Disadvantages of Phenotypic Methodologies

To start with, phenotype is defined as the visible characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction between its genetic makeup and the environment(Encarta 2008). Phenotypic methodology has many advantages and disadvantages and this essay talks about the dis advantages . The fact that most laboratories can do an automatic DNA makes genotyping testing more available than phenotyping. First and foremost the test is not usually readily available and accessible making the time for the outcome of the result to be prolonged and inevitably long.Phenotypic methods for most drugs does not have clinically significant cut off to differentiate sensitive and resistant isolates and this has not been delineated for most of the drugs. From the first principle, genotyping is less complex, faster, and less expensive than phenotyping. Another disadvantage is that certain changes in resistance mutation detected by genotyping are not sometimes detected by phenotyping. Such changes might be th e prime step in the path to high-level resistance, and detection of these mutations might stimulate a change in therapy in a patient with detectable plasma viremia.Therefore phenotypic methodologies may not be able to determine a minute shifts in the susceptibility that follows the existence of only one or more mutation which may lead to decreased drug effect. A good example is the 74V and 90M mutation in the sequinavir and didanosine respectively. Phenotypic method is applied to differentiate isolates based on the phenotypic appearances which are a corollary of genetic composition.The method has a low discriminating range within same species and therefore has been applied only within same variety of organisms. Numerous phenotypic methodologies have been suggested for use in discriminating among various groups of bacteria. These include biochemical tests (Olsen etal 1992)), phage susceptibility (Zierdlt etal 1980)), outer membrane protein profiles (Barekam etal 1981), antibody react ivity (Valsalovic etal 1994), fimbriation (Latham and Stamm 1984), bacteriocin production and susceptibility, and other methods.However, these systems have serious disadvantages, including unstable phenotypes, low sensitivity at the intraspecies level, and limited specificity. However, a few phenotypic methods have been used successfully as bacterial source tracking (BST) methodologies. Phenotyping that is dependent on the biochemical properties could be expensive and waste a lot of time . In this method the basal metabolic rate of the organism is greatly affected by the growth parameters and conditions.Some variables used in the biochemical approach can also give rise to false discrimination. A good example is the L monocytogen which did not provide a coherent and reliable outcome making the use of antimicrobial susceptibility not to be encouraged while dealing with these bacteria. Phenotypic characteristics are not usually reproducible as they are manifestation of genetic expressi on and this is affected largely by the prevailing growth parameters.Phenotypic methodology despite advantages is not without its own limitation and setbacks as it is difficult under this method to determine and establish clinically remarkable value for the prediction of the virology response. It also has a notable problem of handling making it limited. It solely depends on the specific specimen storage, conveyance method and preparation. When specimen are improperly handled this may lead to false positive and negative data interpretation results.The DNA from virus while using the method can be desecrated from unprofessional handling in the laboratory. It must be noted that both the genotypic and phenotypic approaches study and examine the most important viral quasispecies. Another disadvantage of phenotypic methodology is that in case of a virus that the proof of its resistance to drug has been established and that has been selected by previous treatments with drugs or has been acqu ired by initial transmission ,if another resistant strain of such virus develop again, it may not be detected by this method.Furthermore, when dealing with the Human immunodeficiency virus for example, any collected sample with copy of the virus less than 500 RNA more often than not will not generate results. In other words, the method is not sensitive to a minor variant case. The phenotype method also relies on the replication of the amplified gene sequences using the polymerase chain reaction and as such the possibility of cross contamination is highly plausible and this may occur with or without appropriate technique and carefulness.It is therefore advised for this reason that an outcome that does not tally with the present clinical state or previous treatment of patient is an indication for repeating the resistance test. In conclusion, phenotypic method has several disadvantages in that it is highly variable, due to environmental factors that lead to variation in gene expression , it has poor reproducibility and the discriminatory power is unsatisfactory. It may also falsely associate unrelated isolates and conversely when only a tiny and narrow framework of biochemical tests are used.

Five Force Analysis Essay

The Bible says in Philippians 2:3-4 â€Å"Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others†. The industry-based view of strategy is underpinned by the five forces framework, first advocated by Michael Porter, it was later strengthen by others. The five forces strategy forms the backbone of the industry-based view of strategy. Since its introduction in 1979, has become the framework for industry analysis. The five forces measure the competitiveness of the market deriving its attractiveness (Peng, 2009). Soft drink industry needs huge amount of money to spend on advertisement and marketing. In 2000, Pepsi, Coke and their bottler’s invested approximately $2.58 billion. This makes exceptionally hard for a new competitor to struggle with current market and expand visibility. (MBA lectures, 2010). The Coca Cola Company has little worries when it comes to threats of potential entry. The beverage industry there is no consumer switching cost and zero capital requirement. Coca Cola is a beverage but it is also seen as a brand. Coke has held a significant market share for a long and their customers are loyal trying new brands are not likely. Actions indicative of a high degree of rivalry include frequent price wars, proliferation of new products, intense advertising campaigns and high cost competitive actions and reactions (Peng, 2009). The intensity of the rival threatens firms by reducing profits. Currently, the main competitor Coca Cola has is Pepsi. Pepsi has a wide range of beverage products under its brand. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are the predominant carbonated beverages and committed heavily to sponsoring outdoor events and activities. The market have other soda brands that are popular such as Dr. Pepper because of its unique flavors. The other brands haven’t been as succ essful as Pepsi or Coca Cola. Threat of existing rival is high among Coca Cola and Pepsi. Coke and Pepsi are primarily competing on advertising and differentiation rather than on pricing. Substitutes are products of different industries that satisfy customer needs currently met  by the focal industry (Peng, 2009). Microeconomic teaches the more substitutes a product has, the demand for the product becomes elastic. Pepsi is not a substitute for Coke because they are in the same industry. Tea, coffee, juice, and water are substitutes because they are beverages but are in a different product category. There are many kinds of energy drink, soda, and juice product in the market Coke doesn’t really have a unique taste it’s hard for many people to tell in a taste test which one is which. All the suppliers of these substitutes need massive advertising, brand equity, brand loyalty and making sure that their brands are effortlessly accessible to consumers (MBA Lectures, 2010). The bargaining power of buyers weather corporate or individual, firms in the focal industr y are essentially supplies. A small number of buyers leads to strong bargaining power. Buyers may enhance their bargaining power if products of an industry do not clearly produce cost saving or enhance the quality of life for buyers. Buyers may have strong bargaining power if they purchase standard, commodity products from suppliers. Buyers are just like suppliers they may enhance their bargaining power by entering the focal industry through backward integration (Peng, 2009). The most important buyers for the Soft Drink industry are fast food fountain, vending, convenience stores, restaurants, college canteens and other in the categorize of market share (MBA Lectures, 2010). The bargaining power of buyers for Coca Cola has low pressure. The individual has no pressure on Coca Cola. The consumer brand loyalty helps Coca Cola when it comes large retailers like Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart have power in bargaining because of the large order quantity. Bargaining power of suppliers are low for Coca Cola. Suppliers are organization that provide inputs, such as materials, services, and manpower, to firms in the focal industry. The bargaining power of suppliers refers to their ability to raise and reduce quality of goods and services. If the supplier industry is dominated by a few firms, they may gain an upper hand (Peng, 2009). The main ingredient for soft drink are carbonated water, phosphoric acid, sweetener, and caffeine. The supplier are not concentrated. Coca Cola is the largest customer for these suppliers. Supplier’s products are important input for the manufactures in this industry because these product are not substituted. Reference: Holy Bible Peng, M.W. (2009). Global Strategy (3rd. ed.) Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning Porter’s Five Forces Model of Coca Cola. Nov 25, 2010

The Awakening by choplin and how women were treated in the Victorian Research Paper

The Awakening by choplin and how women were treated in the Victorian era - Research Paper Example The Victorian era can be taken as a good example of the past discrepancies that existed between the wealth of the nation, the national authority of England and its social conditions. Once one peruses the books of history, a significant amount of information can be deciphered concerning this period. One of these that best exemplify the daily life at that era is the book by Kate Chopin. Though not based in England, it gives an impression of the norms at that era; this, the author achieved by the use of the lead character, Edna Pontellier. Women were regarded differently in accordance to their social status. However, they had little overall control and rights in society. They lived in a culture that embraced women as beings of the home. Evaluation The novel by Kate Chopin endeavors to elucidate on the situation of women in the Victorian era. Throughout the novel, a number of themes are presented across that boost the author’s intention of showing the existence of male dominance, or simply depict a male favored culture (Armstrong, p. 5). The title of the novel refers to the rebirth of the main character into her true self. The Awakening contains a considerable amount of information about the nature of gender based relationships present in the Victorian era. ... Whenever this was not the case, society frowned upon the concerned women, as was the fact in Edna Pontellier’s case. Edna yearned for freedom, so as to act and do as she pleased. She yearned for artistic, sexual and monetary freedom. This, however, was not allowed in her culture at that time. This fact can best be exemplified by her choice of going out on a Tuesday rather than entertaining guests at her house (Chopin, p.51). The Victorian era was a time that had adopted a chocking and moralistic garb. The Awakening portrays marriage to have been a significant barrier to happiness, self awareness and individual fulfillment. Typical marriages, at the time, adopted a Tarzan and Jane perspective (Adams et al 2004, p. 24). This is what the lead character of the novel sought to defy. Edna wanted more than what society deemed fair for her and women in general. She frequently thought of herself as being out of place when interacting with other women (Chopin and Karma, p. 35). Rather t han, be confined to the norms of her time, Edna adopted a unique sense of individualism. She concerned herself with fulfilling her own desires rather than concentrating on her home, children and husband. Edna embodied a sense of individualism that was nonexistent in the Victorian era, which was the ambition of a majority of women. Her individuality is illustrated in a number of cases in the novel. One of these instances is at the end of the novel when she refuses to marry Robert Lebrun, a man she adores for the sake of retaining her newly found freedom. This work by Kate Chopin embodies a century old question which takes precedent between the desires of the person or that of the public as a whole. The question takes the form of whether to conform to societal

Project and Change Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project and Change Management - Assignment Example Break Even Point Indeed, in talking about break even point, reference is being made to that time in the investment process when a balance can be reached in either making a profit or a los (Chen, and Chung, 2009). Subsequently, gain must equal loss at this point so that the marginal level of profit can be 0 on a normative scale. Noting that in our present scenario the capital injection will not be added into finding the break even point, it is important to mention however that the opportunity cost of the capital shall be accounted for. This way, the break even point can be said to be that time in the investment when gains from reduced cost of labor and increases in gross revenue per year is equated to the sum of all the expenditure cost. Should the project be accepted for financing? Generally, a project is worth accepting for financing if the cost of the capital injection is relatively less than the internal rate of return. In other words, the internal rate of return ought to be great er than the capital for the investment to be accepted as viable. To this end, as the quoted net present value on the investment has been found to be 572968 whiles the initial capital is 450,050, it can be said that the project should be accepted for financing. Question 2: Earned Value Management – Project monitoring and controlling 1. Based on the 0-100% rule, please calculate the following: a. CPI and SPI and explain what the values mean. [4 pts] The CPI strikes a ratio between the expected value and the actual value. In this present situation, the expected values are represented by the planned cost. Subsequently, CPI = ?Planned Cost/?Actual Cost = 3600/3400 = 1.06 Value for SPI is calculated based on the period for which activities that been completed according to the 100%. In this direction, SPI = Expected Value / Present Value = 600+1200+400+400)/(600+1200+400+400) = 2600/2600 = 1 b. Estimated cost at completion for the deck project

Toyota. Background and Company History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Toyota. Background and Company History - Essay Example It enjoys a market share of about 45% in Japan alone. Cho was the executive officer who catapulted Toyota into its current state due to his hard work and determination. Cho derived management experience and skills from Taichi Ohno who was the founder of legendary Toyota Production System. Toyota is known to be producing numerous models of cars that ranging from Corolla, Lexus to the Scion xB (Bremner & Dawson, 2003). Toyota enjoys huge revenues and profits from various parts of the world. The company has thousands of employees across the world. The company’s success is attributed to the fact that they build on every challenge and maximize on every opportunity that comes across. Toyota has relaxed her flexes by being able to adapt to any positive change without being too rigid (Bremner & Dawson, 2003). The company has had booming sales across the globe especially in areas where they have bigger market shares. Toyota’s share in the U.S market is 11.2% where they made sale s of 1.94million and 756, 000 sales in Europe where they have market share of 4.4%. Toyota’s model leaders in North America are Lexus while in Europe the leading models are Yaris and new Avensis. In Southwest Asia, Toyota made sales of 268, 000 where their durable Qualis suv was a big hit in India. In Southeast Asia the company made sales 455, 000 where they assemble cars in seven countries with an intention of expanding their operations in Thailand and Indonesia. Some other markets where Toyota is doing exceptionally well are South America, Africa, China and Japan where they made sales of 97, 000, 140,000, 58, 000 and 1.68 million respectively (Bremner & Dawson, 2003). Cho’s positive attitude towards the company has seen it surviving amid fierce competition from other companies such as General Motors. He initiated adaptation of cost competitiveness in the 21st century that is currently used in the company. Frugality is an important aspect that has contributed to the s uccess of Toyota (Bremner & Dawson, 2003). Toyota usually minimizes cost of production in various ways such as reducing of prices on the major constituents of the new models by around 30%. The company concentrates on how to reduce wastage of time and money as much as possible. Also Toyota pays close attention to the customers’ demand as a way of coming up with car models that are consistent with what the customers want (Bremner & Dawson, 2003). Customer/Target market Toyota Company is working on better ways of enhancing their economy, market share and maintaining a sustainable and stable world market. As a tool of global expansion the company creates and invests in various strategies. The company tirelessly works on a number of strategies to enable it reach her set goals and objectives over a given period of time (Bremner & Dawson, 2003). Toyota enjoys a wide range of expertise assisting it in carrying out research and development which are essential in the growth of the glob al market. R&D has ensured high class delivery of products and services. The company also has an extensive array of distribution network globally that enables it to reach a bigger share of the market. Toyota’s customers are really diverse and they comprise of low income earners as well as high income earners who are widespread globally. The company successfully caters for the needs and wants of their customers by creating a wide range of motor vehicles stretching from small sports cars, vans, large family vehicles and trucks. The high class customers are provided with classy and elegance cars while the low income earners also enjoy an opportunity of having a basic mode of transportation which sufficiently satisfy their needs and income (Capon & Hulbert, 2007).Toyota enjoys a good share of North

Cybersecurity threat posed by a terrorist group Essay

Cybersecurity threat posed by a terrorist group - Essay Example Though sparse cyber attacks only cause annoyance, the present situation is that Australia is facing considerable degree of such attacks that create fear in the minds of people, and evidently, the government is startled by the pace at which these miscreants get access to nation’s secrets breaking the barriers erected by the government and various companies. Considering the fact that nations like China and US have already taken stringent steps to prevent any cyber attacks on them, and also to utilize cyber attack as a positive warfare, it is highly necessary to adopt policies at the earliest to prevent such further attacks on Australia, especially when there is a rise in the attacks. The solution to the problem can be identified in the steps taken by America and Japan on the face of cyber terrorism. One step is to have a separate department of defense that is solely responsible for protecting categorized government departments, defense installations, and nuclear technology from cyber attacks. The second step is to have an agency that monitors the cyber activities of nationally important sectors and companies using sensors in the networks. This will help identify cyber attacks and take effective steps before the systems are attacked and information is stolen. Thirdly and most importantly, there should be a national program that works in collaboration with all the ISPs. It should be made mandatory for the ISPs to identify the already compromised computers and direct such customers to the agency for removal of the malware. This is very necessary as most of the time, the compromised computers are used by attackers to commit crimes. Identifying such remotely controlled computers is the first step in preventing cyber attacks. Background Nations throughout the world including US are struggling to save their cyber sphere from the cyber attacks. The factor that makes things worse in the cyber world is that the terrorists get a chance to operate from other nations o r geographic areas, thus making the arrest and punishment of terrorists a difficult task. According to Taipei Times (31 May 2011) records, Australia is one of the most targeted nations in the world. The companies, government departments, and persons that came under cyber attack in the recent past range from the Australian parliament, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith, Japanese conglomerate Sony, Woodside petroleum of Australia, to mention but a few. Ironically, Chinese intelligence agencies are suspected by many nations and companies for such attacks. Anyway, according to McClelland, the Australian Attorney general, â€Å"it is better to deal with the threat, to address the vulnerability.† (Taipei Times, 31 May 2011). According to reports, there were 400 cyber attacks on the Australian government networks in the past year; a number too high to ignore. In addition, the Director General of the Australian Security Intelligence Org anization David Irvine (cited Staff Writers, Energy Daily, 30 May 2011), points out that Australia experiences constant cyber efforts to steal the nation’s secrets. In the opinion of Irvine, the cyber terrorists not only try to steal the nation’s secrets, but they also aim critical national industries and infrastructures. This claim is substantiated by the fact that Australian miners are vehemently targeted by terrorists. Thus, it becomes evident that it is high time to address the issue. In fact, Australian government has already taken a few steps in this regard, though not so effective. One such step is the

Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Motivation - Essay Example Managers of the 21st century workplace face new kinds of challenges that include employee retention, flexibility of working hours, and interpersonal conflicts in the culturally diverse workplace, which were hardly ever experienced by managers of the mid-20th century. One challenge that managers commonly face in motivating the employees today is employee retention when the opportunities out there are rampant for the employees. Employees in the present age are constantly in search of better opportunities of employment where they can get better salaries and more flexibility of working hours. The Internet has increased the availability of such opportunities to the employees manifolds because of which managers face the risk of losing the employees any time. Another challenge that managers face in motivating the employees today is the conflict between the managerial and employee perception with respect to working hours. While in most companies, managers think that employees have to stay in the office from the start till the break-off time, employees particularly the young employees hold a different perspective; they think that they have to produce the work required of them and it should not matter whether they stay in the office to achieve that goal or elsewhere. When managers make the employees stay in the office against their will, employees’ level of motivation comes down and managers have to take additional measures to raise it back to the original level or higher. The third challenge that managers commonly face in motivating the employees today is of cultural diversity. â€Å"†¦managing organizational behavior during changing times is challenging† (Nelson, Campbell, and Nelson, 2013, p. 12). Over the past few decades, the society has become increasingly multicultural as a result of rapid inflow of immigrants in the advanced countries from the developing and the underdeveloped countries. As a consequence of

What do you understand by the term management style in employee Essay

What do you understand by the term management style in employee relations How useful is the term in understanding the dynamics in employee relations - Essay Example All employees at the workplace tend to share some sort of relationships with the colleagues they work with, with their subordinates and with their supervisors. The relationships can be good or bad depending on the attitudes of everyone at the workplace (Towers, 2003). Theoretical Management style in UK The report from the Chartered Management Institute state that the mostly used management styles in the UK are the authoritarian style 21%, the bureaucratic management style 16% and the third one is categorized as a secret management style 12.5%. The research also depicted that the percentage of employees believing that they are able to access their manager is only around 10 % (Employers criticise UK management style, 2010). The chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute, Ruth Spellman, states that the working lives of people improve with the goodwill element and engagement element amongst the employees. The productivity rate, the retention rate and the loyalty factor of the customers improves with goodwill (Employers criticise UK management style, 2010). Issues with the typologies There are certain issues present with the typologies of the management styles being implemented in organizations. The employment relations may depict a static picture of the firm. The relationship between the employee and the employer may be facing changes but they may be depicted in a static way. Management has certain expectations and intentions from and for the employees respectively but there are strong chances that the employees may not work according to the expectations of the organization. From certain employees hard work and dedication may not be observed at work. The strategies of management may at times be implemented according to the consensus of the employees and other times as a compulsion whether employees like the idea or not. There are different styles of management according to the occupational groups working in the firm. The top management may have a differe nt management style; the middle management may adopt different style for dealing with the employees under them. Lastly, the issues pertaining with typologies are that when managers are outsourced are hired on a contract basis, the management styles that they may implement will be different. Employees have the chances of getting frustrated due to many reasons. The reasons can be both personal and professional and the management therefore needs to ensure that all activities at workplace are taking place according to requirements so that workplace frustration of employees can be avoided. A healthy work environment and atmosphere will make the work experience of the employee a pleasant experience (Gay et al, 2005). Marketisation of the employment relationship There are certain organizational forms to market based regulation of Employee Relations. The employee relationships with the organization need to be carefully reviewed by the firm and accordingly the employee relationships are hand led in the firm. The short term market pressures such as increasing sales, increasing the market share, gaining edge from the competitors have affected the relationship of the employer with the employees. The internal employment structures are observed to be displaced in the organizations. The organizational culture has changed for many organizations along with the goals and objectives of the firm. The benefits and perks that are offered to employees have faced changes in the modern

September 11 Terrorist Attacks and Americans’ Preparedness for Disaster Essay Example for Free

September 11 Terrorist Attacks and Americans’ Preparedness for Disaster Essay The September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center were arguably the heaviest attacks on the U.S. soil since the Pearl Harbor attack by the Japanese in 1941. The attacks, masterminded from one of the poorest countries in the world, shook the core of the world richest and most powerful nation. Many Americans still believe that the colossal intelligence machinery failed to intercept the hits, even when it had sufficient evidence that an attack was looming (Betts, 2008). The U. S. intelligence community missed or chose to overlook some of the strongest indicators of the imminent attack. Some of the pilots who launched the attacks trained in the U.S. In June, 2001, a detective observed that flight schools in Arizona were populated by an â€Å"inordinate number of individuals of investigative interest† (Betts, 2008). Having learnt earlier that the Al-Qaeda was planning to launch â€Å"plane operations,† the FBI missed to connect the imminent operations and the suspect flying students (National Commission on Terrorists Attacks Upon the United States, 2004). The former students were part of the 9/11 strike team (Marquise, 2008). One of the plotters of the 9/11 strikes, Ramzi Yousef (a Pakistani) had been arrested in the Philippines where he planned to down 11 airliners in 1995. He escaped and fled to Pakistan. His partner told the police that he planned to ram a plane into the CIA headquarters. Yousef was nephew to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed who plotted the plane attacks in the Philippines and later masterminded the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. intelligence was aware of an Al Qaeda operation in the offing after surveilling a meeting of Al-Qaeda bigwigs in Malaysia in January 2000. According to Marquise (2008), the intelligence did not share the information with the law enforcement agencies to tighten surveillance within the US and at the entry points. The US would have pre-empted the attack if it had acted promptly and conclusively on the â€Å"Phoenix memo† which was written by the agent who noted the suspicious persons attending flying lessons in Arizona (Betts, 2008). In the memo, the agent raised concern that Osama bin Laden was likely to be planning an attack. He recommended that the FBI investigate the flight students. Investigators only paid attention to the memo after the attack. The attackers who trained in the US entered the country legally, and were granted tourist visas. Even as they entered the country however, custom officers noted anomalies with their applications but went ahead to allow them in. In June 2001, Saeed al Ghamdi entered the US with only $500, a one-way ticket and no address on the I-94 form. Investigations showed that six of the hijackers had contravened immigration laws during their months of stay yet none had been arrested. The Immigration Department could therefore have averted the attacks had its agents detected the overstays and violations of student status (National Commission on Terrorists Attacks Upon the United States, n.d). There is no evidence of either Washington D.C. or New York having employed a hazard or vulnerability analysis to plan for a disaster of the kind and magnitude of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. While the authorities of both cities were not in a strong position to avert the attacks, their reaction in the time following the strikes was catastrophic. Besides the people who were killed by the crashes, hundreds of responders succumbed to illness as a result of exposure to the atmospheric conditions occasioned by the explosions. The responders worked in an asbestos-contaminated environment yet they worked without respirators (Levin, S. et al., 2004). Residents of Lower Manhattan were assured that the â€Å"air was safe† yet tens of thousands perished after contact with the toxic fumes later (Mason, 2007). New York and Washington D.C authorities were unwilling to admit their unpreparedness and were quick to declare the air and water safe while it was not. References Betts, R. (2008). Two Faces of Intelligence Failure: September 11 and Iraq’s Missing WMD. Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 122, No. 4. Levin, S., Herbert, R., Moline, J., Todd, A., Stevenson, L., Landsbergis, P., Jiang, W., Skloot, G., Baron, S. Enright, P. (2004). Physical Health Status of World Trade Center Rescue and Recovery Workers and Volunteers- New York City, July 2002 – August 2004. Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 292 Issue 15. Marquise, R. (2004). Terrorism Threat Indicators. The Counter Terrorist. Mason, M. (2007). The 9/11 Cover-Up. Discover, Vol. 28, Issue 10. National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (2004). The 9/11 Commission Report. New York.

Lord of the Flies - Leadership Essay Example for Free

Lord of the Flies Leadership Essay The ideas of Leadership and human nature can best be related to an up and coming Hollywood star. They start out all innocent but the fame, fortune, and power catch up with them. It changes them, having people look up to you and knowing that they will follow everything they do allows you to understand the power that you have. They can end up going out of control and it will change them for the worst. The ability to have this kind of power, for Jack, turns him into being obsessive with being the leader of the tribe. When he does not win it makes him really jealous of Ralph. He makes everyone turn on Ralph to become the unofficial leader. The power drives him crazy and starts to beat on kids on the island for no apparent reason, it even escalades to killing them. It is human nature to have the desire for power, to lead other people, and control them, even though we don’t try to the greed can overpower us to do the wrong choices. The human nature of wanting power can come for several different reasons such as competition to be the leader of the tribe, having too much desire to be a leader, and when you are neglected by the others. A major reason there was greed to have power, in Lord of the Flies, is because there was competition in who would be it. Jack thought he was a shoe-in to be leader since he had the choir to back him up. Instead, Ralph was chosen over Jack. Jack was extremely angry that he lost and believed he deserved to be the leader. It was even embarassing to him because Ralph, who beat him out for being the leader, wasn’t even interested in winning. Jack became obsessed in having power over the tribe that he was ready to go great lengths to get what he wanted. He made some boys on the island feel like outsiders in order to get the tribe on his side. This is an example why competition is a main reason why there was a greed to have power. A large factor in Lord of the Flies, especially in Jack, is to have too much desire to be leader. When Jack used to live back in England he went to boarding school. In those days boarding schools were not the greatest places. He had boundaries on where he could go, what he could do and who he could talk too. Virtually, everyday of his life is scheduled. Once getting n this island he was free, he was free to do whatever he wanted. Because he was being confined to such a boring and routine life he wanted more than freedom. He wanted to control the freedom of others, he wanted to be leader. In his mind he was trying to prove he was responsible and could handle it, but what he did was plain cruelty and evil. You get a big impression that Jack never wants to leave this island. This is showing you that Jack you that Jack is one of the first to lose contact with civilization, its human nature to want power but he is going mad. A major key for Ralph to have power is because he was starting to get neglected by the others. At first Ralph wasn’t to fond in being chosen to be leader but knew he had some ideas on how they could get off the island. At first everyone listened to him and they were all excited to work. Then they wanted to hunt Ralph was okay with this because they could use some meat. This was a huge mistake, all they wanted to do was hunt. Ralph held assemblies to get them under control because no one was building shelters or working on the fire, they had lost all discipline The hunters were not happy what Ralph was telling him. The hunters were starting to favor the leader of the hunters Jack, because what he was telling seemed to be much more appealing to them. Jack then saw his chance to become the leader they were all frusterated at Ralph so the hunters all got together and moved out to a secluded part of the island. Those who were left behind, including Jack, were left with next to nothing. Ralph finally realized he was the lows of the lows, he was at Piggy’s level. This made him want some recognition to get back the status he once had so he joined Ralph. Once again its human nature that if you can’t beat them you join them. Ralph joined the group knowing it was wrong and through joining even lost contact with civilization. He want the power he once had as lesder but becomes a savage through it. Leadership, human nature and the effects it has is shown throughout the novel Lord Of The Flies. How much control we have over our human can make a big difference on our personality and how we react to different confrontations. The chance of having power will come at different times in our life we must choose the time we take them.

Marketing strategy of walkers crisps

Marketing strategy of walkers crisps Walkers is the UKs favorite crisps brand. Founded in 1948, butcher Henry Walker began making crisps in his Leicester Plant to keep his workers busy, as meat was scarce in post-war Britain. Today, Walkers is Britains largest crisp manufacturer, employing thousands of people in seven locations. Walkers have 16 ranges of crisps and snacks including Walkers Sensations, Doritos and Quavers. Still based in Leicester, Walkers joined the PepsiCo family in 1989 and makes around 10 million bags of crisps a day. Walkers is worth around  £436 million, and Walkers snacks are enjoyed by over 10 million people in the UK every day. In 2007, Walkers became the first company in the world to display a carbon reduction logo on a consumer product. The label covers the carbon used from seed to store and through to product disposal. Working with the Carbon Trust, Walkers reduced energy use per kilo by one third, and water use per kilo by 45%. Walkers have also committed to further year on year reductions to continue to qualify for the label. As part of their efforts to reduce our carbon emissions by reducing our road miles, they switched to using 100% British potatoes for Walkers crisps in July 2007. Introduction to Task 1 This task is regarding marketing strategy options for walker, the requirements from task is to identify the type of growth for walkers which is most relevant to the company and provide justification for that. And then provide two marketing strategy options for walkers and explain how these options can be used to achieve the competitive advantages and long term growth. What is a marketing strategy Marketing strategy is a process that can allow an organization to concentrate its limited resources on the greatest opportunities to increase sales and achieve a sustainable  competitive advantage. A marketing strategy should be centered on the key concept that  customer satisfaction  is the main goal. [1] There are three steps in formulating a marketing strategy Step 1: Identification of growth opportunities Step 2: Consider developing Porters generic strategies Step 3: Draw up marketing options While assessing the growth opportunities some points which needs to be focused are Planning a new business, Downsizing or terminating the old ones which are no longer profitable, and the ratio between the desired sales and projected sales. As per requirement of this task the discussion will be only limited to the step 1, which is the identification of growth opportunities for Walkers. Type of growth for Walkers As looking at the current business, market share and market opportunities it indicates that for walkers the growth type is Intensive Growth. Intensive Growth is related to the growth when an organization want to enhance their current business and try to identify opportunities to achieve further growth within the current business. The above given diagram was produced by Ansoff which is a useful framework for companies management looking for the new opportunities to increase their sales and profits. As it show that it has four marketing strategies Two marketing strategy options for Walkers By looking into the current market position Walkers and the revenue they generate each year throughout the United Kingdom market, I will suggest Walkers the following two marketing strategies. Market Penetration Strategy Market Development Strategy Market Penetration Strategy The first strategy each and every company is looking for is to adopt for increasing their sales and revenue is the market penetration strategy. Market Penetration Strategy is the marketing efforts of the company to offer their existing products and services within the current market. The best way to do this is to attract competitors customers and looking for potential customers in the existing market for existing products. As Walkers have the opportunity to use market penetration strategy for their different brands in UK, and also abroad. Before going for marketing penetration strategy proper analysis of competitors in market is required what are their strengths and in which areas they are lacking in providing good services to customers, what are the core competencies for Walkers against all those who are already in the market, and then develop a plan to address those areas which need to be, and try to capture more and more customers of other competitors and also become an attracting brand symbol for new customers in the market of crisps. Market Development Strategy Developing a new market for the existing company product is called market development strategy. In this activity efforts are put on to find new markets and make new customers to increase company revenue and profit. Walkers has the opportunity to develop markets oh geographical such as cities, counties, and demographical such as on basis of sex, age group and class etc. Walkers have the opportunities to develop new markets for its product throughout the United Kingdom, and also in other potential areas globally. Through market penetration strategy they can give good packages to their customers in order to encourage current customers to buy more, the second and important factor in this strategy is that to attract competitors customer by providing them good packages to buy Walkers product and attract all those customers who are new to this market and increase the number of customers. Justification for Marketing Strategies Choices As Walkers Crisps is a UK brand with a 47% share of the British crisp market. And 12 different types of crisps products, which shows that almost half of the UK crisps market is captured by Walkers, and they have a very good and popular brand name, thats why in this assignment the two marketing strategies Market Penetration Strategy and Market Development Strategy for the purpose of marketing are recommended to Walkers. They can launch their product in new markets to attract their competitor customers and all those who are new to the crisps market, because of having good will of Walkers and good market share in the country markets, Walkers will definitely get succeed in attracting new customers and their competitors customers. The second proposed strategy for Walkers (Market Development Strategy) will enable Walkers to introduce their products into new markets with their current products. Although Walkers have about half of the market share captured in UK crisps market but definitely there will be some potential areas where they dont have given the required focus in past, or address those markets where they have low sales as compared to their competitors, so this strategy will help walkers to properly analyze the new market areas and launch their products under the well known brand name of Walkers to achieve maximum benefits for the company. Introduction to Task 2 For every product in market the PESTEL analysis is very important as it is a main part of the marketing strategy development, so the requirement from this task is to carry out PESTEL analysis for Walkers, and then provide enough information and asses how technological change and globalization for the companys market planning in the next 3 years. What is PESTEL Analysis PESTLE stands for P: Political E: Economic S: Sociological T: Technological L: Legal E: Environmental.   PESTLE analysis is in effect an audit of an organizations environmental influences with the purpose of using this information to guide strategic decision-making. The assumption is that if the organization is able to audit its current environment and assess potential changes, it will be better placed than its competitors to respond to changes. Importance of PESTEL Analysis To help make decisions and to plan for future events, organizations need to understand the wider meso-economic and macro-economic environments in which they operate. (The meso-economic environment is the one in which we operate and have limited influence or impact, the macro-environment includes all factors that influence an organization but are out of its direct control). An organization on its own cannot affect these factors, nor can these factors directly affect the profitability of an organization. But by understanding these environments, it is possible to take the advantage to maximize the opportunities and minimize the threats to the organization. Conducting a strategic analysis entails scanning these economic environments to detect and understand the broad, long term trends.   A PESTLE analysis is a useful tool for understanding the big picture of the environment in which an organization is operating. Specifically a PESTLE analysis is a useful tool for understanding risks associated with market (the need for a product or service) growth or decline, and as such the position, potential and direction for an individual business or organization.   A PESTLE analysis is often used as a generic orientation tool, finding out where an organization or product is in the context of what is happening outside that will at some point affect what is happening inside an organization. The six elements form a framework for reviewing a situation, and can also be used to review a strategy or position, direction of a company, a marketing proposition, or idea.   Completing a PESTLE analysis can be a simple or complex process. It all depends how thorough you need to be. It is a good subject for workshop sessions, as undertaking this activity with only one perspective (that is, from just one persons view) can be time consuming and miss many critical factors. We all see things differently and harnessing the knowledge of several people will ensure the process is robust and meaningful. PESTEL Analysis for Walkers Following is the PESTEL analysis of Walkers in UK, keeping in mind the market share, growth and opportunities available in UK crisps market. Political: what is happening politically in the environment in which you operate, including areas such as tax policy, employment laws, environmental regulations, trade restrictions and reform, tariffs and political stability. As the political system in the UK is one of the most stable democratic systems, so Walker will be having no problems regarding the country political system. The taxations, employment laws and environmental regulations in UK have proper system to introduce so thats not an immediate treat, but the Walkers have to look into current recession which is effecting almost all organizations in the world. Economic: what is happening within the economy, for example; economic growth/ decline, interest rates, exchange rates and inflation rate, wage rates, minimum wage, working hours, unemployment (local and national), credit availability, cost of living, etc. the current economic conditions have effected most of the organizations throughout the world, so before launching any new marketing campaign it is necessary for Walkers to have proper analysis of the available resources for campaign and what will be the after effects of that. Sociological: what is occurring socially in the markets in which you operate or expect to operate, cultural norms and expectations, health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes, emphasis on safety, global warming. As Walkers is so much focused on these issues, they have invested millions pound to improve the health related issues in their products. Technological: what is happening technology-wise which can impact what you do, technology is leaping every two years, how will this impact your products or services, things that were not possible five years ago are now mainstream, for example mobile phone technology, web 2.0, blogs, social networking websites. New technologies are continually being developed and the rate of change itself is increasing. There are also changes to barriers to entry in given markets, and changes to financial decisions like outsourcing and in sourcing. So Walkers need to keep updating on their technological side to ensure their parallel walk with the fast driven technological world. Legal: what is happening with changes to legislation. This may impact employment, access to materials, quotas, resources, imports/ exports, taxation etc. As described earlier that to bring changes in legal system in country there is a fair and smooth process, so Walkers dont need to be worried about it. Environmental: what is happening with respect to ecological and environmental aspects. Many of these factors will be economic or social in nature. So Walkers need to develop environment friendly product and use such fuels in the manufacturing plants which produce min environmental pollution and dont harm the health of the workers. Impact of Technological Change In modern world the technology evolve very quickly and each and every day there is some new innovation in the way organizations use the technology in order to enhance their operations and perform the daily activates in good and quick way. The business world has revolutionized almost beyond recognition in the past few decades. Technology and we mean the advances in communication and information technology has changed the face and the pace of business. As communication and information travels faster and faster, the world seems smaller and smaller, and this has large implications for the way we conduct business. Storing important in files on a computer  rather than in drawers, for instance, has made information easily accessible. Using  e-mail  allows businesses to communicate and send these files quickly to remote locations outside of an office. The impacts of technological change for Walkers in next 3 years will the following General changes to technology Communicating Consumers in control Technology has bring a revolutionary changes to the way of marketing, after the evaluation of internet most of the business are now not limited to shop-based shopping, but the concept of virtual business is introduced. The fast communication among the business units and storage of large scale of data easily, and accessibility of data at finger tips are the main advantages of using technology. Technology makes it easy for consumers to find information that they are looking for they are now in control of what they are getting from businesses. With the internet, it is simple for consumers to get online and find a great deal or the same product that you are selling, but one of higher quality for the same price. The internet has created a world of choices for the consumer to use, which means they can make demands on what type of product or service you are offering. What you need to do is to change your product or service and what you are delivering to ensure that your consumers are getting the best deal possible, but that they are also getting the best service and the best value when compared to other companies. Impact of Globalization Globalization has caused dramatic changes to business practices around the world. Companies such as IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and Philips have started to outsource specialists from various parts of the world, causing job shifts and changes in companies structures (Engardio, Bernstein, and Kripalani, 2003). Globalization is an interesting phenomenon since it is obvious that the world has been going through this process of change towards increasing economic, financial, social, cultural, political, market, and environmental interdependence among nations. Virtually, everyone is affected by this process. Given these changes, globalization brings about a borderless world (Eden and Lenway, 2001; Ohmae, 1989a). Globalization drives people to change their ways of living. So to complete in the globalized world Walkers management need to think out of the box and develop their marketing strategy in way which fulfills the needs of all the global stakeholders, and all products and information must be available globally. For that they may need to outsource their business operations may be to some firms in countries other than in where Walkers is in operation. Conclusion and Recommendations Walkers have very good market in UK, providing their customers good crispy products having twelve brands of snacks and crisps. They have captured forty three percent of UK market; have very good marketing strategy like having a former England football team captain as Walkers brand ambassador. But they have very potential growth opportunities which will need to be availed by having improved marketing strategy and addressing the hidden markets to penetrate in those areas, and also try to attract new customers into market, also the customers of their competitors. Also they need to keep updating on their system and technologies both for information sharing, marketing and product preparation to have improved quality of products and achieve the organizational goals and objectives.

The Existence of Crime Culture Among Certain Social Groups Essay exampl

Albert Cohen’s thesis is that class based status frustration is the origin of subcultures. Crime culture existed in certain social groups and the individuals learned the value of the delinquent subculture through participation in gangs. Delinquent subcultures have values that are in opposition to those of the dominant culture. The strain is rooted by low economical conditions, poor parental relations, and low school standards, with no chance of succeeding in the future. The anti social structure of cities also affects the why a boy and or girl joins a gang. The formation of gangs in cities, and most recently in suburbs, is assisted by the same lack of community among parents. While almost half of high seniors used marijuana at least once, thirty-seven percent said they had used it in the past year, and twenty-three percent said they had used it in the previous month. Strain Theory, posits the disjuncture between socially and sub culturally sanctioned mean and goods as the cause of criminal behavior. Albert Cohen’s thesis is that class based status frustration is the origin of subcultures. Cohen's focus is on school based achievement status. The institution of the school symbolizes middle class values for honesty, courtesy, personality, responsibility, and the middle class measuring rod. It is this environment where competition takes place for status, approval, or respect. Strain is interpersonal, located at the level of group interaction. There are many problems facing today's society. One of the problems is the violent condition that surrounds the lives of children in America. We are awarded of the violence among our juveniles because we read, hear and see it. The newspapers, magazines, news media, and our neighborhoods testify the living proof of the chaos. What can we do to influence these kids to stay out off trouble? First of all, we have to realize this is a very serious problem. And it has to be stopped. The second step is to figure out what causes children to be violent and become juvenile delinquents. This negative attitude causes them to lead a life of delinquency and a life isolated from society's idealistic world. When we ask this question, many others come in mind. Do these problems begin in the family? Are parents good role models or are they condoning the violence? How can we prevent parents from destroying the minds and future o... ...ephan C., Understanding Criminal Justice. Boston: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1999. Lyman, Michael D. and Gary W. Potter, Drugs in Society: Causes, Concepts and Control. 3rd ed. Cincinnati, Ohio: Anderson Publishing Company, 1998. Nisbet, Merton, Contemporary Social Problems. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1971. Regoli, Robert M. and John D. Hewitt, Delinquency in Society. 4th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2000. Schmalleger, Frank, Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1999. United States of America, National Drug and Safety League, Leading the Fight Against Gangs in the United States. GPO, 1996 ---. National Center for Juvenile Justice, Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report. GPO, 1999. Dukes 17 ---. National Center for Juvenile Justice, 1998 National Youth Gang Survey. GPO, 1999. Void, George B., Thomas J. Bernand and Jeffery b. Snipes, Theoretical Criminology. 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Williams, Frank P. and Marilyn D. McShane, Criminal Theory: Selected Classic Readings. 2nd ed. Cincinnati, Ohio: Anderson Publishing Company, 1998.

Different Learning Styles Essay -- Education Educating Learn Essays

Different Learning Styles Students have different ways to learn. Some people are hands on learners or visual learners. Teachers try to adapt the way they teach; to the way their students learn the best. The information that is being taught should be made fun so that the students remember the information. Schools are also using new technology to help students learn. Different learning styles have different effects on people. Different learning styles are the talk of many school districts from near and far. The study of different learning styles has gone back since the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. We all know that people have different ways of learning, so teachers try to teach the way their students learn the best. There are different types of learning styles for example: visual, audio, and kinesthetic. Auditory is of or pertaining to hearing, or to the sense or organs of hearing; as, the auditory nerve. Visual is having the nature of or producing an image in the mind. Kinesthetic is the sense that detects bodily position, weight, or movement of the muscles, tendons, and joints. (www.dictionary.com) There have been different studies on which ways of learning are effective for people. The CAI (computer-assisted instruction) did a study "that focused on an issue that indicated that all students, regardless of learning style, obtained higher science achievement scores when taught via CAI approach than via auditory (lecture) or visual (reading) method." (Martini, 1986) This approach is good because people may be in a special education class because they are not grasping what is being taught in their class, but it can really be the way it is being taught. They... ...0, 2003. Newspaper Article: 10. Straker, Heather. May 22, 1998. It's not what you know; it's how you get to know it. Times Educational Supplement. Issue 4273, p24, 1/4p. Retrieved on October 3, 2003. http://www.tes.co.uk. 11. Bob Salisbury. August 11, 2002. Teachers should teach. Times Educational Supplement. October 3, 2003. http://www.tes.co.uk. Internet Resources: 12. Matters of Style. November 5, 2003. http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Papers/LS-Prism.htm What?s YOUR Learning style? November 5, 2003. http://www.usd.edu/trio/tut/ts/style.html 13. Activity 9 Different learning styles. November 5, 2003. http://online.curriculum.edu.au/the_cms/tools/new-display.asp?f=7886&seq=6495 14. Understanding Different Learning styles. November 5, 2003. http://www.ndt-ed.org/TeachingResources/ClassroomTips/Learning_Styles.htm Different Learning Styles Essay -- Education Educating Learn Essays Different Learning Styles Students have different ways to learn. Some people are hands on learners or visual learners. Teachers try to adapt the way they teach; to the way their students learn the best. The information that is being taught should be made fun so that the students remember the information. Schools are also using new technology to help students learn. Different learning styles have different effects on people. Different learning styles are the talk of many school districts from near and far. The study of different learning styles has gone back since the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. We all know that people have different ways of learning, so teachers try to teach the way their students learn the best. There are different types of learning styles for example: visual, audio, and kinesthetic. Auditory is of or pertaining to hearing, or to the sense or organs of hearing; as, the auditory nerve. Visual is having the nature of or producing an image in the mind. Kinesthetic is the sense that detects bodily position, weight, or movement of the muscles, tendons, and joints. (www.dictionary.com) There have been different studies on which ways of learning are effective for people. The CAI (computer-assisted instruction) did a study "that focused on an issue that indicated that all students, regardless of learning style, obtained higher science achievement scores when taught via CAI approach than via auditory (lecture) or visual (reading) method." (Martini, 1986) This approach is good because people may be in a special education class because they are not grasping what is being taught in their class, but it can really be the way it is being taught. They... ...0, 2003. Newspaper Article: 10. Straker, Heather. May 22, 1998. It's not what you know; it's how you get to know it. Times Educational Supplement. Issue 4273, p24, 1/4p. Retrieved on October 3, 2003. http://www.tes.co.uk. 11. Bob Salisbury. August 11, 2002. Teachers should teach. Times Educational Supplement. October 3, 2003. http://www.tes.co.uk. Internet Resources: 12. Matters of Style. November 5, 2003. http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Papers/LS-Prism.htm What?s YOUR Learning style? November 5, 2003. http://www.usd.edu/trio/tut/ts/style.html 13. Activity 9 Different learning styles. November 5, 2003. http://online.curriculum.edu.au/the_cms/tools/new-display.asp?f=7886&seq=6495 14. Understanding Different Learning styles. November 5, 2003. http://www.ndt-ed.org/TeachingResources/ClassroomTips/Learning_Styles.htm