Wednesday, October 30, 2019

How the The Great Wall reflects Chinese culture Essay

How the The Great Wall reflects Chinese culture - Essay Example From the Ming Dynasty, these great walls have continued to face renovations, rebuilding, maintenance, and enhancing the cultural purposes it served in the first place (DuTemple, 2002). Most notably, the Great Wall constructions have become one of the world wonders hence strengthening the cultural reflections of this country. A country’s culture has much to do with that country’s history. The Great Wall of China reflects the mindset of defence that runs across the country even to this date. Many of the traditional buildings and homes in China architectural designs keep defence in mind (DuTemple, 2002). The Chinese people wanted to keep invaders out of their country and especially away from the emperor. Two prime examples of this are the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is the same idea, which this great wall construction incubating the dynasties symbolizes. The purpose was to shield maraud warriors and tribes from unprecedented incursions. The culture of China reflects eras of social unrest, which came from the intruders (DuTemple, 2002). As a result, the wall serves the Chinese well for it protects this country’s culture, as the great construction has waded away-unwanted visitors. One of the notable reflections in this Great Wall construction is to restore w hat the country terms as the renewed perspective. Back in the past, the country has faced many degrading seasons. The availability of this wall has reminded the day-to-day strategic planners of the country of the need to rebuild it. The wall surrounds the once ripped off histories of the Chinese dynasty and the permanent enclose is symbolic of a country that does not want more interferences with its roots (DuTemple, 2002). For several reasons now, the country has periodically come back alive and more resilient than its former self. Therefore, it is notable for one to suggest that ‘The Great Wall’ encloses the culture of defence and the spirit of renovation, away from

Monday, October 28, 2019

Bio-fuels and how effective they truly Essay Example for Free

Bio-fuels and how effective they truly Essay If compared with utilizing fossil fuels, research studies on biofuels show that first generation biofuels can be projected to have 60% carbon emission reduction while utilization second generation biofuels can reduce up to 80%. Figure 4 shows the CO2 reduction particularly in the transport sector with the use of biofuels and other GHG reduction strategies. In the future, the type of processing energy used will be more relevant: a biofuel plant that uses biomass energy will contribute far more to reducing GHG emissions than one that uses fossil energy. The European Union started the market for biofuels. Other countries such as the United States of America are fast catching up. The Asian countries are slow in taking up the mandate because people are assuming the wise consumer attitude, adopting a wait-and-see approach, waiting for the infrastructure to be established in order to have a better rationalization of cost and benefit. Historical and projected biofuels production levels are shown in figures 5 and 6. The major country players are clearly indicated. Figure 7 shows the global demand for biofuels. The figure illustrated a 100% increase in the ethanol production between 2000 and 2005. ON the other hand, biodiesel production showed an increase of almost 400%.. Comparing these figures with production of oil from fossil fuels, it showed an increase only by only 7% over this period. Brazil produced 16. 5 billion liters of fuel ethanol (45. 2 percent of the worlds total) with the United States a close second at 16. 2 billion liters, or 44. 5 percent of the total. With these projections, benefits brought about by the utilization of biofuels is expected to be significant specifically on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. CONCLUSION Clean environment is essential to a good quality of life, yet many thousands of deaths yearly are linked to the effects of pollution. Improving local air quality is a major thrust that most countries are currently pursuing. Thus, it is relatively important to bear in mind that for the petroleum and energy industry, one of the major considerations should be the use of environmentally sound, economical and safe fuel. The use of biofuels, as presented in this paper suggests and projects a positive impact in the environment on the long term. While there are issues to be addressed, extensive research should be conducted in order to provide an answer to all these concerns. The figures show that there is an increasing demand for biofuels worldwide, still, policies gearing towards the utilization of such should be developed and adopted to the highest standards in the international scene. Like in some countries wherein the use of biofuels is mandated by law, there should be a worldwide promotion and advocacy campaign for its utilization with emphasis that it brings about to the environment. REFERENCES Biofuels for Transport (2006). What exactly is biofuels and the potential of it for its future use as alternative fuel for future road vehicles? [Internet], Biofuels for Transport. Available from: http://people. bath. ac. uk/ksyl20/my_report/interest. htm [Accessed 22 November 2007]. Brevitt, B. (February 12, 2002) Alternative Vehicle Fuels. Science and Environment Section, Research Paper 02/11. Center for Fuel Cells (2007) Fuel cell today. University of South Carolina. DOE Portal (2007) Biofuel. [Internet], Philippines Department of Energy. Available from: www. doe. gov. ph [Accessed 24 November 2007]. EurActive (2005) Alternative fuels for transport. [Internet], EurActive. Available from: www. eurActiv. com [Accessed 23 November 2007]. EurActive (2006a) Carmakers reject EU plan for CO2 emissions law. [Internet], EurActive. Available from: www. eurActiv. com [Accessed 23 November 2007]. Energy Research (2007) Introduction to Fuel cells. [Internet], European Commission. Available from: http://ec. europa. eu/research/energy/index_en. htm [Accessed 25 November 2007]. Environmental Technologies (2007) Innovations and Industry, Biofuel. [Internet], The Israel Export and Industrial Cooperation Institute. Available from: www. export. gov. il [Accessed 25 November 2007]. Gow, I. T. A. D. (February 21, 2007) EU promises 20% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020. The Guardian. Webster, B. (February 5, 2007) EU is steered from gas-guzzler ban. The Times.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Candide Essay -- essays research papers

CANDIDE By Voltaire   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout Candide the author, Voltaire, demonstrates the character’s experiences in a cruel world and his fight to gain happiness. In the beginning Candide expects to achieve happiness without working for his goal and only taking the easy way out of all situations. However, by the end of the book the character realized that to achieve happiness a lot of work, compromises, and sacrifices are necessary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Candide is a person of privilege who began life in the Castle of Westphalia. While a part of the castle-life, Candide was taught by Dr. Pangloss. Pangloss is a philosopher who teaches there is a cause for all things and that everything is all for the good, even though a person may not understand it at the time. Suddenly, however, Candide is exiled from the privileged confines of the castle when he is caught kissing Cunegonde, the daughter of the Baron. Upon his exile Candide immediately begins to face adversities. Candide finds himself in the army simply because he is the right size. His life in the army is nothing but turmoil and hardship. Despite the misfortunes of army life, Candide continues to believe there is a cause and effect for all things.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After leaving the army, Candide once again is paired with his mentor Dr. Pangloss. Pangloss is now a diseased beggar. Pangloss is soon cured of his disease and he and Candide are befriended by a charitable Anabaptist. ...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Crimes and Misdemeanors Essay

For the past fifty years, director and actor Woody Allen has evoked much laughter from his neurotic-style comedies. Less recognized, however, is his fascinating ability in utilizing both his stunning, humorous wit along with several philosophical concepts. Such a combination creates an engaged and thoroughly entertained audience, as well as a mentally-stimulated one. In his movie â€Å"Crimes and Misdemeanors,† the philosophical concepts Allen touches upon deal with ethical and moral issues. What does ‘do the right thing’ really entail; why not do the opposite if it leads to one’s personal success? In the absence of a God, who’s to say whether the choices we make are right or wrong? Answering these questions say much about the way one sees the world. This movie investigates such questions by intertwining two separate, parallel plots: the tragic story of Judah, and the comedic story led by Cliff Stern . There are two key moral positions that underlie the entire movie: Those with faith in God perceive the world as morally structured, forgiving, and full of true meaning. Those who do not believe in a God see the world as empty, pitiless, and devoid of meaning. After watching this movie for the third time, a consistent metaphor that integrates these positions revealed itself. Throughout the movie, nearly every scene visually and verbally involves the use of ‘eyes’ to symbolize our perceptions on how we see the world, and how people do not see themselves and events the way others may see it. Although there are several elements, characters, and events worthy of an individual analysis, this paper will concentrate on how Allen’s film represents eyes to unveil hidden truths. To illustrate the use of ‘eyes’ in this film I will investigate its role in the lives of Judah, Cliff, and Rabbi Ben. Keep in mind that all four of these characters each wear over-emphasized glasses. Within the first few minutes of the film, Judah reveals he makes his living as an ophthalmologist. Judah’s occupation certainly comes as no coincidence, for it stems from his religious past. During a speech at a charity dinner, Judah relates to the audience this past: â€Å"I’m a man of science. I’ve always been a skeptic, but I was raised quite religiously, and while I challenged it even as a child, some of that feeling must have stuck with me. † He continues to say that his father once told him, â€Å"the eyes of God are on us always. Although he revokes his religious background, it’s apparent that this ‘feeling that stuck with him’ manifested itself in his occupation; in order to fill a void which religion would fill. With the removal of â€Å"God’s eyes,† Judah made the, perhaps unconscious, decision to take up a job that deals with seei ng†¦ thus assuming the role of God. He rhetorically asks the audience, â€Å"What were God’s eyes like? Unimaginably penetrating, intense eyes I assumed. † Judah’s relationship with his father left him with a sense of awe and fear of these â€Å"intense eyes† that could see past his deceitful acts. So, his concern with vision arises from his compulsion to hide the blemishes of his character. It’s evident that Judah sees himself as a moral man: wealth, success, and a valuable role in the community are reinforced by images of him wearing a tuxedo as he’s accompanied by his family. This â€Å"family man† portrayal describes Judah’s external appearance. Wouldn’t a man blessed with this amount of success persisted in doing â€Å"the right thing† all along? Judah’s morality is put into question once his mistress sends a letter to his wife, exposing Judah’s devious actions (Judah destroys the letter immediately before his wife sees it). Judah saw no troubles in fooling around, for his efforts made him happy and he was never caught (there is no God to see his immoral choices). The letter breaks Judah’s illusions of this fantasy world he’s been living. Judah says â€Å"it’s as if I’ve awaken from a dream,† to reinforce how he must now face reality. Interestingly enough, at this point Judah now wears a pair of glasses, when forced to look at his values and actions from a different perspective. So in Judah’s case, these glasses represent his inability to see the true nature of the world, which has now directly confronted him. Judah’s brother, Jack (who sets up for the mistress to be killed), accuses him of not â€Å"living in the real world,† due to his state of wealth and privilege. Judah’s success composes this blindness he has of the â€Å"real world. † Jack, defined as pragmatic and amoral, lives in this apparent â€Å"real world† for he represents honesty and a lack of illusions even though he exemplifies unjustness. Essentially Judah and Jack adhere to the same moral, or immoral, compass. However Jack acknowledges his lack of morality, while Judah’s success leads him to falsely believe he embodies ‘rightness. Jack represents the dark and immoral side of Judah’s consciousness. With his mistress unable to listen to â€Å"logic† and â€Å"reason† Judah states, â€Å"I manage to keep free of that real world, but suddenly it’s found me. † Darkness overpowering Judah’s conscious, results in the death of his mistress. Post-murder, guilt plagues Judah, leading him to consider confessing. The camera consistently focuses on his eyes, showing the audience Judah’s shock and dismay towards his own behavior. Afflicted with hallucinations of his religious past, he repeatedly hears the words from his father: â€Å"God sees all. Latent, unconscious beliefs in God awaken in Judah’s mind. In reference to the murder he says, â€Å"God have mercy on us, Jack† and â€Å"Without God, the world is a cesspool. † Judah’s guilt originates from his fear of getting caught as well as this â€Å"moral code† which has now been violated. Fear of â€Å"God’s eyes† or perhaps even Judahs father’s law dominate his mind as if they watch his every move, exposing his actions. The film shows Judah consistently looking left and right implying that â€Å"something† watches him. A final blatantly philosophical dialogue takes place as Judah visits his childhood house and envisions a past debate his family members had over morality. According to his father’s religious view, he will be punished even if he is not caught since â€Å"that which originates from a black deed will blossom in a foul manner. † This crime that Judah committed will some way or another be punished. As an opposition, his Aunt Mae provides the model which the film follows: â€Å"I say if he can do it and get away with it, and he chooses not to be bothered by the ethics, then he’s home free. Aunt Mae also encourages Judah’s father to â€Å"open his eyes,† disclosing the fact that six million Jews were murdered and Hitler got away with it. We all want to believe that we live in a perfect, moral world where justice is served, however this does not exhibit how the world really is. In fact, Judah proves his Aunt operates as a sort of Oracle. After a period of fear and irritability, Judah proceeds to live his happy life. Guilt passes, and the momentary belief in God grows quiet once more. One morning Judah opens his eyes and sees his conscious is guilt-free and the â€Å"crisis is lifted. Judah comes to ‘see’ that God is not watching, and in a world devoid of divine presence, all acts are permissible†¦ including murder. In Judah’s world, the â€Å"eyes of God† are attributed to himself. That determines his internal appearance. The second story line deals with a self-styled, passionate yet unsuccessful idealist filmmaker named Cliff (played by Woody Allen). In the opening of this narrative strand, Cliff delivers his beliefs on his world view to his niece after watching a movie: â€Å"Don’t listen to what your teachers tell you, just see what they look like, that’s how you’ll know what life’s really about. Cliff asserts that observing and questioning another’s motives elic its their values and true nature. Just listening and accepting the superficial, external appearance leads to a false impression and ignorance. To shatter this external appearance, Cliff uses film as a tool for exposing these lesser known ‘realities. ‘ In fact, ‘eyes’ are symbolized again through filmmaking as a method for displaying new perspectives. Relating to Judah’s world, by the film’s eye the audience maintains the ability to see past his artifice which other characters are blind to. Furthermore, in a movie that deals with God and seeing, the audience acquires those â€Å"God-like eyes† that see all; that Judah feared. In Cliff’s case, he uses film to exploit his foil, Lester. Cliff directs a documentary about television producer Lester (described as rich, famous, and successful), for a program entitled â€Å"Creative Minds. † Contrary to others, Cliff perceives Lester as shallow, pompous, and sub-mental. Lester supports his egotism by referring to his â€Å"closet full of Emmys† as an item that symbolizes material success. Cliff only directs the movie to gain financial support for his documentary about a philosopher named Professor Levy. Cliff describes his philosophical film as more substantial: â€Å"See no limos, no bimbos, no awards. This guy is just a thinker, an intellect. † The tension between Lester comes as a classic ‘flash vs. substance’ debate. Cliff prefers to create films that mentally-stimulate, rather than mindlessly entertain his audience. He wants to film quality films that matter, and have potential to change the world. Lester sees such ambitions as ‘grandiose fantasies’, favoring frivolous material that will sell and further his fame, usually synonymous with crass commercialism. In the real world, high aspirations do not pay off, you’ve got to deliver. All delivery, no essence. Flash and delivery mask our stigmas and flaws. Creativity sacrificed in return for power and money. Other characters in the film fail to see Lester’s pomposity, because they have been seduced and falsely impressed by his charisma and wealth. Cliff receives a minor victory over Lester when they preview a few scenes Cliff pulled together for the documentary. This short film reveals Lester seducing a mindless woman, compares him to Mussolini, and has his voice synced over an image of a donkey. The woman represents his shallowness, the donkey as a literal ‘jackass’, and the comparison to Mussolini represents Lester’s narcissism and hunger for power. The fact that Lester’s superficiality rewards him with power ticks Cliff off most, perhaps with a dose of jealousy. As he watches himself from this new perspective, a faint glimmer and widening of Lester’s eye acknowledges the fact that he ‘may not be perfect’ as Lester likes to put it. However he abandons the thought that he ‘deadens the sensibilities of a great democracy’ as Cliff loves to point out. In other words, this documentary was supposed to create a ‘profile of a creative mind’, however Cliff painted a picture of what he saw instead. Lester refuses to fully accept these notions, affirming this view does not represent the ‘real me’. Cliff questioned Lester’s values, and this contradiction of perceptions lead to Cliff’s removal from the film. As a sub-plot, both Cliff and Lester compete over an associate woman producer, Halley. In Cliff’s world, he believes he will truly win the girl over due to his values. The film hints at this: it shows Halley shrugging off Lester, making sarcastic comments towards him, and taking interest in Cliff’s side projects. At first, both Cliff and Halley see Lester through the same lens that the preview portrayed him as. During a wedding reception towards the end of the movie, the camera does an excellent job in illustrating how the opposite happens. A slight glimpse reveals Lester and Halley embracing each other, implying they are together. Without any words spoken, the camera depicts what Cliff thinks by focusing intensely on his eyes. A couple of things can be taken from this: Halley up until this point appears with glasses on. With Lester, she removes her glasses. Halley abandons her glasses, only after she abandons her values. With virtue thrown out the window, she nows sees the once pompous and arrogant Lester as ‘endearing’. Camera focusing on Cliff’s eyes suggests he is in utter disbelief. In his eyes, Cliff deserved the girl, for he promoted grander values. In his world, such atrocities do not occur. He utters a small phrase, â€Å"This is my worst fear realized. † The fear that the world does not operate in accordance with his inner-values. In the end, Cliff’s espoused idealism led to his ultimate downfall. Clinging to beliefs creates an illusion, an illusion that may betray us. A rabbi named Ben links together both plots. Morality, faith, and forgiveness make up Ben’s character (even Judah and Cliff refer to Ben as a ‘saint’). Ben embodies all the qualities that Judah’s father possessed, they both adhere to religious beliefs. At his core, Ben conceives â€Å"Without moral structure, there’s no basis to know how to live! † Ben relies upon objective, absolute rules to guide his behavior. Contrary to Jack, Ben represents the latent religious beliefs of Judah’s unconscious. However, Ben’s vision appears to deteriorate as the movie progresses. Ben literally goes blind in the movie. Figuratively Ben’s blindness foreshadows the coming ‘sins’ that occur, and signifies the immoral atmosphere that underlies this movie. Also, Ben’s blindness generalizes the fact that all religions are blind to the cruelty and corruption of the world. When Ben asks Judah if his issues with the mistress were resolved, he bluffs saying the woman eventually ‘gave up and moved away’. Ben responds â€Å"You got lucky! † Completely oblivious and blind to the actual murder, Ben trusts Judah’s word. As Judah’s success led to his blindness, Ben’s religion does as well. Judah points out Ben resides in the â€Å"kingdom of heaven. † In order to have faith one must disregard the negative, reinforce the positive, and believe we live in a just world. Through the lens of this â€Å"kingdom of heaven† justice is served. By dimming the lights on sinful acts, one can happily live about their life in sheltered ignorance. As the film comes to an end, a scene presents Ben sporting a pair of black glasses. These glasses indicate Ben has gone fully blind, and so has all moralities in this movie. By the end of the film, God abandoned all of society. The universe is indifferent to our actions: an apparent depiction of how the real world truly exists. â€Å"Crimes and Misdemeanors† illustrates an existential truth. We all have fantasies, stories we tell ourselves about our expectations of the world. These expectations usually fail to correlate with the way the world really is. We live in an imperfect and Godless world. The murderer prospers, the virtuous man fails, and the superficial succeed. The good guy does not always get the girl. Open your eyes, realize that all meaning is man-made. Realize that without an objective law mankind is free. Free to choose how we develop ourselves in this world, and where we look to for meaning. The individual is the arbiter on how to live. Our actions define us, not our dogmas. In the words of Professor Levy: â€Å"We define ourselves by the choices we make. We are, in fact, the sum total of our choices. Events unfold so unpredictably, so unfairly. It is only we, with your capacity to love that gives meaning to the indifferent universe. †

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Computers in Healthcare Essay

In all aspects of life—home, work, socially—a basic understanding of computer operation is by and large a necessity. Even the medical field has become dependent on computers, both to record vital patient information, but also for billing, researching maladies, and prescribing medicines. This report takes a look at how and why health care professionals use computers, where computers are used in the health care system, and how all this new technology is affecting the medical field for both the patient and provider. Health Care Professionals use computers because they boost productivity. Health care staff, for instance, can more easily keep and access medical records. Specific computer programs also allow physicians to analyze patient data both statistically and mathematically, which leads to the creation of multimedia patient records. A multimedia file is an image, text file, a video clip or audio file–anything that can be displayed or played on computer monitors or speakers. An example, a cardiologist can use a computer to scan a patient’s EKG strip, and then attach that image to the patient’s permanent record for future reference (Spekowius and Wendler 38-39). The ability to store patient data on a computer hard drive reduces paperwork, and the number of staff members needed to maintain that paperwork. Having a patient’s file just a few computer clicks away also cuts down on the time it takes a physician to locate the necessary information. Beyond simplifying office paperwork, computers also open lines of communication between the patient and physician. Physicians who engage in emailing can easier answer patient questions, and cut down on phone calls. Computers are used throughout the Health Care System. Clerical staff relies on computers for reports, memos, patient records, billing, statistics, insurance claims, as well as charting and researching graphics. Nursing stations depend on computers for reports, patient records, along with hospital information systems. And computers are critical in the operation of patient monitors, medication delivery systems and lab equipment (Spekowius and Wendler 76). Also, in medical education, computers are essential for Computer Aided Instruction, Computer Managed Instruction, and Interactive Multi-media systems (Forman and Pomerantz). Beyond all of these uses, the computer has become increasingly necessary for diagnosis, research, publication retrieval (National Library of Medicine), and automated patient interview and history. Computers have become increasingly vital to Pharmacies. With the use of computers, pharmacists can fill prescriptions, control the dispensing, and talk with the patients through a video hookup. People living in remote areas also may use computers to order and receive their prescriptions without having to make a special trip into town or even leave their home. This is a particularly valuable tool for the elderly. Also, physicians now are able to type prescriptions into computers and email them to pharmacists, cutting down on errors because of sloppy doctor handwriting. Computers have become commonplace in Radiology. Radiologists use computers to prepare and store patient case histories, prepare conference talks, and to examine images. Computers are especially important when examining images; radiologists depend on digital radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine, and ultrasonic imaging (Trovato). Computers can also enable a radiologist to view an emergency case from home, reducing the response time when dealing with a crisis situation. In radiology it is imperative that the computer system be powerful enough to observe very fine images; faulty screen imaging could lead to a false analysis, and possibly compromise patient health (Leach). Computers are also used in surgery to produce a three-dimensional image of the organ that is being operated on. This technology is especially useful to young surgeons, small clinics and developing countries where such sophisticated imagery has previously been unavailable. In addition, this type of surgery is less invasive on the patient, so recovery time and cost are reduced. Genetics is another area of medicine in which the use of computers has been increasingly useful. Pharmacogenomics, for instance, helps determine what drugs are compatible with a patient’s gene type. Gene information obtained from a patient blood sample is entered into the computer, which then determines which drugs may not be compatible before dispensing. In the future doctors may be able to use a similar method to determine the most effective type of chemotherapy for a cancer patient. This could save a patient from having a series of unnecessary and ineffective treatments (Mandel). Computers also allow access to the Internet, which can be a very useful tool when trying to run an office. Connecting to the World Wide Web can help lower costs, improve patient/member service and assist in the delivery of better-coordinated care. The physician is able to compile and analyze data from a single or multiple number of sources, reveal health problems, and even gains a better understanding of a treatment’s financial performance. Also, the Internet is a great marketing tool for a physician’s medical practice. The Internet is awash with medical information, which is both useful for patients and possibly detrimental. Some patients who should see a doctor instead try and self-diagnose using information gleaned from computer research. So many medical sources exist on computers—much of it valid, good information—that a person might read the symptoms and believe they have a particular disease and try to treat themselves. Faulty treatment of a medical problem could lead to more serious medical problems down the road. Another pitfall to consider is how web sites allow a person to seek medical advice by querying a so-called physician online. The problem: That advice may be coming from an accredited medical person–or someone pretending to be a physician. So now with all this talk about how computers can be very beneficial to the medical field, one may wonder if computers do a better job than humans. The answer: Yes, due to a computer’s flawless memory. Even though physicians have the desire to be efficient and thorough when it comes to their patients, they are human and they occasionally make mistakes. Computers accurately remember vast amounts of information, which is especially important these days given all the emerging medical information and technology in the world today (Spekowius and Wendler 439). In conclusion, it is obvious that the medical field has benefited greatly since the advent of computers. Without computers the world would not be as advanced as it is today. New discoveries might never have been made, unnecessary tests and treatments would have been performed, and lives would have been lost. Computers are propelling the medical world into a new dimension where literally anything is possible—including increased longevity, cures for cancer and paralysis reversal. It is indeed a win-win situation for physicians and patients. Works Cited Forman, Lloyd J. and Sherry C. Pomerantz. â€Å"Computer-Assisted Instruction: A Survey on the Attitudes of Osteopathic Medical Students.† JAOA Medical Education (2006): 572-575. Leach, Michelle. â€Å"Computed Radiography Vs. Digital Radiography.† n.d. ehow. February 2013

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Effects of TQM in Eurasia International

The Effects of TQM in Eurasia International Introduction The Eurasia International case study is based on the implementation of total quality management (TQM) to improve the overall performance of the shipping company. TQM involves the application of quality management standards to all elements of the business.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Effects of TQM in Eurasia International specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It requires that the quality management standards be applied in all branches and at all levels in the organization. Characteristic of Eurasia going through the total quality process is an unambiguous and clear, limited interdepartmental barriers, excellent customer and supplier relation, time spent on training and the recognition that quality is product quality as well as the quality of the entire firm, including personnel, finance, sales and other functions. Top management has the responsibility for quality rather than employees and is thei r role to provide commitment, support and leadership to human and technical processes (Kanji Asher, 1996). In as much as the TQM initiative is to succeed, management has to foster the participation of workers in quality improvement and create a quality culture by altering attitudes and perceptions towards quality. Importance of a voluntary system of self regulation Mr. Bajpaee believed a voluntary system of self-regulation was essential for the shipping industry largely because of the need to achieve excellence in maintaining the necessary HR focus while controlling the vessel’s cost structure, keeping on line with customer requirements and foreseeing the competition. That is focusing on the nature of the shipping work and the important roles of individuals in order to meet the diverse needs of the stakeholders. The industry had undergone major restructuring which led to significant growth especially into the international markets.Advertising Looking for assessment o n business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The outcome of the rapid growth was the demand for more resources, yet in an environment with diverse regulatory systems. This led to issues like shipping accidents and other deficiencies as the industry focused more on making profits at the cost of the quality of services. According to Bajpaee, the shipping industry is analogous to any manufacturing industry. Therefore, a ship is likened to a factory where independent control is paramount in order to increase efficiency in operations and effectiveness of the human resources. In addition to the differing needs of the employee, the industry is associated with uncertain environments which call for unique actions and strategies to ensure success. Quality in the shipping industry is measured by the ability of a shipping firm to transport products safely from one place to another. However, there are factors unique to individu al ships that are described by the environment which determine the decision making processes. The self-regulation means that the management is able to respond to these factors free from other restrictions that might not fit in the specific context. In this respect, total quality management is considered to interlock with a self-regulatory system in that the system supports the creation of a quality culture. Managers as well as other employees who are restricted to explore the ideas they think to fit best in their duties are not likely to understand the needs of stakeholders that can lead to value creation. They will likely be endeavoring to accomplish tasks rather than accomplishing them efficiently. Bajpaee observes that a ship manager serves as an intermediary with secondary customers and is different from a manager at the base of a shipping company. Therefore, the success of the two managers is determined by different factors and hence cannot function under a common regulatory fr amework. Each environment demands self-reliance for the managers to offer effective solutions and steer the respective workforce towards achieving the organizational objectives.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Effects of TQM in Eurasia International specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Creating value for people Mr. Bajpaee likens cash flow to blood flow such that as oxygen is important to blood flow, profit is important to cash flow. However, the significance of life is not limited to having a pulse and similarly business existence is not limited to the flow of cash. More important is to create value for the stakeholders: shareholders, customers and employees. These observations mean that profit or cash flow results from value creation and not the other way round. As much as the firm is committed to creating value for the stakeholders, profit is created and the business is also sustained. The Bajpaee’s s aying is directly related to the idea of total quality management. Creating value for the stakeholder means the efforts to bring job satisfaction, customer satisfaction and shareholder satisfaction (Mukherjee, 2006). No business can be sustained if it lacks the capacity to retain employees, attract new customers and encourage shareholders to invest more. The human resources are the source of customer satisfaction which lead to increased sales and profits as well as shareholder satisfaction which is the source of investments. Therefore, value creation is not only the source of cash flow but also the best approach to instill a quality culture. The central purpose of a business’ existence is therefore to create value for stakeholders and profit cannot supersede it. Eurasian international is committed to creating value for stakeholders through total quality management initiatives. First, the organization creates value for its employees through recruitment, training and developmen t. Attracting employees from diverse environments is important to any firm operating at the global level which Eurasia achieves by recruiting seafarers globally and assembling international crews. Value is created through more friendly conditions for employees by offering stable working hours and established career paths.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Job roles are defined and the employees can advance their careers through education and accumulation of experience. Work performance for individual workers is formally appraised on periodic basis as a way to motivate them. Second, customer value in Eurasia is achieved by collecting and acting on customer satisfaction information. There are established Key Performance Indicators corresponding to customer value, shareholder value, human value and leadership/intellectual value. All sea-based and shore-based groups have performance targets at all levels. This ensures that the management is able to observe how all parameters are working on a virtually real-time basis. In addition, the firm collects information from external market and financial information providers which is analyzed by employing TQM methods prior to taking the necessary action. Third, Eurasia creates the value for its shareholders through a number of ways including the proper use and maintenance of resources as well as ensuring the flow of revenue. Since the shareholders are also the ship owners, Eurasia has set a process of monitoring, evaluating the technical conditions of the vessels in an effort to maintain them in good working conditions. The teams responsible are organized such that any deficiency is identified, analyzed and corrected appropriately and on time. As much as the resources are in good conditions, the sea activities are increased and thus higher returns for the stakeholders. In general, the organizational structure, employee training and development, resource allocation and maintenance as well as focusing on customer needs are among the factors that create value for the people. Organizational structure enables the human resource to understand their job roles and responsibility. Employee training and development provides the employees with the necessary skills and motivates them to work hard. Resource allocation enables the company ensures higher returns by reducing inefficiencies in operations. By focusing on the needs of customers, Eurasia ensures brand equity which lead to a royal customer base. Realizing operating efficiencies One of the objectives that Bapjaee put forward when implementing TQM was to increase the operating efficiencies. For this goal, the manager was determined to establish coordination in activities between the sea-based and shore-based groups. This was because any successful operation depended on the effort of both groups. The failure of crew members to deliver cargo safely would as well nullify the efforts by the shore-based groups to complete the transaction with the customer. As a result coordination of activities begins at the initial stages of a transaction and continues through until success is attained and evaluated for recommendations. To start with, the crew members are recruited, trained and developed according to the specific type of vessel under management, the particular type of cargo or the voyage in question. The shore- based group must communicate to the crew the system of safety, guidelines, policies and procedures in order to equip them with tools and knowledge necessary for any probable eventuality. This is backed up with well established daily, weekly and monthly reporting systems; quarterly inspections; pre-embankment and post-dismemberment debriefings and constant satellite-based monitoring to determine whether the vessel was making the right progress. Moreover, Eurasia has established a management structure comprised of self-check, cross-check and external-check constituents corresponding to the firm’s shipboard fleet management and support team. Additionally, when defects or deficiencies are identified in a particular operation, they are analyzed by a reliability team to determine the root course of the failure. For all operations, this determination is widespread involving the crew, system and equipment. The appropriate remedy to the failure is arranged while touching on the releva nt adjustments such as provision of more training and development, making necessary maintenance and revising the policies and procedures. Such a follow up ensures that every other operation is performed better than the previous one; continuous improvement. Other companies have a number of lessons to learn from Eurasia operating efficiencies. First, operating efficiency are achieved when there is corporation between operating groups. This means that operating efficiency touch every party that has influence no matter how small it is. Companies should not assume some departments simply because they are not directly related to the particular operation. They should aim for total quality improvement. Secondly, efficiency is about improving on the weak areas rather than introducing new ideas. When one learns from failure, he becomes more confident to explore new ideas that add to the existing knowledge. Finally, other companies can learn the need to create a quality culture in order to inc rease operating efficiencies. Indeed, quality of service in the service industry translates to efficiency in operations and improving that quality is an effort to increase operation efficiencies (Klefsjo Bergquist, 2006). The role of information Information play a central role in everything that Eurasia does which begun from its establishment to its expansion into the global market. Initially, the selection of Hong Kong as headquarter stemmed from the information gathered about the city. The city had a sophisticated telecommunication, infrastructure, an extensive air transport system, an advanced banking infrastructure, a low tax regime and a productive workforce, all of which suggest extensive research of the market. As a competitive competency, Eurasia deployed advanced database-management and computerized information system that gave users access to timely and accurate information. Most of the strategies established in the firm were based on information attained either from the market environment or failures in the industry. For instance, the strategy to become the best instead of the biggest was established after continued failures of firms in the shipping industry. During this time, Bapjaee observed how many shipping companies competed in a limited marketplace to acquire economies of scale and decided to focus on a completely different direction. Operations efficiencies originated from relevant actions on the weak areas identified through the collection and good flow of information among the operating groups. Another area that information has played a central role is on the Eurasia’s quality journey. Despite Bajpaee having reflected on the changes taking place in the industry to conclude that TQM was most necessary to the firm, he studied processes at other companies that had implemented TQM to confirm the relevant components. Again, these components were based on the need to seek much information on both the industry and the market. A definition of quality in terms of customer’s needs is a matter of seeking information about the diverse needs of customers. An organization-wide quality performance is about integrating stakeholder information into the company. The work system proposed relates to the adoption of an information system by the human resources. A meaningful way to monitor and measure results will require an evaluation and analysis of information pertaining to the performance of the system. Information has also played a center role in recruiting, training and developing employees. The recruitment of seafarers globally and assembling of international crews clearly stipulate the need to have relevant information about the global market needs. Job design that specified the roles of the candidates is a consequence of information about the objectives of the firm and the market needs. Again, organizational learning occurs as information cascades down through the levels of the organization. Employees plight in the information provided by the higher levels while managers take use of the feedbacks from the employee. Appraisal system is also an issue of collecting information about the performance of the employees and weighing them against the objectives of the firm in order to determine the worthy workers. Conclusion Total Quality Management is a concept applied in businesses such as Eurasia with a focus on continuous improvement across all branches and levels of an organization. Being part of Eurasia, the concept defines the way in which the organization can create value for its people. Bapjaee thinks that the most appropriate environment to use TQM is that which has a self regulatory system which allows the appropriate response to the dynamics of the shipping environment. Through TQM, Eurasia has been able to create value which eventually leads to operation efficiencies. These efficiencies have particularly been achieved by continuous correction of deficiencies identified in the process. A pa rticular interest is the central role that information has played in enabling TQM initiatives especially through continuous learning. References Kanji, G. K. Asher, M. (1996). 100 methods for total quality management. Thousands Oak, CA: SAGE. Klefsjo, B. Bergquist, B. (2006). Six sigma and total quality management: different day, same soup. Int. J. Six Sigma and Competitive Advantage, 2(2), 162-178. Mukherjee, P. N. (2006). Total quality management. New Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd.

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Exclusionary Rule Essays

The Exclusionary Rule Essays The Exclusionary Rule Essay The Exclusionary Rule Essay The Exclusionary Rule is a fundamental constitutional principle of criminal procedure law in the United States. Generally, it prohibits the criminal trial of any evidence seized or otherwise obtained in violation of Amendment to the Constitution. Under the Exclusionary Rule, improperly evidence that leads to the subsequent discovery of other incriminating automatically invalidates or poisons the newly discovered derivative same way that a poisonous tree taints the fruits growing on any of its. While it derives from the Fourth Amendment, it is not actually anywhere within the text of the Constitution or its Amendments. In fact, judicially created more than a century after the Constitution was ratified the Fourth Amendment included within the Bill of Rights in 1791 (Tinsley). The right of the people to be secure in their persons, house, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. At British Common Law, any evidence of guilt was admissible into and proof of guilt was considered to excuse any illegal conduct involved in it, even retroactively, in effect, functioning as an absolute defense on police or government authorities who violated the law (Tinsley): where a Man arrests another, who is actually guilty of the Crime for which he is arrested, it seems, That he needs not in justifying it, set forth any special Cause of his Suspicion, but may say in general, that the Party feloniously did such a Fact, for which he arrested him.