use of internet (Kuss et al, 2013). Though it also leads to an addiction among the adolescents, as instead of the books, they were more attracted towards the e-books. This lead to all time screen usage, which in a way is not useful in relation to the health parameters. Literature reviewed First group of Study As the use of technology is in the hands of the user, be it for the good or for the bad. It was seen with the advent of newer technologies that internet usage among the adolescents was increasing day by day, but on the wrong side. This is so because, the pornographic material was easily available on the internet and more and more adolescent’s age attracted towards it. This is also something that leads to internet addiction among the adolescents. In fact, it is the result of wrong usage of the technology only that the rise of cyber crime also increased (Israelashvili et al., 2012; Esen et al., 2013; Orsal et al., 2013). In the recent studies on the usage of internet, it was seen that almost 80% of the population comprises of the adolescents only who are addicted to the usage of internet and are a crime partner in most of the cyber crimes that occur all across the world. Second group of study Increase in the addiction of internet with adolescents, it was seen that there were many of the health problems also that came across. In China, it was seen that internet addiction has became the most significant mental health problem among the adolescents. The incidence rate of internet addiction among the Taiwan college students was 5.9% and almost 10.6 % among the Chinese college students. It was also seen that most of the Chinese adolescents who were addicted to the internet faced mental disorders like; they often became aggressive and also had some of the short term memory loss (Li et al., 2015; Sar et al., 2012; Usman et al., 2014). Third group of Study Some of the main domains of internet that are popular among the adolescents include, chatting rooms, e-mails, discussion forums etc. These are the main areas because most of the adolescents are attracted towards the usage of internet for the chatting or messaging purposes (Hariri et al., 2015; Esen et al., 2013; Aydm et al., 2011). The pitfalls were many when it was accessed in terms of the internet addiction. Like memory problems, health disorders and also the family problems that disturbed the overall life form of the individuals. In the research studies, it was found by many of the researchers that the common problems that existed among the adolescents who were addicted to the internet included, emotional sensitiveness, maladaptation, insomnia and also not been able to express themselves(Li et al., 2015). This is because most of the adolescents in this age are inclined towards the usage of social media. Thereby they get so much addicted towards it that they eventually face emotion al sensitiveness and barriers. A survey conducted by Young, 1996, depicted a graph that illustrated the usage of internet by the adolescents and how has increased over the years. Similarities First Similarity Apart from the social media, online gaming has been the most significant parameter linked with the internet that makes the adolescents linked to the internet all the times. Playing online games has increased the risk of being addicted to the internet by almost 2.7% every time. Previous researches have indicated that unlike the other kind of games forms like the browser and offline games, there are the online games that appear to have the high addictive potential. It is because of this only that vulnerable adolescents develop an addiction as a consequence of frequent engagement. Online games generally demand a large amount of the commitment and time investment and this is what makes the adolescents addicted to it (Esen et al., 2013; Aydm et al., 2011; Li et al., 2015; Orsal et al., 2013). Second Similarity Negativity was among the other important consequence that has been identified with the increased usage of the internet. With the internet addiction among the adolescents, they tend to go through various experiences that they relate to their real lives in one form or the other. Thereby in the process of relating, there arise many such situations when the person gets negative due to the higher usage of internet (Sar et al., 2012; Li et al., 2015). Moreover, this occurs because the viewpoint is consolidated towards a single side only. Third similarity Studies in different cultures have stated that internet addiction has only been seen as a concern in most of the cultures, rather than a benefit. As more and more time they spend on the internet, makes them have less time on practicing on their own. And as a result, they had lower grades as compared to the ones who did not use the internet (Li et al., 2015; Usman et al., 2014). This is the case when the other people in the conversation expect different way of reaction (Kuss et al., 2013; Hariri et al., 2014). The relationship among internet addiction and interpersonal problem is rapidly increasing day by day. These problems are mainly identified when the family members of the adolescents tend to complain about the adolescents who make excessive internet usage. Differences Gender Differences The studies conducted on the usage of the internet among the adolescents have suggested that there are gender differences that have been seen after the addiction to internet. The studies done by the Turkish university have put forth that the male counterparts are the ones who spend more time on the internet than the female ones. Though some of the studies also suggest that the female members are high in number. It was also seen that the addiction among the women on the internet was more on the shopping sites and the other areas (Aydm et al., 2011; Li et al., 2015; Usman et al., 2014; Sar et al., 2012). Whereas in case of males, the access to internet was made mainly too social media and gaming areas. Physical Differences The internet addicted adolescents are very less likely to engage in the health promoting behaviours and rather are mostly against it. As due to the excessive internet usage they are not able to keep themselves fit. In order to overcome this deficiency, most of the adolescents tend to take health supplements. These actually tend to decrease their health and thereby leaving the internet addict prone to the diseases. Thereby, there are many physical differences also that come across with internet addiction among adolescents (Israelashvili et al., 2012; Kuss et al., 2013; Esen et al., 2013). Work Differences Many of the employers have seen that the excessive usage of internet has potentially reduced the level of work, rather than enhancement of productivity. Employers who make lesser usage of internet tend to improve more on scale of performance. And the ones who are addicted to internet, most likely develop a tendency to work less and thereby become lethargic also. Moreover, excessive usage of internet also causes delay of work to be accomplished in a sooner time period (Hamid et al., 2015; Orsal et al., 2013). Thereby the need is that internet usage must be reduced while the adolescents are on work, so that distractions can be less. Thereby, these are the major differences that were encountered among different adolescents who are addicted to the internet. Discussion In order to identify that an adolescent is addicted to the internet or not, there are three basic classic mass media innovations (Aydm et al., 2012). These include surveillance, escape, companionship, identity and environment. It has been proved by many of the studies that the adolescents make the most usage of internet to reinforce relationships that at times also takes them into the negative room. It was stated that among the adolescents, college students are exposed to a higher risk of internet addiction (Usman et al., 2014). This is mainly due to the higher vulnerability of them using the internet for one or the other purpose in the college also. There are approximately 922.3 million, who represent 44% of the world internet user population. It has been one of the majorly growing concerns, as it is compliable to the health issues also. If talked about China, it is yet another country that is facing the charges of internet addiction among the adolescents. In order to combat the internet addiction, the governments of Japan, China and South Korea have set up the boot camps. These are helpful in providing the therapy to make the adolescents free of any kind of internet addiction (Israelashvili et al., 2012). Though there are many negatives that are seen among the adolescents with the use of internet, there are many of the advantages also. Unfortunately, Internet is misused by some of the groups of individuals if the adolescents get addicted to the internet for the learning and other useful purposes, then no more will it be known as addiction (Li et al., 2015). Rather when one can impart great knowledge from the use of internet if used for useful purposes. It has been identified in the studies from literature that if internet usage is made up to the mark by adolescents then it can reap better returns to them rather than making them an internet addict (Sar et al., 2012). To conclude, it can well be stated that it is in the hands of adolescents only whether to use the internet for their own convenience or other means. If it is used appropriately, then it will serve as a boon or otherwise a curse. Future Research and Studies The internet usage among adolescents is studied further by considering the various different racist. If university and school used only the sites which are related to the students and blocking all the other sites then it will be advantage for the students that they cannot rely on internet for longer period of time. Further research can be done on the usage of the internet by studying the different universities and combining the studies on the basis of age and sex. References Aydm, B., San, S. V. (2011). Internet addiction among adolescents. The role of self-esteem. Procedia- Social and Behavioural Science, 15, 3500-3505. Doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.04.325. Esen, B. K., Aktas, E., Tuncer, I. (2013). An Analysis of University Students’ Internet Use in Relation to Loneliness and Social Self-efficacy.Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences,84, 1504–1508. doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.780 Hamid, S., Waycott, J., Kurnia, S., Chang, S. (2015). Understanding student’s perceptions of the benefits of online social networking use for teaching and learning.TheInternetandHigherEducation,26,1–9.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.02.004 Hariri, M. T. Al-, Hattami, A. A. Al-. (2015). Utilization of internet by health collegesstudents at the University of Dammam.Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences,10(1), 66–73. doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2015.01.006 Israelashvili, M., Kim, T., Bukobza, G. (2012). Adolescent’s over-use of the cyber world – Internet addiction or identity exploration?Journal of Adolescence,35(2), 417–424. doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2011.07.015 Kuss, D. J., Griffiths, M. D., Binder, J. F. (2013). Internet addiction in students: Prevalence and risk factors.Computers in Human Behaviour, 29(3), 959–966. doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.12.024 Li, W., O’Brien, J. E., Snyder, S. M., Howard, M. O. (2015). Characteristics of Internet Addiction/Pathological Internet Use in U.S. University Students: A Qualitative-MethodInvestigation.PLOSONE,10(2).doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117372 Ã…Å ¾ar, A. H., Gà ¶ktà ¼rk, G. Y., Tura, G., Kazaz, N. (2012). Is the Internet Use an Effective Method to Cope With Elderly Loneliness and Decrease Loneliness Symptom?Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences,55, 1053–1059. doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.597 Orsal, O., Unsal, A., Ozalp, S. S. (2013). Evaluation of Internet Addiction and Depression among University Students.Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences,82, 445–454. doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.291 Usman, N. H., Alavi, M., Shafeq, S. M. (2014). Relationship between Internet Addiction and Academic Performance among Foreign Undergraduate Students.Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences,114, 845–851. doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.12.795

An Analysis of the Renaissance and Romanticism Art Periods Essays

A1. Earlier Historical Art Period In the early 1300s, Europeans began to shed the dark and oppressing mindsets of the Middle Ages. This sparked a revolution that would begin in Italy and spread throughout Europe, and is known today as the Renaissance. The word Renaissance literally (and fittingly) means ‘rebirth’ – making it a fitting title for a period where interest in learning, philosophy, and the classical arts were ‘reborn’. Where the Middle Ages took the meaning out of the arts – using paintings and sculptures for nothing more than decorations in houses of religion, for instance – the Renaissance gave it back. Artists began to experiment and came up with new and original ideas instead of acting solely on old ones. As people saw what art truly was, their tastes began to grow and branch out, meaning that artists had to come up with new content to satisfy their growing audience. Also growing rapidly was city population, resulting in an increase in wealth that provided funds with which the arts could expand. And expand they did. Paintings stopped focusing solely on religious models and took on new subjects such as portraits, landscapes, scenes of everyday life, and studies of the human form. Instead of focusing on the natural world and the hereafter, paintings focused on the material world and the here and now. New techniques were developed, combining science and mathematics with art, such as linear perspective and the depiction of light and shadow. Sculpture and architecture were largely influenced by the classical world. Sculptors used new materials, developed new techniques, became more expressive with their creations, and created three-dimensional figures that deviated from stylization. Architecture became more cal... ...ht to end the idealist tendencies romanticism had put into place but could never escape the era entirely. It also had some affect on the wild and passionate aspects of the Victorian period later on. It has never stopped influencing the art world. In literature, especially coming-of-age novels, the thought process of romanticism can be found as characters seek to know the answers of the world and, after searching high and low, coming to understand and reconcile with the fact that there are too many questions for all to be answered. Also in today’s literature is the strong presence of individualism. Works Cited Kren, E., & Marx, D. (2010, July 11). Web gallery of art. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.wga.hu Le dà ©jeuner sur l'herbe. (2010, October 19). In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved October 20, 2010, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Bure rockets to Rangers :: essays research papers

Bure rockets to Rangers New York Rangers fans have to be the happiest in hockey right now following the acquisition of three-time goal-scoring champion Pavel Bure. "The Russian Rocket" will be in the lineup tonight when the Rangers host the Vancouver Canucks. The irony can't be missed. Bure rocketed to fame with the Canucks, leading them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994 -- the first year he led the NHL in goals -- only to be defeated by the Rangers. In 1999, the Rangers turned down a trade involving Bure with the Canucks, who then traded the Moscow native to the Florida Panthers, for whom he twice led the NHL in goals. But Bure is a Ranger following the deal that sent defenseman Igor Ulanov, junior defenseman Filip Novak, the Rangers' first- and second-round picks in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft and their fourth-rounder in 2003 for Bure and Florida's second-round 2002 pick. The Rangers were glad not to part with U.S. Olympian Mike York whose name had been mentioned in earlier talks. Madison Square Garden Chief Executive Jim Dolan sent his corporate jet to Florida to retrieve Bure who will skate with the Rangers this morning before playing tonight. "He's a constant threat — he's somebody that can score any time he gets the puck on his stick," Rangers General Manager Glen Sather said. "He's a superstar. He's an artist with the puck. He's a great player." Bure has had a troubled season. After leading the NHL with 58 and 59 goals the last two seasons, he started the season with a groin problem, then suffered a head injury in November and a broken hand in January. In 56 games, he has scored 22 goals and added 27 assists. Rangers coach Ron Low hopes Bure's problems are behind him. The Rangers are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, in danger of missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. "To me, it's absolutely amazing," Low said. "I'm kind of excited. He's an obvious talent — one of the best, if not the best, goal-scorer in the league right now. He has had a tough year. But the biggest thing is: Is he excited to come? I'm sure he is." The six-time All-Star and three-time goal-scoring champ, who turns 31 on March 31, has eclipsed the 50-goal mark five times in his 11-year NHL career.

Quality – Market Leader

UNIT 10 – QUALITY QUESTIONS 1. What does it mean by â€Å"Quality† and â€Å" Quality Control†? 2. What should companies do to maintain the quality of their products/services effectively? 3. What do you think about the quality of Vietnamese products? What should companies do to enhance their competitiveness in competition? ANSWERS 1. The definition of quality depends on the different circumstances and perceptions. The meaning of quality is also time-based or situational. a. The definition of quality in manufacturing organizations is often different from that of services. Quality de? itions in manufacturing usually focus on tangible product features. The most common quality de? nition in manufacturing is conformance, which is the degree to which a product characteristic meets preset standards. Other common de? nitions of quality in manufacturing include performance— such as acceleration of a vehicle; reliability— that the product will function as exp ected without failure; features— the extras that are included beyond the basic characteristics; durability—expected operational life of the product; and serviceability— how readily a product can be repaired.The relative importance of these de? nitions is based on the preferences of each individual customer. It is easy to see how different customers can have different de? nitions in mind when they speak of high product quality. b. In contrast to manufacturing, service organizations produce a product that is intangible. The intangible nature of the product makes de? ning quality dif? cult. Also, since a service is experienced, perceptions can be highly subjective. In addition to tangible factors, quality of services is often de? ned by perceptual factors.These include responsiveness to customer needs, courtesy and friendliness of staff, promptness in resolving complaints, and atmosphere. Other de? nitions of quality in services include time— the amount of t ime a customer has to wait for the service; and consistency— the degree to which the service is the same each time. Quality control Quality control is a process that is used to ensure a certain level of quality in a product or service. It might include whatever actions a business deems necessary to provide for the control and verification of certain characteristics of a product or service.Most often, it involves thoroughly examining and testing the quality of products or the results of services. The basic goal of this process is to ensure that the products or services that are provided meet specific requirements and characteristics, such as being dependable, satisfactory, safe and fiscally sound. 2. What should companies do to maintain the quality of their products or services effectively? In order to maintain the quality of what we sell, we need to carry out wise quality control program as well as good customer services. 3. 1.Total Quality Control (TQC) program. 3. 2. 1. We have to focus on continuous improvement, tend to think of improvement in terms of plateaus that are to be achieved, such as passing a certification test or reducing the number of defects to a certain level. Because we can never achieve perfection, we must always evaluate our performance and take measures to improve it by using The Plan–Do–Study–Act Cycle. Another way companies implement continuous improvement is by studying business practices of companies considered â€Å"best in class. † This is called benchmarking. . 2. 2. We should also consider empowering all employees to seek out quality problems and correct them. The new concept of quality, TQC, provides incentives for employees to identify quality problems. Employees are rewarded for uncovering quality problems, not punished. In TQC, they are considered a vital element of the effort to achieve high quality. Their contributions are highly valued, and their suggestions are implemented. In order to pe rform this function, employees are given continual and extensive training in quality measurement tools. . 2. 3. Teamwork Approach TQC stresses that quality is an organizational effort. To facilitate the solving of quality problems, it places great emphasis on teamwork. The use of teams is based on the old adage that â€Å"two heads are better than one. † Using techniques such as brainstorming, discussion, and quality control tools, teams work regularly to correct problems. The contributions of teams are considered vital to the success of the company. For this reason, companies set aside time in the workday for team meetings. . 2. 4. Use of Quality Tools To control the quality of products or service, some company use quality tools. These are often called the seven tools of quality control and are shown in the picture. They are easy to understand, yet extremely useful in identifying and analyzing quality problems. Sometimes workers use only one tool at a time, but often a combi nation of tools is most helpful. Those tools include Cause-and-Effect Diagrams, Checklists, Flowcharts, Control Charts, and Scatter Diagrams. 3. 2. 5. Product DesignA critical aspect of building quality into a product is to ensure that the product design meets customer expectations. To produce a product that customers want, we need to translate customers’ everyday language into specific technical requirements. 3. 2. 6. Process Management A quality product comes from a quality process. This means that quality should be built into the process. Quality at the source is the belief that it is far better to uncover the source of quality problems and correct it than to discard defective items after production.If the source of the problem is not corrected, the problem will continue. TQC extends the concept of quality to a company’s suppliers and ensures that they engage in the same quality practices. If suppliers meet preset quality standards, materials do not have to be inspe cted upon arrival. Today, many companies have a representative residing at their supplier’s location, thereby involving the supplier in every stage from product design to ? nal production. 3. 2. Customer Services It is wrong to think that the sales process ends right after the moment our customers buy the products.We had better keep an excellent relationship with them by an annual customer satisfaction questionnaire towards our products/services, by offering the products they bought routine checks to ensure that they are well-maintained, by giving them warranty that lasts for an adequate time, or by guarantee our offering compensation if there is still a faulty products. 3. The quality of Vietnamese products Quality is an abstract definition which is usually judged by customers. The fact that a product is said to be of good or bad quality is all depend on each customers’ view.Generally speaking, Vietnamese products are quite good and their quality has been continuously enhancing. An evidence for this is that Vietnamese people have now increased using them, and the value of products exported to other countries also goes up. However, our products still have a lot of limitations. They are hard to compete with the products coming from other countries in both domestic market and global market. What the limitations are and also the reasons for them are mentioned below: * Low quality owing to technological level: Our country is still a developing country.Our corporates are limited about expenditures, capital, experience, and other elements. They cannot afford to buy the advanced machines. Besides, they do not have enough qualified experts to operate the modern new equipment. Made by old techniques and ineffective manufacturing process, our products are usually of lower quality and uncompetitive. Moreover, this has led to a consequence in the structure of Vietnam’s trade balance: exporting mainly agricultural products, crafts and other kinds of un processed goods but not high-technical or processed ones. Popularity of unsafe products and loss of customers’ trust: Some corporates still just focus on their profits but not their value propositions. They try to cut their costs without taking notice on improving product quality. Some small companies even conduct their manufacturing process inappropriately, using some poisons, preservatives improperly or releasing waste directly and polluting the environment. The products made by those companies are not only bad for customers’ health but also unfriendly to the environment. This has a serious bad impact on consumers’ belief on Vietnamese products. Product quality does not commensurate with their price. In the correlation between quality and price, Vietnamese products have to face a lot of pressure from those of other countries. Their tastes, durations and many other criteria of our products are still uncompetitive and unattractive to customers. * Prices and desi gns of products are hard to compare with those of foreign goods. For example, our products are competed by the imported ones coming from China, Thailand, India and many other countries. Especially, Chinese goods are really varied, diversified and at extremely low price.Besides that, the favorite of using foreign products of Vietnamese people also limit competitiveness of Vietnamese goods. * Low position in customers’ mind: The government has made a lot of regulations on products quality and also carried out many methods to test products’ safety. However, not much enhancement is made. Consumers still have to worry about cleanliness as well as safety of Vietnamese products. Moreover, the issue of counterfeiting goods is still serious and this contributes to lower our product position. * The difference in quality between domestic-use products and exporting products due to corporates’ behaviors.In reality, because of the difference in value, exporting products are u sually of higher quality than domestic-use ones. This discrimination has a negative effect on how consumers judge our products. * Infamous and low-trusted brands: Although we are a large exporter in some kinds of goods, our products are still not subject to any specific standards. Not having any national or international standards to ensure their quality, our products are not appreciated by customers. Their brands are also unpopular with them. In some cases, some brands have been certificated by Globalcap standards such as Nam Roi Grapefruit.However, they are now still threatened because our government does not have enough expenditure for recertification. In sum, Vietnamese products have a lot of limitations that need to be changed to raise their competitiveness. Enhance product’s competitiveness All we have to do is to fix the limitations as mentioned above. * Consumers only want to buy necessary goods of high quality. Hence, after investigating the demand of them towards ce rtain goods, we upgrade our production chain so that we can satisfy our customer totally. But how do we pgrade our production chain? A survey carried out in 2012 showed that among nearly 8000 enterprises in the field of manufacturing, 96 per cent claims the crux of the problem is that they cannot afford to invest in new technologies. Assistances from our state are not enough. Therefore, to do this really difficult thing, companies have to recruit qualified experts who can help them develop new ways, new methods of production. Once they have been successful, they are truly bailed out to provide customers with high quality items. * Create a unique image for our products.This is the only way to retain customers’ faith towards our products. They will know well where our products are and buy them, not faked ones. Also, using a signal or friendly slogan for products can help customers to remember us, typically. A practical action to solve this problem is to teach customers to reali ze us among the crowd. * Make our products value for money. Enterprise must be wise when performing price strategies so that customers gain the satisfaction when using our products, without whispered complaints on them being too expensive.High quality, but value for money. And, don’t try to lower the prices as what our rivals do, set the lowest level for our prices. This determines our true value. To some extent and in some segment, consumers they no longer pay the best attention in prices, but value – or quality. Keeping our prices at a reasonable level can create a good impression on our customers, that they are our life. * Gain the diversity when design our products. Imagine we have a large market for one kind of product. We make items the same as the others, and customers are fed of them.Especially girls, they don’t want others to â€Å"copy† their style. Thus, our product designers had better be innovative ones, or we have to hire more and more desig ners. * Once it is Vietnamese product, it must be as good as each other. The markets where we sell our products cannot decide the quality of them. This thinking will help our products to win the trust from our customers everywhere, for its being always of high quality. * We also need to change our mind of doing business. Vietnamese people tend to think they are never as good as foreigners.This one-track thinking indirectly do foreign business people a favor. We can do better than them if we can draw carefully a practical and effective plan. And the most important thing is that enterprises have to take actions to maintain the quality of the products for the forthcoming periods in which the state of the global as well as the local economy may come unexpected. Besides, we need to get help from other factors including productivity of motivated employees, wise and effective advertising campaigns or applying new methods in delivery.