Maritime security requirements Essay

Maritime security refers to the security offered to the shipping industry in a country. It refers to the measures taken by the government to ensure that the port, the employers, the employees as well as the equipments in the ports are well guarded from threats which face them. The ports face risks which may arise due to unlawful acts done on them or even on the persons stationed in them. Strategic planning to cub any uncertainty is thus essential for the well being of a nation and its citizens. The security of a country like the United States is dependent on the security of the world’s oceans. There are different forms of threats which face the maritime security. To attain maritime security, it is thus vital to combine the efforts of both the public and private sectors globally. Maritime security may also be used to refer to the comprehensive security for the international shipping which started functioning on July 2004. It forms part of the IMO’s activities. This is a security practice code which is exercised in ports which is meant to compliment the international ships and the port equipments security. The IMO/ILO code was implemented to offer security for the whole port area and was approved in March 2004. IMO is an acronym for international maritime organization while ILO refers to the international labor organization. IMO code of practice is not binding and should not replace the laws and regulations of a country. It does not affect the fundamental rights and principles of the workers as provided by the ILO document or the workers access to the ports or terminals and even the vessels. The IMO is thus used to provide guidance to member countries on how to deal with matters relating to security in the ports. It also helps in identifying a government’s roles and responsibilities as well as for those of the employers and their employees (Pugh, 1994). The main objective of the formation of the code of practice relating to security on the ports was to enable all the stakeholders including the government minimize the risks which may be incurred by the port due to unlawful acts in the port. It was also intended to provide a common basis of approach to security on ports amongst affiliated states. This code also sought to extend the area covered by port security to include the whole port. Threats and measures used to combat maritime security Maritime insecurity has been on the rise for the past few years with terrorists using this domain to attack most countries. This has called for strict measures to ensure such attacks are reduced or eliminated. For maritime security to be attained, a number of plans have to be put in place to address the different forms of maritime security. These plans form the basic requirements for successful attaining of maritime security. One of the plans which are vital is a national plan to create and achieve Maritime’s domain awareness. After creating a national awareness, a global integration of intelligence is important and hence its plan. A single country may not be in a position to fight and lead to maritime security thus the need to cooperate with other countries. Other plans are the maritime infrastructure plan and the maritime security plans. The security plans includes the transportation plan, the commerce plan and the facilities plan. Before the formulation of these plans, the country needs to understand the threats which maritime environment faces (Hawkes, 1989). For a country to formulate the measures it has to take to attain maritime security, it needs to evaluate the threats the oceans are exposed to which in turn affect the countries stability. Different countries have adopted different measures to ensure that their ports are safe. The most common threats that face the oceans include the threat to the maritime security itself. Today’s maritime environment is marked by complexity and ambiguity thus making it difficult to maintain and protect it. This is more pronounced in the maritime environment. This is enhanced by the operations carried out at the sea which exposes the countries to acts of terrorism. These kinds of attack are more dangerous and pure military actions may not be effective in fighting them. They thus require other measures and the countries exposed to such threats must device ways to combat them. Advancement in telecommunications and the expansion of the international and commercial logistics have led to an increase in the range and also the effects which arise due to the terrorist attacks. They have made it possible to enter even the borders considered to be most secure with great speed and for greater distances. Terrorists take advantage of such capabilities and cause great damage globally and also in the political and economic environment (Higgie, 2005). Maritime domain could also be used to export illegal goods to other countries thus posing a threat to the other country. Strict measures are thus required to cub this and to ensure that all transported goods are of high standards and are not harmful to the citizens in a country. Terrorism acts are rampant in the maritime domain. Fighting these threats is becoming more difficult since different terrorist groups from different countries have joined together due to the improved telecommunications. They also operate under the shadows thus making it hard to fight them. Cooperation amongst the member states is required to maintain maritime security. The increasing international trade through the maritime domain has also led to increased maritime related criminal activities. Such activities include smuggling of drugs and weapons to or out of a country. People smuggling has also been on the rise in the maritime domain especially in areas characterized by heavy commercial seas activities. In countries with unstable political environment, this is more rampant. Illegal immigration through the sea has been rampant in the recent past thus posing a major threat to maritime security and also to the economic and political stability of a country (Pugh, 1994). The main objective for the countries faced by these maritime threats is to eliminate or reduce the activities which pose these threats. One of the major steps towards preventing the terrorist attacks and other criminal and unlawful acts is through monitoring and controlling or patrolling the maritime borders. High seas areas which are of national interest should be safeguarded. Detecting and stopping criminal activities before they are committed is the main aim of the countries exposed to maritime threats. To be effective in detecting the threats to maritime security, the country has to be aware of the threat and have detective capabilities. Such knowledge helps in deterring and also defeating adversaries early enough before much damage have been caused (Higgie, 2005). Another objective of a country in cubing maritime insecurity is by protecting the critical maritime infrastructure and also the related population centers. All the main and important infrastructures both physical and network operations should be guarded by military facilities for security purposes. Population should also be controlled so as to make it difficult for people to collect information which could be used in committing criminal maritime acts. Overcrowding in the ports makes it easier for illegal immigration and smuggling of goods and people. The responsibility of protecting these infrastructures should be taken up by both the private and public sectors. A country should also work towards minimizing the damages which may arise in the maritime domain. Safeguarding the maritime domain and their resources from exploitation is another aim of a country (Pugh, 1994). For a country to attain maritime security, there are a number of things or requirement that it has to meet. There are no international standards which have been set to control, regulate or maintain maritime security and thus a country has to set its own standards and work towards maintaining maritime securities. However, as mentioned earlier the international maritime organization has set guidelines which a country may apply in dealing with maritime related issues. Attaining maritime security is a continuous activity especially with the emergence of different activities which are posing threats to maritime security. International cooperation and coordination is vital in achieving maritime security. Information sharing and also intelligence assistance are also vital in effective elimination of maritime insecurity. Public and private sectors should also work in cooperation to attain and secure maritime security (Hawkes, 1989). The minimum requirement is the acquiring of an identification card of maritime security. This card shows that the holder has been checked from his background and thus can work in the port unescorted. This card covers the seafarers and the persons working or who supply oil and gas facilities offshore. This card mainly operates in the Australian waters. For one to qualify to be given unmonitored access to the maritime security zone, one should not have an adverse criminal record and should be a citizen. If he is not a citizen, he must have a right to work in the country. Automatic identification systems are also a requirement in maritime security. These systems are supposed to be installed on commercial vessels which are on international voyage. This may include vessels used in fishing and even passenger vessels which are over 65’ in length (Office of the Press Secretary, 2003). Prescreening cargo before lading is also another requirement for attaining maritime security. All international cargos should be examined before they are allowed into a country to ascertain their safety and to eliminate possibilities of threats. Procedures to enforce action against a cargo suspected to be carrying illegal commodities or terrorists into or out of a country should be formulated. These procedures should be implemented and enforced to reduce the possibility of a repeat of the same action. Seizing cargo procedures should also be implemented and streamlined for easier confiscation of the goods or persons (Bahar, 2007). One of the vital requirements in achieving maritime security is by enhancing international cooperation amongst the member states. The oceans cover more than two thirds of the earth’s surface. As such, no single country can achieve maritime security on its own. Cooperation with other countries is thus a vital tool in achieving maritime security. Countries which are interested in attaining maritime security and are willing to fight terrorism and other maritime crime come together to device ways to combat these crimes. These countries should seek to understand the threats and prioritize them according to there urgency. Unified actions and plans are then implemented to reduce maritime insecurity (Hawkes, 1989). To enhance this cooperation, the nations should endeavor to standardize international security to ensure that all the goods and people going to a country through the maritime domain are not a threat to the citizens that country. The use of automated systems should be implemented to register maritime vessels, their ownership and also their operations. The crew operating them should also be registered as well as the cargo being transported to enhance transparency. The member states should also develop a mutual fund ensure effective and efficient implementation of measures to interdict criminals before the damages are done. The means of rapid exchanges amongst the government and intelligence agencies should also be enforced by the law and suspected criminals should be persecuted. Streamlined procedures should also be adopted to verify vessels nationality so as to take appropriate enforcement measures on time (Bahar, 2007). Another requirement for maritime security is the foreign vessel security plans. This requirement has a provision that members of SOLAS are not required to produce their security plans to coast guards for their vessels to be approved. However, those who are not affiliated to this group of SOLAS have to produce their security plans before being allowed to enter into a country. Their security plan should also comply with the measures which are stipulated in the trade agreement. SOLAS is an acronym for safety of life at seas. A vessel not complying with these requirements is denied entrance to a country. This is in operation in the united stated (Office of the Press Secretary, 2003). Vessel security plans is also another requirement for ensuring maritime security. All vessels are required to have security plans before being allowed to move in the American waters. This requirement however exempts vessels which carry less than one hundred and fifty passengers without considering the number of overnight passengers in the vessel. Other vessels exempted in this provision are the drilling units which are non self propelling and are operated offshore. Industrial vessels like the dredges are also exempted from the security plans provision for vessels. Facilities are supposed to come up with their individual plans for security. Exempted in this requirement are facilities which only service the passenger vessels but whose vessels do not carry passengers. Others are the public access facilities which are purely used for recreation and retail purposes by the public. Vessels which the public uses for entertainment and tourist purposes are also exempted. The owners and the operators of these exempted facilities are held responsible and are supposed to implement necessary security measures. These measures are supposed to comply with the area security plan (Office of the Press Secretary, 2003). These requirements are made possible and viable by offering assistance and training to the maritime security operators. Economic assistance is also vital in ensuring that maritime security among the nations is attained. Another way that the governments have done to ensure maritime security is maintained is by expanding the international port and maritime security officer programs. This ensures that the diverse threats posed by unlawful acts are minimized and awareness is created. The number of agency attaches has also been increased (Pugh, 1994). Deploying layered security is also another requirement for ensuring that maritime security is achieved and maintained. A system of layered security ensures that the capabilities of the member governments and those of commercial interests are integrated globally. Both the public and the private sectors can help in controlling terrorism activities if they could act in concert. These two sectors may use diverse though complementary measures to eliminate the criminal acts instead of relying on the government alone. A layered approach is not a static approach but keeps on being improved. These changes serve to create uncertainty thus reducing the possibility of terrorist attacks. This approach is mainly used in the most vulnerable areas like the marine transportation sector, passenger and cargo ferrying, staff and also in conveyances. It is also effective in ports and also the route of transportation (Bahar, 2007). Maximizing domain awareness is a vital tool in eliminating threats and maintaining peace and security in the maritime environment. Understanding the trends and all the events in a domain helps to predict likely events and also the possible threats facing a certain domain. Prior knowledge of the threats is important for securing the security of a maritime domain and also helps in reducing detrimental events. In trying to gain knowledge of the possible threats, the government and all the stakeholders should aim at trying to understand who their enemies are and their capabilities and also their goals. Factors influencing their behavior and also their organizational structure should be analyzed. A vital area is learning the adversary’s weak points and also the centers of their gravity. This knowledge is used in planning the course of action and also in deciding and prioritizing the allocation of resources. Awareness of maritime domain thus helps in earlier identification of threats and thus prompts appropriate actions to be taken to prevent such attacks (Higgie, 2005). Conclusion Maritime security as discussed above is not only vital to the seas environment but also affects the whole country and the world in general. No single country is immune to maritime threats and as such, all the countries should work together to attain maritime security. Creating awareness may be costly but should be advocated for to ensure that terrorist attacks and other criminal and hostile acts are recognized and deterred. Stern measures should be undertaken by the international body concerned with maritime security on countries that collude or allow terrorist to operate from their waters. Those convicted of violating maritime security should be persecuted and heavy punishment imposed so as to deter others from engaging in similar acts. However, while dealing with matters relating to maritime security, extra care should be taken. Damages caused by criminal acts via maritime domain may be devastating thus caution should be exercised. The countries should also strive at protecting the maritime domain from exploitation so as to preserve the ecosystem of the country as well as that of the aquatic life. Reference: Bahar M. (2007): Attaining Optimal Deterrence at Sea: A Legal and Strategic Theory for Naval Anti-Piracy Operations Journal article of Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, Vol. 40 Hawkes K. G. (1989): Maritime Security. ISBN 087033395X. Published by Cornell Maritime Press Higgie D. (2005): Combating Terrorism: Dell Higgie Surveys the International Counter-Terrorism Scene. Journal article of New Zealand International Review, Vol. 30 Office of the Press Secretary. (2003): Fact Sheet: Maritime Security Requirements. Retrieved on 10th December 2008 from, http://www. dhs. gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0282. shtm. Pugh M. C. (1994): Maritime Security and Peacekeeping: A Framework for United Nations Operations. ISBN 0719045630. Published by Manchester University Press

The Negative Effects of Casinos

As stated in the â€Å"Harvard Mental Health Letter, pathological gambling has 0 symptoms, which include :†preoccupation with gambling, gambling with increased amounts of money, returns to gambling after losing money In order to recover the losses, and asking others for money to solve financial problems caused by gambling. † According to calendaring. Com, â€Å"about 2. 5 million adults in America are pathological gamblers and another 3 million of them should be considered problem gamblers, 15 million adults are at a risk for problem gambling and about 148 million are low-risk gamblers. There were many sociological and psychological tests done on the subject f casinos and gambling addictions; these tests support my final thought and opinion, that casinos will do more harm than help; although, I will show both views. They will cause many problems and may even cause a domino effect starting with personal problems, than expanding to sociological issues, and leading to gove rnmental tragedy. We will first look at the earliest effects of casinos which are the ones that effect Americans personally. When one enters a casino for their first time, they don't realize the trouble lurking closely behind them.Upon premature gambling problems, most addicts don't even realize there Is a problem. Herbert A. Bloch stated In The American Journal of Sociology. â€Å"Its danger Lies In the fact that It interferes with the normal assumption of responsibility which organized society compels. Simply implies that gambling most dangerous attack is the one in which impairs our Judgment of social and psychological norms to the point where we cannot make responsible decisions. Because of this, addictions may become larger and may bring on other addictions, such as alcohol and drug abuse.Casinos cause financial problems In many lives of Americans, which also leads back to drug ND substance abuse because people use these to cope with their problems. An example of the snare of addictions, which originate from the habit of gambling, would go hand and hand with a person who reads the literary work, The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson. In the story the reader has no idea of the horror involved with the lottery; they assume it to be a normal money type reward, until the devastating end of the story, when the winner Is to be stoned.It Is Important to heed warnings and place Limitations when going to a casino, because If a casual drinker can turn Into an alcoholic, a casual gambler can turn into a compulsive gambler. Scripturally gambling is wrong, and many Christians believe it isn't a godly thing to do because you may win some other person's money that they over spent and now have no bill or grocery money. In 1 Corinthians 8:13 it reads, â€Å"Wherefore, if meat cassette my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standees, lest I make make my brother to offend. KAVA)† They also believe that It Is wrong to be a bad example to others, so If a Eternal or Tamely memoir NAS Ana a gambling problem In ten past, Its Test to not associate with that person in a casino so they will not have any temptation. Gambling significantly affects the finances of many Americans. Casinos bring in over 500 billion dollars a year as stated by calendaring. Com. Sometimes the gambler puts his/her addiction before what is really important in life, causing problems with work, friends, and even family.Spending budgeted money is a big issue within a family and causes problems, but an even bigger argument is the fact that the time used in gambling is being robbed from the people who truly deserve it, like children. MUSM Kayak states in an article on canticles. Mom, â€Å"the spending of money is not the only devastating affect that this can have on kids, they can also suffer from other kinds of abuse such as verbal, physical and emotional. As these people tend to suffer from an enormous amount of stress, which will effectively make them angrier and more anxious. The psychological effects of gambling cause problems within the family, which may potentially break it up either by divorce or child services. The stress put on the gambler can come on so strong, that they feel helpless. They feel like there is no way out of the trap that they are in and resort to suicide. Many studies are now being done on this subject, to see if the rise in suicide ratings has any correlation with the effects of casinos, though there are many cases that prove this to be true.A wider view of how casinos negatively affect Americans is by taking a look at the reactions within societies. A society is the bigger picture which is less personal, and more collective. We can view society as the people, areas and environments surrounding the casino. First, we see the amount of crime increase within and surrounding casinos. This has been proven recently in Bangor, Minneapolis, where he local paper â€Å"Bangor Daily News,† had an article stating, â€Å" In 2008, crime increased to 65. 07 per 1,000 and this year [2010], the rate eclipsed 70. The increase was due to a casino, and they came to this conclusion, because other areas near or surrounding Bangor, had decreasing crime rates. The main 5 crime rates that increased were homicide, domestic violence, robbery, forgery, and drugs. Prostitution is also a big factor around casinos. Murders and armed robberies happened more often in parking lots of casinos due to stalkers inside of the casino, that follow big winners. The crime helps with the dilapidation of neighborhoods, which is basically the deterioration of a community. Neighborhoods look run down, and are filled with litter.When this occurs, property values go down, homes become abandoned, drug propaganda elevates (also with the crime rates), and the neighborhood is considered to be, at all costs unsafe. Traffic elevates in areas that contain casinos causing higher averages of pollution. Gas franchisers increase the prices of ga s and fuel around casinos because of the guaranteed flow of traffic. Another bad result in society is an increased rate of accidents, hit and runs, and Duds; all caused by either anxiety, rage, or being under the influence of alcohol or a substance.The biggest view to see how casinos negatively affect America is to look at its government. Look and view how the economy is, in today's realm, and answer to yourself if casinos can help. With people using their paychecks at casinos, they fall deeper into debt. People these days want easy money, but gambling is an extremely risky way to retrieve it. Especially because people believe that they have a 50/50 chance at winning, when in reality (it has been proven) to actually be 60/40- 70/30 in en salons Tabor. Casino taxes are extremely sustainable, Delving at ten Nell rate AT 21. % back in 2008, nevertheless, we have yet to see improvement on roads and in schools, which are where the tax payers wish see the funds go the most. And while fund s have Just been mentioned, I must bring up the concern for loss of budgeting in many cases, by way of casinos. Because of crime, many more police officers are needed in the surrounding areas of the casino. Especially for the ones opened for 24 hrs. The funds used to pay for police officers come from federal and county funds, which could be used in more important fields. Unemployment rates have sky rocketed lately.And it has been true in many cases that unemployment money has been used within casinos, leaving families in need, bills unpaid, and debts accumulating and some even with interest. Sadly the unemployment rates continue to rise and extensions continue to be placed on many cases. Casinos are only hurting the financial of the addicted. Many families are also on welfare, due to the lack of money. And with the numbers of both unemployment and welfare rising, we can only expect our nation's economy to go into a bigger deficit. If anything, we should raise gambling taxes. It is t he right of an American to go to a casino.Most people who do go into a casino do not have a strong or addictive gambling problem. It is their individual decision which they are free to make. If humanity could not make decisions, we would have a world or society like the one in the literary work of Any Rand, Anthem, which states,† We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE,One, indivisible and forever. (19)† Americans have many freedoms, it is possible for us to drink, to use medicine rugs, and even to gamble, but many Americans have proven that strength is needed when engaging in any of these.Just like the alcoholic starts off as a casual drinker, it is very possible for a casual gambler to become a pathological gambler. Casinos do provide Jobs for many Americans, but it robs the Americans that do have Jobs. The basic argument that faces us is freedom verses right/wrong. That is up to you as an individual to decide. To conclude, you have see n the negative effects that are overcoming many Americans. Many problems, in which are controllable, but even more importantly avoidable. The only way to actually avoid these problems would be to eliminate casinos all together.Fewer financial problems within the family, society, and government is a great plus; greener, cleaner neighborhoods with less traffic will help society; fewer men and women on unemployment and welfare, and less police needed in and around the casinos area will provide more money for our nation eliminating some devastating debt. I believe that the best option for America would be to prohibit the building of anymore casinos and to begin shutting down the ones that are open now, starting with the larger ones.

Boeing Company Analysis

Boeing Company Analysis The general external environment consists of six factors (see Exhibit 1) in assessing how a firm operates. These are the industry trends that cause Boeing to make strategic decisions that have an impact on their business. Some examples of the current external environmental factors affecting companies in the Aerospace and defense industry are discussed as follows. The economic factor consists of issues involving the current recession. During a recession the amount of leisure, optional and business travel decreases significantly. This affects the airlines and ultimately affects Boeing. It affects Boeing because if the airlines are not able to make a profit then they hold off or cancel plane orders. The Socio-cultural trend right now is geared towards being environmentally friendly. Many industries including the aerospace and defense industry is looking for ways to not emit gas or other pollutions to preserve the environment. In fact, Boeing has been working on their latest commercial plane the 787 dream liner. It is said to be â€Å"the most fuel efficient and world’s first commercial plane made with composite materials†. (Wikipedia 2010) The technological factor addresses concerns with being able to innovate using the best technology found through advanced research and development. Currently, Boeing is looking for technological changes to create a competitive edge for their newest project, the 787 dream liner, to outperform their leading competitor, Airbus. Legal and Political factors being discussed is Boeing not being able to sell to all countries and the possibility of some of the U.S. military programs being cancelled. â€Å"Boeing is looking to sell aircraft to Taiwan and china does not like the idea of this happening since they are the largest stakeholder to both the United States and Boeing (Cohan 2010)†. Recently U.S. defense secretary Robert Gates announced that â€Å"the U.S. is proposing to revise spending on military equipmentà ¢â‚¬  (Shalal-Esa 2010). The demographic trends coincide with the technology factor because buying patterns of travelers establish the need for these technological changes in the industry. Customers that spend money for the first class amenities or that rather purchase a plane ticket with an airline that offers more, are the reason why airlines request these changes from Boeing. Also, Boeing has very demanding customers. The airlines are the customers in Boeing’s industry and if they do not get what they ask for they look elsewhere to satisfy those needs. Firms need to ensure that they adjust to these trends before the change occurs. Failing to react in time and ignoring these factors could cause a firm to lose out to other firms that have already adjusted. Understanding and achieving success in the external environment will definitely make Boeing an idolized corporate leader among their customers and other competitors. The aerospace and defense industry is the major industr y Boeing is apart of. In this industry there are many changes in how it operates. The consumers who Boeing and the industry are trying to sell to are the large airlines who are still trying to recover from the 9/11 attacks and a slumping economy. You have to be able sell planes as cheap as possible without sacrificing quality and keeping costs low. The current industry dynamics are addressed in the general external factors above. All of these are a concern for the industry and some companies are adjusting to these changes and some are not. If a company does not make the necessary changes and ignore these new trends then they may find themselves not being able to attain profitable returns. Those firms who do make changes will have a competitive advantage and will be profitable, compared to their competitors.

Fostering a positive work place Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fostering a positive work place - Article Example Individuals need to put effort in achieving this type of a relationship. Questions therefore are often asked in to clarifying a good working relationship. It is the one that compromise of trust, respect, support and communication. These are the strategies that a good leader can oversee in order to achieve a healthy relationship among their staff. Trust should be a two way traffic, staff should work hard to earn trust from their colleagues and so their leaders. Trust generally involve integrity, believing in someone and giving them a chance in some highly rated activities. This comes with competence, congruency and constancy where competence involves being authentic, real and conscious about ones work e.g. nursing. When this is achieved, one can easily trust another. Congruency shows some level of unity in what have been agreed in unison. Constancy is the ability to be easily accessed or ones availability. Respect is also a thing to look for when trying to achieve a good and healthy working environment. This is through having unconditional positive regard for each other despite the position at work, social background, race, economic background or even the level of education. It is the belief that every human being has a contribution to make in the world. Support is also one of the major point when strategizing about creation of a healthy working environment. It’s the act of being there for each other at no cost. Nursing profession needs unity to moves its many activities in serving people. Communication is the core point to hit when soliciting for a healthy relationship in an organization. It is a good strategy in increasing positive interaction in the work place. Incentives. It is a reward or bonus given in appreciation of a good did or towards an outstanding performance. It is a vice that good leaders should always inculcate in trying to create a positive relation in a work place. Gifts can be given to all the staff at large and also

Italian Immigration and class politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Italian Immigration and class politics - Essay Example The second period happened in the early 90’s with a composition of mostly refugees from Eastern Europe. The third phase coincided with implementation of immigration policies that sought to integrate immigrants. Prior to 1990 the media portrayed a migrant as black and nomadic. Since 1991 the image is that of a gypsy type people from Eastern Europe. During the three periods the media also showcased migrants in a folkloric image, as being marginalized, and a more recent image as one participating in criminal activities. The stance taken by the media towards immigrants has been inconsistent ranging from arguments that immigration can be beneficial to the Italian economy to fuelling the public’s fear and antipathy towards foreigners. Generally the media ignores the suffering and exploitation of migrants and sometimes blame immigrants for racist acts committed against them. The newspapers that are connected to the political left show more tolerance while those connected to the political right are more anti-foreigner. The media’s portrayal of migrant women changed from domestic helpers in the first period to a more stable family oriented woman with the arrival of Islamic women, to those predominantly black victims of human trafficking in recent years. The Italian Communist party has been constantly changing. The party started in 1921 when it broke away from the socialist party in order to take a path that was more fundamentally communist. In 1944 Palmiro Togliatti outlined a new direction for the party. He preferred the party to operate through a policy of alliances, including recognition of the monarch and the Catholic Church. This new thrust ended in 1947 but in 1956 Togliatti again tried to continue with his pro democratic plan. The years following this thrust found the party in isolation partially due to the development and evolvement of other political and social groups. It wasn’t an attractive option for neither the far right nor the far left. Their

Microcredit, women and empowerment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Microcredit, women and empowerment - Essay Example While other micro credit programs are usually subsidized by the government Grameen bank microcredit programs does not reduce interest rates but instead charges lower administrative costs (Hashemi, Ruler & Riley, 1996). In definition microcredit is an element of micro finance, which is to provide minimal amounts as loans to individuals who are not able to generate income for themselves and are considered as poor by the definition of that particular economy (Rahman, 1999). Microcredit is the provision of small amounted loans i.e. micro loans to poor people of any country. Such loans help those individuals to generate income for themselves and to live a better life. The role that microcredit plays in the empowerment of women is dependent on many different factors. The most important factor is the managerial control imparted by the program towards the women involved (Goetz & Sen Gupta, 1994). The index developed by Goetz & Sen, Gupta, 1994 shows two extremes sides of the index. On one end according to them are women who have no control over the administrative process of acquiring the loan. Moreover they were not part of the activities which were funded by using the loan. On the other side are women who were part of the entire process (Goetz & Sen Gupta, 1994). They should not only be part of the economic activities which result from the loan but should also be involved in marketing of the produce. According to the study carried out by Goetz and Sen Gupta, married women had very little control over the loans taken by them. This loss of control can have very negative implications for women. If the men are willing to take responsibility of the repayment of the loan it creates no problems for the female involved but totally negates the concepts of microcredit (Goetz & Sen Gupta, 1994). Two other situations can also arise. The members may be partially willing but unable to pay back the loan. In this case women are left to sell household items in order to

Justice in Greek Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Justice in Greek Philosophy - Essay Example Plato, one of the Greek's ancient philosophers, ideally believed that sense-gained knowledge remains impure and confused, and that only the soul that contemplates and turns away from thinking carnally can receive true knowledge. He also believed that only the soul can know real essences of things, acquire knowledge of forms since the world as seen by the eye is nothing short of an imperfect copy (Bakalis, 2005). The immense dialogue in the Republic is opened by questioning the nature of justice. Several definitions of justice are proposed which are found to be inadequate except that at least more emphasis is put on Sophist, Thrasymachus' definition. According to this young man, justice is anything the strongest man decides that it is. Further, he states that whatever is in the strong man's interest is just. This argument is dismissed by Socrates after proving that strong personalities rarely get to know whatever is in their best interest; this cannot be just since justice in itself is a virtuous (Griffin, Boardman & Murray, 2001). Plato had quite a different view of justice; he believed that an answer exists that derives basically from reality's nature. In his republic, justice is defined as wisdom, courage and self-control; something close to righteousness and morality. In Greek, the Republic refers to the character or order of a political society; its regime type or constitution. The republic also refers to the city-state governance in a Socratic dialogue written in 380 BC by Plato. The republic is a most influential work of political theory and philosophy, and is Plato's best work. In fictional dialogues with foreigners, Athenians and Socrates, Plato discusses the meaning of true justice (Griffin et al., 2001). He seeks to establish whether man is happier when just or unjust by imagining a society that is governed by the guardians and philosopher-kings. The dialogue also goes further to discuss the role of philosophers, the place of poetry, the Theory of Forms and the soul's immortality. Plato's Republic is to-date considered in respect of western philosophy to be one of the most influential works. The Republic essentially deals with the subject of how one can live well. This inquiry into how one can live a good life was shaped into two parallel questions: (1) what does an ideal state look like, or what is state justice (2) What makes a just person These questions naturally encompass others such as: how should the state citizen be educated, what arts need to be encouraged, what kind of government should state adopt, who should govern and what rewards should the governor receive, what is the soul's nature and what afterlife and divine sanctions exist (Griffin et al., 2001). The dialogue proceeds to cover almost all aspects of Plato's thought. Platonic thought as described by several central aspects that exist in the dialogue can be summed up into three main points; the nature of justice, the ideal republic and the allegory of the divided line and the cave (which attempt to explain the theory of forms as perceived by Plato). THE IDEAL REPUBLIC According to Socrates, if a person can define what a just state looks like then the person can apply that analogously to the just man. Plato on his part exposes in detail how a state can have wisdom, courage, justice and temperament - four great virtues. In his utopia, Plato divides men

The Present Economic Sitation Has Had a Negative Effect On the Essay

The Present Economic Sitation Has Had a Negative Effect On the Community - Essay Example While relative to the specific community, it’s clear that a great amount of communities have encountered increased crime rates as a direct result of the economic recession. Consider a recent report that indicated, â€Å"Of 233 police agencies surveyed by the Police Executive Research Forum†¦44 percent reported a rise in certain types of crime they attributed to the United States worst economic and financial crisis in decades† (Colvin). In these regards, it’s clear that because of the tight economic situation, increased amount of individuals have resorted to crime. The ultimate result is a strong negative effect on communities. Another major negative effect the economic recession has had on communities is neighborhood blight. One of the core causes of the economic recession was the collapsing housing market. The collapse in the house market resulted in a strong negative impact on communities. Increasing amount of individuals found that they could not pay their mortgages and subsequently defaulted on their loans. The result of this was neighborhoods with high amount of abandoned homes. Consider that â€Å"Very few in the multifamily sector  did not experience high vacancy factors from 2007 to 2009† ("GreenLandlady"). In these regards, there is a direct cause and effect relationship between the economic recession, increased vacancy factors, and urban blight. The cumulative effect of these elements has a significant negative impact on communities. The final negative effect the current economic situation has had on communities is general social malaise. This understanding considers that the economic recession has caused a great amount of people to lose their jobs. This aspect of the recession has had a fall-out effect, reducing the amount of independent businesses that are able to successful operate in the community and leading individuals to increasingly

Budgets are primarily p ressure devices used by management to ensure Essay

Budgets are primarily p ressure devices used by management to ensure organisational objectives are achieved - Essay Example Some of the purposes of budgeting in the hotel industry include: - helping to plan work effectively; - assisting in allocating resources; - aiding in controlling resources during the budgeting period. Moreover, it is important to understand that a budget is developed to insure that management is working toward the same goal, with a knowledge base of the organizations' resources and constraints. Although strategic planning, budget forecasting, performance analysis are inclusive operations of the budgeting process; it is ultimately up to the financial analyst to determine whether the budget is guiding the company toward the achievement of its goals. Sometimes inefficiencies result due to poor integration of the finance and strategy. â€Å"Budgeting and performance are typically overseen by the finance department, whereas planning s coordinated by strategy department. Often, the two processes aren't well integrated, resulting in strategies that are often dictated by the budget process instead of vice versa† (Gary 2003). The reason for this could be that everyone involved may be attempting to accomplish the same goals, but also trying to make sure that the outcome will be beneficial to them, such as a substantial bonus or a reward. Although many companies implement this reward theory in an effort to increase organization effectiveness, this theory does not always work. According to Aranya, â€Å"participation may create intrinsic valences due to a tendency for individuals to become â€Å"ego† involved in decisions which they have contributed, and this affects their subsequent performance† (Aranya 2001). " (Aranya 2001). Forms of budgeting There are many forms of budgeting, but in the hotel industry "the first step in the budgeting process is to develop and communicate a set of broad assumptions about the economy, the industry, and the organizations strategy for the budget period" (Marshall, 2004). By establishing an operating and financial budget for a future period, management can identify problems in advance. This can be maintained by forecasting for future predictions. A forecast is a reflection of the future. When forecasting is taken into account, two key aspects to consider are cash budgets and sales forecast. The cash budget, usually 1 to 2 year increments, is a statement of the company's inflows and outflows of cash. It allows the company to estimate the short-term cash limitations, with attention to potential planning for excess cash or shortages. On the other hand, sales forecast estimates the monthly cash flows that will result from projected sales receipts, production and inventory. Management can also det ermine the level of fixed assets required to support the forecast level of sales and production. However, it is important to obtain reliable data. As a result, this data should be acquired by internal, as well as external means. The internal sales forecast is based on unison of sales forecast through the company's internal network. External forecast, on the other hand, is based on the relationship between the company sales and key external economic indicators. This means being able to identify how future economic events will affect the business as a whole. This includes looking at consumer outlook, inflation, and political events. Many companies are now implementing a new concept of rolling forecasts in an effort to reflect the most recent market trends. "Rolling forecasts have considerable merit. A forecast produced on a quarterly basis will

Mid-term Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mid-term Exam - Essay Example een organization and customers or stakeholders in the current business economy would mean creation of new jobs, new products and services for customers, shareholder profit and growth of the economy (Van der Weide 27). Hence, I agree with Johnson’s view. c. Milton Friedman’s approach towards fiduciary duties was more practical and believed that profit maximization is a correct method to be socially responsible as a high-revenue earning company would provides higher benefits to the society through utilitarian work, thereby enhancing social welfare. Edward Freeman, on the other hand, would disagree with Johnson’s approach towards stakeholders. According to Freeman, it is the duty of fiduciary or organization to fulfill all stakeholder benefits, while Johnson has argued that stakeholder theory will not be applicable in practical situation (Johnston 30-40). d. The morals of CSR and stakeholder theory argue that stakeholder’s benefits such as, those of customers, workers and employees, should not be compromised. However, major objective of an organization’s board of director is that of profit maximization, which might compromise stakeholder’s benefits or CSR of the organization; for instance, closing a non-profit company results in unemployed workers at the expense of shareholder’s profit (Freeman and Liedtka 95-98). a. Based on Kelman’s analysis and further critics by known analysts, I disagree with most of the analysis. Nonetheless, Kelman’s analysis of cost and benefit method is right to certain extent. While it is flawed in terms of its applicability, it can still be useful and beneficial in certain areas such as, health and safety (D’Entrà ¨ves 33). b. The sustainability of cost-benefit analysis depends on accurately estimating individual benefits and costs. Inaccurate usage of models, over-reliance on past project’s data and information and subjective impression generates flawed results. Sustainability of the cost benefit analysis can be

Nathan Songs of Silence Essay Example for Free

Nathan Songs of Silence Essay The chapters of Songs of Silence hold together as a chorus of songs from one community, but shaped by the recollections of a narrator whose perspective ranges from the innocence of childhood to the maturity of a young adult who emerges unbroken from a failed relationship. One such chapters is ‘Nathan’ and here the narrator is the reflective adult with a sophisticated notion of the wide range if meanings ‘silence’ holds. Through the character of Nation she is able to present some aspects of this theme, which runs throughout the text in many different ways. Nathan acts strategically without words, but with potent meaning – revenge (poking Tony’s eye). Silence is a characteristic feature of Nathan’s personality, which is deep and profound even though he uses few words. The absence of words can mask/hide a great deal (still waters run deep). Nathan’s deep and profound silence was evident even from his birth and the close connection he had with his sister, the narrator – ‘†¦soulmates, welded together by our common need for silence.’ They both started speaking late. However, her silence was different from his – ‘he was a man of dark blue silences,’ while hers ‘hers was a silence of moons.’ Here the narrator suggests that contrary to the saying ‘silence means consent’, silence does not always mean ‘consent’ or agreement nor are all silent people to be treated the same. The ‘manna manna manna mahkita’ game establishes the communication between the narrator and Nathan. It has unspoken personal meaning for them and suggests that its ritual is saturated with almost religious or spiritual significance. It shows that codes of communication which may appear insignificant or meaningless to others looking on, may be a way of expressing connections that (known) words cannot express. The different silences of the siblings allow them to explore, define and find their own authentic selves in their own ways. (E.g. The narrator and the ants, Nathan and his tightfistedness with money). Silence, like money, can express identity.

Restorative Justice and the Criminal Justice System Essay Example for Free

Restorative Justice and the Criminal Justice System Essay Mennonites and other practitioners in Ontario, Canada, and later in Indiana, experimented with victim offender encounters that led to programs in these communities and later became models for programs throughout the world. Restorative justice theory developed initially from these particular efforts [ (Zehr, 2002) ]. The restorative justice movement originally began as an effort to rethink the needs which crimes create, as well as the roles implicit in crimes. Restorative justice advocates were concerned about needs that were not being met in the usual justice process [ (Zehr, 2002) ]. The criminal justice system’s approach to justice has some important strengths. Yet, there is also a growing acknowledgment of this system’s limits and failures. Victims, offenders, and community members often feel that justice does not adequately meet their needs. Justice professionals, who make up the core components, such as: judges, lawyers, prosecutors, probation and parole officers, and prison staff frequently express a sense of frustration as well. Many feel that the process of justice deepens societal wounds and conflicts rather than contributing to healing or peace [ (Zehr, 2002) ]. Interdisciplinary study and research in public safety and restorative justice is very important. Restorative justice at this day in age will not replace the current court system, but it offers an alternative resolution service for people who want to try another approach. For example, some places are offering mediated victim and offender community conferences. These conferences provide facilitators to help victims and offenders seek reconciliation and resolution. Restorative justice seeks alternatives to continue to put more and more people in jail. Restorative justice seeks sentences that make amends to the victim of crime and to the community as a whole [ (Zehr, 2002) ]. Restorative Justice 3 My related feel of study is criminal justice. The criminal justice system is not a perfect system by far. The criminal justice system is concerned about holding offenders accountable, but that means making sure offenders get the punishment they deserve. The restorative justice approach focuses on the harm that has been done to people, individually and as a community. Restorative justice recognizes that crime is wrong and should not occur and also recognizes that after it does, there are dangers and opportunities. Restorative justice has brought an awareness of the limits and negative byproducts of punishment. Beyond that, however, it has argued that punishment is not real accountability. Real accountability involves facing up to what one has done. It means encouraging offenders to understand the impact of their behavior, the harms they have done, and urging them to take steps to put things right as much as possible [ (Zehr, 2002) ]. Restorative justice and the criminal justice system are two systems that have different views. Restorative justice focuses on harm that has been done to people, individually and as a community. It recognizes that crime is wrong and should not occur, and also recognizes that after it does, there are dangers and opportunities [ (Kelly, 2001) ]. The criminal justice system has three core components, police, courts, and corrections. Each core component has a different function in the criminal justice system. The police functions are to enforce specific laws, investigate specific crimes, earch people, vicinities, buildings, arrest or detain people. The police function is primarily a function of cities and states (Overview, 2008). The courts functions are broken down into prosecutors, judges and magistrates. The prosecutors file charges or petitions for adjudication, seek indictments, drop cases and reduce charges. Restorative Justice 4 The judges and magistrates set bail or condition s for release, accept pleas, determine delinquency, dismiss charges, impose sentences, and revoke probation (Overview, 2008). The corrections components are correctional officials and paroling authorities. Correction officials assign to type of correctional facility, award privileges, and punish for disciplinary infractions. The paroling authorities determine date and conditions of parole and revoke parole. Corrections are a primary function of the state and government (Overview, 2008). Throughout the United States the criminal justice system is in a state of crisis. The public is fearful and angry. Practitioners are weary and frustrated. Criminal justice policy is driven more by anecdote than systematic information. Costs of current policies are not sustainable over long periods. Victims are often re-victimized in the process.

Chromium and Selenium Concentration in Cancer

Chromium and Selenium Concentration in Cancer The ratio between chromium and selenium concentration among various age groups of cancer group has also been studied and it shown in table 5.48, and it has been observed that all groups of cancer patients present somewhat similar ratio of chromium and selenium concentration in their blood. Moreover, the concentration balance of chromium and selenium has conspicuously been disturbed as it illustrated in table 5.49. For instance, the breast cancer mortalities in various countries were studied and ascertained a direct correlation with the estimated dietary intake of zinc, chromium and cadmium and inversely proportional to the concentration of selenium (238). The summary of stage wise distribution for chromium and selenium has been illustrated in Table 5.50 and it observed that all four stages of cancer patients present a sort of consistency in chromium and selenium proportion in the blood of cancer patients as shown in Table 5.51. In view of this fact, it may be elucidated that the demarcation among various stages of cancer is arbitrary division and this periphery does not present any association of stages with the distribution-ratio of chromium and selenium in the blood of cancer patients. However, the reduction of 0.064 Â µg ml-1 of selenium concentration in the blood of cancer patients corresponds to more than 52 % decrease as compared to the selenium level in the blood of control group. These variations in concentration may be the result of the disease of cancer however the type of cancer does not influence the levels of selenium in the blood of cancer patients. However, the significant decrease in selenium concentration in whole blood and plasma has been observed in another study where the tannery workers were exposed to chromium compounds and have shown a considerably lower selenium concentration in their blood and they excreted lower amount of selenium in their urine as compared to the worker those were not exposed to the chromium. It may confirm the point of view that chromium and selenium have some kind of interaction and biological selenides are formed with chromium and in due course of time they accumulate in some organs. It was also demonstrated that the tannery workers who were exposed to air with high concentrations of chromium compounds at their workplace exhibited significantly higher erythrocyte and plasma GSH-Px activity than workers of other departments (239). Therefore, higher level of selenium stipulates the main function of selenium is to induce and maintain the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which prevents cellular damage by catabolizing organic peroxides (240) The enzyme, SeGSH-Px, catalyzes the oxidation-reduction reaction between reduced glutathione and peroxide. Therefore, the pathological lesions lured with selenium deficiency are considered to be caused by peroxidative damage that is the product of depressed SeGSH-Px activity (241-242). However, once chromium absorbed and retained in biological tissue chromium compounds occur as chromium (III). Glutathione and cysteine seem to be the most important cofactors for the intracellular reduction of chromium (VI) (243). The absorption of metal in the human body is a complex process and depends on various factors including dietary components. About 40% of ingested metal is absorbed in the small intestine (244). Furthermore, a variety of neurodegnerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, and neuronal damage caused by stroke and ischemia may be associated with pathological disruption of metal trafficking (245-247). Chromium is potentially toxic and carcinogenic at higher doses. All chromates that exhibit oxidation state (VI) can aggressively enter the cell through channels that are specified for the transfer of isoelectric and isostructural anions, such as SO4-2 and PO4-2. However, the insoluble chromates are engrossed by cells through phagocytosis. As soon as the chromates get inside the cell they are competent enough to generate free radicals immediately. Yet, in the presence of cellular reductants the chromium inside the cell can cause a broad series of DNA lesions such as DNA- protein crosslink, Cr-DNA adducts, DNA-DNA cross links, and oxidative damages. The glutathione quickly reacts with chromium (VI) and forms a complex and generate chromium (V) and chromium (III) through slow reduction of chromium (VI) inside the cell. The chromium (V) and chromium (III) species exhibit the tendency to alter the DNA conformation. The reduction of chromium (VI) can be commenced through GSH, or in the pre sence of other reducing agents. The chromium (V) and chromium (III) can react with H2O2 through Fenton reaction and produce hydroxyl radical (OH) that has the potential to damage DNA. There are evidents that interacellular reduction of chromium (VI) results in extensive formation of Cr-DNA adducts, among which chromium (III) – mediated DNA cross-link of glutathione, cysteine, histidine and ascorbate represent an important group of DNA modifications. Therefore, Cr- DNA adducts are responsible for both the mutagenicity and genotoxicity of chromium. The chromium (VI) is considered as carcinogen for lungs cancer for human (248). Numerous epidemiological studies have been performed for more than 100 years on workers exposed to chromium in order to determine its level of carcinogenicity. Altogether, these studies indicate that exposed individuals have approximately 2- 80 fold increased relative risk of developing lungs cancer (226). On the other hand, an inverse association between serum selenium level and cancer risk is biologically possible. The results of the study indicated that the treatment with selenium improved GPx levels. GPx detoxifies H2O2by reducing it to water. It also protects cytosolic organelles from oxidative damage by preventing lipid peroxidation. Selenium could reduce oxidative stress through antioxidant selenoproteins such as glutathione peroxidase, selenoprotein P, and thioredoxin reductase. (249-250). There are numerous promising possibilities that may be presented as an account for the observed variations for selenium in whole blood levels associated with malignant disease, as compared to healthy and control group (251). It includes chemotherapeutic-induce necrosis, which could release selenium from tissues into the circulation, preferential sequestration by tumor cells (252-253) and alteration of properties of proteins, especially enzymes, at elevated concentration of selenium in tissues (254-255). Furthermore, the possibility of depression in activities of specific enzymes with loss of vital enzyme activity, and impaired tissue function resulting from a selenium-deficient state (256). The depletion of selenium in the blood of cancer patients may suggest its reciprocal accumulation in the malignant tissues in view of the studies (257-261) who have reported higher concentration of selenium in the cancerous and neighboring tissues cells. Availability of excessive selenium in the cancerous cells may be expected to facilitate the synthesis of selenoproteins e.g. Trx, TrxR etc. which are known to provide protection to the tissue cells against the oxidative stress, carcinogens, and help to reduce cancerous cell growth. The results of recent studies (262-264) regarding the diversified multiple functions of selenoproteins has generated tremendous interest in the understanding and elucidation of mechanisms that triggers the role of these proteins from anti-apoptosis in the normal cells to pro-apoptosis in malignant cells. There are numerous studies (265-267), who have proposed different mechanisms to explain the inhibiting effect of selenium on malignant neoplasm; for examp le modulation of cellular division rate, decrease in formation of carcinogenic metabolites or cellular protection by an antioxidant system. It is generally believed that due to the anti oxidative characteristics of selenoproteins, these proteins can protect the cells and DNA from oxidative damage; in addition, these proteins can react with carcinogens directly to save cells and DNA from their lethal actions. It has been suggested (263), that nitrative inactivation of Trx plays a proapoptotic role if the reactive nitrogen species are increased; and antinitrating treatment may have therapeutic value in those diseases, such as myocardial ischemia/ reperfusion, in which pathological apoptosis is increased. The situation is reversed in malignant tissue cells where apoptosis is beneficial for the inhibition of the cell growth. Therefore, in view of the aforementioned studies, it is possible that the pathological conditions in which production of nitrogen species is increased that may favo r the inactivation of Trx and therefore enhance the apoptotic role of this selenoprotein. A kinetic study of the reaction of NO and O2 in aqueous solutions, based on pH indicator, has been performed by using stopped-flow spectrometry. The results of these studies have shown that at physiological concentrations of O2 and NO, the auto- oxidation of NO does not limit its diffusion from the site of production in endothelial cells to a spatially removed target molecule such as guanylate cyclase in myocytes and platelets. A Trx interacting protein Txnip has been reported (31), which inhibit the antiapoptotic activity of Trx where as NO suppresses the expression of Trxnip and enhances the Trx activity, therefore perhaps the oxidative character of Trx in malignant cells as reported in the above mentioned studies may well be interpreted as the inhibition of its antioxidant activity. In different studies (267-268) it has been suggested on the basis of their results that selenite induces apopt osis by producing superoxide ions which activate p53, a well known protein involved in carcinogenesis, which in turn support apoptosis. A key role has been assigned (269), to Trx-2, located in mitochondria, in interaction with electron transport chain, determining tumor necrosis ROS generation, NF- kB activation and apoptosis. Intestines are the main sits where selenium absorption is measured at maximum. In liver selenium joins many other amino acids and generate selenocysteine and selenoproteins. Selenoproteins consist of active form of selenium and are transferred to all over the body. Kidney and liver, however, have higher concentration of selenoproteins. It is reported that a small quantity of selenoproteins are also exist in blood and serum. Furthermore, being a part of selenoproteins the selenium is an essential part of glutathione peroxidae as well that is the reason selenium is believed to be an antioxidant (36). Glutathione plays a role of a protector in the body of an organism and ensnare the balance of free radicals, peroxides and preserves the redox status of the cell (270). In addition, glutathione perxidase provides defense mechanism against free radicals that may cause destruction of cell membrane. The free radicals are generated when hydrogen peroxide produced in the mitochondria of the cell during the regular metabolism. The stress is a foremost cause of excessive production of hydrogen peroxide that sequentially create a disproportion in free radicals inside the cells. Chemical structure of cell membrane comes under the attack of free radicals and gives away their loosely bounded electrons to the free radicals. Consequently, a chemical structure of cell membrane turns into a reactive entity and begins to instigate an electron from adjacent structure and this chain reaction serves to damage the cell membrane causing the cell to die. Proactive role as a safeguard of glutathione peroxidase quickly transform hydrogen peroxide into water a way before it could generate harmful reactive species called free radicals. Another study highlights defense mechanism of vitamin E in which glutathione peroxidase and vitamin E follow a similar pathway in order to discontinue the chain reaction by engaging the free radicals within the cell membrane. Therefore, it is an effective combination of selenium and vitamin E that can control the production of free radicals and prevent the damage of cell membranes as well as DNA and other cellular structures (270).

Land Ethics Essay -- essays research papers fc

Land Ethics in Our Communities   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While wading through the reserved reading in the library, I came across the article, â€Å"The Land Ethic†, which caught my eye, as well as sparked an interest deep within me. It revealed the idea that we, as humans, tend to be quite caught up in the idea of community; community between neighbors, co-workers, etc. seems to be something we strive for in our society. It seems that we have not integrated the land into our idea of community, and I feel that this is a serious problem that if not treated, will continue to grow and strive until the land turns into the â€Å"dead nothing† many people of today’s society feel it to be. I had been put face to face with the fact that I was one of those careless and self-involved members of our race. Having never thought of the concept of â€Å"land ethics†, I realized that it is very likely that many other people have yet to know of it either. This is a present conservation problem which worries me more than I have ever thought a simple article could be able to do to me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the author of this revelation piece, Aldo Leopold (1966), stated in his article, that we need to change our â€Å"human role from conqueror, to a member of the land community†(p.). This is vital for the future existence of an Earth that is habitable and non-toxic. Many people claim that they have ethics in their work place, or in general life practices. I have yet, however, had the pleasure...

An Annotation of Emily Dickinsons I Taste A Liquor Never Brewed Essay

An Annotation of Emily Dickinson's I Taste A Liquor Never Brewed This poem by Emily Dickinson is much harder to figure out compared to her usual poems. She writes about a topic that is not normally written about at this time especially by a woman. At first glance, it is thought that this poem is about liquor and all of the bad things that go along with it, when in all reality it is a poem about sheer happiness. Dickinson is speaking not of a high derived from any alcoholic beverage, but rather of one acquired from life itself. I taste a liquor never brewed (214) Emily Dickinson I taste a liquor never brewed-- From tankards scooped in Pearl-- Not all the Vats upon the Rhine Yield such an Alcohol! Inebriate of Air--am I-- And Debauchee of Dew-- Reeling--thro endless summer days-- From inns of Molten Blue-- When "Landlords" turn the drunken Bee Out of the Foxglove's door-- When butterflies--renounce their "drams"-- I shall but drink the more! Till Seraphs swing their snowy Hats-- And saints-- to windows run-- To see the little Tippler Leaning against the Sun-- Despite the existence of metaphorical comparisons with drunkenness and liquor, this is definitely not a poem about any form of chemical intoxication. It is an expression of the author's love for a "drunken state"', created by how wonderful she believes life to be. In the second line, I realized the genuine depth of Emily Dickinson's affection for life. Here, she wrote, "From tankards scooped in Pearl," indicating special beer-drinking glasses, outfitted in pearl rather than in ceramic or in clay. According to my research, these were used during her time to drink in a more exquisite, elaborate fashion, usually when one had a notable fondn... ...y. It was the little things that gave her joy and pleasure. Just being surrounded by nature and other creatures gave her the happiness that others need marriage and money to find. Many of Dickinson's poems focus on the themes of life, love, and nature. This one has a little bit of all of those themes tied into it. It describes her love of life and nature by comparing it to the feeling one gets when they are drunk. Dickinson is very inspirational in this poem by showing us that there are many things in life to be greatful for and that we should experience this sense of joy and tranquility when we are surrounded by the simple pleasures of life that have been given to us all. Works Cited Dickinson, Emily. "314." The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Ed. Thomas H. Johnson. Boston: Little, 1960. Encyclopedia Britannica. 12/05/01. Online. www.britannica.com.

Asperger?s Syndrome and Instructional Intervention Essay -- essays res

Asperger’s Syndrome and Instructional Intervention   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is a pervasive developmental disability first identified in 1944 by Dr. Hans Asperger, an Austrian pediatrician. However, since his paper was written in German and published during World War II, his findings were not well known in the United States and in other non-German speaking countries. In 1981, Dr. Lorna Wing, a British researcher, brought AS to the attention of the English-speaking world. In addition to summarizing Asperger’s findings, she also pointed out the similarities between AS and autism, raising the question: Are they the same disorder or two separate ones (Ozonoff, Dawson, & McPartland, 2002)? It was not until 1994 that the American Psychiatric Association included AS as a diagnostic category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; Myles, 2002). Although some debate exists among researchers, AS is considered part of the autism spectrum (Attwood, 1998). Autism is generally defined as having an impairment of both normal social interactions and communication (Out of the Deep Freeze, 2003). However, individuals with AS are often highly verbal (Gottlieb, 2003). Even though labeled high-functioning autism, AS may cause the greatest disability in adolescence and young adults when it comes to developing social relationships. People with AS desire social interactions, however they lack the appropriate social skills (Barnhill, 2002) and, in turn, have trouble interacting with people (Travis, 2003). They do not have the ability to read social cues and will often display socially and emotionally inappropriate behaviors: lack of empathy, one-sided interactions, pedantic and repetitive speech, and intense absorption in certain subjects (Attwood, 1998). Non-verbal communications skills are also impaired. These may include: limited use of g estures, clumsy body language, limited facial gestures, inappropriate expression, and peculiar, stiff gaze (Attwood, 1998). Additional characteristics of AS include literal thinking, poor problem-solving skills, poor organizational skills, and difficulty in discriminating between relevant and irrelevant stimuli (Myles & Simpson, 2002). Identifying an individual with AS usually does not occur until after the preschool years. The symptoms are not generally recognized ... ....nasponline.org/publications/cq313asperger_ss.html Gottlieb, S. (2003). US study shows 10-fold increase in autism over the past 20 years. British   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Medical Journal, 326, 71. Myles, B. S. (2002). Introduction to the special issue on asperger syndrome. Focus on Autism &   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other Developmental Disabilities, 17(3), 130-131. Myles, B. S., & Simpson, R. L. (2002). Asperger syndrome: An overview of characteristics. Focus on Autism & Other Developmental Disabilities, 17(3), 132-137. Out of the deep freeze. (2003). The Economist, 336, 71. Ozonoff, S., Dawson, G., & McPartland, J. (2002). A Parent’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome &   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  High Functioning Autism. New York: Guilford Press. Safran, S. P., Safran, J. S., & Ellis, K. (2003). Intervention ABCs for children with asperger   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  syndrome. Topics in Language Disorders, 23(2), 154-165. Travis, J. (2003). Autism advance. Science News, 163(14), 212-213. Watkins, C. E. (2000). Asperger’s disorder. Retrieve June 12, 2003 from Northern County Psychiatric Association Web site: http://www.baltimorepsych.com/aspergers.htm

What Do I Want to Be When I Grow Up

Ever since I was small, people always ask me â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up? † I used crayons to illustrate my dream career. My drawing was hung in the hallways for my parents to see. I remember the typical careers of my kindergarden class- ballerinas, firefighters, singers, and astronauts. I remembered mine. My picture showed a stick figure with black hair holding a mic. Underneath the beautiful drawing, I wrote â€Å"When I grow up, I want to be a singer. To this day I can still remember my youth self wanting to sing and perform on a big stage. When I was younger, questions like this were asked very often. I answered these types of questions with silliness, never thought it was likely to come true. However, as I am getting older, I realized that now I'm suppose to answer this question with confidence and mean what I say. Teenagers are expected to know exactly what they want to be and should be able to give good reasons why. Now that I am a teenager, I still d on't exactly know what I want to be.Doctors, lawyers, dentists, business managers are all great jobs; however, I don't think my parents or any parents in fact, had ever sat down with their children and ask them â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up? † If I have to answer this question, I would say â€Å"happy†. All I want to do in my grown up life is to be happy. In my opinion, if you hate your career, it's mostly unlikely for you to enjoy it. The fun part of being an adult is that you get to choose who you want to be and make your own decisions.Happiness isn't something you can buy with money. I feel like society today is all about money. The so called â€Å"good† jobs are usually the jobs that make the most money. I know money is pretty powerful, but it still has its limits. Money can't buy us happiness nor health. In my opinion, being happy isn't as easy to achieve as people think. Sometimes, it is even possible for happiness to spread. Being happy is n't going to be easy in any way, sometimes people underestimate the power of happiness. Therefore, my dream for now is to be happy when I grow up.But my ultimate goal in my life is to make everyone around me happy, I want to bring happiness in the people I love. I don't have a specific plan to determine how I'm going to make everyone happy but all I know now is that if you are not happy yourself, no one around will be happy. Happiness is a destination for everyone. We may want to try different paths in life, but I think we all want to be happy wherever we end up. Life is rough sometimes, but if you are optimistic about it, you will concur your failure. Happiness.

Curley’s Wife Essay

Examine how your chosen novelist presents a particular character. Refer closely to the text in your answer to support your views. In this essay I will explore â€Å"Of Mice and Men† written by John Steinbeck and how the author represents the character â€Å"Curley’s Wife† who is a vindictive and cruel person throughout the story up until near to her death Steinbeck portrays her as â€Å"can be nice†. Curley’s Wife from the start was seen as property of Curley and Steinbeck has never mentioned that Curley’s Wife never had a name and is always referred to as ‘Curley’s Wife’ the possessive apostrophe is symbolic Curley’s Wife was very flirtatious ‘She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward’. She was also very lonely because her husband didn’t love her and only wanted her as property. Steinbeck first introduced Curley’s Wife as a girl not a woman which implies that she is looked down upon and obviously isn’t yet worthy enough to be a woman. She always pr etends to be looking for Curley for an excuse to talk to the other men on the ranch and flirts with them and when Slim tells her Curley is in the house she instantly runs off this would mean that she’s scared of Curley and doesn’t want to socialize with him. She wears red clothing as sign as danger to men and is responsible of her death because Lennie has a mind of a seven year old and her red clothing attracts Lennie. She likes to talk to George and Lennie even though she doesn’t know them. Candy discriminates Curley’s Wife by saying ‘Curley’s married†¦ a tart’. He warns George and Lennie about her. The novel is set in the 1930’s at the time of the great depression in America. The woman back then had then had no rights and was classed as ‘property’ of their husbands. Also racism was a problem and the black people also had no rights. They were treating as slaves. Crooks in Of Mice and Men is black and Curley’s Wife is racist towards him numerous times throughout the story ‘Well you keep your trap shut, Nigger’, she also calls Lennie horrible names such ‘Dum-Dum’ because of his disability. Because of the great depression in the 1930’s and employers wouldn’t employ woman because of the discrimination, she couldn’t leave Curley because she couldn’t afford to. She also attacks Candy and calls him ‘a lousy ol’ sheep’ because he is  old and not very active he also follows round with the group (Curley, Crooks G&L etc). In part 5 of the story we see a softer side of Curley’s wife because she shares her hopes and with Lennie. She sees herself in movies and hopes to be a big Hollywood star. She herself was once taken advantage of by a man who stated that he would make her hopes and dreams come true

Dulce Decorum

Taylor 1 Dying for a State through Poetry Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est uses vivid imagery which removes any romantic ideas that it is sweet and honorable to die for the fatherland. Randall Jarrell’s The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner uses ambiguity to compare death for the state and abortion. Both writings convey the horror of dying for a state. The Death of the Ball turret Gunner begins â€Å"from my mother’s sleep, I fell into a state and hunched in its belly until my fur froze. † This is saying that the gunner was born from his mother’s warmth into a cold state, as he is born in the belly of a high altitude bomber.The â€Å"State† is referred to as cold and less nourishing in Randall Jerrell’s poem. In Dulce et Decorum Est the poem reveals hidden truths of the first world war, and showed the cruelties the soldiers had to face on a day to day basis. Dulce et Decorum est begins â€Å"Bent double, like old beggars† (5) A ll the turmoil’s that young men were put through making them feel and look older than they really were, breaking them down making them lose their spirit they had as young men. What makes this poem unique is the fact that Wilfred Owen was there to witness the horrors of the first world war.Owen continues â€Å"An ecstasy of fumbling fitting helmets. † As the soldiers ran from the gas bombs their helmets bouncing on their heads, putting them at bigger risk of dying for your country. War is often glorified by others that have not experienced how horrifying war can be and they think that they can be hero’s, because of stories they heard as a child from a mother or a father that makes war seem romantic and patriotic so they should enlist in the romance of being that hero not realizing that the war is truly a horrifying experience.Owen states at the end of his poem â€Å"to children ardent for some desperate glory† (25) Children who think it is sweet and honora ble to die for ones country because someone who has no experience has told them stories of romance and patriotism allowing them to believe they will be hero’s in the perfect dream. Taylor 2 Wilfred Owen and Randall Jerrell both tell the gruesome truths of the war and ow it really was to be that unsung hero that watched his friends die and be put into a cart to be hauled off not really knowing if their families and loved ones knew they had passed on, or how it was to be the product of a war and to not live past your first hour because you were born into the freezing belly of a bomber plane and treated like trash when the plane has finally landed and was being cleaned out. How the war today is any different than what both of these authors are trying to say?There is no difference because in Dulce et Decorum est the very last words â€Å"The old lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori. † â€Å"It is sweet and honorable to die for the fatherland. † The recruitment offices of today still tell their soldiers that they are doing America a favor by fighting for them and that it is an honorable way to live life however it is not said that it is honorable if you die but if you live you have better opportunities in life to go somewhere and be someone.What happened to those young men who fought in the First World War? Most of them lost their friend because they were told it was honorable to die for their country, then a lot of them came home from the wars crippled and could not participate in the things they did before they enlisted, and then some of them came home in a plain pine box to families that only then saw the horrors of the war.

Management Information System Project Essay

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all, I am thankful to God, because without him nothing would be possible. Without him, I would not have the strength and vigor to complete this project. I am also thankful to the lecturer, Mrs. Merlene Senior, for giving us this project to do and challenging us with it, and using it to help us increase our knowledge and to understand Management Information System to a further dept. INTRODUCTION Juici Patties started in 1980, by Jukie Chin, as a cottage industry. It was manufactured in his mother’s kitchen and sold in the family’s small grocery store. The demand for Chin’s product soon started to grow and grow steadily each day, which then lead him to establish the first Juici Patties Store in May Pen, Clarendon. The staff included one baker, a cashier, and Juckie, playing more than role. Juici’s men grew to include over fifty products comprising of different types of patties (chicken, shrimp, lobster, cheese and many more), soups ( red peas, chicken, beef, many more), porridges( peanut, cornmeal harmony, and etc.), and traditional Jamaican Breakfast dishes ( ackee n saltfish, green bananas, dumplings, stew chicken, liver, callaloo, many more). Juici became one of the most popular restaurants in Jamaica, because it offered Jamaicans â€Å"Homemade traditional dishes in comfortable and clean surroundings. This is reflected in their mission statement, which is â€Å"We are committed to providing excellent service by serving authentic Jamaican food at affordable prices in clean and comfortable surroundings.† The company itself has grown over the years from a single store in May Pen, Clarendon to having another manufacturing plant in Clarendon Park, Clarendon. This plant sat on 22 acres of land and had a retail outlet with a drive thru, a 24hr public restroom, furniture and welding manufacturing section (which made furniture for the different Juici outlets). The company also went on to acquire another manufacturing plant in Canada. This plant is HACCP (Hazard analysis and critical control points) certified and services Juici’s North American market. Its development has also included the use of MIS and/or Enterprise Applications used in its business techniques and practices in its day to day operations to improve its business processes for the benefit of its customers, staff and shareholders and communities in which it operates. This project will state the type of MIS or enterprise application currently in use by Juici, how it benefits them and also gives recommendations of the use of types and other changes Juici can make to further improve their system and increase profits even more. This project will also give some brief information about Juici such as what type of organization it, the organizational structure, and who the competition is/are. In order to expand, Jukie formed partnership with four of his closest friends, in various combinations. Juici then became a franchise (A franchise, according to http://business-law.freeadvice.com, is a franchise business is a business in which the owners, or franchisers, sell the rights to their business logo and model to third parties, called franchisees). After this Juici Patties spread to locations such as Kingston and St. Andrew and St. James. In 2001, it further spread to Falmouth, Trelawney and increasing the total number of outlets at the time to 34 and making Juici Patties the only chain of restaurant, at the time, to have its services in all fourteen parishes of Jamaica. There is a total of 50 stores islandwide, a few international outlets in North America, and a manufacturing plant in Canada. (Barness, 2005) – Founder of Juici Patties, Jukie Chin. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES Juici started with only 3 employees (a baker, a cashier, and Juckie) and now has an excess of over 1500 employees islandwide. Juici is considered to have a strong family bond as all or most of the early employees literally grew up with Juckie and stayed with the company for many years, especially in Clarendon, where it all started. The positions now available at Juici range from Accountant to Human Resource Manager to Food Server to even furniture maker (in the wood work department). Juici offers his employees a comfortable work environment and good benefits and remuneration packages. COMPETITORS Juici Patties can be seen as one of the biggest patty companies in Jamaica with its main competition being Tastee Patties. This other patty phenomenal entity was established in the 1960’s by Vincent Chang. Tastee Patties is also seen as one of the top patty distributers in Jamaica and can be found in numerous locations islandwide and internally (North America). Tastee currently employees over 800 individuals nationwide and also offers its employees a family oriented, comfortable, and secure work environment. Tastee also sources the beef that is used to make their delicious patties, via their own slaughter houses. Tastee, like Juici, also offers a variety of products such as patties (beef, chicken, shrimp, etc.), soups, porridges, and traditional Jamaican dishes such as ackee and saltfish and green banana and dumpling. Tastee Patties Logo MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE Branch Offices: Floor Manager: Manages the staff that gives services to customers, and allocates the duties of opening and closing the restaurant. The floor manager also makes sure the employees follow the food safety laws and regulations and looks after the staff which makes the work force stronger and more profitable. Kitchen Manager: Manages the staff that works in the kitchen and the kitchen is seen as the most important part of the business as this is where the products are made that attracts the customers. Restaurant Manager: The head of the floor manager, kitchen manager and all employees in the outlet he/she is assigned to. This person also takes all counter reports from frontline employees and checks and sends it to the head office. Frontline Employees: Takes the orders and serve and deal with the customers and at the end of the day count per product sale amount and total amount of sales. Juici Patties current MIS/ Enterprise Application in use are: Paper-Based System: Advantages of a paper-based system- * Easy handling: As paper is physical by nature and therefore tangible and visible, a person who need not have any knowledge of computers to handle and work with paper-based documents. Such documents can be stored systematically in files, folders, cabinets etc. * Reproduction: You can copy a document by using a photocopier machine. * Recognized and required by law: Paper-based document originals are recognized by law as being ‘official’ and can be produced as evidence in court. In fact, the law may even require you to have certain documents only in paper format for them to be considered valid. Disadvantages of having a paper-based system- * Storage space: As paper is by nature physical, it takes up a lot of storage space. With its limited resources, a small business may not be able to afford to rent or purchase storage space onsite or offsite. * Recurring cost of supplies: If you store most of your documents in paper form, you need to keep purchasing several packs of blank paper every month for varying needs: photocopying, printing, fax paper, writing pads, invoice books, accounting books etc. Add to it the cost of other stationery items and you begin to wonder if there is a better alternative to the paper-based system of managing documents. * Limited mobility: No doubt you can courier or fax a paper-based document, but how can it match up to email or sending it as an attachment to an instant message? * Editing messy: Editing a typed or handwritten document will leave marks on paper. Also, the only way to preserve the pre-edited copy is to make a photocopy before editing it. This process has to be repeated every time you edit or revise the document. All it does is add more copies to your paper archive and leave the original document in bad shape. * Collaboration difficult: If your firm’s departmental heads in different corners of the office want to collaborate on a paper document, an assistant will first have to make copies of the document and distribute them. Then each head will have to make notes. To be able to see each other’s notes, they will need to gather anyway for a meeting before they finalize the action plan. Compare this with an electronic document management system where you can simply share the document (grant access to it) with your departmental heads; each of them can add their notes and save the document. The document can then be seen by all with everyone’s notes on it. A face-to-face meeting is not required, thereby saving the time of your busy senior executives. * Vulnerable to damage: As paper is exposed to wear and tear through frequent handling, exposure to adverse weather conditions etc., a document management system that is purely paper-based is not a stable one. In the event of a disaster, you could lose your documents as they may not be backed up. Documents that are not in digital form cannot be backed up online. Supply chain management (SCM) Supply chain management (SCM) is the combination of art and science that goes into improving the way a company (such as Juici Patties) finds the raw components( beef) it needs to make a product or service ( patty) and deliver it to customers. The following are five basic components of SCM. * Plan—this is the strategic portion of SCM. Companies need a strategy for managing all the resources that go toward meeting customer demand for their product or service. A big piece of SCM planning is developing a set of metrics to monitor the supply chain so that it is efficient, costs less and delivers high quality and value to customers. * Source—next, companies must choose suppliers to deliver the goods and services they need to create their product. Therefore, supply chain managers must develop a set of pricing, delivery and payment processes with suppliers and create metrics for monitoring and improving the relationships. And then, SCM managers can put together processes for managing their goods and services inventory, including receiving and verifying shipments, transferring them to the manufacturing facilities and authorizing supplier payments. * Make—this is the manufacturing step. Supply chain managers schedule the activities necessary for production, testing, packaging and preparation for delivery. This is the most metric-intensive portion of the supply chain—one where companies are able to measure quality levels, production output and worker productivity. * Deliver—this is the part that many SCM insiders refer to as logistics, where companies coordinate the receipt of orders from customers, develop a network of warehouses, pick carriers to get products to customers and set up an invoicing system to receive payments. * Return—this can be a problematic part of the supply chain for many companies. Supply chain planners have to create a responsive and flexible network for receiving defective and excess products back from their customers and supporting customers who have problems with delivered products. RESULTS Under their current system, Juici Patties has: * JUICI Patties has pumped more than US$60,000 (J$5.3 million) into â€Å"greening† its Clarendon operations, positioning itself to reap financial gains over the medium to long term while at the same time helping to realize environmental sustainability. (Barness, 2005) * They installed a water treatment plant — the recycled water from which is used to maintain their plants and lawns — but they have also installed two biodigesters, a solar system and two windmills. * Juici Patties currently has distributors in the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, Dominica, and St. Lucia. * Juici Patties acquired a manufacturing plant in Ontario, Canada. No Juici retail store is present in Canada, but Juici beef, chicken, vegetable and shrimp patties are available in some of Canada’s major supermarket chains and convenience stores. * Juici Patties has a number of community programmes such as Juici Patties Elderly Soup Feeding Programme. * Juici Patties has a sponsorship programme, where they sponsor community sports competitions such as Juici Patties Clarendon Senior Netball League. (Juici Patties) RECOMMENDATIONS Keeping in mind the need to maximize profits (a main objective for any business) in today’s day and age, the best way to do this is to utilize the best technology that is available, the following are recommended: * Enterprise Management System * Network: Internet/Intranet/ Extranet/ LAN * Application Technology: Client/Server, Web-Enabled applications * Security: Firewall Servers and Proxy Server. * Use ERP Is Juici Patties an Enterprise? Juici Patties can be considered an enterprise, as it is a large business community, operating over 50 outlets islandwide and internationally. It is a corporate entity and includes a group of people with a common goal with the resources to retain this goal. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) ERP, according to www. tmcnet,com, is an organization’s management system which uses a software application to incorporate all facets of the business, and automate and facilitate the flow of data between critical back-office functions, which may include financing, distribution, accounting, inventory management, sales, marketing, planning, human resources, manufacturing, and other operating units. ERP software comes in many forms, including supply chain management, manufacturing, distribution, warehouse management, retail management, and point-of-sale software. What Every Enterprise (Juici Patties) Needs? * Management of Data – for information communication * Event monitoring, updating, control * ERP * EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)- consists of direct computer-to-computer transmission among multiple firms of data in a machine readable, structured format. * AMS (Attendance Monitoring System) – is required for personal planning of the employees in the organization. It also helps in availability and scheduling. * DMS (Document Management System).- This system helps in keeping important document for viewing at later times. For the purpose of transaction handling this system some time have a facility of document modification, by giving text-editing facility. * CMS (Communication Management Systems). – The ERP uses CMS as a tool for all its communication needs of recording an event. This system is used for tracking the important resource for action. (Wolf, 2011) ERP Software * ERP software is a family of software modules that support the business activities involved in these vital back-office processes. For example, ERP software for a Juici Patties’ manufacturing company will typically track the status of sales, inventory, shipping, and invoicing, as well as forecasting raw material and human resource requirements. * Enterprise Applications/ Packages/ Suites/ Systems connects all of the information, which flows through a company to a single integrated set of systems. * This is implemented in modules, which can be integrated. * ERP may work with a wide variety of databases, hardware, and operating systems. * Leading Vendors of ERP are SAP, Oracle. * Originally. ERP packages were targeted at the manufacturing industry. * Their goal is to integrate information across the company and eliminate complex links between computer systems. * The architecture is client/server and uses OO methodology for design and development of whole system. * Key advantage of ERP is that it provides an integrated solution for all the requirements of the business. (Wolf, 2011) * It takes care of organizational hierarchy of authorities * Basically ERP solutions are based on Unix and Windows NT platform. A typical ERP solution has following modules: * Marketing, Distribution and sales * Manufacturing process * Accounting and finance * Personal management * Planning and control * Purchase and inventory The modules are designed for following purposes: – * Data capture from transactions * Data transaction validation * Analysis * Updating and reporting of accounting ERP Benefits: * ERP offers lots of benefits to the implementing organization. * It helps for a manager to make decision at the right time. * This is possible when entire organization is sharing information and interprets in same perspectives. * The benefits of ERP can be classified in two categories: – * Tangible benefits (Those which can be measured in one form or other) * Intangible benefits (Difficult to measure in absolute terms) The Risks of ERP: * Tied to a single vendor * Flexibility limited by options offered by the vendor * May inappropriately force generic processes * May inappropriately force org. structure changes * Complexity – particularly regarding mapping and standardizing processes across the organization CONCLUSION Juici Patties is one the biggest and most popular patty companies in Jamaica employing over 2000 individuals in over 50 outlets islandwide and overseas (North America). Juici Patties was the first company to have outlets in all fourteen parishes and one of few fast food restaurants produces the ingredients ( beef from cattle at their slaughter houses) to make their product (patty). Juici Patties current paper based and Supply Chain Management CMS worked well for many years and benefitted Juici in many ways, however with a new system or collaboration such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and in the long run profits will have an even more rise. The ERP system will: * Improve the quality and efficiency of Juici Patties. By keeping a Juici’s internal business process running smoothly, ERP can lead to better outputs that will benefit the company such as customer service, and manufacturing. (Wolf, 2011) * Provide support to upper level management to provide them with critical decision making information. This decision support will allow the upper level management to make managerial choices that will enhance the business down the road. * Create a more agile company that can better adapt to situations and changes. ERP makes Juici Patties more flexible and less rigidly structured in an effort to allow the different parts of this organization to become more cohesive, in turn, enhancing the business both internally and externally. (Wolf, 2011) * Pepsi-Cola Jamaica Bottling Co., Ltd., and Juici Patties chain signed a deal that would see Pepsi serving as the preferred carbonated beverage supplier at Juici Patties stores across the island. (Juici patties and Pepsi sign supply deal, 2002) REFERENCES Barness, P. N. (2005, July 27). Jukie Chin Expands Empire. The Gleaner. Juici Patties. (n.d.). Retrieved from juicipatties.com: http://www.juicipatties.com/index.php?main=1 Wolf, T. (2011, May 10). What is ERP Software? TMC News. Turban, E.. et al. (2006), Information Technology for Management, Transforming Organization in the Digital Economy (5th ed). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Oklobdzija, Vojin G.,(2008). 2nd Ed. Digital systems and applications., CRC Press Computer Engineering Series; Publication: Boca Raton, FL CRC Press. Juici patties and Pepsi sign supply deal. (2002, February 3). The Sunday Gleaner.