Thursday, November 28, 2019

Stress related to workplace conditions

Introduction Stress in the workplace may be defined as a situation in which an individual has to strain to cope with workplace conditions. Michie (2002) describes work related stress as a situation in which an individual’s â€Å"psychological and physical resources are not sufficient to cope with the demands of the environment and the task being handled† (67). Psychological factors have a strain on a person’s mind or emotions. Physical factors are those related to the ability of the body to function correctly in the work environment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Stress related to workplace conditions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Unpredictability and uncertainty of work situations are recognized as the main causes of stress in the workplace. Time limits that an individual considers inadequate may also be a cause of stress. There are individuals who will have a tendency to be frequently stressed because of their limited ability to withstand difficult situations. There are some work situations that will also increase the possibility of experiencing stress. Ergonomics involves designing space for the most efficient and comfortable use (Katsigris Thomas 139). In a restaurant business, there is increased need to move speedily and repetitively. It requires enough space and reduction of barriers to movement. However, space is costly and quick service shops tend to reduce the cost by choosing small-sized spaces. Some of the quick service shops are also associated with work overload. There is a need to reduce the pace of service and reduce work overload. Causes of workplace stress The causes of stress in the workplace that are related to work include poor physical environment, excess work assignment, inadequate time for completion of tasks, physical danger among others (Michie 68). An individual’s role in organization is another cause of stress in the workplace. It may be caused by uncertainty about the role that an individual plays in an organization. Michie (68) describes such a situation as role ambiguity. The type of work that an individual covers is not clearly defined or varies everyday. Role conflict is another cause categorized under role in organizations (MacDonald 19). It involves two or more employees playing the same role that ought to be exclusively covered by one person. The multiple individuals may not share the same opinion on how work should be done (Daft Marcic 358). Responsibility for people under your team or organization may also be another source of stress. This is the case where a team leader or manager has to take responsibility for the mistakes committed by someone else. MacDonald (20) argues that the management style used by an organization may be a source of workplace stress. Michie argues that â€Å"managers who are critical, unsupportive, or bullying may be a source of workplace stress† (69). Unpaid overti me is also a cause of stress. Internal and external reorganization may be a cause of stress when individuals are given different roles or new environment (Michie 68). Reorganization may take many forms such as mergers or downsizing.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another group of work-related stress comes from career development issues. They may include lack of job promotion opportunities. Michie (68) describes under promotion and over promotion as possible causes of stress in the workplace. Over promotion may be a cause in that the individual may lack expertise to carry out his/her new duties. Under promotion may be the situation where an individual feels he/she is qualified to fill a higher rank. Under promotion may be a cause lack of enough work which is also related to stress. Individuals who lack job security may be stressed depending on their well-being. Those who have other s ources of income may be less concerned about being laid off. When organization appears to undermine an individual’s ambition it may also result in stress. Relationships in the workplace are another source of work-related stress. Poor relationship with the supervisor, other employees, or customers may be a cause of stress (MacDonald 20). Environmental factors such as poor amenities, noise or other forms of pollution may also cause stress. Organization structure and climate may also be a cause of work-related stress (Michie 68). In this category, stress arises when the senior staff has a tendency of making decisions without consultation. Stress may arise by setting too many restrictions on employee behavior. Workplace stress may also be generated from the situation where an organization is facing financial difficulties (Michie 68). Financial difficulty may result in changes in organizational behavior to reduce costs that may be difficult for employees to adopt. Human reaction t o workplace stress Human reaction to sudden causes of alarm such as a verbal confrontation with the manager may result in many physiological responses. These may include increased breathing, heart rate, or widely opened eyes. When the causes of the sudden alarm are things that the employee can escape from such as fire, the employee muscles respond (Michie 67). Sometimes when the cause of stress is repeated from time to time, the employees may take an adaptive response. For example, if the verbal confrontations from a manager or supervisor are common, employees may soon describe it as the nature of their superiors which should not be taken seriously. Michie (67) argues that adaptation is a form of human reaction to stress that gradually tends to reduce the impact of a repetitive strenuous situation. When employees fail to adapt to the causes of workplace stress, it may develop into a third stage known as exhaustion (Michie 67). In this case, health complications and bad personal habi ts may replace the good character of an employee.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Stress related to workplace conditions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Different people have different levels of vulnerability to stress depending on their lack of resources. Michie (69) identifies lack of material resources such as lack of an alternative source of income may increase risk of experiencing stress. Michie (69) argues that psychological factors such as low self esteem may also increase vulnerability to stress. There are instances when work-related stress is transferred at home in the case of work overload. Women are recognized as likely to experience stress at work that merges with pressures at home (Michie 70). Hellriegel Slocum (199) discuss that having many roles to play may cause stress. For example, roles at home, church, or managing a sports team as well as the work may be a cause of pressure to an individual. Work-related stress may develop into complicated health problems if experienced for a long period such as diastolic blood pressure and mental illness. Some of the symptoms that may develop as a result of work-related stress include â€Å", escapist drinking, smoking, depressive mood, job dissatisfaction among others† (Michie 68). Some individuals may react to work-related stress by a change in attitude towards work. This may be followed by poor work performance and bad conduct. Absenteeism and lateness are also associated with work-related stress. Other effects of stress include memory loss and lack of concentration at the workplace. MacDonald argues that â€Å"lack of attention to detail may lead to increased mistakes† (21). Some individuals may show indecision or delay in making decisions. Individuals may also report physical aches and pains that may lack explanation. Individuals may show all these symptoms related to stress but it is likely that they may deny being stressed. MacDonald (21) argues that an individual may deny work-related stress because of the possibility of being perceived as incompetent. Others may be embarrassed to be seen as unable to work under pressure. Some employees may also be unable to recognize that they are actually stressed. Dealing with workplace stress Stress can be managed at the individual level and the organizational level. At the individual level, stress may be effectively reduced by training employees to deal with stress. The training program includes topics on awareness. Workers are taught to recognize the beginning of stress.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is necessary because an early discovery of stress makes it easier to treat. Training is also carried out on skills of relaxation, and a lifestyle that reduces the effect of stress. There is training to boost self confidence and motivation. It is a way of reducing risk of experiencing stress associated with lack of psychological factors (Michie 70). Individuals are taught how to analyze a situation that causes stress and how to minimize the impact of the source. At the organizational level increased support to employees may be seen as an effective way of reducing stress. Engaging groups in making decisions may reduce work-related stress. Teaching the staff communication skills and expressions of empathy may also reduce stress (Michie 71). Organizations should ensure that individuals are given roles on positions they are qualified. Individuals should have the necessary skills to complete a task. Organizations should also ensure that employees have the necessary equipment and mate rials to carry out the job. Organizational culture is recognized for creating stability and predictability within an organization. Organizational culture may include the beliefs, values and behavior associated with an organization that may be attributed to its success. Organizational culture determines â€Å"how we act, think, and behave as well as providing a structure that makes work predictable and stable† (Peterson Wilson 18). Organizational culture may reduce the impact of difficult situations by making them predictable. Organizations may have structures to help individuals under workplace stress. James Arroba (16) argue that supportive structure may not be enough unless it is integrated as part of the organization. It should be an on-going process. Before dealing with stress, the management needs to identify the context of stress. It involves carrying out assessment to identify causes of stress. It also involves evaluation to look at the effectiveness of the remedial action used. Benefits of workforce wellness Workforce wellness concerns the health and financial well-being of employees. Organizations ought to encourage employees to choose lifestyles that promote better health, financial well-being and physical fitness. Increased employee wellness is associated with reduced cost of insurance. When employees adopt habits that improve their health, the organization is likely to benefit from reduced insurance cost. Companies may reduce the number of employees as a result of increased premium. A study by Price Waterhouse Coopers in 2009 indicated that about 20% of large organizations in the U.S. were likely to reduce the number of employees because of increased insurance costs (Healey Zimmerman, Jr. 140). Reduced insurance costs are beneficial to individuals as well as organizations. Organizations may benefit from reduced risk of chronic disease on their workers as a result of conducting wellness programs. Individual wellness improves when organizat ions encourage healthy habits such as correct diet, physical fitness, and controlled smoking and alcohol use (Healey Zimmerman, Jr. 141). Practicing healthy habits results in reduced rate of chronic disease development as individuals grow older. The benefits may be reduced absenteeism and long productive lives for workers. Healthy employees are considered to be more productive. An organization is more likely to increase profits when it manages the wellness of employees. Workplace wellness is also associated with employee loyalty and motivation (Healey Zimmerman, Jr. 145). As a result of this, employers may find it easier to recruit and retain employees. Other benefits of workforce wellness at the individual level include reduced vulnerability to workplace stress, high self-esteem, and improved self-image (â€Å"Benefits of Worksite Wellness Programs† par. 5). The benefits at the individual level may also benefit the organization through increased productivity. Restaurant er gonomics Ergonomics involves the design of the workplace in such a way that it increases safety and efficient use of energy. It is concerned with designing the working space â€Å"with safety, comfort, and productivity in mind† (Katsigris Thomas 139). Working in a restaurant involves a lot of repetitive movement. As a result of the speed required to reach demands, workers are likely to experience strain from quick movement. Strain may also be caused by static postures. Injury may come from bumps, burns or cuts (â€Å"Restaurant Ergonomics† 1). Ergonomics is carried out on a hypothetical small-sized cafà © known as ‘Smallings’ located in the U.S. on a busy street. Because of its small-sized space and location on a busy street, ‘Smallings’ is likely to be overcrowded if it is not well designed. Space is costly and available space has to be used optimally. To increase capacity, ‘Smallings’ has designed a table-format that is attach ed to the walls. It uses elongated tables that are attached at the corners leaving space only for the outside door and entrance into the kitchen. To avoid boredom of facing walls, the cafe has used transparent glass walls by a big percentage. Its location at the corner of the building allows two sides to be transparent. The waitress was complaining of work overload during busy hours. The manager added another waitress but also made changes to seats-arrangement. The manager has decided to add an additional elongated table at the center which may be used on opposite sides by different people. When there was only one waitress, she was required to move speedily to cope with the demand. The space at the center allowed for swift movement. The floor was designed for aesthetic value and ease in cleaning but it could be slippery when wet. For sanitation standards, a person cleaning should not serve food. The manager decided that the person cleaning utensils could also be cleaning the tables and wiping the floor in case of spills. Ergonomics of ‘Smallings’ The additional table has reduced space of movement and it is likely to cause injury as a result of repeated bumping onto sides of the table as the waitress tries to maintain the same speed. It may also increase work strain from being unable to keep up with reduced speed and the number of orders given by customers. As a result of reduced space, it is difficult to notice spills on the floor such that it makes it necessary for the waitresses to report wet floors the person who is supposed to clean. The manager did not solve the problem of increased workload because he added another waitress but also increased work. The waitresses are most likely to have a strain coping with work demands. With more customers placing their orders at the same time it could result in frustration both for the employees and customers. The sitting arrangement is manageable with additional manpower. The sitting arrangement has no pr oblems because the cafà © serves customers who are in a rush to work and have no need for comfort. Using rough floors demands more effort in cleaning. However, smooth floors increase the risk of falling when wet and may require immediate cleaning in case of spills. The person cleaning will also have additional work load. He needs to concentrate more to notice dirt on the floor. The manager has set background music as a way of reducing the impact of noise in the streets. The employees as well as customers find it effective in reducing the impact of street noise. Noise from the table in the kitchen may be reduced by sound-reducing materials placed on the underside of tables. Separation of dishwashing and drop-off points from other areas (â€Å"Dining Services Ergonomics Design Guidelines† 2). In the Foodservice industry, sanitation is a process of cleaning and disinfecting surfaces after they have been used. Disinfecting surfaces may be carried out at a convenient time to ensu re that they do not contaminate food because most disinfectants are poisonous. In the U.S., restaurants are expected to maintain high sanitation standards. The National Sanitation Foundation International (NSFI) sets sanitation standards such as prevention of rodent access to stored food, and use of non-corrosive materials on surfaces that come into contact with food (Katsigris Thomas 154). A restaurant also needs to have an effective waste management department that aims to reduce waste. Conclusion and recommendations The manager needs to hire two additional employees to reduce the need to hurry. Workers can avoid workplace strain if they hire enough employees or redesign work allocation. Those in the kitchen can make early preparations so as to shift to serving customers if necessary. It may also reduce injury as a result of bumping into objects. One of the newly hired employees may exclusively work for cleaning purposes and the others may reduce the workload of the waitresses. T here is a need to design patterns of movement to allow balanced use of space between the waitresses to avoid crossovers in the circulation path. The flow of food, people and materials should â€Å"follow a logical sequence† (â€Å"Dining Services Ergonomics Design Guidelines† 1). The waitresses will move easily if there is a predictable pattern of movement during busy hours. It will result in less waiting time for customers and increased speed for employees. Easing cleaning requires smooth surfaces that prevent sticking of dirt. Utensils and crockery need to have smooth surfaces. Smooth surfaces are easy to wash as they reduce the need for scrubbing. A smooth floor may be easy to clean but it increases chances of slipping. Quarry tiles may be used for the floor and ceramic tiles for the walls to reduce effort needed to clean them. Floors need to be maintained with dryness and cleaning of food spills immediately after they spill. The surfaces on which employees work on should be adjustable to match the varying needs of employees with different heights. The height of surfaces to work on should range between 28-44 inches (â€Å"Dining Services Ergonomics Design Guidelines† 2). Giving an employee a working surface that matches his/her height increases comfort and productivity. Employees can work for long hours without feeling strained. The counter area should be designed in such a way that an attendant can use less effort to reach the waitress or customer. A radius of about 21 to 25 inches for the right-hand movement and a radius of about 13 to 17 inches for the left hand movement may be necessary (see appendix 1). There are cold and hot seasons among other conditions. Unfavorable temperature and humidity can increase the â€Å"risk of musculoskeletal injuries† (â€Å"Dining Services Ergonomics Design Guidelines† 2). It is recommended that businesses in the food service industry use HV AC systems in the dishwashing areas to regul ate moisture levels and temperature. Noise may be reduced by separation of noisy kitchen tasks from the other areas. Walls can be carpeted to reduce penetration of noise to the other areas. Conveyers may be used to move dishes from one point to another in the kitchen area. There should be shifts from tasks that require more standing to those that require less. Employees working in areas with less movement may use stools to reduce fatigue (â€Å"Restaurant Ergonomics† 1). Furniture with light weight is recommended for restaurants to allow ease of movement when cleaning (â€Å"Dining Services Ergonomics Design Guidelines† 3). In ‘Smallings’ case, there is the use of heavy furniture to avoid movement of furniture during service. Moving furniture may be an inconvenience to the customer. The furniture should have curved edges and vertices to reduce the impact of bumping. Employees working at the kitchen should use sharp knives to reduce effort needed to cut foo d. They should use cutting boards to avoid cut injuries. Employees should use both hands when lifting large or heavy objects such as a tray or a jug. Because of the speed required to work in a cafà ©, frequently used items should be reachable to the waitresses or other users. Proper lighting is required for the safety and comfort of employees. The quick service dining space should have a recommended lighting that ranges between 40-50 foot candles. The ware washing area should have a lighting that ranges between 70-100 foot candles (â€Å"Dining Services Ergonomics Design Guidelines† 3). Proper lighting ensures that eyes do not strain after staying in an area for long hours. Different areas in a restaurant have different lighting recommendations (see appendix 2). There is need of an adequate space for easy movement and less strain due to the swiftness of passing through barriers. A coffee shop with 100 seats may be required to have a dining room size of 1225 square feet and k itchen size of 850 square feet (see appendix 3). Cafes are quick service shops and may try to utilize less space to increase profitability. Appendices Appendix 1: Creating space that allows free movement of hands at the counter (â€Å"Restaurant Ergonomics† 1). Appendix 2: Recommended lighting for different areas and dining spaces (â€Å"Dining Services Ergonomics Design Guidelines† 3). Appendix 3: The recommended size of dining spaces (â€Å"Dining Services Ergonomics Design Guidelines† 9). Works Cited Benefits of Worksite Wellness Programs 2013. Web. Daft, Richard, Dorothy Marcic. Understanding Management. Mason, OH: South- Western Cengage Learning, 2011. Print. Dining Services Ergonomics Design Guidelines 2012. Web. https://ucanr.edu/sites/ucehs/files/145309.pdf. Healey, Bernard Robert Zimmerman, Jr. The New World of Health Promotion: New Program development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Sudbury: Jones and Barlett Publishers, 2010. Print. Hellriegel, Don, John Slocum. Organizational behavior. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. James, Kim, Tanya Arroba. Energizing the Workplace: a Strategic Response to Stress. Hampshire: Gower Publishing. Print. Katsigris, Costas, Chris Thomas. Design and Equipment for Restaurants and Foodservice: a Management view. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, 2009. Print. MacDonald, Lynda. Wellness at Work: Protecting and Promoting Employee Health and Wellbeing. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2005. Print. Michie, Susan. â€Å"Causes and Management of Stress at Work.† Occupational Environmental Medicine Journal. 59.1 (2002): 67-72. Web. Peterson, Michael, John Wilson. â€Å"The Culture-Work-Health Model and Work Stress.† Am J Health Behav. 26.1 (2002): 16-24. Web. Restaurant Ergonomics 2010. Web. https://ehs.ucr.edu/safety/recipes/Restaurant%20Ergonomics.pdf. This essay on Stress related to workplace conditions was written and submitted by user Demi Byrd to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Free Sample Essay on Five Stages of Grief

Free Sample Essay on Five Stages of Grief Because death is an inevitable, natural fact of life, grief is only just as natural. â€Å"Grief† is defined as a deep sorrow, especially one that is caused by someone’s death. Some handle the death of a loved one better than others. Others, well, it tears them up inside and continues to negatively affect them for the rest of their life. Nonetheless, there is generally a process that a person tends to experience beginning after the passing of a loved one, and it starts with the initial shock of losing a dearly loved person and ends with finally accepting their passing. One model that explains the process of grieving is Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ model â€Å"The Five Stages of Grief† – in which there is 1) Denial, 2) Anger, 3) Bargaining, 4) Depression and 5) Acceptance. Denial happens to people when they first lose a person to death and can’t believe it has happened. They deny it. It is essentially a stage of shock, numbness, and disbelief. They are not denying the death has occurred; they are more so experiencing this mentality: â€Å"I can’t believe this person, whom I love so much and came to depend on, will never be around to embrace again.† This thought process serves to protect the grieving because to understand this reality all at once would be too intense and overwhelming for the living loved ones. Eventually one asks, â€Å"How did this happen?† and â€Å"Why?† But this is natural; it’s a sign that they are moving out of the denial phase and into the process of healing. The second stage is anger – at oneself, at God, at the loved one, at the world. It is often kept bottled up inside until it turns into guilt – guilt that more could have been done to prevent this loved one’s death. But this is a completely natural response to loss. Recognizing this anger phase of the process of grieving and being able to control these strong emotions is a crucial step to moving on toward acceptance. You may also like: What are the qualities of a good friend? Pandas: Failure in a cute disguise Persuasive essay on Allan Edgar Poes story The art of effective problem-solving Argumentative essay on violence in children and the media Bargaining is the third stage. This occurs when the grieving person wants life to be like it used to be when the deceased was still alive and well. They essentially fixate on going back in time in order to prevent the death from happening in the first place. It is the â€Å"If only† mentality. This keeps the person focused on the past – and they avoid dealing with the emotions of the present, the reality of the deceased. Depression is the fourth stage of grieving, according to Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ model of â€Å"The Five Stages of Grief.† It is when the person who has lost a loved one and who is grieving enters a darker level – one with intense feelings of emptiness and sadness. When daily habits become a burden, and joy is hard to find in any event or experience. It is not a mental illness at this point, per se, but a natural response to loss. In this stage, the griever allows himself or herself to begin accepting the loss. At this point, they allow themselves to feel the pain, loss, grief and sadness that comes  with the death of a loved one. This is crucial to healing – experiencing these emotions for this reason. The fifth and final stage of the grieving process is acceptance. It is not the cure to grief, as the loss of a dearly loved one can impact a person for the rest of their lives. Acceptance only means the person who has lost a loved one is ready to try and move on – to accommodate themselves in this world without the loved one. This is a process that everyone experience in one shape or form. It is one that can actually bring a person closer to the departed, the loved one, with a clear sense of the previous life and clear understanding how they want life to be now.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Do privacy rights extend to sexual orientation Essay

Do privacy rights extend to sexual orientation - Essay Example Here, homosexuals are not ostracized and discriminated against. And the disclosure of this personal information to the other party is of little significance. (Habermas, 1989) One could argue that threats to privacy rights of homosexuals come from two sources. First is due to social stigma and taboo, as is the case in conservative/rustic regions. Second is government mandated laws that prohibit gay marriage and gay sexual activities (although some radical new developments are taking place in this area in recent years – the decision by a Massachusetts court allowing gay marriage was unprecedented). In both cases, the society and the government can be seen as intruding into what is essentially a private matter between two adults. Hence, privacy rights can be divided into positive rights. Positive privacy rights would translate as legitimately claiming the status and benefits accorded to a married couple irrespective of their orientation. Negative privacy rights, on the other hand , empowers individuals to withhold details of their sexual orientation from employers, landlords and government if it would prevent possible discrimination.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Probation and punish Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Probation and punish - Essay Example However, later the sentence got suspended and instead the convict was ordered to undergo probation under a probation officer. The officer was entitled to supervise all the activities of the convict. The officer was supposed to report pertaining to the regular activities of the convict after three months. The crime that was committed by Kris was not considered to be very grave but it was made compulsory that the convict needed to undergo a strict probationary programme under Robert Donovan who is a probationary officer as referred in this particular case (Scheb, II, 2011). The results from the file review match Robert’s opinions as he was given the charge to ensure proper probationary training. Robert was specialized in this field. Moreover, a probation plan was the need of the hour (Scheb, II, 2011). The instance in which Robert is considered to initiate the probation program and Robert’s discussions regarding the intricacies of probation proved to be very appropriate a nd similar (Scheb, II, 2011). However, the convict’s activity was considered to be illegal but the 1 year sentence got cancelled which was not very appropriate and also probation program did not allow proper punishment to the convict. Taking into consideration these aspects, Robert’s views cannot be considered as similar (Scheb, II, 2011). ... In fact, he possessed criminal intentions which required immediate attention (Lippman, 2009). Moreover, he was found to commit an attempt of theft which is a very serious offence. An immediate precaution that could be taken to prevent these negative instances would be to ensure a tight supervision that will be possible with the induction of an appropriate probation program that is needed to be put in place (Lippman, 2009). In addition, putting a criminal behind the bars for a long period of time for an attempt to theft may raise controversies from various supporters of the convict. Many may not find it logical to put a convict under a prison for such instances and activities. Therefore, the best thing to do is to initiate a probation program instead (Lippman, 2009). Question 3: Cruel and unusual punishment is a kind of chastisement that has been amended by the United States constitution. It is considered to be a very strict punishment that is imposed on the serious offenders of law. This includes serious retributions that generally take place in the form of degradation or torture. At times, the severity of punishment becomes even high as compared to the graveness of the crime that is committed (Lippman, 2009). Correctional facility is essentially a punishment in which the offenders are punished as per the graveness of the crimes that are committed. Serious punishment is imposed to those who commit serious crimes i.e. felonies. However, short-term punishment is imposed on the individuals who are not responsible for most hideous crimes. The sentence is pronounced after judging the graveness of the crimes that are committed.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Business of Ford Pinto Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business of Ford Pinto - Essay Example For advocates of utilitarian ethics, an ethical doctrine that states that the decision or course of action that will yield the highest benefit (or utility) is the best and most morally upright, on the other hand, the continued production of Ford Pinto after knowing that it has a major safety flaw is unjustifiable. First looking at the benefit or the utility that Ford, itself, will receive out of releasing Pinto in the market, utilitarians may argue that production of this product knowing that it has a vital defect is itself unjustifiable. There is no good reason why Ford will endanger its reputation to the public. Though they may reap benefits in terms of profit in the short run, still it will not compensate the loss of trust that their risky move will engender. This marred reputation most probably will result in lower sales in the future. In terms of its responsibility to the society, Ford’s move for utilitarians is irresponsible and unacceptable. Though it may have computed the cost that they may incur once there compensate casualties because of their product, still that does not justify the loss of a human life because of their negligence and irresponsibility. In terms of computing financial costs, a human life and moral damages are incomparable to the figures that they released. Ford also know even before the launching of the car that additional parts and equipment might have saved the lives of their customers, yet still, they commenced the production without adding it.

Friday, November 15, 2019

ABC Corp Business Process and Strategy

ABC Corp Business Process and Strategy ABC Corp is million dollar company which deals in data collection and analytics. The company has grown in last two years and is expected to grow rapidly in next 18 months. The company most important assets is information and is important function for the organization and it has to be dealt with very carefully and negotiated in the authority protocols, which furthermore, should be in accordance with the latest outlays and regulations that are laid by the authorities and well established codes of conduct and dealing with information. The aim of the paper is to research the current state of organization in terms of its business processes, IT alignment, personnel and outsourcing activities. The aforementioned organization also deals with the information basics and the dealings of various outlays of structured information and collects records for further development. The company deals in collecting and analyzing web data with the use of various web analytics tools. The a while ago expressed companionship furthermore deals with the information basics and the dealings of diverse costs of sorted out information and accumulates records for further change. The association has been working together of social affair data which is in a way amazingly helpful for the further progression of the operational structure data and securities. For the past 2 years the company has been in business of collecting data which is in a way very useful for the further development of the operational system data and securities. The data is collected to practice current trends, insecurities, business information for their clients. The company has seen a tremendous growth in business in past two years and is expected to grow by 60% in next 18 months. The company is using some information systems that help them in deadline with day to day business needs. Traditional as well as latest methods has been implemented and adopted in order for the data collection to be up to the mark with the synchronized and differential development techniques, which is best done with the help of web analytics. The company needs to upgrade its IT infrastructure and physical infrastructure. The company is looking forward for an information system that will handle increased business needs of the organization. The whole business process of the company revolves around the collection and development t of data, and the process is very intricate in nature, which has a minimal margin of errors and the processing of data can only be done in a proper and fool proof manner, if the integrated units of the system are working in a perfect sync and each and every element is giving out the best in efficiency. The company develops web analytics which is a tricky situation as far as the developmental techniques and implementation of all such techniques is concerned. Web analytics take into account several trends and curves as well as findings of the website development business, and the whole set of this data is very important for the very existence of such a business and it should be provided at each end of the elemental node. Information flow is carried out by using a perfect systematic adjustment between machines and personnel. Acknowledged and moreover latest frameworks must be executed and gained set up for the data get-together to be reliant upon the engraving with the synchronized and differential headway systems, which is best done with the support of web examination. Data sorting out and data progression is a system which is fast expecting control over whatever feasible industry, out and significant and orderly the restriction is stretching because of the passageway and vicinity of a couple of contenders and the exact vicinity of the developmental fundamentals, which are broad in nature, and all the new competitors are speedy setting aside a few minutes with the latest examples. The company as is a data collection and analytics company have lot of outsource and offshore in order to have skilled pool of resources and save cost. The company is currently outsourcing all legal activities to an outside law firm which handles the entire contract that they have to maintain with their clients. This also includes description of regulations for maintaining data privacy of the clients and information collected over web. Other than this, the development work is offshore as nowadays, it is a very well-known fact that the majority of personnel who are coming up and excelling in the field of Information Technology are from Asian countries, such as China, India, Pakistan Bangladesh, Philippines and Indonesia, who have a great amount of competition in the market by offering IT related services at the bare minimum costs, which has benefitted IT and related businesses all over the world and this trend has propelled outburst in the global outsourcing scenario, wherein big western corporations are now looking east for gaining benefits of the low cost services and the same trend is followed by the above mentioned organization. The company is going on same footsteps and have all its information systems developed from companies that belong to these countries. The company looks ahead to offshore further IT work. The company possesses strong personnel who are dedicated for providing and handling services and issues related to information system in the company. The company personnel list is provided below CIO (Chief Information Officer): CIO is responsible for formulating strategic goals of the company and defines a plan for aligning the strategic goals with information technology in the company. DBA (Database administrator): The database administrator manage database employed in the company. He is an experienced database developer in MYSql and core responsibilities include Database development, management, maintaining security, monitoring, and optimization are responsibilities of DBA. Project Manager: The project manager is responsible for managing the IT projects. HE is the person who heads all in-house projects and deals with projects heads of the companies to whom the projects are outsourced. HRM (Human resources manager): HRM is responsible for maintaining the human resource of the company as well as Information technology. Chief finance officer: Chief finance officer is responsible for all budgeting and financial planning for IT projects. Software Engineers: The Company employs five software engineers for handling in-house development activities. Data is a critical capacity for any association and it must be managed painstakingly and arranged in the power conventions, which besides, ought to be as per the most recent expenses and regulations that are laid by the powers and settled sets of principles and managing data. (Shokrey, N., 2011). The previously stated association additionally manages the data rudiments and the dealings of different expenses of organized data and gathers records for further improvement. The organization has been doing business of gathering information which is in a manner extremely handy for the further advancement of the operational framework information and securities. Specifically, data is collected for their client that further helps them in making various decisions based upon analysis. For the purpose, company is collecting following type of information by using web analytics and other tools. Visitors information: The visitors coming on any website are tracked with the information about their IP addresses, visiting time and other details Number of hits: Some of clients needs to track the hits they received from their clients are also observed. Tracking repeat visitors: Tracking repeat visitors by storing the details on how many times a visitor visits etc. Customer feedback: Customer feedback is also taken as a part of the company of client that will help them in improving their services. Customer behavior: There are number of clients who are interested in knowing behaviors of the customer for setting target markets, product niche etc. Details about web pages: Details about page including page response time, frequency, site overlay etc are some other types. The company is currently using web analytics tools and some information system to process data collected through web analytics tools. The company is using different web analytics tools and data processing information system for storing, processing, retrieving and analyzing information. The information systems used by the company are listed below Decision support system: The system helps the management to take decisions based upon the input provided from various web analytics tools. The system works on MySql database and is developed in PHP. The system is based on graphical user interface where users are provided with drag and drop facility to facilitate ease of operation. The company uses proper authentication mechanism for ensuring security. Client server architecture is used where are clients are authenticated and can only access the information by login to system. Management information system: The system helps the company in managing the different resources and information in a right and balanced way. Same configuration as that for DSS is used for MIS. Security maintenance Security is maintained though proper authentication mechanism. All authenticated users are given login ID and passwords through which they can access companys database. The company also employs biometrics for authenticating server area. Physical security has also been employs at main gates. Following configuration is used for both the systems Hardware requirements Memory requirements are RAM, a minimum of 64 MB A minimum of PIII Supported Motherboard + 568 MHZ Pentium Processor is required. Hard Disk, a minimum of 40 GB SATA. Any Normal keyboard and mouse. A 1024*768, true type color- 32 Bit Display is required. Software requirements: Windows XP Professional or updated versions are required as operating system. PHP editor (notepad ++) for frontend. Installation requirements Xampp 1.6 software, which is included server info given below + Apache 2.2.3 + Zend Optimizer 3.0.2 + SQLite 2.8.15 + phpMyAdmin 2.9.1.1 Â  + MySQL Â  5.0.27 + Open SSLÂÂ   0.9.8d + FileZilla FTP Server 0.9.20 References Shokrey, N. (2011). ANALYZING THE IMPACT OF VISITORS ON PAGE VIEWS WITH GOOGLE ANALYTICS. International Journal of Web Semantic Technology, 2(1), 14-32. Retrieved from http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1102/1102.0735.pdf Farney, T. (2013). Web Analytics Strategies for Information Professionals: A LITA Guide. Journal of Library Innovation, 4(2), 149-150. Loftus, W. (2012). Demonstrating Success: Web Analytics and Continuous Improvement. Journal of Web Librarianship, 6(1), 45-55. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19322909.2012.651416#.U1FlrlWSy8Y Elias, (2011). Learning Analytics: The Definitions, the Processes, and the Potential. Referred from http://learninganalytics.net/LearningAnalyticsDefinitionsProcessesPotential.pdf

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Use of Symbolism in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay -- Lotter

The Use of Symbolism in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Within the first few lines of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" we are faced with such adjectives as clear, sunny, fresh and warmth. She goes on to paint a picture of small children just out of school for the summer, as the townspeople gather for the annual Lottery. This leads us to believe that the rest of the story is as cheery as the summer day initially described. We as the readers are virtually unaware of the horrible senseless events that lie ahead. Through the use of symbolism Shirley Jackson reveals the underlying decay of ethics that results from an empty ritual followed by narrow-minded people. Tessie Huchinson symbolizes the typical townsperson who lacks morals and conforms to the masses. Upon introduction she exudes a carefree attitude when she arrives late at the lottery, by joking with Mr. Summers and urging her husband to, "Get up there†¦" when their name is called to pick (Jackson 77). Consequently, the moment she finds out that her husband has the black dot Tessie yells, "It wasn't fair!" (Jackson 78). Naturally, the rest of the self-centered people urge her to "[b]e a good sport"(Jackson 78). The most disturbing event in the entire story is when Tessie tries to get her older daughters to be part of the final picking, and is dissapointed when she is told that they are only drawn with their husbands. The lottery proceeds and Tessie is stoned to death by her fellow neighbors. Shirley Jackson wants us to float along with her upbeat story and be completely appalled in the end at the total loss of human decency. Although Tessie was not said to be religious, h er name might have been tied to a religious liberal named Anne Huchinson. "Anne was banished f... ...ars, which has conditioned him to believe that they are doing the right thing. As discussed in class, the theme to this story can be expressed within a quote, "Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones"(Jackson 79). The tradition and its function had been forgotten yet these people still killed one of their friends every summer. Shirley Jackson symbolically paints us an unsettling portrait of the loss of human decency that results when seemingly civilized people ignorantly conform to the masses. Bibliography: Works Cited "Hutchinson, Anne." The New Encyclopedia Britannica. 1986. Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery." Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth Mc Mahan, Susan X Day, and Robert Funk. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice, 1999. 74-79.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Do Animals Need A Bill of Rights? Essay

Animals on a daily basis all over the world are being mistreated and abused by many people that do not care for them. There are very few people attempting to protect these animals, whether they are domestic animals, farm animals, or wildlife animals. More attention should be drawn to the treatment of animals because even if we do have laws for animals and for their well being, many people still do not follow these laws. The laws already established for animals should be enforced, because I do agree that animals need protection, as in free from any harm done towards them purposely, but to have a Bill of Rights specifically made for animals seems extreme. Reasons for believing that animals need protection from any harm done to them from humanity is that many animals are being used for scientific experiments that harm these animals in a cruel way. Yes, there are experiments that use animals and may not harm them in any way, which is fine if there’s no harm being done to them. For example in the article â€Å"A Change of Heart about Animals† by Jeremy Rifkin states, â€Å"In controlled experiments, scientists at Oxford University reported that two birds named Betty and Abel were given a choice between using two tools, one a straight wire, the other a hooked wire, to snag a piece of meat from inside a tube.† This experiment was fine to conduct because in no way were these crows harmed. The only thing the scientists were doing was observing the crow’s behavior. If there needs to be experiments done to animals for whatever reason, the experiments should be conducted in a way that the animals are not harmed. Another reason for believing that animals need protection is that animals are being harmed or mistreated by people who have a habit of using animals for entertainment. A form of entertainment for humanity from animals in a cruel way is hunting wildlife animals and killing them or fishing. Lions, tigers, bears, dears, and cheetahs are examples of wildlife animals that are hunted and killed for either their meat or fur. Fishing is also a form of entertainment for sportsmen that catch fish to eat and don’t realize the pain caused to the fish when the sportsmen kill them.  For example in the article, â€Å"Hooked on a Myth† by Victoria Braithwaite states, â€Å"Every year, sportsmen around the world drag millions of fish to shore on barbed hook s. It’s something people have always done, and with little enough conscience.† This shows how people do not think of the harm they are doing to fish. Just because the fish are not crying or yelling with pain does not mean they are not feeling it. We as humans need to think of the animals as living as well. We humans may not understand them, but animals do have feelings and we need to pay more attention to their treatment. Animals are also used for research such as human’s closest relatives, which are apes, gorillas, and chimpanzees. There are people who believe since these specific animals are as close in DNA as us that they should be used for research to find out how our â€Å"species† function. In the article, â€Å"Of Primates and Personhood: Will According Rights and â€Å"Dignity† to Nonhuman Organisms Halt Research?† by Ed Yong, Franz de Waal of Emory University, says â€Å"I do think we have special obligations to the great apes as our closest relatives, but if we give rights to apes, what would be the compelling reason not to give rights to monkeys, dogs, rats, and so on?† Apes should not be the only animals receiving rights only because they are our closest relatives. Other animals are being used for research and not cared for, why should they suffer? I believe it is inhumane of us to be so blind of all the harm being done to all animals just for our convenience. In no way do animal’s benefit from being killed and used as research, we on the other hand utilize them as if they were objects. The issue worldwide is that these animals are being mistreated and abused by humans and therefore should be protected from us, but not make a big decision such as making a Bill of Rights for animals. There are laws already established to protect these animals, and should just be enforced. If these laws are broken by us humans then we should have a punishment, but that’s all it should be a law to protect these animals and do no harm to them. We should not go to an extreme and create a Bill of Rights for animals.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Integrated Marketing Communications of Transcom Beverage Bangladesh Essays

Integrated Marketing Communications of Transcom Beverage Bangladesh Essays Integrated Marketing Communications of Transcom Beverage Bangladesh Essay Integrated Marketing Communications of Transcom Beverage Bangladesh Essay Integrated Marketing Communications is a simple concept. It ensures that all forms of communications and messages are carefully linked together. At its most basic level, Integrated Marketing Communications, or IMC, as well call it, means integrating all the promotional tools, so that they work together in harmony. Promotion is one of the Ps in the marketing mix. Promotions have their own mix of communications tools. All of these communications tools work better if they work together in harmony rather than in isolation. Their sum is greater than their parts providing they speak consistently with one voice all the time, every time. This is a management concept that is designed to make all aspects of marketing communication such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing work together as a unified force, rather than permitting each to work in isolation. About Transcom Originated with tea plantations in 1885, TRANSCOM today is one of the leading and fastest growing diversified business houses in the country employing over 10000 people. Not many industrial groups in Bangladesh can claim a history of continuous business pursuits stretching back over 125 years! Initially tea and later jute formed the backbone of the family business. Although these are still part of   the activities and contributing marginally to the overall group turnover. Presently those early industrial ventures have moved over to businesses involving high-tech manufacturing, international trading and distribution, forming strong ties with a host of blue chip multinational companies. In recent years, TRANSCOM has emerged as the largest media house in Bangladesh. Transcom Beverages Ltd Transcom Beverage Ltd (TBL) is the exclusive PepsiCo Franchisee for Bangladesh. TBL owns and operates modern plants in Dhaka and Chittagong for bottling the renowned soft drink brands such as, Pepsi, 7UP, Mirinda, Slice, Mountain Dew, Pepsi Diet and 7UP Light. The company is emerging with the motto to deliver sustained growth in Bangladesh and move towards dominant Beverage Company, delighting ; nourishing every Bangladeshi, by best eeting their everyday beverages needs ; stakeholders by delivering performance with purpose, through talented people. 2009 has been an amazing year for TBL, winning several spectacular awards as PepsiCos exclusive bottling partner in Bangladesh. For its extraordinary and outstanding venture through excellence TBL has been rewarded with several prestigious national and international recognitions. Pic: Products of Transcom Beverage The basic tools used to accomplish an organization’s communication objectives are often referred to as the promotional mix. These tools include: * Advertising – any paid form of non personal communication about an organization, product, service, or idea by an identified sponsor * Direct marketing – communication directly with target customers to generate a response and/or transaction * Interactive/Internet marketing – communication through interactive media such as the Internet, CD-ROMS and kiosks. Sales promotion – marketing activities that provide extra value or incentives to sales force, distributors, or consumers to stimulate immediate sales * Publicity/Public Relations – Publicity is a form of non-personal communication not directly paid for or run under identified sponsorship. Public relations is a management function which executes programs of action to earn public understanding and acceptance an enhance the image of the company. * Per sonal Selling – person-to-person communication between a seller and buyer. Transcom Beverage’s Promotional mix: Advertising Transcom use both Television Commercials and print ads for their advertisement. They also use billboard and radio as a tool of advertising. Transcom beverage advertise its most two renowned brands in Bangladesh – Pepsi and Seven Up. Mountain dew is also used in advertisement, but no such ad is particularly made for Bangladeshi target people only. But Advertisement of Pepsi and Seven Up is prepared targeting Bangladeshi people and by Bangladeshi IMC agencies. Currently, Asiatic 360 is the agency doing the advertisement for Transcom Beverage. TVC 7-Up: The TVC shown below is for 7up. The ad is promoting the newly launched go pack at that time of advertisement campaign. They also has TVC of 7 up with the tagline †Give freshness of life to your mood†: Pepsi: Pepsi endorse two famous Bangladeshi Cricketer Mashrafe bin Mortoza and Sakib Al Hasan for TVC. One TVC campaign has the tagline â€Å"If there is thrist everything is available† and the other one focus on Sakib’s special shot super scoop. Print Ad: Transcom only publish print ad when there is some special event like Eid aor World Cup (Where they partner) or when there is some promotional offer is going on. Pic: 7-up print ad Interactive/Internet marketing Transcom do participate in interactive promotional campaign. During world cup cricket 2011, they had a dedicated website to communicate with its customers who are cricket fan. There the fan could post their comment as well. The website was made with wallpapers and other stuffs of its endorsed celebrity Mashrafe, Sakib and Tamim Iqbal. The website domain is www. pepsichangethe gamebd. com. Pepsi is also using Facebook as a tool of interactive communication recently: Sales promotion Transcom has organized huge promotional campaign during World Cup Cricket 2011. By consuming Pepsi consumers got the chance to visit final match of World Cup. Apart from that they won many attractive prizes through that proportional campaign. The campaign was held by providing a hidden number inside the cap of the bottle. The number then has to be text messaged to a certain number. Then the group of highest ssm sender got the chance to participate in a cricket game competition. Through that competition they got the chance to win nattractive prizes. Pic: Winner of Final match ticket Pic: Other prize winner of the world cup campaign Pic: Collection Card for all consumer Transcom also arrange university based adventurous promotional campaign for its Mountain Dew Brand. Transcom’s team goes to different universities an involve students in that promotional campaigns where participants have to show some adventurous skills. Pic: News on Promotional campaign at DU Transcom Beverage provide free cutouts to its distributors to promote the retail sellers shop as well their brand. For example, here is a enhanced board of 7-up in a retail shop: Public Relation Transcom spent a lot for public relation. Global Pepsi became the drinks partner of World Cup Cricket this year and thus Transcm also took part in public relation in this regard. Pepsi is also the official beverage partner of Bangladesh National Cricket team. Pic: Transcom and BCB signing Ceremony Transcom beverage also sponsor some local cricket events. Transcom provided the opportunity to its consumer to take photographs with WC trophy. Mountain Dew of Transcom was the proud sponsor of Muhit- the second person of Bangladesh to reach the peak of Mount Everest. Pic: Mountain Dew Sponsoring Muhit- the Everest winenr

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Ancient Indian Empires and Kingdoms

Ancient Indian Empires and Kingdoms From their original settlements in the Punjab region, the Aryans gradually began to penetrate eastward, clearing dense forests and establishing tribal settlements along the Ganga and Yamuna (Jamuna) flood  plains between 1500 and ca. 800 B.C. By around 500 B.C., most of northern India was inhabited and had been brought under cultivation, facilitating the increasing knowledge of the use of iron implements, including ox-drawn plows, and spurred by the growing population that provided voluntary and forced labor. As riverine and inland trade flourished, many towns along the Ganga became centers of trade, culture, and luxurious living. Increasing population and surplus production provided the bases for the emergence of independent states with fluid territorial boundaries over which disputes frequently arose. The rudimentary administrative system headed by tribal chieftains was transformed by a number of regional republics or hereditary monarchies that devised ways to appropriate revenue and to conscript labor for expanding the areas of settlement and agriculture farther east and south, beyond the Narmada River. These emergent states collected revenue through officials, maintained armies, and built new cities and highways. By 600 B.C., sixteen such territorial powers- including the Magadha, Kosala, Kuru, and Gandhara- stretched across the North India plains from modern-day Afghanistan to Bangladesh. The right of a king to his throne, no matter how it was gained, was usually legitimized through elaborate sacrifice rituals and genealogies concocted by priests who ascribed to the king divine or superhuman origins. The victory of good over evil is epitomized in the epic Ramayana (The Travels of Rama, or Ram in the preferred modern form), while another epic, Mahabharata (Great Battle of the Descendants of Bharata), spells out the concept of dharma and duty. More than 2,500 years later, Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi, the father of modern India, used these concepts in the fight for independence. The Mahabharata records the feud between Aryan cousins that culminated in an epic battle in which both gods and mortals from many lands allegedly fought to the death, and the Ramayana recounts the kidnapping of Sita, Ramas wife, by Ravana, a demonic king of Lanka (Sri Lanka), her rescue by her husband (aided by his animal allies), and Ramas coronation, leading to a period of prosperity and justice. In the late twentieth century, these epics remain dear to the hearts of Hindus and are commonly read and enacted in many settings. In the 1980s and 1990s, Rams story has been exploited by Hindu militants and politicians to gain power, and the much disputed Ramjanmabhumi, the birth site of Ram, has become an extremely sensitive communal issue, potentially pitting Hindu majority against a  Muslim minority. By the end of the sixth century B.C., Indias northwest was integrated into the Persian Achaemenid Empire and became one of its satrapies. This integration marked the beginning of administrative contacts between Central Asia and India. Magadha Although Indian accounts to a large extent ignored Alexander the Greats Indus campaign in 326 B.C., Greek writers recorded their impressions of the general conditions prevailing in South Asia during this period. Thus, the year 326 B.C. provides the first clear and historically verifiable date in Indian history. A two-way cultural fusion between several Indo-Greek elements- especially in art, architecture, and coinage- occurred in the next several hundred years. North Indias political landscape was transformed by the emergence of Magadha in the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plain. In 322 B.C., Magadha, under the rule of Chandragupta Maurya, began to assert its hegemony over neighboring areas. Chandragupta, who ruled from 324 to 301 B.C., was the architect of the first Indian imperial power the Mauryan Empire (326-184 B.C.)- whose capital was Pataliputra, near modern-day Patna, in Bihar. Situated on rich alluvial soil and near mineral deposits, especially iron, Magadha was at the center of bustling commerce and trade. The capital was a city of magnificent palaces, temples, a university, a library, gardens, and parks, as reported by Megasthenes, the third-century B.C. Greek historian and ambassador to the Mauryan court. Legend states that Chandraguptas success was due in large measure to his adviser Kautilya, the Brahman author of the Arthashastra (Science of Material Gain), a textbook that outlined governmental administration and political strategy. There was a highly centralized and hierarchical government with a large staff, which regulated tax collection, trade and commerce, industrial arts, mining, vital statistics, the welfare of foreigners, maintenance of public places including markets and temples, and prostitutes. A large standing army and a well-developed espionage system were maintained. The empire was divided into provinces, districts, and villages governe d by a host of centrally appointed local officials, who replicated the functions of the central administration. Ashoka, grandson of Chandragupta, ruled from 269 to 232 B.C. and was one of Indias most illustrious rulers. Ashokas inscriptions chiseled on rocks and stone pillars located at strategic locations throughout his empire- such as Lampaka (Laghman in modern Afghanistan), Mahastan (in modern Bangladesh), and Brahmagiri (in Karnataka)- constitute the second set of datable historical records. According to some of the inscriptions, in the aftermath of the carnage resulting from his campaign against the powerful kingdom of Kalinga (modern Orissa), Ashoka renounced bloodshed and pursued a policy of nonviolence or ahimsa, espousing a theory of rule by righteousness. His toleration for different religious beliefs and languages reflected the realities of Indias regional pluralism although he personally seems to have followed Buddhism (see Buddhism, ch. 3). Early Buddhist stories assert that he convened a Buddhist council at his capital, regularly undertook tours within his realm, and sent Buddhis t missionary ambassadors to Sri Lanka. Contacts established with the Hellenistic world during the reign of Ashokas predecessors served him well. He sent diplomatic-cum-religious missions to the rulers of Syria, Macedonia, and Epirus, who learned about Indias religious traditions, especially Buddhism. Indias northwest retained many Persian cultural elements, which might explain Ashokas rock inscriptions- such inscriptions were commonly associated with Persian rulers. Ashokas Greek and Aramaic inscriptions found in Kandahar in Afghanistan may also reveal his desire to maintain ties with people outside of India. After the disintegration of the Mauryan Empire in the second century B.C., South Asia became a collage of regional powers with overlapping boundaries. Indias unguarded northwestern border again attracted a series of invaders between 200 B.C. and A.D. 300. As the Aryans had done, the invaders became Indianized in the process of their conquest and settlement. Also, this period witnessed remarkable intellectual and artistic achievements inspired by cultural diffusion and syncretism. The Indo-Greeks, or the Bactrians, of the northwest contributed to the development of numismatics; they were followed by another group, the Shakas (or Scythians), from the steppes of Central Asia, who settled in western India. Still other nomadic people, the Yuezhi, who were forced out of the Inner Asian steppes of Mongolia, drove the Shakas out of northwestern India and established the Kushana Kingdom (first-century B.C.-third century A.D.). The Kushana Kingdom controlled parts of Afghanistan and Iran, and in India, the realm stretched from Purushapura (modern Peshawar, Pakistan) in the northwest, to Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) in the east, and to Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh) in the south. For a short period, the kingdom reached still farther east, to Pataliputra. The Kushana Kingdom was the crucible of trade among the Indian, Persian, Chinese, and Roman empires and controlled a critical part of the legendary Silk Road. Kanishka, who reigned for two decades starting around A.D. 78, was the most noteworthy Kushana ruler. He converted to Buddhism and convened a great Buddhist council in Kashmir. The Kushanas were patrons of Gandharan art, a synthesis between Greek and Indian styles, and Sanskrit literature. They initiated a new era called Shaka in A.D. 78, and their calendar, which was formally recognized by India for civil purposes starting on March 22, 1957, is still in use.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Introduction on Nissan Motor Company and the Supply Chain for Nissan Research Paper

Introduction on Nissan Motor Company and the Supply Chain for Nissan Company - Research Paper Example This study looks into Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., a Japanese automobile company that makes cars, buses,  and trucks with the labels Nissan and Datsun. Nissan also creates designs for and manufactures other equipment and devices such as machinery and communication satellites. The company’s head office is in Tokyo, Japan. Nissan came from two previous corporations—Kwaishinsha Co., which was founded in 1911 to manufacture Dat automobiles, and Jitsuyo Jidosha Co., which was established in 1919. In 1925, these two companies merged to create Dat Jidosha Seizo Co. Eight years later, the company’s assets were taken over by other shareholders, who created Jidosha Seizo Co., Ltd., granting it its current name the subsequent year. The newly organized company was focused on the manufacture and sale of automobiles and components under a newly created label—Datsun. In 1935, the first Datsun passenger car rolled off the assembly line and immediately thereafter, Nissan bega n shipping automobiles to Australia. The Datsun Type 15 turns into the first automobile to be mass produced in Japan in 1937, which also takes the form of a delivery van and mini-pickup. Throughout the war period, from the late 1930s, the company shifted completely to the manufacturing of military automobiles and trucks. The Allied Powers took hold of the central Nissan facilities in 1945; although permitting the manufacture of Nissan and Datsun automobiles to continue at a single facility, they did not bring back the rest of the facilities to the company until the mid-1950s. Afterwards, particularly in the 1960s when Nissan moved into the global market, manufacture and sales increased impressively while the company built assembly factories abroad. Yet, by the second half of the 1990s, Nissan had been facing some major problems, and in 1999 it started a partnership with Renault, a French car manufacturer. There are companies, even leaders in their own industries, where the logistics and supply chain functions are considered as rather second-rate or less important to other sectors of the business such as marketing, sales or manufacturing. Such companies are also those which grumble about the trouble of employing competent individuals for the management of their supply chain.

Friday, November 1, 2019

HL1003N Reading Twentieth Century Fiction Essay

HL1003N Reading Twentieth Century Fiction - Essay Example During the course of the evening, Gretta is reminded of a man named Michael Furey, a man who is not her husband, but whom she once loved many years ago. In the first occasion she is reminded of the town of Galway, where she had her relationship with Furey. Second, she listens to a song by Mr. DArcy which is the same song Furey sang on their long walks through the countryside. This too takes her away to different time and place. Gabriel for his part does not pay much attention to his wife. He did not really want to go to the dance and feels alienated from the people there. He doesn’t know how to talk to them and doesn’t really seem to want to talk to them. When he leaves to go back to the hotel with Gretta he thinks, â€Å"they had escaped from their lives and duties† (169). He doesn’t like it there. Only then does he see that Gretta is in a different kind of mood. Not only was she not paying attention to much of the party, but she was lost in the past†”thinking mostly of a dead man who had influenced her life so much. She finally tells Gabriel about how Furey had died as a young man after catching cold while standing outside of her window in the rain shouting up to Gretta that he did not want to live without her. After his wife has gone to bed, Gabriel thinks about his own life and about his wife; he feels like he leads a passionless existence. At first he was angry at Furey, but finally he begins to see that the passion that motivated Furey focused and encouraged a good life. He looks at his sleeping wife: â€Å"He thought of how she who lay beside him had locked in her heart for so many years that image of her lover’s eyes when he had told her that he did not wish to live† (176).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The dead are everywhere in this story. They are, for example, the subject of Gabriels speech at the dinner after the