Chattanooga Ice Cream Case Essay

ABSTRACT In this paper I will do an analysis on what I think cause the downfall of Chattanooga Ice Cream. I will also give and observation of the Chattanooga Ice Cream Division and how lack of respect and communication caused them to lose one of their biggest clients. I assay Charlie Moore’s leadership style. I will see how things could have been handled differently, if they would have applied teamwork and good leadership to the equation. INTRODUCTION Chattanooga Ice Cream, Inc. was a division of Chattanooga Food Corporation, which was founded in 1936. The Ice Cream Division of Chattanooga Foods was one of the largest regional ice cream manufacturers in the United States, (Sloane, The Chattanooga Ice Cream Division, HBR, p.2). Following the loss of Stay & Shop one of their largest customer, Charlie Moore the division’s president and general manager, and his executive management had several  meetings to discuss the future of the division and their product. Moore was responsible for the outcome of the company’s future, and dealing with the conflicting attitudes and opinions of the members of his team. It was his responsibility to make sure everyone was on the same page to get the company back up and running properly. CHARLIE MOORE AS A LEADER If I had to give detail as to what type of leader Charlie Moore was on the DiSC he would be a S & C leader. He preferred an orderly environment. He believed in collaborating to get things accomplished. The Downfall of Chattanooga Ice Cream 4 He strived to make progress in the company. He wanted to help the company meet its goals with getting its products back on the market and being competitive. He also wanted to have the team make steady and careful progress toward meeting the goals for the company. Moore values group’s efforts. He is not an aggressive leader and tends to avoid competitive environments and conflict. â€Å"Disdaining such behavior, Moore feigned a deaf ear to it, hoping his subordinates would get the signal and cease complaining about each other.†,(Sloane,2003, p.2). These are all good qualities to have in a leader, but I think it also led to his failure as a leader. When Moore took over the division he came with a history of leading openly, preferring to operate in an environment of group decision making. He assumed that everyone would be able to come together in agreement as to what direction the company should go in. His judgment proved detrimental to the team. As the management team was incapable of coming to a compromise, because they had no respect for their teammates. Their action physically and verbally showed a lack of trust for one another. Everyone was pointing the finger, and no one person saw fault in their part of the company’s downfall. Moore never developed an environment of trust among his team members. Moore did not prepare the team for the change that was to come. He needed to â€Å"prepare organizations for change and help them cope as they struggle through it† Week 2, Lecture -What Great Leaders Do. Instead of showing â€Å"positive energy† (Welch, 2005, p.84) he called the team together to â€Å"mourn† (Sloane, 2003, p.1). So he had already set a negative atmosphere for the meeting. Moore showed a lack of Candor. As a leader he should have all the questions, and those questions should create a debate among the team members, â€Å"Rule 6: Leaders probe with curiosity that borders on skepticism, making sure your questions unleash debate and raise issues that get action† (Welch,2005,p.74). Charlie should have come into those meetings with a communication strategy. That way the team would have understanding, and everyone would support a common vision. THE TEAM DYNAMIC AND DYSFUNCTION All companies have ups and downs. All companies win accounts and loose accounts. What all companies should not have are teams that bicker, point the finger at each other and don’t communicate. This type of behavior is symptomatic of an unhealthy environment, and will be detrimental to a company. That is the type of behavior that was displayed by the Chattanooga Ice Cream Division. When the Shop & Stay account was lost each of the management team members seemed to think that the blame for the loss of the account laid in every other department other than their own. They thought that, that department needed to be corrected. Rather than taking a good close look at their department, and seeing what could be improved there. There were a lot of negative energy and emotions involved in the meetings, which halted the chance for real teamwork. There were too many Chiefs and not enough Indians. Everyone was acting as managers except for the real  manager. Moore was a leader who made decisions publically. Unlike the former manager of the division who made decisions privately without the consensus of the rest of the team. THE DOWNFALL OF CHATTANOOGA ICE CREAM 7 The old leadership did not foster an environment where team work and group decisions were accommodated. They in turn did not know how to communicate with one another, and the team dynamic became one of conflict. There were no clear operating rules for the team on how decisions were going to be made. Week 4, Lecture – Building High Performance Teams suggests that â€Å"when managers agree on ground rules in advance, the teams are much more likely to run efficiently,† which Moore did not do. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHATTANOOGA ICE CREAM DIVISION My first recommendation would be for Charlie Moore to see that is not just one of the team members. He is the Manager, their Supervisor. No goals can be obtained and no decisions can be made if he as there leader does not step up and take ownership of his role. You want bigger solutions ask questions; healthy debate, decisions, and actions will get everyone there† (Welch, 2005, p. 76). A team will only be as good as its leader. If I were the leader I would have the teams do research on the competitors. Then I would have them target other clients to take on our product to make up for the clients we lost. I would also create an environment to get the team motivated to accomplish a new goal, and have them focus their efforts on one vision. I would also strategically pair the team member’s individual weaknesses and strengths together, not only to complement each other, but to build credibility and trust among the team. As a leader I would start to build a foundation for candor, voice, and dignity going forward. By setting these rules in place the team will learn how to communicate effectively. By making  these changes this will ensure each individual has a voice, while not obstructing the process of productivity.

Legal Implications in Human Resources Essay

It is important to give a brief description of the company and their employment policy. Gelato Cheese Company is located in Heartland Corners, U.S.A., and employs one hundred workers at its principal processing plant who distributes cheese throughout the United States. The company has mostly young member employed to its company between the ages of 25-35. The company is located in a neighbour, which has a population of 50 percent white and 25 percent African American, with the balance being Hispanic American, Asian American and others. The company requires a high school diploma as a condition of employment for its cleaning crew. Based on this requirement Gelato’s entire cleaning crew is white. Many companies in the United States that mainly have a white population have the same or similar policies based on economy reasons. It is understandable that most company set their standards based job title, description and evaluation a company will set their standards and qualification b ased on each position. The company must at all times try to stay within the labour laws of the country which have specific conditions that each company must follow or will be in breach of the law and will face serious consequences based on these breaches. Thus it is important for the human resource department to be current in labour and company law to guide their company in the right direction. Base on the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 it can be stated that at first observation the company did not violate any of the acts requirement of them however this is wrong. The act highlight and â€Å"prohibits most workplace harassment and discrimination, covers all private employers, state and local governments, and educational institutions with 15 or more employees. In addition to prohibiting discrimination against workers because of race, colour, national origin, religion, and sex, those protections have been extended to include barring against discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, sex stereotypi ng, and sexual harassment of employees.† (hrhero.com 2013) The fact that the surround community is mostly while and a higher percentage of students graduate from high school with a certificate is white. It can be assume that the company created its policies based on knowledge acquired from the high school which states 75% of the white population has completed high school, compared with 25% of those in minority groups. This is discrimination to the minority group based on the fact that the company insist on this employment policy that they know that more whites graduate than the minor group then the correct measures should be taken into consideration. Based on the policy of employing only gradates students from the high has already discover discrimination. (hrhero.com 2013) Gelato Cheese Company human resource department needs to review the Age Discrimination in Employment Act as it relates to application and employment decisions; this is because of the age of their janitorial staff. The members of the janitorial staff are between the ages of twenty-five (25) and thirty-five (35). The Age Discrimination in Employment Act helps to protect older employees so they have a fighting fair chance at employment. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibits an employer from refusing to hire, firing, or otherwise discriminating against an employee age 40 or older, solely on the basis of age. Thus base on the company age group they are in beech of the policies and need to adjust and make changes where necessary. At forty (40) years old you are still functional and able to achieve and conduct given task that needs to be complete at the correct time for any company; this it is unfair of employers to want to employ only young employee. When these people are out of a job the over will have to find additional money for unemployment program. (hrhero.com 2013)

Online Education vs. Traditional Education Essay

Which type of education would fit a person’s life and ones family’s life the best online education or traditional education? When making a decision about furthering one’s education think about it hard and think about what type of life that person is living, is it calm and easy going? Or is the person always busy and running around doing something with one’s children or just always doing something? Choosing a type of education is a very important decision to make and should not be made quickly, one would need to think about it and research each type of education rather it be online or traditional before making that choice of which education would work best for that person. Compared to traditional education, online education is the new age of education, and also is much more convenient and less intimidating for most students. Traditional education is more on a set schedule and is more for the hands on learners. Traditional education is still a superior way to receive an education over the online education, but online education is the new, easier and more advanced way to also receive an education. Online education and traditional education are both awesome ways to receive an education, but also are both very different ways to learn. That person just has to decide which type of education would fit one’s life better online education with easier convenience or traditional education that is on a straight and narrow line. Choosing a type of education is one of the most important decisions that one can make in one’s lifetime, so just be careful over which type of education that one should choose. First we will start out by discussing online education. Online education is of much easier convenience than traditional education, because a person can do it at home or even on the go. Online education is ideal for the working parent, or the on the go adult. Many people choose online education over traditional education because for most students it is less intimidating. The student is in their own environment and it lets them feel more comfortable, so the student can participate and not be scared of what another student will say or do. Also it involves the students more because during online education the student has to post to other students or interact with them, and the teacher as well or the student does not get participation grade and that is important when doing online education. The shy type students feel more comfortable doing it online because the student is not face-to-face with all the other students they are hidden behind the computer so the student doesn’t have to worry about getting picked on or anything in that students own home. When one chooses to do education online it also contributes to the students to learn better computer skills and the new technology about the computer so they can keep up and be able to graduate the online classes. When one chooses to do online education you have to be able to use the computer to an extent to be able to complete the necessary work needed for online classes. Online education is for the self-paced learners unlike traditional education which is for the visual learners. Online education and traditional education are different ways of learning and it depends on the person and which one would be correct for that person. Now second let us talk about traditional education. Traditional education is on a set margin every day and nothing changes with the school schedule. In traditional education your attendance is mandatory and is required basically every day for that student’s participation. When in a traditional education class room it enables teacher and student interaction and encourages face-to-face communication. The student has no choice but to talk to the teachers and the other students to get that student’s opinion. When students are in a traditional classroom setting around other students or one’s peers it creates some competition between the other students, and that is a huge thing to have among student peers. A little competition among students only gets them to go over and beyond to be the best or at least on the same page as the other students. One student doesn’t want to be left behind the other students concerning grades or assignments. Traditional education is perfect for the hands on learners, the ones that need things to be in front of their face to learn things completely. In traditional education you are on a set schedule every day, where nothing changes except maybe the class, unlike with online education which is much more flexible. Traditional education is much more on the straight narrow line than online education is. When one chooses to go the traditional education route then you have to show up in class, and you have to sit through lectures from your instructor and cram all that information into notes or in your head. That is why a person has to make sure to make the perfect choice for continuing education if it would be online education or traditional education. Finally when it comes to concerning comparing the two types of education you can find the correct type of education for the type of person you are. Traditional and online education is so very different, but also is alike in many ways to. The two types of education both have classes, teachers, deans or principals, interaction with other students and teachers either face-to-face or over the computer, grades that you have to keep up to pass the class, plus there are many more. Differences in the two types of education between online and traditional education is what makes the choice of the right type of education for that type of person so hard to choose. Some of the things are like the tuition cost, the type of learner that you are, and some of the degrees that you earn from the college are accredited more than the others are. Online education tuition is usually cheaper than traditional education, but traditional education degrees are more accredited than online education in most places of business to receive a job. Like for example if two different people were applying for the same job and one had a degree over an online education university course, and the other person went to an university on campus, then more than likely the one that went to the college on campus will get the job. Not saying that online degrees are not accredited most of them are it all just depends on the university that you got the degree at, and the person over the job you are wanting to get. One of the biggest things about choosing which type of education is the best for that type of person is what type of learner that person is. If you can just read or research something and it helps you learn the subject then online education would be great for you. If you need visual and hands on learning or a teacher showing and instructing you on how to do something then traditional education would be the best option for that person. At last Online education and traditional education both has their own strengths and their own weaknesses in many different and similar ways. When making a choice of going back to school it is such an important decision to make, and one should never just jump into taking classes or continuing one’s education without making sure which type of education would be the best for that person and that person’s family. Online education is much more convenient and easier to incorporate into your everyday life, unlike with traditional education. Traditional education is on a set schedule and set margin. Every day is the same routine and you have to show up for class which could be hard for the working parent or even some students. When it comes to concerning tuition cost online education tuition is usually cheaper, although traditional education tuition may cost more, but there degrees are also more accredited by more businesses so you could get a job easier or faster. So just because online education is cheaper doesn’t mean it is better, but just because traditional education cost more doesn’t mean it is better either, it all depends on the person and the way that person’s life is. Each type of education has its good points and its bad points, so before choosing to go back to school think about it hard and rational so that each person can decide which type of education online education or traditional education is going to work the best for that person and that person’s family. References- www. isnare. com Author: Bob Willouby. Carl Rogers on Personal Power Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Freedom to Learn- Carl Rogers. Humanistic Education: Objectives and Assessment Maslow, A. H. The Farther Reaches of Human Nature- Carl Ed. Letters, and Glickman. What We Can Do About the Real Crisis in Public Education- David F. Labaree The Assessment Debate- Valerie J. Janesick.

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Report - Essay Example The four components are, Consumption, Investment, Government Purchases and Net exports. 2008 The period under consideration is the two last quarters in 2008 i.e. the third and fourth quarters. In the third quarter, the US GDP decreased by -3.7% , this decrease was informed by a ragged growth in the four areas, Consumption, Investment, Net exports, and Government expenditure. Consumption was down to -3.8%, investment went down to -16.5%, and government expenditure was the only positive component at 4.3%. In the fourth quarter GDP deteriorated further registering a contraction to -8.9%. This contraction was informed by a -5.1% contraction in consumption, -33.9% contractions in investment and a further decline of government expenditure to 1.6%. 2009 In 2009, though the GDP was still recording negative GDP, there was a slight improvement as growth went up to -5.3% compared to the -8.9% recorded in the last quarter of 2008. This slight growth in GDP was informed by a -1.6 growth in consum ption, a further decline to -43% in investment, and a slight increase in government expenditure from 1.6% to 1.8%. In the second quarter the GDP continued to improve from -5.3% the previous quarter to -0.3%. This marked improvement was as a result of -1.8% decline in consumption (compared to -1.6% the previous quarter), -27.1% increase in investment, and a marked improvement of government spending to 9.6%. In the third quarter, the GDP continued to grow, for the first time in four quarters it recorded a positive figure of 1.4%. This was informed by a 2.1% growth in consumption, a -1.7% improvement in investment, and a 3.7 rise in government spending/expenditure. In the last quarter of 2009, the GDP increased further to a marked rise of 4.0%. In this quarter, consumption remained the same, investment went up by 41.4%, and government spending went up by 1.1%. 2010 In the first quarter of 2010, the GDP failed to register continued growth from the figures recorded in the last quarter of 2009. Instead, it grew by 2.3% which was a 1.7% decline in growth. This was informed by a 2.5% growth in consumption, a 19.8% growth in investment and

Group and team behavior - Organizational behavior Assignment

Group and team behavior - Organizational behavior - Assignment Example Teams also perform management or supervisory role along with doing work. The revolutionary concept was adopted purely due to market needs and as a departure from traditional corporate functioning. The adoption has increased 3M productivity up to 300 % at some places. Advantages of using this system include improved customer relationship and loyalty, increased productivity and efficiency, greater freedom of action and adaptability, low organizational costs, less job categorization, worker welfare, improved services and survival of fittest. Limitations of using this system are initial risks, requisite training, time required in adopting culture, learning of basic management skills by all and bigger responsibility at lower level. Major challenges in this system are focus and involvement of employees, and customer satisfaction. Motivated employees are the best assets any firm can have. Rewarding for good performance is the best source of motivation. Rewards may be given in the form empow erment, recognition amongst peers, financial benefits, promotions, acknowledgement for creativity and innovation, training, quality of living and facilities. At 3M, work teams are rewarded with variable pay, which includes sales commissions and annual incentives.

The Impact Culture Has on Personal Identity in The United Stated of Essay

The Impact Culture Has on Personal Identity in The United Stated of America - Essay Example Due to the ethnical diversity in United States, the social cohesion is chiefly based on common social beliefs and values. Culture is a critical factor in shaping one’s identity. In this new era, there is interaction between the social media and the cultural identity. The cultural identity not only means an individual’s association in a particular group but also a social meshing of individuals copying and adopting the social customs presented by the media. An individual can be identified by the ethnic background. This refers to people who share a common heritage, culture or language. Owing to the ongoing racial favoritism and history in the United States of America, ethnicity carries a different meaning from the other countries. Various groups from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the pacific Islands have been looked down at as minor racial groups. The history of United States as a conqueror, slave society and settler and the informal and formal lettering of racism into t he law and social stratification strategy have added unto race a key identification function of the races in United States. This has been portrayed by both Wright and Rodriguez. According to the Jim Crow laws as indicated in Wright’s â€Å"The ethics of Jim Crow†, they seemed to separate the blacks and the whites since they did not portray equity. This inequality is indicated by Wright when he says that the black woman was beaten up for not having paid her bills and then dragged to the police station on the false accusation that she was drunk (Wright, 1937, pp.159). In 1980’s, the word â€Å"African American† was found to the most suitable for referring to anyone who had a colored skin regardless of the location of origin. This was intended to wipe away the racial differences that existed by then and were related to the historic view of â€Å"Black race†. The word Caucasian was also developed to refer to the people who came from the Middle East, Eu rope and the northern part of Africa. Nationality can also be used in personal identity. It refers to belongingness of a person to a certain state or nation that is always determined by their ethnicity, citizenship or their residence. An individual’s citizenship can be identified by naturalization or by birth. In the United States, people have been identified by the different nationalities they hold. The law states that an individual is free to change his nationality at will. This is what has greatly contributed to the many nationalities in the United States of America. In Richard Rodriguez ‘Aria: A memoir of a Bilingual Childhood, he tries to find his identity as a Mexican-American since he only knew how to speak Spanish. He only learns to write English when he joins school. The first sentence of the essay, his flash back â€Å"I remember, to start with, that day in Sacramento, in a California now nearly thirty years past, when I first entered a class room able to und erstand about fifty stray English words† (Rodriguez, pp. 447) The other children in his class identified him as an Hispanic. Race refers to an assortment system that is employed in sorting individuals into large and different groups by geographic ancestry, physical traits, ethnicity and inheritable phenotypic traits. Due to these

Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a performance driven Essay

Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a performance driven strategy - Essay Example Also, there are some firms which will be performing poorly, in a conglomerate these firms are stressed upon and the management makes them do better. There are three approaches to this strategy: the BTR approach, the Hanson approach and the Minorco approach. We will continue on with the Hanson approach. The Hanson growth strategy has eight categories on the basis of which it operates. It has been initiated by James Hanson, who has proved that by following these eight principles an organization can be successful. These eight principles are: The Hanson approach concentrates on the growth of the whole organization, not just one company within the organization. The idea is to generate more profitability than other competitive businesses, have excess cash which can be invested back to acquire more new firms and to pay corporate dividends. In today’s world with so much competition every organization is trying to find performance driven advantages which will help it achieve a competitive edge in the market. A linkage between the business practices and IT will enable firms in achieving this edge. A business should understand three major points: who are the most satisfied customers? Which corporate investments will and are yielding the highest returns? And which business units have an above average performance? Once the answers to these questions have been determined, the strategy can be applied effectively and will yield even better results. The private sector has readily adopted this principle while the public sector has been hesitant, but is slowly adopting the approach. For the HR, improving performance through pay and motivation techniques is advantageous. According to the Hanson approach, employ managers who are motivated and productive, this way the organization can restructure itself and employ less people who can do the same job, thus reducing costs. A downside to this is that the employees may react negatively to this, make sure that the employees are

Centralized PC Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Centralized PC Security - Essay Example To protect data, security policies are required to be defined. Contingency planning is also an essential aspect which cannot be disregarded. As per Ramesh, V.C., and Xuan Li there are three dimensions of contingency planning â€Å"The first issue concerns the handling of multiple objectives; we discuss the benefits of using fuzzy logic for handling this issue.  The second issue is the consideration of the economic cost of post-contingency corrective actions as well as the utility of discrete control actions that complicate the modeling and solution of the contingency planning problem.  The last issue is the need for of advanced parallel computing techniques for addressing the real-time aspects of many contingency planning problems;† 2 Analysis of Problems ABC Corporation has twenty seven desktop workstations either connected with each other via a hub or a switch. The workstations are only workgroups as there is no domain and security policies applied in the organization ex cept some users have Internet access and only the manager has a separate email account. There is no email server available to provide separate email addresses to employees. The separate email addresses enables instant correspondence between the subordinates, hence making the communication better and cost effective. Currently the employees are using telephone for coordination which is not cost effective. Some workstations are used to store data. There is no access policy defined for the data stored in the workstations. The data is vulnerable as anyone can access it or delete it. The server is used only for providing internet access and data transfer within the network. There is no firewall installed in the network, either hardware or software which makes the data, hardware, software defenseless. There is no connectivity between the regional offices and head office. The manager access the financial information from the head office using the computer network. The 5 regional offices hav e five databases which they are maintaining individually. Immense amount of time is wasted when head office sends a CD named â€Å"House types data† to each regional office. The administrator copies the files available on the CD to the locally maintained database. The data is updated because the project managers have to access the plans and building specifications of the houses the company builds. The data contains all the detailed information of the house construction material which is required. There is no backup of devices, data, workstations and server. If any workstation containing database crashes, the data will be lost. 2.1 Security Vulnerabilities The impact of the security breach issues is unpredictable. It can be diverted and involves human suffering as well as revenue loss for the organizations. One of the security breach took place on 21 October 2010, as per â€Å"www.networksecurityedge.com† The Philadelphia Inquirer states â€Å"Keystone Mercy Health Pla n and AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan have notified 280,000 Medicaid members that their information may be at risk after a portable computer drive containing the names, addresses, and health information was lost. The last four digits of 801 members' Social Security numbers were also stored on the hard drive†. This incident is related to theft of the hardware devices risking 280,000 Medicaid

Understanding of the Internets core elements & workings Essay

Understanding of the Internets core elements & workings - Essay Example Understanding of the Internets core elements & workings In client/server architecture, the application and database reside on one host computer, the file server and each server is accessible by all computers on the network. The Internet transmits data from host to client server, and if it finds the receiving computer on a network to which the first computer is directly connected, it sends the message directly. If the receiving computer is not on the same network as the sending computer, the sending computer relays the message to another computer that can forward it. The same way the computers communicate through the network to access Internet. Network that link systems worldwide to access the Internet pass data in form of chunks called Packets, each of which carries the address of its sender and its receiver. The set of conventions used to pass packets from one host to another is known as Internet Protocol (IP). In order to access the Internet one must have an account with the service provider and software that allows a direct link via TCP/IP. LAN/WAN servers are used for communication. Internet is a connection of interconnected networks, which are capable of freely exchanging information while WWW is an Internet service-comprising tens of thousands of independently owned computers that work together as one. These computers are called web servers scattered all over the world and contain every type of data.

How were the Germans (or at least the people described in the Essay

How were the Germans (or at least the people described in the book)seduced by the Nazis and how did they rationalize their suppo - Essay Example Instead, it became â€Å"ten Germans sufficiently different from one another†¦ and sufficiently link unto one another to have been Nazis† (Mayer). His account of the sociological influences and impacts of Nazism in pre-World War II Germany in They Thought They Were Free is divided into three parts: â€Å"Ten Men†, â€Å"The Germans†, and â€Å"Their Cause and Cure†. Although the author says numerous times that the issue is one of deep complexity, these three divisions seem to offer a way of understanding how to classify the disparate parts of the issue. Mayer’s work is largely focused on his â€Å"ten Nazi friends†, who give him a large set of insights into the rise and fall of the National Socialist party in Germany. In the first twelve chapters, Mayer offers a benevolent account of Nazism’s rise. After all, it examines the reasons why the ten Nazi Germans allowed Hitler’s influence to spread throughout their small town of Kronenberg. However, the â€Å"benevolent account† is superficial in that it does not apologize for the Nazi sympathizers, but rather provides an objective look into why they accepted the authority of a dictator, rather than living in the post-World War I Germany that previous generations had suffered through. Seeking out the benefits of centralized power, the ten lower class individuals showcased in Mayer’s narrative joined the Nazi Party in order to secure a higher self-esteem, mainly through easier access to jobs and a national pride that had long ago faded. For the most part, the individual citizens who took up the Nazi cause cared very little for the exact specifics of the program advocated by Hitler and others; however, it was the fringe benefits of the system that caught their attention. The anti-Semitic stance of the government was an acceptable compromise for many who had no personal or emotional connection to their Jewish neighbors, who were being run out of the country and financially ruined by governmental seizures. This anti-Semitic environment was something that had always dealt with, and they believed it was necessary for disposing of the parliamentary system that held back social progress. The Nazis that Mayer interviews were not hypnotized or irrationally appealed to in order to surrender their liberties to a totalitarian government. The Nazis appealed to the rational self-interests of the German citizens: making political promises to the country that addressed the kinds of deeply problematic social and economic problems that had afflicted the nation for decades. By contextualizing the rise of Nazism with the Great Depression, which afflicted Germany just as it afflicted the United States, one realizes the ease with which a party of promises could gain influence quickly among the working classes. Additionally, the popular perception of Hitler was that of a great enemy to communism: the same motivation that operated on many Ameri cans during the Cold War. By examining the rationalization for Nazi power in the years leading up to World War II, one begins to see the interest that Mayer has in social movements following inspirational leaders. By taking the Nazis, who were socialists, as the enemy of communism, the German people sought self-interest, not community. This is understandable that people would seek their self-interest in an economically downtrodden country; however, what Nazism became after it attained power went far beyond the economic

Macro Analysis about Apple Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Macro Analysis about Apple - Research Paper Example ation has always been at the forefront of innovations in the electronics industry, their biggest drawback has been inability to hold onto market share after the initial novelty wears off. This has seen Apple Inc. start to transform itself to a fully-fledged consumer electronics organization and away from being an inventive computer manufacturer. The cause for this transformation has mainly been due to external factors as the company expands globally and comes up against increased competition (Lashinsky, 2012). This paper will seek to carry out an analysis of Apple Inc.’s macro-environment using the PESTLE tool with the aim of detailing critical issues facing Apple’s marketers. Moreover, this information will be applied when making recommendations regarding marketing strategies for Apple Inc. The macro-environment of Apple Inc. will help in the determination of the organization’s current situation. To carry out this analysis, a PESTLE analysis will be applied with the objective of determining the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors that will impact Apple Inc. This tool is effective in investigating the macro environment of an organization with the intention of using the information as a guide for strategic decision-making. The assumption for using a PESTLE analysis is that, if an organization carries out a current audit of its environment, while also assessing probable trends and changes, it gains a competitive advantage over its competitors in responding to these changes (Keller, 2013). This tool is useful in comprehending the larger picture with regards to, the wider environment that Apple is operating in, while also allowing the company to understand risks present in the market, as well as potential, position, and direct ion that the organization should take strategically. While using a PESTLE analysis, a company can find out where their products are positioned with regards to the external environment, which will

The Vices and the Virtues of the Middle Ages Essay Example for Free

The Vices and the Virtues of the Middle Ages Essay The Middle Ages reflected a continuum of events that greatly influenced the way of living of the people in Europe. It was a very long period of struggle among the social classes, invasion of barbarians, cross cultural influences, feudalism and its decline, famine, plague, strong Roman Catholic influence, series of wars lasting for almost a century, as well as the dawn of reformation and humanism. Thus, it is very hard to conclude a particular value distinct in this era (Benton, 192). If we are going to compare Europe in its earlier days when the Roman Empire fell as to the latter part when Europe began to experience reformation, we would definitely see a big difference. European civilization at the start of the Middle Ages was more chaotic and primitive. On the other hand, the latter part of the epoch was more peaceful and new inventions made the lives of people easier and paved the way for urbanization (Benton 193). During the start of the Middle Ages, the Roman Empire was on the verge of collapse. It can be attributed to poor governance and illogical decisions of the Roman emperors. The government dwelled too much on rigorous military training and preparation for warfare. It had forgotten the other needs of its constituents such as food and proper education. There was a very slow development in culture and arts as well as in trade. As a result, people lived in fear and submission. Their virtues were greatly influenced by war and survival. Evidently, they care less about human life and its worth (Benton 193). When the Roman Empire suffered from attacks and invasions from barbarians, most of the Roman heritage was devastated. Some Roman edifices were unnecessarily destroyed. There were series of migration from one area to another in search of a better place. During this time, only the strong and victorious in war got the power to rule the land. Along with that, influences from other culture began to enter Europe that left remnants like the design of the architectural edifices. Since the people were weary of wars and fears of barbaric invasion, they seek citadel from someone who was capable to protect them. Thus, the era of feudalism began. The hierarchy in the society was formed based on land ownership. The land was subdivided among feudal lords who would give protection and lease the land to the subject and in turn, the latter needed to work for the former. In this system, the feudal lords became very wealthy while the peasants became very poor. The wealthy lords became very abusive and greedy towards their subjects while the latter at first were tolerant and submissive. In this system, only the rich and the powerful had access to a comfortable and abundant life. There was a big distinction between the wealthy and the poor. Thus, it was almost impossible for peasants to improve their quality of life. The abuse of feudal lords sparked the revolt of medieval towns and formation of guilds that caused the decline of feudalism (â€Å"Feudalism†). Through the formation of guilds, a better system of governance was created. There was greater emphasis on human relations and alliance. People with the same expertise group together and formed guilds. The people were encouraged to enhance their craft. The system of trade and business improved during this time and a new class or level of society emerged (Benton 193). The influence of the Roman Catholic Church was placidly reflected on the lives of the medieval people. Their outlook in life and social relations were based on the teachings of the Church. People were encouraged to live a pious life. The Church also played a major role in the formation of formal schools and universities. Thus, a lot of people started to have a formal schooling. Thus a system of education began to form. Thus Europe began to learn and establish fundamental (Benton 193). I could say that wars, famine and plague infested Europe on the latter part of the century that adversely affected the lives of the people. Because of massive deaths, hunger and unending wars, people tend to doubt the existence of God and the Catholic Church. It was aggravated by the abusive and greedy religious rulers that led to the revolt and rise of different sects and religion. Thus, Christianity was divided and people have an alternate doctrine to believe. Liberal minds began to emerge. The widespread epidemic made people become resourceful and determined in exploring the human anatomy and trying to find a cure for the disease. Thus, these series of unfortunate events probably served as a good driving force that made people appreciate humanity, thirst for more knowledge and invent things to improve the lives of the people (Benton 193). How have the Great Plague, the Crusades, and the Spanish Inquisition influenced modern thought? The Great Plague caused massive devastation ever recorded in European history. It was the worst plague that caused the death of millions of people. It happened in 1665 when the Bubonic plague spread in Europe in the spring and summer. This disease, also known as the Black Death in England, was acquired from fleas and characterized by swelling of the gland, darkening of the skin accompanied with fever and severe pain (Defoe). In the book â€Å"History of plague in London† (Defoe), the author Daniel Defoe placidly elaborated a great number of people who died in the disease as recorded in the parish and how it spread across Europe. The disease was widespread that it almost wiped off the population. (Defoe 9) I could say that this tragedy compelled great minds to explore further the human anatomy. They tried to study how the human body works and tried to find a cure to this disease. Our modern medicine will not be as advanced and effective as it is today without these rudiments. Through a series of failures and success, cures for a variety of disease were found. The importance of proper sanitation to prevent the spread of disease was also considered. The Crusaders were soldiers who vowed to protect the Christendom and the Holy Land. The period of their realm lasted for centuries. The helped protect the Roman Catholic Church against its opponents. It stirred up the people to defend their faith against the non-believers. They also traveled far to protect the Holy Land. The Crusaders acquired great influence and power that they were able to contribute a lot in the political structure, economy as well as socio-cultural heritage of the Western Civilization. To sustain the needs of the army, the Crusaders traveled far and wide and fostered trade in areas they visit. Thus, trade among areas in Europe began to develop until this day. Along with that, their great influence in politics might have led to the formation of a bureaucratic government. During the voyage, they were able to find religious and cultural artifacts that enriched our modern history (â€Å"The Crusades†). The Spanish Inquisition was a period that occurred when the monarch of Spain wanted to unify Spain in the Catholic religion. During those times, a lot of other religions thrived in Spain like Judaism and Islam. The rulers of Spain collaborated with the pope to perform an inquisition and get rid of non-Catholic believers in Spain. The government and Church authorities were given the privilege to conduct an investigation to identify the non-believers. This was a ruthless procedure that was more political rather than religious. It greatly influenced the culture and history of Spain. Their culture today still reflects the Catholic faith as well as their festivities and devotion. The abuse and havoc caused by the Spanish inquisition were some of the factors that stirred up revolt and rise of Protestantism and paved way for the separation of the Church and the State (â€Å"The Spanish Inquisition†). What were the vices and virtues of this relatively homogenous Christian European experience? During the Middle Ages, it can be noted that the Roman Catholic Church held the seat of power as they greatly influenced the beliefs and the moral standards of the people. Since the Church led the development of formal education, its main course focused on religion. They set a standard of what is right and wrong thing to do. They have defined vice as a sin against the God and His people. It is an offense against the Absolute being. The repercussions of vices would be punishment after death. However, this can be absolved by penance through confession. The Church had identified series of vices that should be avoided. However, the list changed through time. The recent list that requires absolution from a priest includes gluttony, pride, envy, lust, anger, greed and sloth. Gluttony is getting too much of what one can consume. Pride refers to too much belief in oneself and failure to consider God’s authority. Envy refers to excessive desire on what others have. Lust refers to the excessive desires of the body and sex. Anger refers to hatred and grudge against another person. Greed refers to the excessive craving for material things. Lastly, Sloth refers to excessive laziness. These are considered as the deadly sin because they cause the death of the soul (â€Å"The Virtues and Vices in Medieval Society†). Of course, the Church also exemplified a pious life through practice of virtues. These virtues were categorized into cardinal, theological, contrary, heavenly virtues and the corporal works of mercy. It can be observed that there are seven in each. The Seven Heavenly virtues were faith, hope, charity, fortitude, justice, temperance, prudence. The 7 The Seven Contrary Virtues were humility, kindness, abstinence, chastity, patience, liberality and diligence. The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy were also encouraged like giving food to the hungry people, offering a drink to the thirsty, sharing a shelter with the homeless, helping in burying the dead, spending time with the sick, enlightening the prisoners and giving clothes to the cold and naked. These were the virtues greatly encouraged by the Church up until this day (â€Å"The Virtues and Vices in Medieval Society†). Works Cited Benton, William. â€Å"Middle Ages. † Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1971 ed. â€Å"Crusades. † On-line Reference Book for Medieval Studies. 4 April 2009 http://www.the-orb. net/encyclop/religion/crusades/legacy. html Defoe, Daniel. History of the Plague in London. N. p: n. p, 2005. â€Å"The Spanish Inquisition. † Koeller, David W. 5 May 1997. Western and Central Europe Chronology. 04 April 2009 http://www. thenagain. info/WebChron/westeurope/SpanInqui. html â€Å"The Virtues and Vices in Medieval Society. † Library of St. Nicholas. 4 April 2009 http://nicolaa5. tripod. com/articles/vice. html â€Å"Feudalism. † Vinogradoff, Paul. 1924. Cambridge Medieval History. 4 April 2009 http://socserv. mcmaster. ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/vinogradoff/feudal

Composition and Structure of Long Bone and Skeleton Function

Composition and Structure of Long Bone and Skeleton Function The composition of bone, the structure of the long bone and the function of the skeleton Composition of bone Bone itself consists mainly of collagen fibres and an inorganic bone mineral in the form of small crystals (University of Cambridge 2005). Bones are living tissue which is made up of connective tissue. The bone tissue is made up of several types of bone cells such as osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Osteoblasts are needed to aid the process of healing and osteoclasts are needed to break down old bone to make room for new bone. Bones contain phosphorus and calcium which are inorganic salts; these salts give the bone strength. The bone also has collagenous fibers to give the bone flexibility. Structure of the long bone The long bone consists of hyaline cartilage which covers the ends of the bone and stops them rubbing together as well as absorbing shock. The head of the long bone is called epiphysis. Compact bone is hard, dense bone and is the outer layer of the long bone, this gives the hallow part of the bone strength. Cancellous bone is the spongey bone in the long bone, which stores the red bone marrow and this is where blood cells are made. The yellow bone marrow is stored in the marrow cavity of the long bone and this is where white blood cells are made. Cancellous bone looks like honey comb as it is very porous and is easily recognised. The epiphyseal plate is where the bones grow in length. The shaft in the long bone itself is called the diaphysis. The periosteum is a protective layer on the long bone that has no cartilage; this is where the tendons and ligaments connect to (Curran 2016). Below is a picture of the structure of the long bone (LinkedIn Corporation 2017). Functions of the skeleton The functions of the skeleton include protection, movement, formation of blood cells and storage. Protection: Vital organs such as the heart and lungs are protected by the skeleton, the heart and lungs are protected by the sternum (breast bone) and the enclosure of the rib cage. The brain is also protected by the cranium (skull). Movement: Bones and muscles work together to produce body movement as a lever. Bones and muscles form joints which are needed to move. Formation of blood cells: This process is called haematopoiesis where blood cells are produced in the bone marrow of some bones. Storage: Bones store minerals such as calcium and phosphorus which are inorganic salts needed for the strength of bones. These materials are stored in the bones when there is too much present in the blood (Curran 2016). Types of joints and their functions There are three different types of joints; Fibrous joints, cartilaginous joints and synovial joints. Their main function is movement of the limbs and stability for example the stability found in the bones of the skull (Boundless 2016). Fibrous Joints Fibrous joints are immoveable i.e. they cannot move. These joints are held together with only a ligament. An example of this type of joint would be the cranium.   (Google Images 2017) Cartilaginous Joints Cartilaginous joints are partly moveable and the connection between articulating bones is made up of cartilage. An example of this type of joint is between the vertebrae that form the spine. The arrow in the below picture indicates where the cartilage is in the spine. (Google Images 2017) Synovial Joints Synovial joints are freely moveable and are the most known and common type of joints in the body. These joints have a synovial capsule surrounding the joint and the synovial membrane secretes synovial fluid to provide lubrication to the joint which prevents friction allows for more movement. Cartilage provides padding to each end of the bone. There are six types of synovial joints; hinge, pivot, ball socket, saddle, condyloid and gliding joints. Examples of synovial joints would be elbows, knees and hips (Boundless 2016).   Ã‚   (Google Images 2017)

Analysis and Benefits of Smart Health Cards

Analysis and Benefits of Smart Health Cards Health Card Systems History: In 1993 Advantage Data Systems was founded to develop a smart card for the health care industry .The founding group consisted of health care professionals from private practices in Oklahoma city , Oklahoma U.S.A . These professionals had all experienced a need within their practice of medicine for a convenient method for patients to carry their health information. As practicing health care professionals, they were dealing with patients who could not remember their medical history or provide an accurate recollection of their medication or allergies on a daily basis. Providing patients with a tool to keep an accurate record of their medical history was the goal upon which Advantage Data Systems was founded. With this goal in mind several technologies were investigated in order to determine the one most applicable to the project. Although several technologies had positive attributes, a smart card for health care provide myriad of benefits. By using a smart card for the health care card, ADS could achieve its goal to provide a convenient and reliable method for patients to carry their medical history. System Definition: Its a patient identification card with high level of data and transmission security, large memory capacity, flexible programming options, and standardized interfaces. It contains all the health information about the patient. It helps to reduce fraud, streamline administration, improve communication, and enhance the quality of treatment. Our industry-specific, cost-effective processing, allows us the ability to focus on your unique requirements and to tailor our programs and services to meet your special criteria for processing. Take this opportunity to also understand why leading industry Associations, Organizations and Societies in the Healthcare, Personal care and Wellness markets have selected Health Card Systems for their own processing as well as endorsing and promoting Health Card for their membership. The flexibility of the HCS Patient Card also permits the storage of multiple access codes, allowing affiliated hospital sites and clinics with different computer systems to retrieve vital patient information from the same card. Worldwide, the costs of healthcare are exploding. The main reason is that advanced medicines and technology are boosting life expectancy. As people get older, the care they need becomes more frequent and more expensive. To be able to finance this positive effect of higher life expectancy, the existing healthcare systems must be made more efficient. One means is the introduction of card-enabled e-health networks. Why I need Smart Health Cards? There is much longer story why we dont already have Health Smart Cards in our pockets. It is not because of the technical reasons or cost of the system at all. It is more about politics, people resisting Smart Health cards fail to understand benefits such technology brings to the table. Smart cards would save countless lives if implemented. Consider this: Germany has population of about 80 million people. Until smart cards were implemented every year about 50-60 thousand people were dying because of medical errors, mostly wrong prescriptions. Sounds like awfully a lot of dead people and it really is! There were only about 5 to 6 thousands of deaths caused by traffic accidents in the same time, whole Germany. Now consider USA, population is 4 times bigger, if the smart health cards arent existing, you draw your own conclusions Comparing the situation at Palestine, there is occupation and Israels assassination of the Palestinians, so the hospitals could not diagnose the patients condition and to deal rapidly. So we need to use the health cards so as to treat patients rapidly as much as possible, to save the largest number of patients lives. Cards, by design, are protected against tampering; they cant be copied or counterfeited in any way. The smart health card has implemented in the whole Western Europe (Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, Slovenia), Taiwan, and Puerto Rico, Canada, Israel, South Africa, Indiamore. †¢ Smart cards are small, they fit everybodys pocket †¢ Smart cards are very secure, cant be read, copied, manipulated, counterfeited or duplicated †¢ Smart card protect privacy where needed †¢ Smart cards are re-writable †¢ Smart card can contain digital log with location, date, time, persons stamp to record every transaction †¢ Smart card can contain digital prescriptions, no mistakes with handwriting, quantity or quality of medications †¢ Smart health card could be used anywhere, on the street by medical emergency crew to quickly learn about allergies and treatments, even if injured person is un-capable to interact with anybody †¢ Smart card can be set that certain profile of medical personnel can see only certain portion of card data †¢ Insurance, administrative and personal ID data are available †¢ Long sign ups at doctors offices can be avoided, just insert card into the smart card reader †¢ Only after doctor presents his own medical professional smart card, his card and patients card verify each other. After cross-verification transactions can take place †¢ Small and inexpensive balance reader can read emergency data any time, anywhere †¢ Smart health cards speed up medical administration, put it in right format (HIPAA), process claims faster and more precisely †¢ Smart cards save hundreds of millions in administration, insurance, public funding, government money †¢ Smart health card is actively fighting medical fraud and critical errors saving money and lives due to the availability of emergency data. Smart card supports both languages English and Arabic. Also it has a huge database in compare with current systems which are programmed on access. It is easy to Update, Privileged Access, Accurate and Quick Registration. Electronic signing of the data can ensure that there is no subsequent alteration to guarantee the integrity of the records. Smart health card Increase in productivity among staff due to less time dealing with paperwork, so patients dont have to wait for service. Who will benefit from Health Smart cards? Every person giving or receiving healthcare (patient). Ministry of Health. Insurance companies or Government insurance institutions. Medical institutions. Government overall when cards are massively applied. When massively applied, every person in the country since savings will be huge. Benefits to the Hospital Huge potential for revenue growth in terms of loyal patients and other sources. Tremendous reduction of Doctors diagnosis and analysis time. Saves huge sums on avoiding unnecessary and voluminous paperwork and other administrative overheads. The health information of all the customers will be available in the hospitals system. Can ensure that the patients buy the medicines from pharmacies approved by the hospital, as they would have the Smart Card Readers. Prolonged medical attention cases like pregnancy, dialysis etc. can be tracked and checked for individual patients. †¢ A technical advantage over their fellow competitors. Benefits to Physicians Availability of current medical data at all times. Ability to obtain critical healthcare information from an incapacitated or unconscious patient. Improved communication and information sharing among healthcare providers, Physicians, hospitals, laboratories and pharmacies. Reduced administrative workload. Enables accurate data collection for research purpose, facilitating the evolution from Curative medicine to preventive medicine. Benefits to Patients Ability to carry their virtual medical record with them at all times and releases it to which they choose. Enables improved healthcare thanks to better-informed providers. Enables faster treatments in emergency situations. Eliminates need to remember specific terms, medications, and treatment names. Eliminates unnecessary treatments, repeated producers and tests. Benefits for Insurance Provider Faulty Claims can be avoided. Better Customer service. Who are potential customers to engage? Medical health insurance companies. Ministry of Health. Ambulances. Hospitals. Individual doctors offices specially Dentists. Pharmacies. What is actually written into the patients cards? o Cards are used as a secure portable mini data bases with: Card information (serial numbers, issuers codes and data). Personal information (personal data like name and address. Insurance information (coverage and insurance details). Emergency data. Medical data (information about medical conditions and treatments). Chronic disease info (patients data about possible chronic diseases). Diagnosis. Medications prescribed. How system works? Main software resides at hospitals computers. Applicant takes blank smart card and creates new Health card. Card is written with initial control data and is given to the hospitals. Hospitals takes card by card and personalizes cards by entering personal ID data and health data, and the insurance company add insurance details like type of coverage, contact details. They print card if its not printed already. Now card is given to end user. Now anybody with a smart card can walk to any hospital/ clinics/ pharmacist/ Insurance companies where the information of patients can be read, write and updated. patients carry the card with them at all times, giving medical personnel immediate access to their concise medical history, current medications, allergies, the names and telephone numbers of family or friends, and other information necessary for medical treatment decisions. The patients can avoid delay in admission, giving same answer again and again, doing same tests again. Doctors can easily know the medical history of the patient, the diagnostic reports etc. Health Card System: Cardholder uses card every time when he or she comes to health care facility. There are no forms to fill. Parts of the card may be protected by PIN that is known only to card holder. Doctors read a card and write back short notes if needed. They are also able to write prescriptions to the card. Same kind of information can be written into the data base so new card could be created in case original one is lost or stolen. If there is a prescription involved patient comes to Pharmacy and they are able to read portion of the card with prescriptions and hand out proper prescription drugs to cardholder. Some Questions that face us as interpreters 1. Is there a clear business case? Including financial and consumer behavior factors? 2. What type of information do we want to store in the cards (data or value)? 3. How many cards will be needed? 4. What are the security requirements? 5. Who will have access to this information? 6. Who will be allowed to change this information? FAQ About Health Card System?! 1. What happens when a patient loses their card? Card backups assure that the smart card system offers the same level of convenience as any other. If cards are lost or stolen, they can quickly be replaced. (And if a card is stolen, the thief cant use it or read any sensitive information from it because it is password protected.).In addition if a patient forgets his card for any circumstance, the hospital can access the system through the patients full name or identification number assigned to it. 2. If data stored on the cards is also stored on line as a backup, why do you need smart cards at all? There is an enormous difference between relying on smart cards as the primary source for data, and relying on a remote on-line source. Since smart card backup information is only accessed when cards require replacement, very high security measures can be put in place without affecting the flow of information in the system. There are many other benefits that come from the fact that backups in a smart card system can be batch transmitted, minimizing system telecommunication costs. 3. How can you save time and money by using Health Card System?! Access to previous examination results allows a faster diagnosis. Moreover, duplication of examination and tests of sure can be avoided. 4. How can programmer protect the special medical information of patients? At the beginning it should be noted that the role of programmer is to design a system to make it easier for the user to diagnose and treat at the lowest cost, time, and therefore programmed after the completion of the program and guidance on how to use the relevant categories in turn, enter data for each patient .. In addition, the paper files are currently used may be exposed to damage or loss or theft while the information stored on this system is fully protected. 5. Some patients need to seek treatment abroad. How can he get all the medical information about his health which already save on the health card that none of software can read it except yours that doesnt find abroad?! If the patient needs to travel out for treatment. The file of health history will print to him and stamped from the hospital and the Ministry of Health. Business Plan HealthTech Administrative Plan   HealthTech PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND: In 2009, We Think about this Idea for our country, because of specializing in creating an ideal fit of the Patient Identification Card with the existing (Hospital Information System). Our innovative marketing programs increase patient satisfaction by providing simple solutions to admission questions. The HCS Patient Card System provides reduced admission time and increase accuracy while strengthening patient loyalty. The flexibility of the HCS Patient Card also allowing affiliated hospital sites and clinics with different computer systems to retrieve vital patient information from the same card.   HealthTech Ownership: The Owner of this project are The CEO Hamza Hindi he gets the Idea and starts to do it by get a Hand of 5 people who liked this idea and start to do the idea to the real life which are Mariam Nuaimi , Vivian Khair , Haytham Sbeih , Rasha Al-Sabbah , Marwa Qaraqe. Hamza Hindi Put Cash money to do the project by 20% and the five by 30% and the other 50% is a fund from a Foreign Company. So it is Shareable Resources and Profit by many sides, all of us works to let this company success .and it can be an ideal way to get the most out of the investment by purchasing only the shares or time you require from an asset. All other aspects are split, both the benefits and the costs, among a limited number of shareholders or members in our company. Hamza Hindi: He has done his BA from Bethlehem University then worked for a Bethlehem Chamber Industry Commerce. Hes an excellent web designer. He has strong Photoshop and flash skills Haytham Sbeih: He has done his BA from Bethlehem University. He has worked on different platform including Java. Vivian Khair: She has done her BA from Bethlehem University. Mariam Nuaimi: She has done her BA from Bethlehem University. Marwa Qaraqe: She has done her BA from Bethlehem University. Rasha Al-Sabbah: She has done her BA from Bethlehem University. There are three main part of business at this moment and these responsibilities will be distributed as follows— Sales Marketing, Purchase, Operation and PR: All these activities will be handled by Rasha Al-Sabbah, Mariam Nuaimi, Marwa Qaraqe. Software development, testing, documentation and installation: These activities will be handled by Haytham Sbeih, Vivian Khair. Hardware, Integration and full service installation: These activities will be performed by Hamza Hindi.   HealthTech Vision : HealthTech will be a leader in health care quality and safety, recognized by all as the best place in the region to receive careand work.   HealthTech Mission : HealthTech will be a national leader in health care, exists to provide quality health services to all those in need.   HealthTech Values : HealthTech Health System realizes and is committed to the mission and vision through: Integrity: We are honest, open in our communications, and consistent in doing what we say we will do. Compassion: We provide a caring response to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of all. Safety: We practice safety behaviors and error prevention techniques to ensure the safety of our patients, visitors and co-workers. Accountability: We accept individual and collective responsibility for everything we do. Respect: We recognize the dignity and worth of the individual, acknowledging the diversity of needs, experiences and talents of each person. Excellence: We strive to achieve the best in everything we do.   HealthTech Organization chart:   HealthTech Schedule of tasks and responsibilities: In our Company we have A CEO manager which will Perform Jobs and Duties for all other Managers and Staff, every Manager work on a plan which will be overview by the CEO, the other managers also watches the Staff and their work. HealthTech Schedule of remuneration:   CEO: Monthly Salary: 2500$ yearly Salary: 30000$ Works Five Days in a Week, about 6 hours in a day from 9-3.   Any under title of Manager: Monthly Salary: 2000$ yearly Salary: 24000$ Works Five Days in a Week, about 8 hours in a day from 8-4.   Staff : Monthly Salary: 1000$ yearly Salary: 12000$ Works Five Days in a Week, about 8 hours in a day from 8-4.   Cleaners And Service sector : Monthly Salary: 263$ yearly Salary: 3156$ Works Five Days in a Week, about 8.5 hours in a day from 7.5 4. Marketing Plan â€Å"Depends on 4Ps† PRODUCT   What is the Product? Its a patient identification card with high level of data and transmission security, large memory capacity, flexible programming options, and standardized interfaces. It contains all the historical medical health information about the patient, such as: blood group, diseases, medicines and all allergic cases that must be noticeableEtc. Cards, by design, are protected against tampering; they cant be copied or counterfeited in any way. Smart cards are small; they fit everybodys pocket so the patient can move without fatigue or discomfort.   What is the name of the Product? Heath Card System.   Is the Product seasonal? No. Because it is used over time.   Does the consumer remember the name of the Product? Yes, he remembers it. The name of the product is easy and related to its use.   The life cycle of the Product? The life cycle of the product is related to the patient life. So, when the person died his card is discarded.   Is it possible to add new elements to the product? Yes, we can update the software as the new needs of customer which may face us such as: Adding new fields to the system, improve the interface of the system and the card, online service provider.   What is the extent of customer satisfaction to the product? By the result of the questionnaire which contains 100 samples. We found that 92% of the Palestinian nation is accepted the idea and they are ready to support and use this product.   Is the target group is sensitive to quality? Yes of course the group is sensitive to quality. PRICE: What is the strategy that you want to follow in order to set price? Since we are trying to provide common product for all the customers we will have similar price for every target customers. But not all the target customers welcome our idea with the same excitement; in that case we will go for making facilities for our customers. We have basically three offers- Software, Readers and Cards. The software will be sold and installed at 3 price levels, for hospitals at $20,000, pharmacies at 2,000, medical centres and insurance companies at $5,000. The reader will be sold at 32.5% margin which will come around $33. The card will be sold at $1.5. Moreover, we must notice the breakeven point in order to determine our profit.   What are the considerations that need to be considered when pricing? In order to set the price we have to take in consideration: 1) Cost: The Pricing structure must cover all costs and provide an acceptable profit margin. 1. Research and Development department costs. 2. System Analysis costs. 3. System Design costs. 4. Programming hardware and software costs. 5. Machines needed such as: card readers, smart cards and Computers costs. 6. Wages costs. 2) Competitor prices: Its important to consider the competitor price. However, theres no direct competition so we are free to set our price. 3) Image: In order to make our customers perceive our product as a high quality items are best to be set. 4) Channels of distributions: There is no need to consider it because our distribution model will be of direct selling. v What are the prices of competition goods? There are no direct competition goods. We have indirect competitor which is any company that use smart card and readers. Most of these players are for other businesses like software development, campus, hotels, ATM machines, reader and they are interested in bigger projects. Names of indirect competitors: Palestine Elevators Company. Israeli Companies Al-Quds elevators Company. v What are the strengths and weaknesses of competitors? Most are the competitors who are in the market are well established player in the market in the related businesses. They have good relationships with the existing suppliers but they are not concentrated in Smart Card business only, especially Health Smart Card is hardly a good idea for them. They chase the big projects only. We will have solution for small players at very small cost. We will make money in readers and smart cards. Simultaneously we will focus big hospitals for their turnkey project. So far not a single player who is in Health Card provide these information on net, we will differentiate there and will provide full information on the network which will be accessible by log in. This is the right time to enter into Health Care Smart Card where one side standard of living is increasing on the other hand people are becoming more aware of the health. v Who is your target group? The target customers include patients who need to go to hospitals, diagnostic centres, Clinics, Pharmacy, Insurance companies. So, our target could be the end users (patients) which is 2448433 person or the organizations and companies such as hospitals which are 52, Medical centres which are 537, Pharmacies which are 910, Insurance companies which are 8 in west bank. We will begin in the big cities like Ramallah, AlKhalil and Nablus and then continue to the rest. v What is the income level of the target group? According to the result of our questionnaire the income level of the target group (end users) is between 1000-3000 Nis. v What are the costs to produce the Product? $3804280 which is the Cost of research, programming, machines and cards, implementation, testing and maintenance. v Is the Product essential or a luxury good? It is essential because by using this system we can save life, time and money. v Is the target group is sensitive to price? No, it isnt. v To what extent the price reflects the quality of the product? High quality product means higher price to be set. PROMOTION v What is promotion? Promotion involves disseminating information about a product, product line, brand, or company. v What is the purpose of the promotion process? To persuade the target markets to use this system which enabling people to increase control over the determinants of health and thereby improve their health .To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being an individual or group must be able to identify and realize aspirations, to satisfy needs and to change or cope with the environment. v What is the policy that we want to follow? 1. We will have a website which will have all the information of our products and services. Later on, we will strengthen our websites by storing patients information online. In our websites we will also provide general information about the health care facilities in Palestine, about different diseases, different health care professional, about diagnostic centres chemists. 2. Moreover, We will directly go to the customers and present our product and services by Work shop. 3. We will leave brochures and leaflets to the hospitals, pathology labs chemists. 4. In addition to, we will use posters at different cities. 5. By Media: newspaper, medical magazines, Jawwal sms, T.V., Radio and Facebook we can spread our idea and promote to the product. 6. Also, We will take help of Specialist who are already working in different companies to advertise our product and services 7. More than everything we will focus on mouth publicity by providing excellent product and services at affordable prices. v What is the budget established for the promotion? About $114054 for the first year, $29000 for the second year and $10416 for the third year. v How to distribute those elements of the budget on promotion? By printing brochures, hosting server for a website, posters, newspaper, medical magazines, Jawwal sms, T.V. and Facebook etc. v What a way of promotion is the most appropriate for the target group? By meeting teams of hospitals in order to persuade them and showing them how the system will benefit them. Moreover, we can reach to the end users by posters and Jawwal sms. v What is the time plan for the promotion? 9 months Place: We will target all west bank, we will begin in the big cities like Ramallah, AlKhalil and Nablus, after that we will penetrate the other cities. And because we will be targeting all hospitals and health centers, it would be easy for people to access to hospital nearby and get the product. For long term goals we want to be the sole Health Card provider in the country and to penetrate other health sectors. How will the product/service be distributed? Which partners will be needed in the distribution channel? Our distribution model will be of direct selling. The selling person from the company will be directly going to the customers and presenting our product and services. We will provide them after sale services. After serving a reasonable market in a city we will have branches in different part of the city so that customers can easily avail our services. Analysis of SWOT 1) Strength: The strength of Health Card System entering into the Palestinian market at this time is a good one for it, since there is absolutely no competition in Palestine at the time. So, HCS is the first system which enters into this market; we will have established much strength that allows us to remain ahead of the competition. So, we will be as monopolist. Our brand name will stuck in customers mind as a good image. Moreover, this system is designed by our company so we dont buy it from foreign programmers. In addition, our system supports both languages English and Arabic. Also, the security pattern is so strong so no one can hack our system. 2) Weakness: First of all Governments ability may not support our system because of its high expenses and costs. In addition our system isnt international one; so if the patient needs to travel abroad he will take his medical file as papers. 3) Opportunity: First of all we can spread our product in order to penetrate all the cities of Palestine. We have a good chance by target the Arab World. We also have the opportunity to develop brand loyalty by offering smart cards that really will save human being life, time and money. In addition, we can improve this system so as to be credit/debit system. 4) Threats: The threat that might face us is the new entrants to the market that threaten to erode the market share. So the competition will increase. May be that other systems will be more available so the customers have a wider variety of choices. Identity theft is also could be a threat that faces us and the consumers. Production Plan: 1- Production Process: Health system production occurs at three levels which are: primary, secondary and tertiary. The primary level finishes after having all the materials which are important in order to start applying our programs such as: computers, certain software, smart cards, and smart card readers. Secondary production includes the production of programmable software of the health card system. The final step is how to make the card readers are ready to be used by hospitals (program the hardware). 2- Fixed Assets: Building à   Monthly rent: $500 Machinery, other equipment, tools 3 computers: $2280 1 laptop: $1185 1 Scanner: $80 1 Printer: $130 Total: $3765 Furnishings (including for office and warehouse):$ 3947 Motor vehicles (Car):$10000 Lifetime of the fixed assets is range between 5-10 years. Payment Conditions: The payment condition is cash. 3- Suppliers: The raw material suppliers will be determined via internet and we will contact them over there. Actually, we will import the raw material â€Å"Card-Readers the smart cards† from China so there will be shipping cost and delivery time which we must take into consideration. The cost of the card-Reader is $24.95 and we decide to sell it in $33 so as to gain 32.5% profit in one reader. On the other hand, the cost of card is $0.70 and well sell it in $1.5. 4- Licenses and Permits Required: Licensing requirements Permits: We need license from the Ministry of Health in order to apply our system nationally. In addition, we need permits of Chamber of Commerce to start our job and having certificated employment contract, and from municipality as to have work permits. Workplace or environmental regulations: We also need a lease in order have the office and start working Insurance coverage: Indicate that we have insurance on the shipping raw material, our office and our health (with NIC national insurance company). 5- Labor Costs: Our workforce costs is $150000, insurance costs is $5760. 6- Location Facilities: The location of our office is convenient to our customers; it is located at the center of Bethlehem at AL-Mahed Street where the parking is available. According to our office it will be pro

Shakers :: essays research papers

Amish Documentary I.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Title:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Amish   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Date:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  12/23/04   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Time:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  12:30   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Library:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  West Linn Public Library II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have heard very little of the Amish people. I always seem to hear jokes made about them and conversations about how crazy they are for not using electricity. I decided that I actually wanted to learn about them to test the validity of the comments I hear. III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Besides the fact that Amish where black, flat hats and don’t use electricity, I know nothing about the Amish. IV.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this documentary the filmmakers got a hold of a very articulate old Amish man. I enjoyed hearing him speak about what his life was like as a child. He explained a lot of things about his family and how they lived. There were several accounts of certain activities that they would do. For instance, after church the boys would get together and play this ball game where one would try to hit another with a hard ball. I would not expect that many other Amish cultures would do this, yet they are implying in the video that this is what all the Amish are like. There were also many stories told that showed just how strict these people were and how closely they followed their religion. The documentary stated that in order for the Amish to still make a living, more modernized tools had to be used. One of the ones recently accepted was the machine that milked cows mechanically. Without this, the Amish man explained, the Amish could not get by. The man also explained that his family and other families in his community would ask neighbors to take them in a car somewhere on occasion. Also, as time progressed, the Amish were allowed to use pay phones located outside of the village. I think it was great the filmmakers could get a source like this, but I only really heard about the religion/ lifestyle via one persons’ stories. I am sure that many of the things his family or community did were not the same as every single other Amish family or community. Also, I constantly recognized footage that I had seen before, in that same film. They were obviously just looking at one specific community. If there are thousand of different Amish people out there, there must be hundreds of different interpretations of the religion. I would have liked to see a different community and see how they lived to see if the Amish really were alike everywhere or if each community was unique.

Religious Hypocrisy in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

   Huckleberry Finn – Religious Hypocrisy       Every so often a piece of literature is written that can question the beliefs of millions of people with what they hold to be true. Nothing is held to be truer than the feeling of righteousness, being faithful, morally pure, and the idea of an exalted higher purpose- religion. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn questions this truth. Indirectly, Mark Twain argues and criticizes the great deal of religious hypocrisy the American culture faces. Through the masterful use of satire and anecdote, the author conveys his repulsion to the dishonest church goers and religious practices, often cloaked behind a veil of humor. Mark Twain uses mountains of satirical imagery to help carry his theme. I took up, and held it in my hand. I was trembling, because I'd got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. As a runaway boy, Huck Finn has the painstaking choice of doing the right thing to write a letter to the owner of a runaway slave and tell where the slave was, or go to hell if he helps the slave Jim, his friend. Morally, Huck is taught to give Jim in, but he sacrifices himself to take up wickedness again and steal Jim out of slavery. Defying his religious teachings, ironically, Huck does the most Christ like thing.    Mark Twain creatively puts in incidents that the reader can infer to represent religion and the church followers who refuse to learn the teachings. Another time, when Huck talks to a skiff with two men in it with guns looking for runaway slaves, he lies to stop them from searching his raft and finding Jim. He tells them that his pap got smallpox, and he needed their help to move the raft. The guys who were so concerned to rave through the raft are making excuses not to. Now we're trying to do you a kindness; so you just put twenty miles between us. The men don't want the smallpox so they feel sorry for Huck and they give him a twenty-dollar gold piece each. The men symbolize the church followers who solve any problem they have by giving money to the church and believing that they solved the problem but in reality only ran away from it. Religious Hypocrisy in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays    Huckleberry Finn – Religious Hypocrisy       Every so often a piece of literature is written that can question the beliefs of millions of people with what they hold to be true. Nothing is held to be truer than the feeling of righteousness, being faithful, morally pure, and the idea of an exalted higher purpose- religion. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn questions this truth. Indirectly, Mark Twain argues and criticizes the great deal of religious hypocrisy the American culture faces. Through the masterful use of satire and anecdote, the author conveys his repulsion to the dishonest church goers and religious practices, often cloaked behind a veil of humor. Mark Twain uses mountains of satirical imagery to help carry his theme. I took up, and held it in my hand. I was trembling, because I'd got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. As a runaway boy, Huck Finn has the painstaking choice of doing the right thing to write a letter to the owner of a runaway slave and tell where the slave was, or go to hell if he helps the slave Jim, his friend. Morally, Huck is taught to give Jim in, but he sacrifices himself to take up wickedness again and steal Jim out of slavery. Defying his religious teachings, ironically, Huck does the most Christ like thing.    Mark Twain creatively puts in incidents that the reader can infer to represent religion and the church followers who refuse to learn the teachings. Another time, when Huck talks to a skiff with two men in it with guns looking for runaway slaves, he lies to stop them from searching his raft and finding Jim. He tells them that his pap got smallpox, and he needed their help to move the raft. The guys who were so concerned to rave through the raft are making excuses not to. Now we're trying to do you a kindness; so you just put twenty miles between us. The men don't want the smallpox so they feel sorry for Huck and they give him a twenty-dollar gold piece each. The men symbolize the church followers who solve any problem they have by giving money to the church and believing that they solved the problem but in reality only ran away from it.

Chinese Foreign Policy Essay

Specific portfolio. (See â€Å"Collective Leadership.†) To ensure Party control, the top-ranked members of the PSC serve concurrently as the heads of other parts of the political system. The top ranked PSC member, Party General Secretary Hu Jintao, for example, serves concurrently as head of the military, in his capacity as head of Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and as the head of State, in his capacity as State President. The second-ranked PSC member, Wu Bangguo, serves as Chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC), while the third-ranked PSC member, Wen Jiabao, serves as Premier of the State Council, and the fourth-ranked member, Jia Qinglin, heads the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and oversees the Party’s relations with non-Communist groups. Portfolios for other PSC members include the propaganda system; management of the Party bureaucracy and Hong Kong and Macau; finance and economics; Party discipline; and the internal security system. 32 PSC members also head Party â€Å"Leading Small Groups† (LSGs) for their policy areas. LSGs are secretive bodies intended to facilitate cross-agency coordination in implementation of Politburo Standing Committee decisions. The National Security Leading Small Group and the Foreign Affairs Leading Small Group, for example, are both headed by Party General Secretary Hu Jintao. The next highest decision-making body is the full Politburo, which, with the suspension of the disgraced former Chongqing Party Secretary, Bo Xilai, now comprises 24 officials. In addition to the nine members of the PSC, Politburo members include the heads of major departments of the Party bureaucracy, the two highest ranking officers in the Chinese military, State Council Vice Premiers, a State Councilor, and Party leaders from important cities and provinces. The current Politburo has only one female member. Because of its relatively unwieldy size and the geographic diversity of its members, the full Politburo is not involved in day-to-day decision-making. In 2011, it met eight times, with its meetings often focused on a single major policy area or on preparations for major national meetings. According to the Party’s constitution, the PSC and Politburo derive their power from the Central Committee, whose full and alternate members together â€Å"elect† the Politburo, Politburo Standing Committee, and Party General Secretary, and â€Å"decide† on the composition of the Party’s Central Military Commission.34 In practice, incumbent top officials provide a list of nominees to the Central Committee, which ratifies the leadership’s nominees.35 The current nearly 400-member Central Committee (including alternates) is made up of leaders from the provinces (41.5%), central ministries (22.6%), the military (17.5 %), central Party organizations (5.9%), and stateowned enterprises, educational institutions, â€Å"mass organizations† such as the Communist Youth League, and other constituencies (12.4%). The National People’s Congress (NPC) The third major political institution in China is the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s unicameral national legislature. According to Article 57 of China’s constitution, the NPC is â€Å"the highest organ of state power.† The Constitution tasks the NPC with overseeing the Presidency, the State Council, the State Central Military Commission, the Supreme People’s Court, and China’s national level public prosecutor’s office, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate. In practice, however, the NPC’s powers are severely limited, and the entire entity operates under the leadership of the Communist Party. The public theater of the NPC’s work is centered around its ten-day-long annual full session, held every March and attended by all of the NPC’s nearly 3,000 deputies. The next full session, in March 2013, will mark the start of a new five-year Congress, and is expected to approve a major leadership transition, including a new President and Premier, and new Vice Premiers and State Councilors. At the annual full sessions, NPC deputies almost always vote to approve the reports, laws, and candidates put before them, usually by overwhelming margins, leading many observers to describe the NPC as a â€Å"rubber stamp† parliament. NPC delegates do occasionally push back, however. At the March 2012 session of the NPC, for example, a record 20% of deputies withheld their support from the Ministry of Finance’s budget report, reportedly in protest over the Ministry’s longstanding refusal to accept any NPC suggestions for revisions to the budget.47 (Unlike the U.S. Congress, the National People’s Congress does not pass spending bills. Rather, at the annual full session each year, it votes to approve the budget presented by the Minister of Finance.) The NPC also makes revisions to the Premier’s annual report on the work of the government, the State’s most important policy document. Out of the public eye, individual committees and the Standing Committee exercise more meaningful influence. They shape legislation and can exercise a degree of oversight over government entities through â€Å"inspection† visits and committee reports. The power of individual NPC deputies to exercise oversight is largely restricted to the right to submit â€Å"proposals† advocating for reforms or demanding better implementation of laws or regulations, to which officials are required to respond in writing. Because the annual full session of the congress is so brief, much of the NPC’s work is undertaken by its approximately 175-member Standing Committee, which meets about half a dozen times a year.48 Other important NPC bodies include nine specialized committees and a legislative affairs work committee, all of which review and revise draft legislation before sending it to the Standing Committee or the full Congress for action. Like the State Council, the NPC has a Party organization embedded within it. The NPC’s chairman serves on the Politburo Standing Committee and is currently the Party’s number-two ranked official. NPC deputies are not directly elected. The Communist Party draws up lists of nominees, based in part on potential nominees’ perceived loyalty to the Party. Thirty-five electoral units, most of them provincial-level People’s Congresses, then vote upon the Party’s nominees. The process is modestly competitive in that the Party nominates 20% to 50% more candidates than available positions and those with the most votes are elected to serve as NPC deputies. NPC election rules stipulate quotas for the representation of ethnic minority groups, the military, women, and other groups, including the Party itself. Because China rejects any separation of powers, the President, Premier, and other top leaders are all NPC deputies. 49 Deputies serve for five-year terms. The NPC is the uppermost layer of a nation-wide system of People’s Congresses. These congresses are loosely linked together in process and function. Only deputies for the lowest level of People’s Congresses are directly elected. Traditionally, even at the lowest level, candidate lists are controlled by the Party, and elections are uncontested. Since 2011, however, China has seen a wave of independent candidates contesting elections for People’s Congresses in city districts and townships. Most such candidates have faced forms of official harassment, including intrusive surveillance, extra-legal detention, intimidation of their supporters, and election irregularities designed to keep them from appearing on ballots, but some have succeeded in being elected to office. Corruption Corruption in China is widespread and takes many forms, from lavish gifts and expensive meals bestowed on officials by those seeking favors, to bribes explicitly offered in exchange for permits and approvals, to embezzlement of state funds, exemption of friends and relatives from enforcement of laws and regulations, and the appointment of relatives to lucrative jobs in stateowned companies. A 2011 report released by China’s Central Bank estimated that from the mid- 1990s to 2008, corrupt officials who fled overseas took with them $120 billion in stolen funds.28 The CCP uses its Central Discipline Inspection Commission (CDIC) to police its own ranks for corruption, an arrangement fraught with conflicts of interest. As noted above, the Party metes out its own punishments for wrongdoing by its members, and has sole discretion about whether to hand members over to the state judiciary for investigation and possible prosecution. (See â€Å"Weak Rule of Law and Ineffective Policy Implementation and Enforcement.†) Critics charge that CDIC investigations are frequently politically motivated, even if they uncover real wrongdoing. Officials who keep on the right side of their superiors and colleagues may engage in large-scale corruption, while other officials may be investigated for lesser infractions because they have fallen afoul of powerful officials.