Issues and trends on education all over the world & Magna Carta for Essay

Issues and trends on education all over the world & Magna Carta for Public School Teachers(philippines) - Essay Example (Papastergiou, Marina, 2008 – 2009) Such a trend puts an end to classroom monotony, reduces the work load of the teacher and at the same time making learning an enjoyable experience. According to the ‘Early Childhood Education Journal’ (2009) Educational Programs such as â€Å"Every Child Matters† â€Å"Education for all† and â€Å"Sure Start† and Kindergarten programs such as the ‘Froebelian kindergarten and the â€Å"Montessori† such as â€Å"Casa Die Bambini† (Children’s house) (Saracho, Olivia N.; Spodek, Bernard, 2009) Programs are all ‘Child – Centered’ and are very much in keeping with the contemporary educational patterns. Other trends in the field of education include the integration of research and the best educational practices during the learning experience in the classroom. Incorporating a highly competent faculty who are specialized in both theory and practice and a continuous professional development and upgrading of schools on a regular basis. Besides using multi-media for teaching in the Classroom, the education rendered should be child- centered and effective so it prepares the child for life in the society. is a declaration policy by the government that was brought about for promoting and improving the economic and social status for all the public school teachers. The policy Sought to improve both the working as well as living conditions of the teachers. It was the guideline in terms of strategies to be followed in terms of carrier prospects and employment in the teaching profession. (Sec.1) The Magna Carta had certain specifications regarding qualification and recruitment of teachers at different levels i. e. Kindergarten, primary, elementary, High School etc. It enumerates rules which cover the Conduct of teachers, Tenure of Service, period of probation, transfer and safeguarding issues, Administrative and

Hearing Loss Attributed to the 21st Century use of Personal Music Player Essay Example for Free

Hearing Loss Attributed to the 21st Century use of Personal Music Player Essay In the recent few years leisure noise has become one of the threats to the hearing as it can reach high volumes and an increasing number of people are exposed. The danger is not only exposed by the music from the clubs but also it has been extended to the new generation of music players which are known to produce sounds at high volumes. Across Europe it is estimated that millions of people are using personal music players on a daily basis and in most of the cases these gadgets are being used inappropriately putting the user at a great risk of ear damage. This is a serious concern as the emerging technology may cause numerous problems to the people who are fond of using these entertainment gadgets. To add salt into the injury the users are exposing themselves to this particular danger for a long time as they are spending substantial time listening to music using ear phones. The amount of time one exposes to the sound of loud music from the personal music players increases the chances of hearing loss. The children and the youth are at risk as they have been noted to constitute the highest proportion of users. In this paper I will discuss the dangers involved in the use of personal music player and at the same time bring into the understanding who should be blamed for the hearing loss as a result of the constant use of these gadgets. Is it the makers of the personal music players or should we blame the users for putting their life at risk? A scientific study that was carried out for the European Union revealed that noise from the personal music players is a routine pollution for many people. It threatens permanent damage of the ear to as many as hundred million people in Europe and other parts of the world. The report indicated that those people who listened to the music for a continuous five hours per week on high volume were exposing themselves to high noise than it is allowed in the factory work places. This means that users of the personal music player who prefer to listen to their music on high volume are at a worse position than workers who are located in a noisy factory in an industrial hub. (Linkov,I and Steevens,J 2009 359) Experts argue that the maximum volume from these equipments can generate as much noise as an aero plane that is taking off. That kind of noise is enough to make a person have a quick and permanent hearing loss. The worst thing according to this report is that the users do not realize the problem until very late. This is the time when the damage has already been caused and nothing can be done about it. It is a very sad situation where a young person with bright future prospects losses his or her ability to hear at such an early age, it can be a very devastating experience but whom do we blame? Do we pass the buck to the manufacturer of these gadgets fro their neglect or do we blame the users for sometimes knowingly exposing themselves to dangers through their constant use of the music players. (Jameson,P and Romer,D 2008 347) The MP3 generation is headed for permanent hearing impairment in the cause of their lives. The youth are at the greatest risk as well as the older people too, in twenty seven countries across Europe it is estimated that fifty to a hundred million people out of five hundred people may be listening to a portable personal music player at any given time. Equivalents of five percent listeners who expose themselves to these new generation entertainment gadgets for more than one hour are at the greatest risk. These statistics have raised fears among some people prompting them to take some actions so as to avoid a future generation which has numerous problems which has been caused by things which can only be described as luxurious. In the year 2006 a man in Louisiana sued one of the manufacturing firms, The Apple claiming that this company had failed to take enough steps to prevent the problem of hearing loss among the users of one its popular product, the iPod. The suit which was filed in a federal district court in California city of San Jose claimed that iPod produces a sound which is as loud as one hundred and fifteen decibels when the maximum sound that is considered safe for listening is eighty five decibels. To this man the Apple Company was to blame for the problem that is threatening to have millions of deaf people in some years to come. I tend to disagree with his sentiments as it is clearly evident that the ipods sold by this company and many other manufacturer comes with a warning in the manual where the users are warned about the dangers they expose themselves into through playing the music in high volumes from their personal music players. It is blatantly clear that the users expose themselves to the risk of hearing loss through ignoring the warnings given by the manufacturers. The companies can not escape blame too, such warnings are printed using very tiny fonts such that not all the users might get a chance to read the small inscriptions which are usually placed on a page where the user might not even see. (Kirk,R and Mayshork,C 2007 73) The risk involved do not only come from ipods, the portable phones and personal stereos pose a similar problem as their earphones leads to a high sound exposure than any other type of a listening device. It has been stressed that young people who continue to expose themselves through listening to the high volume music from their music devices usually run into the risk of developing some hearing complications by the time they hit their twenties. Problems such as persistent tinnitus which is induced by high volume music has been reported common among the people in their youth and are constant users of the personal music devices. Despite this problem the same people continue using these devices. Therefore the problem squarely lies with the users, they are clearly aware of the risks involved, they have gone through numerous problems which have been as a result of their insatiable appetite for entertainment but they still continue to expose themselves to the risk. This can only be termed as deliberate move by these users to harm themselves and it is for this reason we can not blame the companies for the problems that are being experienced by the MP3 generation. The manufacturing firms only came to fill the gap that existed; they offer satisfaction to the people who are keen on entertainment especially when they are on move. They have clearly indicated the dangers one can expose him or herself to if the device is not used properly, that is if it is put on high volumes but the users choose to ignore such information for their personal reasons. (Tulchinsky,T and Varavikova,N 2000 285) The choices we make in life determine the direction we head, if we make the right ones we will always be on the right direction, if we happen to take the wrong choices as we mostly do then we are bound to blame others for the trouble we may get ourselves into later in our lives. It is extremely important for us to make the right decision as pertaining what we do as the opposite can lead to devastating effects. People have a choice of either buying a personal music player or any other similar device, they make a choice as to whether they will listen to the music high or low, it is basically a matter of choice. There is nothing about MP3 technology that can directly lead to hearing loss. It is the choice we make. For those users who choose to always put their devices at manageable and recommended sounds the problem of hearing impairment might not affect them but for those who choose to ignore the warnings given by the manufacturers, this problem will affect the rest of their lives. They just make a mistake of listening to the music on loud volumes for too long therefore exposing themselves to al manner of dangers associated with the noise. (Chan,S and Kwok,S 2003 34) The European Union is planning to regulate the volumes on personal music players and other stereos due to the fears that usage of these devices is causing the damage to the ears. This action has been precipitated by the findings of the scientific commission which was given a task of coming out with ways in to which this problem that is threatening the ability of million to hear can be tackled. In normal circumstances the personal music players are allowed to go up to one hundred decibels but when it used with an inbuilt headphones the sound can go up to one hundred and twenty. This is way above the recommended safe sound volumes which are close to eighty five. The recommended sound levels by the European Union committee are eighty, a figure which has been pointed out as safe enough to warrant any fears. This clearly points out that it is only a matter of educating the users on how they are supposed to go about listening to music using their sophisticated technology. If someone decided to ignore the message, he or she can not blame the manufacturing company for the problems that hearing problems which might occur later in life due to inappropriate use of the device (Linkov,I and Steevens,J 2009 359) For the sake of those who ignore the information given by the manufacturers, the makers of these devices should be advised to limit the volume levels so that they do not exceed the recommended limits. Though this might affect their sales it is the right thing to do as it will save those who have a problem following the given instructions. The company will in the short term suffer minimal losses but in the long term they will have more users as they will have expanded the markets as the effects of these devices to the ears will be minimal. The users will have won the confident of the music players as they have been set according to the standards which are considered safe for average use. (Davis,G 2004 40) The government can not limit the time a given person will spend on the personal music player. This is an individual choice; we spend as much time as we can get on these entertainment gadgets. Therefore it is up to the users to limit themselves as to how long they are going to be exposed . The user should ensure that they spend less time listening to the music through their devices to minimise the risk involved. All these points indicate that the manufacturing companies have no role to play as far as the usage of the personal music player is concerned. Their duty is to inform the users of the dangers involved through playing it loud and continuos exposure over a long period. The rest lies with the person using the gadget to decide how much time he or she is going to spend listening and on what volume they will get their music. If one decides to put his or her health at risk you can not turn at the company and blame it for the presonal problems which were as aresult of own volition. The government has the responsibility of ensuring that the manufacturing company follow the standards as far as making of the personal music players is concerned. This will go a long way in saving the users who are conscious about their health. The recommeded standards should include limiting the volume settings to a particular level which can not harm the user even if the decide to ignore the warnings. People need to take a responsibility as far as their actions are concerned. There is a need for every user to take precautiosn as far as usage of these devices is concerned. Inappropriate use can lead to devastatiting health effects which would have been prevented if the user was careful. Technology advancement has come to make our lives easier and more enjoyable. This can only be achieved if we use this technology appropriately,use of personal music player beyond the recommended sound volume can lead to seroius effects which are not related to the manufacturing. The user have all the responsibility to ensure that this piece of sophistication does not harm him or her rather it serves the right purpose which is entertainment. (Markel,G 2007 25) The manufacturing company should carry a warning on the users who violate the instructions which comes along with the product. They have a responsibility to save the end users from their own ignorance. They can do this through offering and sponsoring sessions where users get to be taught on the proper methods of handling these entertainment equipement. This can help save some people but the biggest part should be played by the end user,they must use the device responsbly so as to avoid complications that might be brought by high sound volumes besides the time spent listening to the music at the expense of other important actiivities such as studying. The sole responsbility of the hearing loss as a result of inappropriate use of the personal music player and other related devices lies squarely on the user. He or she has the ability to control its use and therefore ealding a healthy life. (Anderson,B 2004 103) Work Cited Tulchinsky,T and Varavikova,N The New Public Health:An Introduction for the 21st Century,Academic Press (2000) Linkov,I and Steevens,J Nanomaterials ,Spring Publishers (2009) Davis,G How to do Everything with your iPod and iPod Mini,Mac Graw Hill Professionals (2004) Chan,S and Kwok,S Culture and Humanity in the new Millenium:the Future of Human Value Chinese University Press (2003) Kirk,R and Mayshork,C Personal Health in Ecological Perspective,Mosby (2007) Markel,G Defeating the 8 Demons of Distraction,Geraldine Markel (2007) Jameson,P and Romer,D The Changing Portrayal of the Adloescents on the Media Since 1950,Oxford University Press (2008) Anderson,B Bringing Business to Life:Achieving Corporate Social Responsibility,ASQ Quality Publishers (2004)

Non Vegetarians Towards Vegetarian Food

Non Vegetarians Towards Vegetarian Food The aim of this chapter is to provide a thorough critical review of existing literature concerning consumer behaviour and the increasing phenomenon known as vegetarianism. First, the various perceptions of non-vegetarians and vegetarians towards vegetarian food and lifestyle. between the different genders. Secondly, how the various aspects of the marketing mix, commonly price influences vegetarian food choice. This chapter also examines the main religions and their influence on food choice and finally the degree of influence ethics has on a persons dietary choice. Perception towards vegetarian foods. A large number of Americans do not understand vegetarian food as they grew up on an American diet, which comprises mostly of meat(Pearson, 2010). The majority of North Americans are used to having meat at every meal even if there is another high-protein food is present (Reiner 2011) . Meat is considered as central food round around which meals are prepared, various types of meat are sometimes served on festive and celebratory occasions. (bender,1992). However, A study conducted by the Vegetarian Times (2008 ), revealed that 3.2 percent of U.S adults which is about 7.8 million people are on plant-based diet and 5.2 % were interested in following a vegetarian diet. Perception of non-vegetarians towards vegetarian food However, many people tend to believe that vegetarian food tastes bad, lacks taste, is uninteresting(Pope, 2010) or that meat has a good taste and vegetarian meat is disgustful (Vigneault,2009) which explains why many people especially men tend to avoid vegetarian food (Bailey, 2012) . However Janu (2010) argues that meat does not have taste by explaining that a person cannot eat raw meat and the digestive system rejects it and says that what gives the taste is the additional items added to the recipe and these are generally from something that is vegetarian. Meat, Vegetarianism and Gender (Mckeever, 2012) reports that consuming meat is regarded by many as being more virile and masculine, the traditional macho all-American male, believes that eating red meat is considered as strong and eating soy is not. It has been found that people from Western cultures link up manfulness with meat, especially muscle meat like steak(Gann,2012). Macrae(2011), reports that men who do not consume meat were viewed as less masculine than the others even by other vegetarians. Even ladies, especially vegetarians regarded men who were not eating meat as crybabies or less mach. They also found that people associated meat with more masculine words In a study by Rothgerber(2012) women were a lot more excusatory about meat consumption and men had more favourable attitudes towards meat consumption(Macari, 2012) and (William,2012), eating meat makes the latter feel like real men. If we take a brief look at history, meat has been affiliated with might, virility, manhood and as a prerogative. This h as been observed during the first world war when meat was reserved for men and this was also observed in many Western, Asian and African cultures( Heine 2010). There may be a more scientific explanation to why men prefer meat, such as differences in physiology and men having a greater protein needs to build body mass as compared to women. To the traditional hunter, meat has always been considered as a reward to hunting. (Shah, 2010) According to (Rowan, 2012) men are less likely to eat their vegetables than women and prefer meat over other foods (Bryner,2012) because they dont have the same strong values and beliefs that eating fresh produce are beneficial to health. Furthermore, messages that convince women to eat fruits and vegetables may not have the same effects on men. There are certain situations when a man may healthily opt for salads which is in the case of social support (Ar et al. 2008) or such as when they are trying to impress someone they are eating with, when they are eating out alone or when dining with their spouse and their spouse has chosen the healthy menu ( Strahan, 2012). (Sifferlin,2012 ) further supported the last reason by asserting that men eat their vegetables so as to avoid arguments or with their wives or girlfriends and if they were left on their own in most cases, they would opt for unhealthy foods. (Shere,2012) explained this by adding that ones personal belief influences his behav ior and men are not as convinced that eating vegetables are not worth eating. Dean(2012) suggested that it would be very difficult to educate non-vegetarian consumers to eat vegetarian or fake meat but the key could be to reshaping burgers to resemble beef and by giving them grill marks as according to(Schà ¶sler.et al,2011) the shape and its appearance are important. marks could even convince men who believe that meat is masculine to try it out and eventually help them through their transition to vegetarianism. Perception towards a vegetarian lifestyle 2.1 Perceptions towards vegetarians When people think about a vegetarians, they imagine a skinny person, or perhaps an unhealthy one(Host 2004). Vegetarianism will not make a person skinny or thin(Olsen,2012) many people have this misconception that vegetarians eat only salads (schuna,2011) and (Beppu,2011) and removing animal products from ones diet can help to slim down(Tyler,2012). According to Stanger(2011) and a study by Katz (2008) many people tend to believe that vegans are pale, have clearer skin. Andrews(2011) and (frankel,2010) put forward that due to certain lackings in a vegetarian diet this may cause ones complexity to deteriorate and become pale due to insufficiencies of iron. However Groenewald(2011) refuted this by stating that if this the case the person was probably wrongly doing his diet. 2.2 Vegetarianism and health There is no single reason why people become vegetarians, but one reason which is cited the most is for a healthier lifestyle(Floyd,2011). Many non-vegetarians today believe that meat is unhealthy (Wong 2006) and the most common reason people are becoming vegetarians today are due to the health benefits(Kasiser,2009). He further adds that vegetarian diets continuously have proven to be healthier, in a way that meat, especially non-lean red meats which are high in saturated fats and may carry risks of animal-human transmission diseases. 2.2.1 Perceptions towards vegetarianism as a means to lose weight The perception of the vegetarian diet as an efficient weight loss tool has lead many into giving up meat (Mccarron, 2011) There has been significant amount of research coming out in support of a plant-based diet, and how it helps a person to lose weight(Freston,2011) while Denos(2012) believes that it is a misconception due to the fact that since fruits and vegetables are low in calories, are loaded with vitamins and minerals people believe it should help one lose to weight. (Zeratsky,2012) states that it is true that vegetarians are usually thinner than non-vegetarians but a person can also gain weight on a vegetarian diet Zeratsky,2012) and (Sass 2012) if their portion sizes are too big and they do not get the right balance. 2.2.2 Perceptions towards vegetarianism as a means to live longer According to many authors, eating a lot of red meat regularly is bad for the health in the long run and increases the risks of heart diseases and other cancers(Lezard, 2012),(Bazelle,2012) and Lee(2011). On the other hand, vegetarians suffer fewer heart attacks than meat eaters. For instance, vegetarians under the age of 65 were 45% less likely to suffer a heart attack than meat eaters(Faloon,2006). 2.2.3 Perceptions towards meat Moreover according to (MacEachern 2009) many conventional meat producers use hormones, antibiotics, and frequently process their products with chemical additives and preservatives. This tends to make the meat pinker but less healthy. He supports his argument by stating that there is a strong relationdhip between highly processed meat consumption and risks of getting colon cancer. 2.3 Reasons discouraging people to become vegetarians 2.3.1 Giving up on their favourite meal (Cain,2011) argues that a reason discouraging people from becoming vegetarians is having to renounce to their favourite meals, cheeseburgers or chicken wings and all the other great tastes that non-vegetarians enjoy(Markella,2006). Those who have returned to being omnivoures claimed that they began missing the taste of meat (Wong,2006). (Herzog,2011) further adds that even long-term vegetarians developed urges to taste cooked meat or developed craving for proteins when they smelt upon smelling bacon being cooked. New vegetarians say that they found it hard to give up favorite foods and adjust to the taste of substitutes for butter and dairy products. For some the toughest part to switching to a vegan diet was to give up on cheese. (Pope,2012) 2.3.2 Lack of social support (Pope, 2012) believes that for vegetarians there is a lack of social support as some people are negative and condescending towards vegetarian food and this is the main reasons why many vegetarians have returned to an omnivorous diet. (smith et al, 2000) 2.3.4. Beliefs that a vegetarian diet is not healthy Many authors claim that a vegetarian diet is unhealthy in a way that that there is is insufficient proteins and a person may suffer from nutritional deficiencies(Claire 2012),(Schuna,2011), (Alan et.al2000) . Robin(2011) argued that it depends on the type of food eaten. In the case of vegan who exclude all animal proteins from their diet they may develop a B-12 defficiency and this is commonly found in meat and defficiencies of this vitamin may lead to anemia. Assess the role of culture in the choice of vegetarian food Sabine (2012) stated that there exists indefinite number of definitions of culture. Definitions of culture may vary from one person to another. Kroeber et al (1952) defined culture as patterns of behavior gained and transmitted through symbols, consisting of classifiable achievements of human groups including their incarnations in artefacts. Culture consists of traditional values and ideas which historically inferred and selected.Many religions promote a vegetarian lifestyle or diet, for example, Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, and Seventh day Adventists(Frankel, 2010) Culture or Religion is an important determinant in ones selection of his own diet as many eastern religions impose a vegetarian diet as compared to many western religions. According to the survey done by the Vegetarian Times (2008), this explains why India has the most vegetarians (400 million, about 40 % of the population ) as compared to the US which is only at 7.3 million. This is explained by Lingam(2010) who states that India has this strong vegetarian culture due to its religions, dating back to 500 BC where the rise of Buddhism and Jainism were teaching non-violence. Today this vegetarian lifestyle is dictated by the influence of and those having a strong belief in their religion such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism or Sikhism which impose a vegetarian diet. 3.1. Hinduism Hinduism is the oldest and the third largest population around the world with over 900 million followers around the world (Magicman,2011). Hindus believe that all living beings have souls and one animal which is sacred and strictly forbidden to eat is the cow (Dowling, 2009). According to Srivastava(2007), all Hindu scriptures praise and glorify nonviolence. And a vegetarian diet as important in the successful practice of worship and in yoga. Hindu dharma generally recommends vegetarianism but it is not a requisite to be a Hindu. Animal flesh is considered the same as the flesh of ones own offspring and to eat this would make one the most despicable of human beings. Moreover she quoted from the Yaj Veda that one must not use his body, which is given by god to kill other of Gods creations whether they are human, animal or whatever. (Srivastava,2007) further adds that according to the Manusmriti, one should abstain from eating any kind of flesh as this is concerned with killing and it involves killing and leads to karmic repercussions and their choice of food brings about consequences. Killing involves giving pain and according to the karmic law of cause and effect he who gives pain will receive that same amount pain. Christianity The bible is divided into the old testament and the new testament. Based upon an analysis of the bible by Zeolla (2005) In the old testament, especially in the Genesis, which refers to the moment god created Adam and Eve and the whole universe where it is stated that god made every tree grow and those which seemed pleasant good for food and commanded that man shall eat from these trees. This section of the bible implies that at that time god wanted men to be vegetarian. However, there are sections in the bible whereby god stated that man can eat as much meat as he wishes, where god provided quails for the Israelites. Moreover, there are many situations in the bible where animal sacrifices where made to god or where he himself asked for an animal sacrifice. Social influences and vegetarianism Culture transmission, in principle can be transmitted from any individual to another(Acerbi,2006). It is common that lots of vegetarian parents expect their children to eat what they eat (Belkin,2009) despite others arguments that the child should decide when he is old enough(Madsen, 2009) or that eating meat is free choice and what you choose to eat is up to you(Vigneault,2008) . (Roth 2012) argued that kids arent scared of veganism and that it is adults who afraid because kids learn when we they are taught. A survey by Katz (2008) and (Berman2011), showed that many of the respondents had become vegans due to the influence of family and friends. It had been reported that the elderlys food choice was because many elderly valued their relationships between spouses or friends over their personal taste preferences (Falk et al . 1996). 4. Determining the effects of the marketing mix on the choice of vegetarian foods 4.1 Product A vegetarian diet is a meal plan that consists of mostly plants such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seeds and nuts, with a small amount of or no animal products(Evert, 2011). According to Porter (2009) there are different types of vegetarian diets. If a person says that he is a vegetarian that could mean many things. In each style of vegetarian diet certain foods that are restricted. Here are a few categories of vegetarianism: A Lacto-vegetarian consumes no animal products except for dairy(Ochel,2008) A vegan or a strict vegetarian does not include any animal-based food products. A vegan lifestyle refers to the exclusion of all animal products, such as leather clothing and even honey because honey requires bees. A vegan diet consists carefully reading the labels of packaged foods before purchasing them to ensure they meet vegan criteria. Stein (2011) An ovo-lacto vegetarian will not eat meat, fish, or poultry or anything which contains eggs but they do consume dairy products. Unlike a vegan like diet, vegetarianism offers more flexibility and lets one enjoy some of the things that they are accustomed to eating. (Miles, 2009) Americans are eating 12 % less meat than they did 5 years ago(Ketzenberger,2012) and less real meat means more fake meat(Nolan,2012.) Fake meats also known as mock meats or faux meat (Sawant,2012) have made a lot of progress in the last ten years(Nolan,2012) to becoming a multi-million dollar industry today(Olsen 2012). Mock meat is a substitute for meat made with ingredients such as tofu soy and wheat gluten to imitate the taste and appearance of real meat(John,2010). Nolan adds that in the last year alone, over 100 new fake meat products have been introduced in the United States, from beef tips to orange chicken,pulled pork. fake sausage and fake burgers. When hippies and many sympathizers sought to reduce or eliminate their meat consumption in the late 1960s tofu was well positioned to grab that market, and between 1925 to 1975 America had 528 commercial tofu makers. As stated by (Mintel 2005) manufacturers are doing their best to make alternatives look like real, and there is little in the packaging to distinguish vegetarian products. Soymilk is available in packaging that is identical to dairy milk, and meat-free hot dogs look the same as their meat-based counterparts. However, taste is a more important factor for consumers, who rejected the earlier less-tasty versions of soymilk and veggie burgers. Since then, technology has improved the flavor of vegetarian products. Also helping is the wider array of products that include flavored versions of soymilk and more complex meat alternative products (e.g. chicken-free Buffalo-style chicken wings). These flavored products mask or disguise the beany flavor that many consumers dislike. Although processed fake meat is not healthy food, in most cases, especially from an animal rights perspective, it is given a pass or is accepted (Striepe,2011). Bittman(2012) believes that it would be very difficult to make people reduce the amount of meat they consume each day, an option which is more tasty to the mind and to the mouth is fake meat. According to (Pratt, 2012) This may bother some vegans, who do not like the idea of fake meats, and perhaps it is bringing fake meats is too realistic. Absolute vegans firmly admonish that it still counts as eating meat in spirit and thus labels them as hypocrites(Rufus,2010). 4.2. Price There is a strong relationship between the increase in price and the demand for vegetables. The price increases in the UK also meant that a lot of people were not buying the fresh fruits and vegetables which they need to for a healthy and nutritious diet(Pouler, 2012). In 2010 the price rises are affected many families in a way that 10 % of the poor families are consuming 25 % less fruit and 15 % less vegetables(Hill, 2012). Sheehan (2012) also argued that the economic situation is making it more costly for people to have a morehealthier meal. The price of healthier foods are increasing at a great speed than the that of the unhealthy foods, for example pizzas and burgers and people are eating less fruits and vegetables than a decade ago and more and more unhealthier foods because of its affordability. People are now looking for a meal that fills the stomach which is the case of most junk food than food that is nutritious. According to MailOnline (2011) when the price of beef and porc had reached records, nothing seemed to have changed regard consumer spending and meat. Moreover, in Kolkata, incessant rains had led to a drastic increase in the price of vegetables which had forced many middle-income families to opt for non-vegetarian meals on their menus(Chawdhuri,2011). (Miser 2011) states that many people hesitate to go for vegetarian meals or to become vegetarians because they believe it is much more costly and expensive. However, she opposed these beliefs by stating that a vegetarian diet is more cost-effective and not too expensive, an argument supported by Greenwood (2011). (Miser 2011) affirms a vegetarian diet is much cheaper in a way that chicken can be substituted by beans which is 60% cheaper that the costs of the latter. A person can save up on the costs of electricity which is used to keep the meat frozen. Moreover when a person is purchasing the meat they are paying for parts which are not comestible such as fat and bones. 4.3. Place How easy it is for one to find vegetarian food on menus depends on what type of vegetarian the person is and where he is(Goodyer,2012) . Being vegetarian can also limit your options when dining out Callahan 2010). According to ONeill (2012) Its much harder for vegans who dont eat eggs or cheese to find something they can eat. Japanese food has options for vegans, however Thai food (Goodyer,2012) and in Korea, where there is no Korean word for vegetarian, and which every meal has animal parts in it. (Kerp,2009).Moreover a lot of wine have animal ingredients added for flavour. Vegetarian wine isnt that hard to find these day and the easiest way is to bring ones own wine although in some restaurants this means paying corkage(ONeill,2012) According to Davis (2011) restaurants dont do vegan food because they believe there is no demand for it. Secondly it is too much of a bother, for example separating equipment that use processed meat (Schuna,2011) with such few vegans and most of them will just look at the menu in the window, or the website, and if they see nothing vegan they go somewhere else instead; If there is only one vegan item on the menu, then the only option is take it or leave it. Bigger restaurants can afford to offer a wide variety so that customers can come back but this may not be the case of the smaller ones. Thirdly, people do not dine out alone, and most vegans have mostly non-vegan friends and family. When theyre deciding where and what to eat the one vegan influences the decision. In this case the restaurant doesnt lose only the one vegan customer, but also their friends and family. 4.4. Promoting a Vegetarian lifestyle 4.4.1 Vegetarian Food Festival The 27th Annual Vegetarian Food Festival in Toronto was attended by more than 25,000 visitors over three days (Alexander 2012) The purpose of the festival is to educate. There were educational speakers, exhibits by health and wellness marketers and many samples of food by local vegetarian restaurants and food companies. All food samples family-friendly event will be completely free of animal products. (Juhng, 2012) 4.4.2 Advertisements Advertisements involving nudity to promote vegetarianism PETA( People for the Ethical treatment of Animals) has become known widely for shocking and offensive advertisements (Bhasin,2011) such as Turn over a new leaf or the Sex with vegetables advert therefore making it very easy to confuse PETA with an organization promoting sex with vegetables(Mahdawi,2012). An ad using sex appeal as a strategy is All Animals Have the Same PartsGo Vegan advertisement. The concept of this ad, featuring Pamela Anderson, is that factory-farmed animals are made of flesh, blood, and bone, just as humans are. They have the same bodily organs, the same five senses, and the same range of emotions, just as humans do.(Schragin,20120). Here, Peta is urging people to see animals as more than just walking entrà ©es and that animals who are raised for their meat have personalities and emotions and form families and friendships when given the opportunity. Factory farms deny animals the things that are natural and of importance to them and instead confining them to fou l and constricted cages. (Croce, 2010) Shocking Advertisements to promote vegetarianism Meet your meat is a video that shocked many(Felip, 2012) and according to Friedrich(2003) it is the most effective tool promoting the cause of veganism. The twelve minutes video is a documentary showing the worst practices in the business which are considered as the standards and according to him there is not a single person who has not been touched when he or she had viewed the video. In the views of (Pettit,2012) shocking depictions of animal abuse have been found to be more effective in videos and in the case of pictures intended results were obtained when effects or graphics found it to were used to a low degree. Advertisements which involve compassion towards animals Why love one but eat the other? is a provocative ad series in Toronto, which was a great success according( Laurie Wilson, Tyler Jamieson, 2012) asking Canadians to be veg and it would seem riders are responding. The ad draws attention to the shocking cruelty faced by animals raised for food in Canada(NEWS,2011). (Runkle,2009)The campaign consisted of over 200 ads and drew attention to the similarities between the animals we call family and the animals we call dinner. The ads would be run would be viewed over 470,000 times per day, hence exposing millions of riders. One of the three ads features an inquisitive puppy and a cheerful piglet side-by-side and asks, Why love one but eat the other? The other two ads feature a fluffy kitten and an equally fluffy baby chick, and an alert Labrador Retriever next to a curious cow. In each case, these heart-warming images are juxtaposed with graphic photographs of the horrific conditions on factory farms where animals are crammed by the thousand s into filthy windowless sheds. Rather than using shock tactics with bloodstained images or nudity, this campaign appeals to peoples sense of compassion and tenderness towards animals(Takeuchi, 2011) (Cheeseman,2009) reports that the strategies of PETAs adverts are based upon focalizing on creating disorder to raise attention. Remorenko (2009) raised the question as to whether these advertisements were effective and put forward that it succeeded in grabbing peoples attention and that 4.4.3 Celebrity Endorsers Vegetarian and vegan celebrities have made a big difference in bringing attention to the harsh realities of the fur and skin industry. So as to reach a larger audience, the support of celebrities is crucial. With the help of celebrities jumping aboard to adopt and promote the vegan lifestyle, the image of vegetarianism has metamorphosed significantly in recent years (Contributor, 2012). Organisations such as Peta have many celebrity endorsers to help promote the cause such as legendary musician Paul McCartney in a campaign to say no thanks to turkey and eating vegan on thanksgiving. (Ciandella, 2012). A survey by (Moran,2011) however revealed that 46% of British people believe that most celebrities who promote charities are doing it to improve their own public image. One of the key determinants of the success of a celebrity endorser as per (Ritchie, 2012) is if the celebrity fits the product. If the relationship between the celebrity, their public image and the product is a positive one, then it could mean product effectiveness. However, if the product a celebrity endorses is a doubtful match, this could hurt the product image or its success; an example is actress Natalie Portman who collaborated with startup Te Cesan to design a line of vegan friendly shoes. The shoes came with a hefty price and according to (Doan, 2008), overpriced. Within a year the company closed down due to poor sales despite one of the biggest names in Hollywood backing their product because no one thinks of vegan shoes when they think of Natalie Portman. Moreover conflicts of interest may arise and backlash. For example supermodel Naomi Campbell posed in adverts for animal rights group PETA, against wearing animal fur, but she later featured in an ad campaign for a luxury New York furrier, and appeared on the catwalk wearing real fur.(Moran,2011). Determining the influence of animal welfare and environmental concern has on the choice for vegetarian food. Animal Concern and the ethical vegetarian One of the most concrete reasons for vegetarian food choice is for ethical reasons(Dragunaite,2011). The concept of ethical vegetarians is, that they want to reduce harm to animals for food or any other reasons. Becoming an ethical vegetarian is a sudden process most of the time. The intent to avoid meat due to feelings of guilt, which results in avoiding the purchase of meat to support their beliefs in animal welfare(Schroder, 2004 ). According to Towell (2011) the decision of many people to not eat meat is motivated by compassion and also because they care for animals and dont want animals to be exploited for any reasons (shoeman,2011). Furthermore many animals in animals die in horrifying conditions in farmhouses and slaughterhouses and when people find out that animals are capable of feeling fear pain and joy they understand that their diet is not consistent with their values (Towell,211). (Owen,2012) further adds that have an intellectual advantage over other species of animals does not give one the right to oppress them but the responsibility to care for them. Vegetarianism and concern for the environment According to Profita (2011) many people give up on meat for environmental reasons. This is explained by (Borden,2007) stating that a non-vegetarian diet is great burden onto our planet and is an inefficient use of resources(80% of agricultural land in America is used to grow food that is used to feed farmed animals) . Even producing beef has a negative impact on the environment as it produces large amounts of heat-trapping gases (Fiala, 2009). Vidal(2010) pointed out many ways in which it is causing harm to the environment. He adds that it is causing deforestation as may trees have been cut down to be converted into farmland. Moreover it is poisoning the earth in a way waste produced by animals are often dumped in lagoons. It is to be noted that a single farm can generate as much waste as an entire city. Finally he states that faming uses up a lot of water as 70% of it is used for faming purposes. However Collin(2010) refutes this belief by stating that soy and lentils could cause mo re harm to the environment and that a switch to tofu and other substitutes could increase the amount of arable land needed. Perception towards vegetarian food Mckeever (2012) http://eater.com/archives/2012/05/17/just-as-everyone-suspected-manly-men-prefer-eating-meat.php Reiner, R.V, 2007, Disadvantages of going veg , http://suite101.com/article/disadvantages-of-going-veg-a13587 AR Psychosocial predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption in adults a review of the literature http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18471592# Mintel 2005, pages 85 Vegetarian foods in the United States 2005 http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/305430/vegetarian_foods_in_the_united_states_2005 Parker-Pope, T.P , 2012, The challenge of going vegan Janu, K.J, 2010 , Why do people eat non-vegetarian Why Do People eat non  vegetarian? MacEachern, M.D, 2009 , 10 surprising reasons to eat less meat, http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/green-products-services/vegetarian-47021902 Bender, A.B, 1992, Meat and meat products in developing countries , http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0562e/T0562E00.htm#Contents Pope, T.P, 2010,Tasty vegan food? Cupcakes show it can be done http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/06/tasty-vegan-food-cupcakes-show-it-can-be-done/ Vigneault, E.V, But meat tastes good, http://www.vegansoapbox.com/but-meat-tastes-good/ Rothgerber, H.G, (2012) Real Men Dont Eat (Vegetable) Quiche: Masculinity and the Justification of Meat , Consumption http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2012-30417-001/ Macari, C.M, 2012, Men eating meat enhance their sense of manhood study reveals, http://news.softpedia.com/news/Men-Eating-Meat-Enhances-Their-Sense-of-Manhood-Study-Reveals-309472.shtml Williams, A.W, 2012, Men think eating meat makes them more manly (and even veggie women think veggie men are wimps) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2236768/New-study-shows-men-think-eating-steak-burgers-bacon-makes-manly.html Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2236768/New-study-shows-men-think-eating-steak-burgers-bacon-makes-manly.html#ixzz2IPzuSkrp Bryner, J.B, 2012, Meat

Free Essays - Words, Images, and Imagery in Macbeth :: Macbeth essays

Words and Imagery in Macbeth First Lady Macbeth calls on night and darkness to assist her scheme against Duncan. Secondly, Macbeth returns after killing Duncan, his speech is full of dark imagery. Lastly, Banquo gets suspicious about Macbeth, then he hires people to kill Banquo. As Macbeth plans the murder of Banquo he uses imagery to express the evil scheme. Lady Macbeth calls on the night of evil spirits before her husbands arrives using some outstanding imagery. She said: "That no compunctious visitings of nature Come thick night, And pall tree in the dunnest smoke of hell, through the blanket of the dark To cry 'Hold! Hold!'" he word smoke of hell gives us an evil mental picture of the way she acts and what her behavior is like. Secondly Macbeth went out to kill Duncan and he talks to Banquo and make up stories so Banquo doesn't know about his plan. Shakespeare uses many powerful images to portray the violence that is on the verge of occurring throughout the entire play. The particulars that are addressed herein focus on the imagery that is presented to the reader in regards to the first murder, the murder of the king. Shakespeare implements positive and negative imagery to fully detail the impending doom. The words, and images, which portray light and dark are often used throughout Macbeth, As the play goes on Lady Macbeth feels guilty for trying to stop Macbeth from killing Banquo. She later then kills herself for feeling guilty. The imagery in that scene was when she sleep walks and talking in her sleep, It gives you a suspense feeling of what would happen next.   Another example would be when Macbeth decided to hire people to kill Banquo.

Book Analysis: Heidi Essay

The book in reference is Heidi by Johanna Spyri. The story tells of a little girl named Heidi who was brought to her grandfather in the mountains. Heidi’s guardian Dete has decided to leave Heidi to her grandfather after both of her parents died. Many of the villagers are aware of the bad tempered Alp-Uncle who lives in the mountains. At first, Alp-Uncle was not really into taking care of Heidi but eventually, he has learned to love her. Heidi’s charisma taught Alp-Uncle loving and caring feelings towards life. Everyday, Heidi would tour the mountains with his friend Peter who is a shepherd. One day, Dete cam back to bring Heidi to Frankfurt and accompany a rich but wheelchair-ridden young girl Klara where Heidi could live in luxury. It was a bad experience for Heidi for she missed Alp-Uncle and the mountains a lot. When the people in the mansion noticed Heidi’s homesickness, she was returned to her grandfather. After a couple of days, Klara has decided to visit Heidi. It was a wonderful experience for Klara which became her healing experience and made her walk. In the end, Klara and her family thanked Heidi and Alp-Uncle for their kindness. There are four main characters in the story; Heidi who is the main character is a simple but very charming little girl. She loves the mountains and nature. She is also caring and loving. Alp-Uncle is Heidi’s grandfather. At the beginning of the story, he was described as a grumpy old man but eventually, Heidi was able to change his outlook in life and was seen with great kindness. Klara is Heidi’s friend in Frankfurt. She is an ill little girl but was inspired to be positive in life with Heidi’s help. Lastly, Peter is Heidi’s friend in the mountains. He is a shepherd. When Klara visited Heidi in the mountains, he was jealous to have Klara as a competition for Heidi’s attention. Eventually, they made three good friends. The book immediately injects a notion that most of the time; females have weaker dispositions in the society. They are represented to be weaker but with superior feelings of emotional understanding. On the other hand, the male characters are presented as leaders and seen as having any uncaring emotions towards others. The book reinforces the social expectations for both genders. One example is the manifestation of Peter’s character who is tasked to do laborious work like herding the goats and sheep. Also, Alp-Uncle was perceived to have more knowledge in carpentry which is basically perceived as a work designed for men. On the other hand, females’ characters are presented in a passive aspect by making them helpless like Peter’s grandmother who is weak and blind and Klara who is also sick. Personally, my favorite children’s book was Peter Pan. Basically, the notion of gender dispositions can also be seen in the story as with Heidi. Peter Pan, as a boy, is projected to have powers and has a quality of leadership. Although he usually gets into troubles, he is able to solve them in the end. Wendy also has the same characteristics as Heidi’s who is caring and loving but dignified. Probably, Peter Pan is marketed towards children who are interested in fantasy. The magical scenarios presented in the story are evident of stirring the imagination of children who are still not yet exploited with notions of gender dilemmas. This gave me a lesson that it is sometimes a matter of initial projection of ideas to younger children that will eventually shape our societies. Works Cited Spyri, Johanna. 1993. Van Gool’s Heidi. London: Magna Books

Discover Family History With Probate Records and Wills

Discover Family History With Probate Records and Wills Some of the most genealogically-rich documents on an individual are actually created following their death. While many of us actively search for an ancestors obituary or tombstone, however, we often overlook probate records - a big mistake! Generally well-documented, accurate, and packed with numerous details, probate records can often provide answers to many stubborn genealogical problems. Probate documents, in general terms, are records created by a court after an individuals death that relate to the distribution of his or her estate. If the individual left a will (known as testate), then the purpose of the probate process was to document its validity and see that it was carried out by the executor named in the will. In cases where an individual did not leave a will (known as intestate), then probate was used to appoint an administrator or administratrix to determine the distribution of assets according to formulas set by the laws of the jurisdiction. What You May Find in a Probate File Probate packets or files may include any of the following, depending upon the jurisdiction and time period: willsestate inventories, or lists of assetsappointments of executors or administratorsadministrations, or documentation of the distribution of assetspetitions for guardianship of minor childrenlists of heirslists of creditors or accounts of debts ...and other records considered to be important to the settlement of an estate. Understanding the Probate Process While laws governing the probate of a deceaseds estate have varied according to time period and jurisdiction, the probate process usually follows a basic process: An heir, creditor, or other interested party initiated the probate process by presenting a will for the deceased (if applicable) and petitioning the court for the right to settle an estate. This petition was usually filed with the court that served the area where the deceased owned property or last resided.If the individual left a will, it was presented to the court along with testimony of witnesses as to its authenticity. If accepted by the probate court, a copy of the will was then recorded in a will book maintained by the clerk of court. The original will was often retained by the court and added to other documents pertaining to the settlement of the estate to create a probate packet.If a will designated a particular individual, then the court formally appointed that person to serve as executor or executrix  of the estate and authorized him or her to proceed by issuing letters testamentary. If there was no will, then the court appointed an administrator or administratrix - usual ly a relative, heir, or close friend - to oversee the estates settlement by issuing letters administration. In many cases, the court required the administrator (and sometimes the executor) to post a bond to ensure that he would properly complete his duties. One or more people, often family members, were required to co-sign the bond as sureties.An inventory of the estate was conducted, usually by people with no claim to the property, culminating in a list of property - from land and buildings down to teaspoons and chamber pots!Potential beneficiaries named in the will were identified and contacted. Notices were published in area newspapers to reach anyone who might have claims on or obligations to the deceaseds estate.Once bills and other outstanding obligations on the estate were met, the estate was formally divided and distributed among the heirs. Receipts are signed by anyone receiving a portion of the estate.A final statement of account was presented to the probate court, which then ruled the estate as closed. The probate packet was then filed in the records of the court. What You Can Learn From Probate Records Probate records provide a rich resource of genealogical and even personal information about an ancestor which can often lead to still other records, such as  land records.Probate records almost always include: Full nameDate and place of  death Probate records may also include: Marital StatusName of spouseNames of children (and possibly birth order)Names of childrens spouses of married daughtersNames of grandchildrenRelationships between family membersClues to the  trade or occupation  of your ancestorCitizenshipResidences of your ancestor and living descendantsLocations (and descriptions) where your ancestor owned propertyFeelings of your ancestor toward family membersClues to the deaths of other family membersClues to adoptions or guardianshipsInventory of items owned by the deceasedClues to your ancestors economic standing (e.g. debts, property)Your ancestors signature How to Find Probate Records Probate records can usually be found in the  local courthouse  (county, district, etc.) that presided over the area where your ancestor died. Older probate records may have been moved from the local courthouse to a larger regional facility, such as a state or provincial archives. Contact the clerks office of the court where the person resided at the time of death for information on the location of probate records for the time period in which you are interested.

Called To Believe Essays

Called To Believe Essays Called To Believe Essays 1. I believe that Gospel reading is seen to be shown in a wide sense. The Gospel passages themselves are narrow because they clearly state the actions God must take to restore sinful humanity. God makes no demands toward human beings, and this can be taken in a narrow sense. However, I believe that the gospel readings are seen to be in a wide sense because when evangelizing at a church or even at an outside event, there are many instances where all of the members are not true believers. In this case, the gospel should be generalized to invite newcomers into the true narrow meaning of the gospel, and grasp a deeper meaning in God’s word. 2. The death of Jesus Christ should be represented as Gospel, because it is what God did for us so that we could all be saved. God sacrificed his only son so that we would be able to be accepted into heaven. With the death of Jesus Christ, all sinners of the world were allowed to now have an afterlife, the blessing that God has given all believers. The gospel preaches of the great deed God has done for us and the fact that there is more to life, being the afterlife. Since Jesus Christ died for us, God shows us this is a part of the Gospel because now all believers will be accepted into heaven. 3. This statement is greatly confusing the law and gospel because God commands us what to do by his law. However, if we do not fulfill his goals and dreams for us, it is okay because by the gospel he will forgive us for our sins. This creates

Nikes Dispute With The University Of Oregon Example

Nikes Dispute With The University Of Oregon Example Nike's Dispute With The University Of Oregon – Article Example Nike’s dispute with the of Oregon At the center of Nike’s dispute with the of Oregon were ethical business practices with emphasis on organizational accountability on wage rates, working environment and social corporate responsibility. Nike had support for the Fair Labor Association (FLA) which had legal and ethical loopholes that could still help multinationals gain through exploitative labor conditions and wage rates outside the United States. On the other hand University of Oregon joined in the spirit of solidarity with other universities to champion for Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) which fought to ensure strict adherence to human work condition for all the multinationals that sought their market in Apparel and sports kit. It is evident that WRC sought to eliminate the stakeholders’ interest among firms in the Apparel industry and this was seen by Nike as betrayal by its perennial benefactor in philanthropic financial donations.According to Friedman’s and Freeman’s theories, shareholder wealth maximization is the primary goal of a firm. In this regard managers ensure that firms operate under the protections of limited liability. The essence in this case is seen in how such a goal allows companies to privatize their gains while externalizing losses. Some of the tactics used by the company to achieve the goal include limited expenditure on safety workplace environment and low wages which sums up to be the bone of contention between Nike and University of Oregon. Nike therefore withdrew its support to University of Oregon as it saw the opportunity of manipulating minimum wage and other local, international and industrial labor laws was not achievable in the presence of Worker Rights Consortium.

Intro to business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Intro to business - Assignment Example This has pushed away the desire of many willing to work at the stores. Moreover, in most cases, most people in urban areas are liberals who probably target the nearby shops where stuff goes for just about as cheaply compared to the Wal-Mart stores. This has contributed immensely to retrenchment of the Wal-Mart stores. As an expedient solution to the food desert problem, exertions have been made to finally make it possible the entry of Wal-Mart to lucrative urban markets from which it has long been excluded (Roberts and Berg 160). Wal-Mart’s corporate management team has over the past decades toiled inside its ‘Bentonville Bubble’ in order to win the approval of zoning commissions and committees. This entails focusing on the operational efficiency, the growth of the company and its subsequent profits. However, this has proved not efficient enough and the company has widened its sights, built networks of employees, government agencies, nonprofits and suppliers to ‘green’ its supply chain. By seeking the approval of zoning commissions and committees, Wal-Mart will be in a position to increase its profitability. In order for the company to excel, it has cultivated closer relationships with its suppliers that have immensely contributed to initiatives. Moreover, Wal-Mart has gone further to build bridges between environmental nonprofit organizations and suppliers (Roberts and Berg 149). Most importantly, relying on external network collaborates such as the NGO’s has allowed the company to accomplish most of its objectives devoid of major investments since suppliers tend to absorb most of the costs of certification. Arguably, retailers often face a fast-expanding, multi-pattern competitive set that deprive them the opportunity to realize where they are heading. Wal-Mart as one of the leading companies in terms of sales may face quite a range of challenges once it runs significantly smaller stores. Change in technology and use

Ford Motor Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ford Motor Company - Essay Example It houses 12 major suppliers, both tier one and tier two suppliers providing optimal conditions for lean manufacturing and just-in-time inventories. The project has reduced time travel thereby enabling Ford to save on its component inventories. It has enabled restoration of a 6-acre wet land polluted by sludge from nearby steel plants, reduced model change over time, and provides long-term savings. Body shop operations determine flexible manufacturing. It uses industry first system of standardization cells. Most of the tools are reused thus helps in cost cutting and reduces down time during product change over. They have programmable robots for the change over and welding. The shop has geo-stations for producing parts for several vehicles at the same time and ensures accurate positioning of parts. Measuring machines were also installed for precise dimensioning as the units move through the assembly process. At the body shop, vehicles stop at each station. Partial body parts are loaded to the geo-station turntable in the first station as quarter panels are loaded in adjacent station. They are remarried in the next station, the sealer. It then goes to the pre-clamp (clamp-up) area where the body side is married with floor pan. From here it goes to two framers, A and B, to be welded after which it goes to roofing station for layer welds and re-spot areas. The vehicle is now framed. Fully framed vehicle is finally inspected to clear defects and vehicle system inside. The vehicles are put on rollers test for engines, brakes and acceleration. After which they released to the yard. Renovation for the plant was indeed necessary. It set a benchmark in the automobile industry by setting up first flexible assembly system. This would definitely set competition among players in the industry. Bringing together suppliers under one roof

In What Ways Does the Choice of an Epistemological Perspective or Essay

In What Ways Does the Choice of an Epistemological Perspective or Stance Influence the Formulation of a Management Research - Essay Example The paper additionally examines issues like empiricism, constructivism, idealism, rationalism, and their influences on the formulation of a research in the field of management. Epistemology is a branch of the philosophical field that is mainly concerned with the nature and limitations of knowledge. The field addresses such issues as what knowledge is, how it can be acquired, and the extent to which it applies to certain entities (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson, 2012). Epistemological perspectives are the different ways in which different people view knowledge, its nature and scope. There are different epistemological perspectives that can be used in the formulation of a management research; they range from empiricism, idealism, and rationalism to constructivism (Fumerton, 2006). In order to overcome the difficulties that may be encountered in formulating the management research the concepts of infinitism, foundationalism, and coherentism may be utilized (Krishnaswamy, Sivakumar a nd Mathirajan, 2009). Empiricism is a concept that emphasizes the role that experience plays when one formulates a management research. It is basically a conjecture of knowledge that emphasizes the use of the perceptual observations that we make through our senses (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson, 2012). ... On the other hand, rationalism emphasizes the epistemologically privileged statuses of data that we have collected through our senses. It additionally emphasizes the dominance of reasoning and consists of abstracts, theory, and borrowings from empirical studies (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson, 2012). When formulating a management research using epistemology, an individual has to collect data before he or she can utilize the knowledge acquired. Doing this, an individual will be able to make appropriate decisions (Audi, 2010). Many challenges may be encountered in the collection of data that may eventually lead to misinterpretation. Data may be incorrectly interpreted due to the fact that different people possess different forms of knowledge along with levels of understanding (Fumerton, 2006). A lot of time is additionally lost when references are made to previous empirical studies that have been carried out, though they are important in ensuring the best decisions in regard to dif ferent aspects in management that are to be resolved. After researching the studies of previous researchers, an individual will have the empirical material that can help avoid the obstacles encountered by others (Krishnaswamy, Sivakumar and Mathirajan, 2009). According to Fumerton (2006), a lot of consultations have to be made before an appropriate decision can be implemented for the purpose of solving the problems facing a business venture. Rationalism enables to epistemologically reason out a problem before one can come to a decision as to the best solution. It additionally helps researchers overcome any errors they may have made when formulating

Green Buildings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Green Buildings - Essay Example Rapid industrialization and increase in demand of fuels have increase pollution all over the world. The increase in carbon dioxide in the environment is damaging the ozone layer surrounding the earth’s atmosphere. This is damaging the environment and increasing the temperature of the world. Oceans are melting and seal levels are increasing. This phenomenon is known as global warming. The dangerous consequences of such climatic change are forcing the world to come up with techniques that are environmental friendly. Green building is one such technique that preserves our environment. The cost of these buildings far exceeds the benefits of green buildings. It is important to understand the benefits of green buildings and their structure to prove that this technique worth its costs. A cost benefit analysis will show clearly that green buildings should be used more often in order to protect the environment. Benefits of Green Building One of the most significant benefits of green bu ildings is that they help save energy. These buildings save electricity and in turn decrease our dependent on fuels. Electricity is produced by many ways and oil is also used to produce electricity. Green buildings are designed in such a manner that they allow the residents sunlight and natural air. In this way energy consumption is decreased greatly. Air conditioning and lights use most of the electricity in homes and by reducing this electricity environment can benefit a lot. In green buildings trees and plants are used in order to provide shade and cooling (Simpson, J. 2002). Plants take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen in daytime. This gives freshness and coolness in daytime in the house. Another benefit of green buildings is the increased productivity of the people living in green buildings. People who live in green buildings are found to work long hours. They also have less stress and they can stay fresh for long hours. This is mainly because occupants get exposure to sun light and fresh air. Air conditioning is no substitute of fresh air. Fresh air soothes residents of green building and this is why they feel less stressed then residents of normal houses and buildings. A study reported that absenteeism was reduced by 40 percent in buildings that were green (Lallanilla, M. 2011). This is the effect of plants and natural air and sunlight. The benefits of green buildings include less sickness as well. This may be because of less pollution and harmful gases. People who live near road sides are exposed to pollution. In green buildings a proper mechanism deals with pollution as discussed before. Also greenery attracts employees to offices. Water efficiency is another benefit of green building. The design of building is such that it allows water to be reused. Water is recycled in greenhouses houses. It is purified and reused in flushes. In this way throughout the life of the green building flush water is not wasted but is used and reused over and over agai n. This is a great benefit of green buildings because it can save gallons of water. A house has a life of at least 30 to 40 years. Throughout this period all the water used in flush will remain the same. Also water is saved by using low flow of water in flushes and showers. Even this can help reduce water consumption of households greatly. Toilet paper is also not used in washrooms and that protects tress. All in all a simple technique of water recycling a great amount of water can be saved. Also material used in green buildings is environmental friendly. The wood used for making green buildings is made of plants like bamboo that grow faster. Rare plants and trees are not used in the making of green buildings. Industrial goods used in making homes are also recyclable and are environmental friendly. Stones and other materials used in houses can be reused again. Energy costs are decreased as a result of green building

The Effects of Computer Science on the history of our Nations Wars Research Proposal

The Effects of Computer Science on the history of our Nations Wars - Research Proposal Example Generally, computer science refers to the study of some theoretical standing, with regard to computation and information, and often focuses on the practical application of the techniques, necessary for implementing them in computer systems (Diffie, 2008). Presently, a considerable number of disciplines under the scope of computer science do not exclusively incorporate the study of computers (Longo, 2008). Such disciplines include the military science, which incorporates the use of computer technology. Many scholars in the field of science have put a keen focus on the connections between the computer science on the theoretical basis and the execution of the military operations. This is with regard to how such operations were being planned and carried out, during the time of the Cold War. Since the 20th century, great effort has been put to the scientific researches in the military operations. This has led to the development of science-based military technology. These efforts have seen the subsistence of strong militaries across the world. For instance, the First World War, which is widely known as ‘the chemists’ war, was characterized by the application of many explosives (Diffie, 2008) owed to the computer science. Among the pioneer military technologies was the extensive use of the poison gas by the British and Germans, in 1915. Computer science also contributed to the development of the wireless communication technology, which advanced the methods of executing attacks, and detecting enemies, besides acting as a means of communication within the militaries. The wireless radio technology was a key player in the coordination of the German, British and American troops (Arquilla, 2011). By the Second World War, the computer technology had advanced the military technology, and at this time, the unveiling of the atomic bomb was marked (Bousquet, 2008). Hand in

The Increased Need for Digital Forensics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Increased Need for Digital Forensics - Essay Example es, especially cyber crime, there has been a heightened demand for digital forensic professionals to support law enforcement and judicial systems at all levels in order to prosecute these crimes successfully. Digital forensics, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is a specialized private detective who examines various items of technology in the pursuit of locating evidence related to a criminal act (Tucker, 9). Digital forensics are also utilized in the business world as a means to provide solutions to certain business issues, however digital forensics for business is far less prevalent than in criminal analysis. Digital forensics requires the technician to examine devices such as the PDA, laptop or cellular phone in the pursuit of various digital clues which lead to either support or refute claims of suspected criminal activity. A digital forensic scientist, searching the digital contents of a computer printer, would look for potential evidence such as time and date stamps, images still retrievable on the printer’s paper roller, or even the specific network identity of the printer if it was, indeed, attached to an online network (Ashcroft, 18). If the owner of this hypot hetical printer was alleged to have been involved in a child pornography ring, as one example, residual ink images left on the roller or various computer files buried in the printer’s hard disk might indicate whether a given alibi is valid or whether the individual has actually been distributing sexually explicit, youth materials. The personal computer and the laptop provide a myriad of potential forensic evidence in the event that a crime has been perpetrated. In this situation, forensic experts examine personal email, image/graphics files, calendars, address books and document files (Ashcroft, 10) as a means to find out whether the individual (or group) can be linked to the criminal behavior. Computer-created files, such as cookies, back-up files, temporary files and hidden files

Green Buildings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Green Buildings - Essay Example Rapid industrialization and increase in demand of fuels have increase pollution all over the world. The increase in carbon dioxide in the environment is damaging the ozone layer surrounding the earth’s atmosphere. This is damaging the environment and increasing the temperature of the world. Oceans are melting and seal levels are increasing. This phenomenon is known as global warming. The dangerous consequences of such climatic change are forcing the world to come up with techniques that are environmental friendly. Green building is one such technique that preserves our environment. The cost of these buildings far exceeds the benefits of green buildings. It is important to understand the benefits of green buildings and their structure to prove that this technique worth its costs. A cost benefit analysis will show clearly that green buildings should be used more often in order to protect the environment. Benefits of Green Building One of the most significant benefits of green bu ildings is that they help save energy. These buildings save electricity and in turn decrease our dependent on fuels. Electricity is produced by many ways and oil is also used to produce electricity. Green buildings are designed in such a manner that they allow the residents sunlight and natural air. In this way energy consumption is decreased greatly. Air conditioning and lights use most of the electricity in homes and by reducing this electricity environment can benefit a lot. In green buildings trees and plants are used in order to provide shade and cooling (Simpson, J. 2002). Plants take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen in daytime. This gives freshness and coolness in daytime in the house. Another benefit of green buildings is the increased productivity of the people living in green buildings. People who live in green buildings are found to work long hours. They also have less stress and they can stay fresh for long hours. This is mainly because occupants get exposure to sun light and fresh air. Air conditioning is no substitute of fresh air. Fresh air soothes residents of green building and this is why they feel less stressed then residents of normal houses and buildings. A study reported that absenteeism was reduced by 40 percent in buildings that were green (Lallanilla, M. 2011). This is the effect of plants and natural air and sunlight. The benefits of green buildings include less sickness as well. This may be because of less pollution and harmful gases. People who live near road sides are exposed to pollution. In green buildings a proper mechanism deals with pollution as discussed before. Also greenery attracts employees to offices. Water efficiency is another benefit of green building. The design of building is such that it allows water to be reused. Water is recycled in greenhouses houses. It is purified and reused in flushes. In this way throughout the life of the green building flush water is not wasted but is used and reused over and over agai n. This is a great benefit of green buildings because it can save gallons of water. A house has a life of at least 30 to 40 years. Throughout this period all the water used in flush will remain the same. Also water is saved by using low flow of water in flushes and showers. Even this can help reduce water consumption of households greatly. Toilet paper is also not used in washrooms and that protects tress. All in all a simple technique of water recycling a great amount of water can be saved. Also material used in green buildings is environmental friendly. The wood used for making green buildings is made of plants like bamboo that grow faster. Rare plants and trees are not used in the making of green buildings. Industrial goods used in making homes are also recyclable and are environmental friendly. Stones and other materials used in houses can be reused again. Energy costs are decreased as a result of green building

The Increased Need for Digital Forensics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Increased Need for Digital Forensics - Essay Example es, especially cyber crime, there has been a heightened demand for digital forensic professionals to support law enforcement and judicial systems at all levels in order to prosecute these crimes successfully. Digital forensics, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is a specialized private detective who examines various items of technology in the pursuit of locating evidence related to a criminal act (Tucker, 9). Digital forensics are also utilized in the business world as a means to provide solutions to certain business issues, however digital forensics for business is far less prevalent than in criminal analysis. Digital forensics requires the technician to examine devices such as the PDA, laptop or cellular phone in the pursuit of various digital clues which lead to either support or refute claims of suspected criminal activity. A digital forensic scientist, searching the digital contents of a computer printer, would look for potential evidence such as time and date stamps, images still retrievable on the printer’s paper roller, or even the specific network identity of the printer if it was, indeed, attached to an online network (Ashcroft, 18). If the owner of this hypot hetical printer was alleged to have been involved in a child pornography ring, as one example, residual ink images left on the roller or various computer files buried in the printer’s hard disk might indicate whether a given alibi is valid or whether the individual has actually been distributing sexually explicit, youth materials. The personal computer and the laptop provide a myriad of potential forensic evidence in the event that a crime has been perpetrated. In this situation, forensic experts examine personal email, image/graphics files, calendars, address books and document files (Ashcroft, 10) as a means to find out whether the individual (or group) can be linked to the criminal behavior. Computer-created files, such as cookies, back-up files, temporary files and hidden files

Info Systems Syllabus Essay Example for Free

Info Systems Syllabus Essay School of Business Mission Statement The mission of the UTB/TSC School of is to prepare students in the bicultural Lower Valley of Texas for their careers by offering associate, bachelor, and master degree business programs. As part of a community university focused on student learning, the School of Business emphasizes teaching, enriched by scholarship and service, to help students develop analytical, problem solving, and information technology skills; supports the development of the communication skills of our predominantly bilingual students; provides a supportive learning environment; and encourages ethical behavior and involvement with the business community. Theme: Student Success through Assurance of Learning BMIS 3351. 80 INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN ORGANIZATIONS Fall 2013 Semester. INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION Instructor: Edith Galy Office: Education and Business Complex 2. 504G Phone: 956. 882. 7301 Fax: 956. 882. 5801 Email: edith. [emailprotected] edu OfficeHours: T TH 1:00pm -3:30pm; plus appointments COURSE DESCRIPTION The information era of today requires students be equipped with an understanding of how to effectively utilize information technologies. This course provides an overview and hands-on practice of information technology at all levels of an organization including transactional processing systems, database management, decision support systems, enterprise information systems, and e-commerce applications. Lec 3, Cr 3 COURSE INFORMATION Course: BMIS 3351. 80 Information Systems in Organizations Location: WWW Credit Hours: 3 Prerequisites: admission to upper division GENERAL COURSE COMPETENCIES Upon completion of this course the student will be able to: discuss the role of information systems in business organizations and how information technology has fostered a growing global economy. become acquainted with the role of IT as a means of achieving competitive advantage. list and define the various components of an Information System. define the purpose and structure of databases and data warehouses, and how to apply various data modeling concepts and querying techniques. work with transaction processing systems and decision support systems, and describe their different roles in an organization. describe networking, e-commerce, the Internet, and the telecommunications process. define artificial intelligence and describe several different types of artificial intelligence systems in specialized business information systems. understand the systems development life cycle. discern insights of ethical concerns with regard to IT LEARNING OUTCOME Upon graduation, our students will use information technology appropriately. Definition: A technology literate individual knows how to apply computer based tools to support the information-processing needs of an organization. This includes being up-to-date with Information Technology combined with the capacity to determine when these technologies will increase the effectiveness of an organization. The project entails the use of Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) as a reporting technology. The student will use Excel to display a pivot table in the form of an OLAP cube, a display that uses three axes like a cube in geometry. With the use of the pivot tables, students can sum, count, average or perform other simple arithmetic operation on a list of data. Students are required to crunch the data and prepare a report that describes their data analysis. The report must be submitted in a narrative that includes imported tables and graphs done in Excel. The scenario and data will vary depending on the semester. RESOURCES Textbook: Experiencing MIS, 3/E David M. Kroenke Publisher: Prentice Hall Copyright: 2012 ISBN10: 0132157942 ISBN-13: 9780132157940 For text book pricing information use your course and section number or text ISBN in the UTB/TSC bookstore at http://utb. bncollege. com/ E-Mail Account registered in Scorpion Online for communication with instructor High Speed Internet access USB Flash Drive Microsoft Office Optional: MyMISLab with Pearson eText Student Access Code Card for Experiencing MIS, 3/E ASSIGNMENTS Refer to the Learning Modules in Blackboard. Students are responsible for taking all Quizzes and Exams. Individual links for quizzes and/or exams are located in the ASSESSMENTS menu option. These links appear and disappear during the corresponding times indicated in the schedule. Please let me know if you encounter technical difficulties during the quiz. Do not wait until the last second to take the quiz as there is no acceptable excuse for not taking the quiz on time. Make-up exams can be arranged but these will have to be taken in person in my office. Academic Integrity: Students are expected to be above reproach in all scholastic activities. SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY Students who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and expulsion from the University. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student, or the attempt to commit such acts. Since scholastic dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced (Board of Regents Rules and Regulations). All scholastic dishonesty incidents will be reported to the Dean of Students. Do not allow your peers to pressure you to cheat. Your grade, academic standing and personal reputation are at stake. GRADE COMPOSITION Assignments Journals 30% 30% Projects Tests Final Grade Scale 10% 20% 10% Grades are awarded in courses in which students are officially enrolled after the official record date. The deadline to withdraw is specified in the Academic Calendar for each semester or term. After the deadline to drop with a grade of W has passed, students may not be awarded a W as a final grade. Final grades are available to students within 24 hours after all final examination grades have been submitted online after the end of each semester or term. Grade reports are not mailed to students. Students interested in obtaining their grades may log on to UTB Online. Grade A+ A AB+ B BC+ C D F Range 98-100 93-97-9 90-92. 9 87-89. 9 83-86. 9 80-82. 9 77-79. 9 70-76. 9 60-69. 9 59 and Under Grade Points 4. 00 4. 00 3. 67 3. 33 3. 00 2. 67 2. 33 2. 00 1. 00 0. 00 AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) Students with disabilities, including learning disabilities, who wish to request accommodations in a course should notify the Disability Services Office early in the semester so that the appropriate arrangements may be made. In accordance with federal law, a student requesting accommodations must provide documentation of his/her disability to the Disability Services counselor. For more information, visit Disability Services in Cortez or call 956-882-7374. EMERGENCY POLICY STATEMENT In compliance with the Emergency UTB Academic Continuity Program, academic courses, partially or entirely, will be made available on the Blackboard course management system. This allows faculty members and students to continue their teaching and learning via Blackboard, in case the university shuts down as a result of a hurricane or any other natural disaster. The university will use Blackboard to post announcements notifying faculty members and students of their responsibilities as a hurricane approaches our region. If the university is forced to shut down, faculty will notify their course(s). To receive credit for a course, it is the student’s responsibility to complete all the requirements for that course. Failure to access course materials once reasonably possible can result in a reduction of your overall grade in the class. To facilitate the completion of class, most or all of the communication between students and the institution, the instructor, and fellow classmates will take place using the features in your Blackboard and UTB email system. Therefore, all students must use UTB Online to provide a current email address. In the event of a disaster  that disrupts normal operations, all students and faculty must make every effort to access an internet enabled computer as often as possible to continue the learning process. EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM UTB has implemented an emergency communication system to provide students, faculty, staff and visitors with important information in the event of an impending threat. This system allows UTB to send time sensitive notifications via telephones, computers, indoor speakers in classrooms and laboratories, outside speakers, e-mail messages, and announcements on http://www. utb. edu/Pages/default.aspx. The notification methods used will vary depending on the level of the emergency. Messages will communicate the current situation and provide guidance for what action needs to be taken immediately STUDENTS ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITIES Students are required to be diligent in their studies, regular in class attendance and on time. The number of absences permitted in any one course varies with instructor and course. Some programs hve very strict attendance policies. Attendance requirements are printed in the course syllabus and announced by the instructor at the initial class meeting. On recommendation of the instructor concernec, students will be dropped from courses for failure to meet the attendance requirements or other good cause. This will result in a W or an F on students academic records with negative consequences for financial aid eligibility, and international student visas. Students are responsible for all class work and assignments. For this online course, three missed assignments will place a student in jeopardy of being dropped from the course. The third missed assignment will trigger an email asking for a meeting with the student. The meeting will be held in person or through SKYPE. Failure to make this appointment within 15 calendar days of such email will result in a recommendation to the Dean for withdrawal from the course. Whether the withdrawal results in a W or an F will depend on the withdrawal date. A student can withdraw at any point in the process before this date. INCOMPLETE GRADES A grade of I may be given when students have not completed the required course work within the allotted time of a regular semester or summer session if the instructor determines that the reasons for  the work being incomplete are valid and that the grade of I is justified. A written agreement between the student and the instructor specifying the work to be made up and the deadline for its accomplishment must be filed in the office of the Department Chair at the time that the I is submitted. The work agreed upon must be satisfactorily completed and the I changed no later than the end of the next regular (Fall or Spring) semester from the date the I was received unless an extension is requested by the instructor, or the grade will automatically be recorded as F on the official transcript. A student will not receive a grade of I to allow more time to prepare course work in addition to that assigned to the entire class, time to repeat the entire course, or opportunity to raise a grade. Incomplete grades are not issued for student or faculty convenience; they may be issued only in the case of compelling, nonacademic circumstances beyond the students control. ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAWAL Students who miss more than half of the required activities within the first 25% of the course without contacting the course professor may be administratively withdrawn from the course. Administrative withdrawal has serious consequences. Students may have to repay funds to Title IV financial aid programs. Administrative withdrawal will count toward the six-drop rule limiting the number of courses students are allowed to drop to no more than six courses over the entire undergraduate career. International students will not be eligible to continue enrollment if an administrative withdrawal results in a course load less than full-time. After the official record date, students may withdraw from classes and receive a â€Å"W† on their permanent records. This deadline to withdraw is specified in the Academic Calendar for each enrollment period. Students who do not withdraw before the deadline may not be given a â€Å"W† on the final grade sheet. Students may withdraw from all of their classes through Scorpion Online. The student is responsible for ensuring that their request is processed by the withdrawal deadline specified. At the instructor’s discretion, and consistent with the policy stated on the course syllabus, an instructor may withdraw a student from class for non-attendance. An instructor-initiated withdrawal may result in a â€Å" W† or an â€Å"F† on the student’s permanent record. For this online course, three missed assignments will place a student in jeopardy of being dropped from the course. The third missed assignment will trigger an email asking for a meeting with the student. The meeting will be held in person or through SKYPE. Failure to make this appointment within 15 calendar days of such email will result in a recommendation to the Dean for withdrawal from the course. Whether the withdrawal results in a W or an F will depend on the withdrawal date. A student can withdraw at any point in the process before this date. ACADEMIC STANDING To remain in good academic standing undergraduate students are expected to maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2. 00 (â€Å"C† average) for all work attempted at UTB. Academic standing is computed each regular semester (i. e. , Fall or Spring) for every UTB student, including transfer and dual coursework and BECHS and MSA students; transient students are held to the standards of their home institution, not to those of UTB. Students who fail to maintain the minimum required grade point average of 2. 00 in all work attempted at UTB will be placed on academic probation. At the end of the probationary semester, students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 2. 00 or higher will be changed to GOOD STANDING status. At the end of the probationary semester, students who have NOT earned a cumulative GPA of 2. 00 and who have NOT earned a semester GPA of 2. 00 or higher will be changed to SUSPENSION status. At the end of the probationary semester, students who have NOT earned a cumulative GPA of 2. 00, but who have earned a semester GPA of 2. 00 or higher will continue on PROBATION until their cumulative GPA is 2. 00, as long as each semester GPA is 2. 00 or higher. The purpose of measuring academic standing is to keep students on track for successful completion of a degree and to prevent unnecessary financial burden on those students who do not finish a program. Academic Standing is calculated separately from Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress. If you are on financial assistance, please visit http://www. utb. edu/em/fa/Pages/SatisfactoryAcademicProgress. aspx for specific academic progress requirements. Campus Resources  © 1997-2013 Blackboard Inc. All Rights Reserved. U. S. Patent No. 7,493,396 and 7,558,853. Additional Patents Pending. Accessibility information †¢ Installation details.

Definition Of Green Supply Chain Management Commerce Essay

Definition Of Green Supply Chain Management Commerce Essay There is no precised definition of GSCM (Srivastava, 2007). However in this context, the aim of the researcher and the given problems will determine the scope of there green supply chain. Whiles some researchers channel their attention at the procurement phase, others considers the entire supply chain activities (Zhu et al., 2008). To begin with, Handfield et al., (2005) and Kogg (2003) considered green supply chain in the environmental perspective whereby environmental supply chain management can be used to represent green supply chain management. Businesses are developing and introducing green strategies in order to green the supply chain activities to build common approaches towards energy conservation, pollution abatement, waste reduction and improve their operational efficiencies. Subsequently, the increasing importance of sustainability brought to bare the term triple bottom line of all enterprises highlighting the values enterprises must embrace to continue to operate and become more competitive. Thus when executing their professional duties, enterprises are required to simultaneously factor into the strategy or planning economic, social and environmental issues (Elkington, 2004). Even though social and ethical issues can be related to green supply chain management (Markley and Davies, 2007), social iss ues will not be further elaborated in this paper. In another school of thought, GSCM is viewed in another angle as industrial ecology (Jackson and Clift, 1998) and industrial metabolism (Frederick and Kurato, 2009). Industry is a collective word referring to mutually dependent firms belonging to the same economy (Chang and Singh, 2000). According to (Jackson and Clift, 1998) the industrial ecology focuses on improved efficiency and increasing production output of the whiles making the manufactured goods cheaper as well as preventing the pollution into the ecosystem. On the other hand, industrial metabolism which was conceptualise by Robert Ayres from the biological point of view whereby the convertion of raw materials, energy and labour into finished goods and waste are regarded as integration of physical processes (Frederick and Kurato, 2009). This biological metamorphosis is applicable to the manufacturing enterprises whereby the finished by-product of a firm becomes the input or raw materials for the other (Baily et al., 2005). In another approach, GSCM can be linked to the lean paradigm which was conceptualised by (Womack et al., 1990). Womack et al. (1990) stated that lean thinking which was the core practice of the Toyota Production System (TPS) the Japanese motor manufacturing and termed as muda, has close synergy with environment management (Hampson and Johnson, 1996) whereby companies were required to do more with less. Thus avoiding spoiled production, purposeless movement of employees and goods, unnecessary processing steps and services that fail to meet the requirement of customers. And by doing so, the organisational activities which do not create value but absorbs resources are cut off. So the ultimate aim of the lean concepts as developed by Womack et al. (1990) is targeted towards cost reduction in the manufacturing companies through value engineering and analysis so as to provide the optimum prices offered to their customers. Hines et al (2004) claim that lean exist at the strategic and opera tional levels. The customer value-creation strategic thinking applies everywhere in relation to cost, delivery and quality. However, Fisher (1997) argues that the lean thinking is not a supply chain strategy applicable to all sorts of product manufacturing. Yet in another approach Lin et al. (2001) green supply chain management is also connected to Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing (ECM) of which they viewed it as involving developing and putting into operation manufacturing processes that curtailing and getting rid of all forms of waste, improve material utilisation efficiency and improving operational safety as well as reducing energy consumption across the supply chain. McKinnon et al., (2010) supported Lin et al. (2001) views and added few expressions stating that issue of green supply chain focuses on the reduction of energy consumption and emissions, elimination of solid, chemicals or hazardous waste by material suppliers, contractors, service contractors, vendors, distributors and end users within the supply chain whiles increasing recycling and reuse. Ernst and Young (2008) pointed out energy savings and managing resources efficiently as the best option for green supply chain. Sarkis, (2001) Concluded that environmental co nscious manufacturing is an important strategy the enables companies to lower their environmental impact, improve efficiency whiles achieving profits and market share targets. The above opinions expressed regarding green supply chain management create the environmental consciousness will not be completed without the flow of information across the upstream and downstream. Gattorna (2006) viewed supply chain as the enterprises involved in the coordinating process, functions, activities and building relationships and pathways along which information, goods, services and financial transactions are moved from the upstream to the downstream. However for the purpose of the study, the researcher will agree to Hervani et al. (2005) definition of green supply chain management embedded with Gatornas opinion of supply chain. Hervani et al. (2005) viewed green supply chain management as the activities of supply chain in regards to the support of the protection of the environment. The activities range from green purchasing, green manufacturing, green distribution and marketing to reverse logistics. The reason is to make known the flow of both information and material as well relationship building among the supply chain members. It is equally important to note that the major practices of organisations that have introduced green supply chain management which varies across different organisation. 2.2 THEORTICAL FRAMEWORK OF GREEN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES Sarkis (2003) assert that the decisions about the environmental practices are influenced by the four stages of the product life cycle. The introduction stage of the product is emphasised on the product research and development where investment occurs, the growth stage focuses on increasing of production capacities where the logistics channel is significant, whereas the maturity stage is concerned with the implementation of cost and efficiencies and finally the decline stage where the product divestment are necessary. According to Rao (2007) the end-of-life practices has resulted in the operational life cycle of manufacturing company which includes the inbound logistics, work-in-progress, outbound logistics and the possible reverse logistics. Sarkis (2003) focused on to the procurement decision phase as the stage that can expertly influence the suppliers and impact the environment by purchasing green products. In view of this Green et al. (1998) re-emphasize that the most effective wa y for businesses to improve their environmental performance within their supply chain activities can be achieved through green purchasing and supply. 2.2.1 Inbound Logistics (Green Purchasing) Majority of the inbound function fundamentally entails green purchasing strategies implemented by enterprises to react to the growing global issues related to environmental sustainability (Rao and Holt, 2005). Min and Galle (2001, p.1223) defined green purchasing as an environmentally-conscious purchasing practice that reduces sources of waste and promotes recycling and reclamation of purchased materials without adversely affecting performance requirements of such materials. Rao and Holt (2005) opine that engaging in green purchasing can deal with issues such as material substitution through environmental sourcing of raw materials, reducing waste of hazardous materials and other waste produced. The inbound function requires the maximum support and involvement of teh suppliers if the firms can achieve their goal. The companies develop the habit of continually managing the environmental performance of their suppliers to make certain that environmentally-friendly materials and equipments by nature are produced using environmentally-freindly processes to be supplied to the companies. A consultancy firm Carbonfund based in the United States categorically stated that acquiring any input for production should be purchased from an organisation with a carbon-free product certification. This is because such inputs will require less energy, reduce or eliminate equipment stress and lesser carbon emission during the work-in-progress as well as reducing the footprint where possible and offsetting the remaining carbon emissions through third-party validated carbon reduction projects. Furthermore the end product that differentiates the brand and product of the company, reduces its total cost of operations, increase their sales and profit margin, and improve customer loyalty whiles strengthening its CSR and environmental goals (Marshall, n.d). According to the Conservation Value Institute (2008) green refers to products, services and practices whose procurement, manufacturing and use should simultaneously facilitate economic development whiles preserving the natural resources which provides quality of life and components to the global economies for the future generations. So green produced products and services would possess any of the following attributes: the products should have low maintenance requirement, durable, energy efficient and savings; should be biodegradable or incorporate recycled content and can readily be recycled; easily to be reused; do not contain highly toxic compounds and or ozone depleting substances which can result in highly toxic by-products when undergone production stage; and finally the products are to be obtained from nearest resources and manufacturers using the lowest carbon footprint transportation. Min and Galle (1997) used a specific industry groups (heavy producers of scrap and waste materials) to outline the advantages of green purchasing as contributing factor geared to source reduction of pollution in regards to recycling, re-use and low-density packaging, and towards eliminating waste in terms of dumping or scrapping, recycling and sorting for bio-degradable packaging or non-toxic inceneration. However, Min and Galle (1997) pointed out the uneconomical recycling and re-use as the three main barriers associated with green purchasing whereas lack of state or federal regulations, lack of management commitment, lack of suppliers awareness, lack of buyer awareness, deficient company-wide environmental standards or auditing programs are also important issues. Arguably, green purchasing revolves around two key element and these include the evaluation of suppliers environmental performance and mentoring to assist the suppliers to improve their performance (Rao and Holt, 2005). Green purchasing research traditionally focused on the former element wherby the companies use range of technique and tools to assess the environmental behaviour of suppliers to enable them choose supplier. Nontheless, the adoption of environmental management standards such as ISO 14001 certification accredited to the suppliers has reduced that stress (Noci, 2000). On the other hand the latter element goes beyond monitoring and evaluation, geared towards providing guidance and support for the suppliers requiring a extensive change in the attitude of the lead corporations in a supply chain (Hines and Johns, 2001). However, Hines and Johns (2001) from a positive standpoint pointed out building teamwork, non-threatening, sharing potential benefits and supplier mentoring proactive as advantages of mentoring culture, whiles the critical weaknesses is associated with cost implications, lack of physical facilities, lack of trained personnel to deliver such mentoring initiatives and above all lack of facilities. 2.2.2 Production (Green manufacturing) Handfield et al. (2005) supported the initiatives of green design, substitution, extension of products life cycle through material selection, support of suppliers and life cycle assessment (LCA) as the strategies for environmental impact reduction. The green design of the product takes into consideration the product level (thus the environmentally friendly materials to be used) and the manufacturing process of the product. The substitution is essential in the green design so as to eliminate hazardous materials in the manufacturing of the product. Also the extension of the products life ccycle linked to the green design is characterised by the reuse of the parts of an obsolete product to manufactrure new products. In doing so, there is procedures that enables the suppliers to improve their manufacturing process. Geyer and Jackson (2004) pay much attention to the end-cycle strategy of the products which includes the recycling of the end-of-life product which is redirect from being dump ed. The life cycle assessment is concern with the complete physical life cycle of the product from cradle-to- grave (Heiskanen, 2002). So manufacturer are to take into account the environmental pollution throughout the production process. Green manufacturing is interlinked to the content of manufacturing strategy (Dangayach and Deshmukh, 2001) which focuses on three braod approaches namely: manufacturing capabilities, strategic choices and best practices. Kerr and Greenhalgh (1991) viewed manufacturing capabilities as aligning cost, quality, delivery and flexibility which is termed as competitive priorities (Spring and Boaden, 1997) to the requirements of the marketplace. Spring and Boaden (1997) outline the competitive priorities as: Cost: production and distribution of product at lower cost. Quality: manufacture of products with high performance or quality standard Delivery: meet delivery schedules Flexibility: respond to changes in product, product m ix, modifications to design, fluctuations in materials, and changes in sequence. Hill (1987) enumerates the strategic choice areas of the manufacturing strategy into two pillars; the structural and infrastructure. Skinner (1969) identified the structural pillar as process and technology for operations (plant and equipment, product design and engineering and production planning and control) whiles the infrastructure provides it with long-term competitive edge through continuously improving human resource policies, organisation culture, information technology and quality systems (Hayes and Wheelwright, 1985). Best practices in manufacturing strategy has increased in recent years and these encompasses manufacturing resource planning, flexible manufacturing system, group technology, optimised production technology, just in time, total quality management (TQM) and lean production and concurring engineering (Dangayach and Deshmukh, 2001). Hayes and Wheelwright, (1985) highlighted the characteristics of world class manufacturing (WMC) as a typical example of what green manufacturing within a particular company will entail. These are: formal thrust on strategic planning; communication of strategy to all the stakeholders; long-range orientation; strategic role of manufacturing; stress on continuous improvement through TQM; supplier-customer integration and strategic focus on development of human resources. However, procedding from the above, product life cycles are shortening and the evidence is in the computer industry. The environmentalist Lee (2008) criticise the dynamic trait of technological innovation as being problematic in the sense that the rate at which technology is used by companies to create new products in order to be continuously competitive makes that same products obsolete within a short time, which poses risk to the environment. Whiles the consumers have gained from greater variety and improved performance, the trend inexorably results in increased unsold products, increased packaging materials, increased waste and increased returns (Van Hoek, 1999) therefore it is argued that shorter product life cycles has resulted in the increment of the volume of product returns and waste entering the reverse logistics network and the cost of managing them (Giuntini and Andel, 1995). 2.2.3 Outbound Logistics (Green distribution and marketing) The concerns of businesses and consumers mostly in the industrialised countries in relation to the environment and the future of the planet has partially been transformed into corporate organisations in pursuing green or environmental marketing. The outbound function of greening the supply chain encompass green marketing, environmental-friendly packaging and environmental-friendly distribution, an initiative combine to enhance the environmental performance of an organisation and its supply chain (Rao, 2003 and Sarkis, 1999). Business-to-business (B2B) green marketing encompasses a broad scope of activities connected to: product design, the manufacturing process, packaging, service delivery processes, recycling, construction, renovation of buildings and other areas such as communication. Green marketing involves green products as well as greening enterprises (Vaccaro, 2009). The Chartered Institute of Marketing (2007) defined green marketing as the management process responsible for i dentifying, anticipating as well as satisfying the requirements of customers and society. Packaging which also forms part of the organisational life cycle of can also be made to minimise waste and its impact on the environment (Sarkis, 2003). The use of packaging contributes to the waste stream whether it is made of plastic, paper, glass or metal. As a result, several countries now have adopted legislation and programmes with the objective of curtailing the environmental impact of the amount of packaging that enters the waste stream such as the Packaging Directive in the EU (Rao, 2001). Managing of waste and waste exchange can also enhance competitiveness and lead to cost savings (Rao, 2003). Several environmentally conscious enterprises are implementing an on-site waste management treatment facilities and waste exchange networks whereby plastic containers are collected by an outsources firm and brought back to the company for recycled or empty paper carton used as a packaging material by the supplier are sent back to them by the customer for re-use (Rao, 2001). Also othe r stakeholders such as NGOs and governments are tupping in efforts to enhance industrial ecology concepts for corporations whereby a closed loop approach utilises all the waste through recycling, re-use of energy and materials Warehousing and packaging design are the major components in the outbound logistics and distribution (Wu and Dunn, 1995). Wu and Dunn (1995) argued that good warehousing layouts, easy information access reduce storage and retrieval delays and standardized reusable containers whiac are all environmentally sound leads to operating costs savings. In terms of transportation for distribution, an environmentally-friendly transportation system such as transport type, sources of fuel, infrastructure and operational practices and enterprise should be considered (Kam, et al., 2003). An example is just recently, Tesco reveal its plan to open a green distribution center (Teesport Distribution Center) in Middlesbrough. The plans are to get rid of more than 12,000 lorry journeys off the UKs roads annually. The idea is to transport all the goods that arrive from ships by rail into the various stores throughout the UK (Just-food, 2009). 2.2.4 Reverse logistics Rogers and Tibben-Lembke, (1999) viewed reverse logistics as the method of moving a product from the consumption point to another point of with the aim of recapturing the remaining value or for the final proper disposal of the product. Reverse logistics today involves more than the sheer recycling of packaging materials and re-use of containers. Sarkis (2003) outline four environmentally conscious end-of-life practices as reuse, remanufacture, recycle and disposal alternatives of which Tan et al. (2003) included into the scope of reverse logistics logistics. Reduction which is the fifth practice is necessary during the manufacturing or production stage and distribution and its not just applicable as the end-of-life strategy. Even though the reuse, remanufacture, recycle are related, the variance is between the degree of reuse of the material. The reuse is exemplified by the impact of the physical structure of the material whiles the remanufacture uses parts of the original material a nd components are being replaced with other substitute. Finally the recycling then changes the physical structure of the material completely. Tan (1999) highlighted the importance of third-party logistics providers who are anticipated to offer complete solution for collection, transportation and other value-added services. Reverse logistics can also be used to clean out slow moving inventories or customers obsolete, in order to enable customers to buy more newer products (Andel, 1997). For example, Caterpillar Asia and other industrial equipment companies have implemented liberal returns policies that enable them to collect obsolete componenets and spare parts back from their appointed dealers. In return, they then remanufacture these mechanical spare parts to recaliam many remaning value (Fites, 2000). However in the case whereby much sale is not made on the new spare parts held by the dealers, the companies will reimburse their dealers with generous allowance in excahange for spare demanded by their customers. Catterpilar also uses e-commerce program for their dealers to return their existing spare parts in the exchange for those required by new products (Tan et al., 2003). However, the execution of reverse logistics encounters several obstacles or barriers such as lack of manangement attention and company policies, concerns about competitive and legal issues, shortage of personnel and financial resources, the absence of standardized processes and technologies, etc. the poor managing of reverse logistics is due to the fact that more than one firm is generally involved in the process (Rogers and Tibben-Lembke, 1999). Significance of green supply chain management It is vital for the various enterprises to know the importance of practicing green supply chain management since the environment is a major concern to lots of stakeholders such as the customers, consumers, governments, competitors, trade associations and sector bodies, environmental regulators, community groups, business support organisations, partnership groups and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are becoming environmentally conscious and that firms supply chains are being scrutinise currently than former (Simms, 2006; Holt et al., 2001; Min and Galle, 2001). Policies (existing scm) Prooceeding from the unfolding regulations and legislations from Montreal Protocol (Mascarelli,n.d), Kyoto Protocol (Kolk and Pinkse, 2006) and Copenhagen Climate Summit (Black, 2009) point towards the significance of environmentally conscious manufacturing and distribution will contuinue to develop. The acceptance of the ISO 14001 to provide an international standard for environmental manangement system (Alexander, 1996) is to pressurise enterprises to pay more attention to environmental concerns in the supply chain reproduction so as to prevent exclusion from markets requiring compliance (Thomas and Griffen, 1996). Though the research bodies that are meant to tackle environmentally conscious supply chain management is quite scanty (Thomas and Griffen, 1996), research on environmentally manufacturing has primarily concentrated on product and process design including the concepts of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and Design for the Environment (DFE) (Cattanach, 1995). The recent developments on environmental policy motivated Bloemhof-Ruwaard et al. (1995) to argue that the shift in focus from end-of-pipe control to waste prevention through integrated modelling approach, similar to supply chain management is to adequately address environmental issues. Beckman et al. (1995) presented a qualitative discussion by illustrating TQM concept to be corresponding with environmentally conscious supply chain management which Handfield et al. (2005) and Kogg (2003) term as green supply chain management (GSCM) in addressing supplier relations and product design. Beckman et al. (1995) concluded that modification or development of environmentally conscious supply chain management as an integrated model can assess the impact of the flow of products throughout the supply chain. Rao and Holt (2005) cited an example of 212 US manufacturing firms, 75 per cent respondents identified pollution prevention as important to their overall corporate performance of which 37.7 per cent identified customers as a key component in pollution prevention whereas 49.1 per cent of the firms pointed out the suppliers as the key players of pollution prevention (Florida, 1996). Reverse logistics- Clegg et al. (1995) design a linear programming model to find out profit-maximizing materials flows for both new and recycled or reclaimed parts in manufacturing operations. The reclaimed parts can either be partially or totally disassembled and the various part or parts may be discarded (perhaps sold) or reused in manufacturing. Clegg et al. (1995) concluded that the model can be used to check the sensitivity of the models parameters such as disassembly capacity, availability of reclaimed parts and limits on disposal. Rao (2002) and Ho et al. (2002) commented on the concept of green by throwing the challenge to suppliers, manufacturers, distributers, etc to welcome the concept since it fosters collaborative decision-making process that promotes creative thinking resulting into environmental-products innovation through cost reduction, waste and pollution minimisation and efficient use of resources. Citing example, Nikes official team jerseys for the 2010 World Cup were produced through the recycling of plastic bottles found in landfills. These eco-friendly shirts required 30 per cent less energy to produce the shirts compared to the use of traditional materials. Through this green practices, Nike prevented almost 13 million plastics bottles (approximately 254,000 kilogram of polyester waste) from being dumped to the landfill sites (Messenger and Alegre, 2010). Billington et al. (2009) openly stated that it is obvious that the reputations of organisations that fail to be socially responsible in their operations will be tarnished through bad publicity and mostly become vulnerable to and open to attack from NGOs. Hayes and Wheelwright (1985) in their four-stage framework of manufacturing emphases the need for companies to deploy sustainable or environmental policies throughout their operations and incorporating into their missions since that could help them to attain their strategic goals. Significance Preceding from the inbound perspective authors such as Bowen et al. (2001)and Rao (2002) argued that greening the supply chain has several benefits to an enterprise, ranging from integrating suppliers in a paticipative decision-making process that enhance environmental innovation and cost reduction. Authors such as Rao and Holt (2005) recognize that other stakeholders and customers all the time are unable to distinguish between a firm and its suppliers and in the case of environmental liabilities incurred by a company, the stakeholders intend to charge the leading company in that particular change responsible for the poor environmental impacts of all the enterprises within a particular supply chain for a specific product. Chatterjee (1998) claim that companies greening the supply chain is a concept that matches customers satisfaction, product and external business which increases the market shares of the company. Vaccaro (2009) stated that manufacturing and marketing green products differentiates the product to create competitive advantage for the company to become global leader as well as saving costs. Also, it is perceived that green supply chain management promotes efficiency and synergy among supply chain members and their lead corporations and enable them to minimise their waste, enhance their environmental performances and attain cost savings. The synergy is anticipated to improve the corporate image, marketing exposure and eventually to achieve competitive advantage. However Bowen et al. (2001) argue that enterprises will only implement green supply chain management practices provided only if they are able to identify that the practice will be lead to particular financial and operational benefi ts. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF GREEN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Challenge of green supply chain management Johri and Sahasakmontri (1998) identified high costs, variability in demand and unfavourable consumer perception as the main challenges of green marketing. Several consumers complain of the high prices and unglamorous image of ecologically-freindly products even though the increased awareness of environmental concerns is also resulting into constant development of eco-demand (Johri and Sahasakmontri, 1998) whereas consumer sceptism is used as ecological claims against some enterprise (Polonsky et al., 1997). However Min and Galle (1997) argued that the most serious hindrance towards effective green purchasing is the high cost associated to its environmental programmes. Min and Galle (2001) further raise the concerns about purchasing enterprises who reckon that investing in green products by way of having strong commitment towards environmental programs increases the total purchasing costs of the enterprise which eventually decreases their competitiveness. The reason is as a result of the added cost incur through its commitment in terms of employee training and environmental auditing which positions the company at an economic disadvantage as compared to the other less environmentally responsible companies since the incurred cost will be definitely pass onto the customer or end-user (Vance, 1975). In fact, it will be very difficult for a purchasing firm who has limited financial resources to be willing to adopt green purchasing tactics that can curtail the upstream waste sources which can eventually improve its overall environmental performance (Min and Galle, 2001). Thierry et al. (1995) found out that at the operational level particularly, managers of companies encounter the decision of buying more expensive environmentally friendly materials or purchasing traditional products based on cost, quality or lead time objectives as well as the challenge of locating the suitable information and data concerning green supply chain management. Nonetheless, Hevani et al., (2005) attributed the bottlenecks to green supply chain implementation to the higher cost of environmentally friendly products, lack of protection for innovations, lack of lead time to provide environmental friendly solutions, existing procurement specifications and technological issues. Nonetheless, considering the impact just-in-time has on the environmental performance of a company Nathan (2007) concluded that, the just-in-time approaches actually conflict with the objective of green supply chain management since the more empty trips of trucks makes their operation less efficient. It is obvious that the developed market is the main market of green products, mainly North America, Western Europe, Australia and South-East Asia. However, the demand of ecological products cannot be met by a particular economy thereby creating the opportunities for enterprises in transition economies or developing countries (Borregaard et al., 2003). Meanwhile enterprises in the developed countries take advantage of their reputable brand to expand their