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Current Domestic Issue Policy Paper Obamacare

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Current Domestic Issue Policy Paper: Obamacare

There have been current media debates about the performance and effectiveness of the Patient Protection and Affordable care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare, following its passage and implementation after bitter counter arguments by the economists, medical practitioners, media and the political class. The United States Health Care system were the subject of political campaigns for decades as regime after regime seeks to improve the terms of the Medicare and Medicaid Act that was passed in 1965. The US citizens have time after time demanded from the federal government, a healthcare plan that would guarantee equitable access to health care insurance and healthcare facilities. On March 23, 2010, president Barrack Obama signed into law United States federal statutes that seek to satisfy these demands from the people of America. The Patient Protection and Affordable care Act, commonly called the Affordable care Act of “Obamacare,” was a new regime’s answer to a problem that has dogged the US for nearly half a century. Together with the Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act, it represented the most significant overhaul of the US healthcare system. However, this Act has been met by both support and critics. Whereas proponents of the Act praise the affordability and increased access to health care it accords citizens, its adversaries have taken to more political and economic dissection of the Act. It is no wonder that to date this Act continues to be a hot subject of debate and contention between different political wings.

None has been more critical of President Obama’s Healthcare plan than the Republican Party members. The Republicans have continued their assault of the “Obamacare” accusing the president of betrayal of the Americans. According to Landler and Michael, “there have been counter election-year attacks by Republicans on the law’s success and viability” (1). For example, in the party’s weekly address, the Indiana representative Todd Young passed on stories from residents in his state who were concerned that their insurance had been cancelled as a result of the affordable care Act. Todd’s rage seems to have been sparked by president Obama’s repeated reassurance of the public, in his speeches over the past four years, that they could keep their insurance plans if they liked them.

The scrutiny on the law recently emerged again following sustained audit. Obama recently tried to qualify that statement arguing that his meaning was that the people of America could keep their existing healthcare insurance. April 2014 Statistics shows that “the total number of enrollees exceeds by a million the target set by the administration” ( Landler and Michael, 1). However, even when the president tried to apologize for the Affordable Care Act’s rollout problems, the Republicans still could hear none of his apology. They kept on with the attacks and Wisconsin senator, Ron Johnson, sponsor of a bill to let people keep their existing healthcare insurance, used another one of the Republicans’ weekly address to call president Obama’s acknowledgement of the problems facing the rollout of the new healthcare plan a “phoney apology”. Johnson embarked on a mockery of the president’s speech criticizing that his fumble acknowledgement was like telling a dog owner you were sorry his dog died, but not acknowledging you had run over the dog. While acknowledging the problems facing the rollout of the new healthcare plan, president Obama revealed some progress made in ensuring reduced dependence on foreign oil significantly, Johnson focused on the challenges of the healthcare reforms. He argued that Obama was playing political fraud and that the US needed long-term solutions to Obamacare debacle.

On the other hand, the Democrats rallied behind the commander-in-Chief arguing that the problems with the disastrous rollout of the Affordable care Act will be fixed in good time to achieve the intended goals. The house minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, was quick to caution that this was not going to be an easy task. She insisted that what mattered most was the events that went on in the kitchen tables of the American people and how they would have more “affordability, more accessibility, better quality care, prevention, wellness, a healthier nation” (Rushe 1). The rollout of the “Obamacare” has been dogged with serious problems, especially with the federal website healthcare.gov ( PBS, 1). Coupled with uproar concerning Obama’s statement that no one would lose their health plan under the new reforms, the program has attracted criticism from both the Republican and Democrat quarters. Indeed, 39 House Democrats, under fear of being victimized in the 2014 midterm elections, voted for the Republican “Keep you Plan” Bill ( Rush, 1.). It is this event that prompted key democrats, including Pelosi, to publicly come out and support Obama’s healthcare reforms. Pelosi advises that this is an issue that ought to be dealt with, but did not warrant political asylum seeking. Her rationale is that the reforms were too valuable for the people of America and politicians should not be thinking about who gets re-elected in 2014. Instead, they should only see to it that Americans are well served by the new healthcare reforms. She rightly observes that nobody can foretell what will happen next year. However, she promises “democrats stand tall in support of the Affordable care Act” (Rush, 1).

In a possible move to resolve the existing problems with the Affordable care Act, president Obama seems to have yielded to pressure from both his party and the Republicans when he announced changes in the Act to address the rampant cancellation of insurance policies. While the move was meant to address a staunch problem that had threatened to ruin the president’s reputation and credibility in the eyes of the public, it raised a number of questions. The issues include; whether insurers would adjust, whether customers would need to pay higher premiums and whether the states would make the fix available. In his announcement, president Obama admitted that he was in the dark about many aspects of his crowning achievement of his presidency. Obama has appreciated that the federal government rules were an impediment to individual political ambitions and lamented the political damage he had caused for members of his party (Eilperin, Goldstein and Sun, 1).

Despite the many critics and support, facts about the Affordable care Act show better results. The Act had the intention to enhance access to cheap, valuable health insurance. Contrary to widespread myths, the Act has bettered healthcare quality and affordability since its enactment. Its specialized form of operation has also seen it help specific target groups. Among the most benefited are the elderly through a clause to improve community healthcare centers to help those who cannot access private healthcare services. “Eight million older Americans have saved $10 billion because of lower prescription drug costs under the law” (Landler and Michael, 1). In South Carolina, the Act has been implemented successfully. In the region, “18 districts are already implementing Aesop, [and they] have decided to employ additional personnel to keep up with the requirements are paying up to $43,000 a year” (Frontline, 1).

Judging from these facts, it is inevitable to conclude that the controversy that surrounds the Affordable care act was primarily a factor of a political interplay rather than a factor of merit. The Act in its bare essentials has the good of the American people at heart. However, this cannot be achieved without stepping on to some mighty shoes. These revelations show that the decision on the suitability or unsuitability of the Act ought to be left to the individual citizens rather than their political representatives. The current news coverage and debate in the Act is very healthy. The process should continue to enhance transparency and accountability in management of the program.

Works Cited:

Frontline Orangeburg Approves Aesop to Help With Healthcare Reform Requirements. Frontline

News. May 2, 2014. Washington D.C.

Landler, Mark and Michael, Shearapril “Enrollments Exceed Obama’s Target for Health Care

Act”. New York Times. 17 April, 2014. New York.

Rushe, Dominic. “Democrats rally behind president in defense of Obamacare.” The Guardian,17 November 2013. New York.

Eilperin, Juliet; Goldstein, Amy and Sun, Lena H. “Obama announces change to address healthinsurance cancellations.” The Washington Post, November 14, 2013.

PBS. at enrollment deadline, affordability may be real test of Affordable Care Act. The News

Hour 31, March, 2014.

Current Czochralski MonoCrystalline Growth

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Current Czochralski MonoCrystalline Growth

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to discuss current crystal growth process. There are several Silicon growth processes commonly used in the industry, the Czochralski MonoCrystalline Growth seems to be a popular choice among other ingot grow processes. The Silicon Growth process is considered as one of the most time consuming and expensive on the development of silicon cell (Tom P. Hough, 49). The process requires state of the art equipments to meet the critical requirements. The growing Process first start with high purity semiconductor-grade silicon, this is the primary source of the silicon wafer. The material has been process to at least 99.99% purity from one of the silicon grade refining process. The substance will be placed in a crucible, which is usually made of Quart. The material will be heated up to 1500°C and dissolve in a vacuum into its liquid form. Then a small piece of seed crystal will be dipped into the melted silicon, it is the leading source for the ingot grow. The melted silicon will be attracted to the seed and the ingot begins to grow. The seed will be slowly pulled upward and rotate at the same time. In the meantime, the crucible will be rotated in an opposite direction to minimize the convection (Vasileska, 114). The ingot will first grow neck and the diameter increase in a constant rate until it reaches to the desired diameter also known as the body. When the body has reached to the desired length or when the crucible is low on silicon material, the tail diameter of the ingot will reduce to the seed diameter to exit the process. The process will take around two days to produce high purity MonoCrystalline ingot (Hough, 76).

Introduction

The Czochralski process is a method used in crystal growth and it produces single crystals of semiconductors like gallium arsenide, silicon and germanium. The name of this process is derived from a polish scientist who discovered it in 1916 Jan Czochralski. Jan discovered this new method of crystal growth while studying the crystallization features of metals. The Czochralski process is mostly used in the growth of solitary crystal silicon as well as cylindrical ingots and boules. The process can also be used to grow other semiconductors like gallium arsenide although it requires the use of alternatives of the Bridgman-Stockbarger technique.

Process requirements

The first major requirement for the crystal growth using the Czochralski process is a vacuum pump. In dusty environments, the Czochralski process can produce a lot of silicon monoxide particles which can lower the quality of the crystals grown. The vacuum pump is used to absorb such particles therefore reducing their impact on the final crystal. The second requirement for the Czochralski process to be successful is an iridium crucible. The iridium crucible is the most preferred material mainly because of its superior compatibility to chemicals as well as their durability. Iridium is also used because it has a higher boiling temperature compared to the aluminum mixture used to grow the crystals (Vasileska, 28). The second requirement for the Czochralski process is a cooling system. After the aluminum mixture is melted, there is need to maintain it in a constant temperature of above 2050 degrees. The cooling system also known as the kiln contains nitrogen which keeps the iridium crucible oxidizing. The kiln also helps the iridium crucible react with the melt. To produce prefect crystals, the process requires a computer system is required for maintaining measurements while the crystal is being pulled from the mixture.

The Czochralski process involves slowly withdrawing a solitary crystal from a molten mixture of oxide. The melt hardens and turns into a seed which is later turned into a crystal of required diameter. This is achieved through controlling the amount of heat entering into the crucible. The most common methods used in heating the melt that is put into the crucible are resistance radio frequency heating (Geilker, Kwapil and Rein, 3). Iridium cubicles used in the Czochralski process are of different sizes and capacities and they are cylindrical. The crucibles are made from molten and rolled iridium sheets through welding. They can also be manufactured from iridium powder which is hot pressed. During crystal growth, the crucible undergoes several processes including charging, growing the crystal during the oxide melting point and cooling both the residue and the crucible charge after the bond between the melt and the crystal is broken.

The main steps of the Czochralski process

In the first step of the Czochralski process, a fused silica crucible is charged with undoped electronic grade polycrystalline silicon (EGS). After this, the charged silica crucible is also loaded with an exact amount of a watered down silicon alloy. During the crystallization process, there are gases that are contained in the growth chamber. After the first process, the second process involves releasing the gas in the growth chamber so as to avoid lowering the quality of the crystal produced. After releasing the gas in the growth chamber, the third step involves refilling the chamber with an inert gas. This process is important as it holds back or inhibits the entry of atmospheric gases into growth chamber. Entry of atmospheric gases into the melt is dangerous as it could lower the quality of the final crystals during crystal growing. The silicon charge contained in the chamber is them melted a temperature of 1421 degrees Celsius. After silicon is molten into the required temperatures, a thin seed of crystal silicon with exact orientation tolerance is lowered in. After a short time; the seed crystal is then removed from the molten silicon at a much regulated rate. During the removal process, the seed crystal is rotated in opposite direction with the crucible (Xakalashe and Tangstad, 89).

Electrical features of silicon are managed by incorporating materials like boron or phosphorous to silicon before its melted. These materials that are incorporated into silicon to control electrical characteristics of silicon are known as dopants and the process of adding them is known as doping. Other than silicon, the doping is also used with semiconductor materials like gallium arsenide. Growing silicon using the Czochralski method

Challenges of the Czochralski process

The Czochralski process presents several challenges and its necessary that great care should be taken to ensure that end product is of the desired quality. The first challenge of the process is temperature should be carefully monitored. Temperature monitoring is important because if it rises too high, there is a danger that the seed crystal may melt. If the temperatures are too low and the crystals are lowered into it, there is a risk that all the contents in the crucible may crystallize prematurely (Castellano, 43). When this happens, the resultant crystal is of a very low quality and this can be exhibited through fracture lines and cracks. The withdrawal of the crystal can also be challenging because one needs to be very careful and ensure that the withdrawal is correctly measured.

Production cost

The product cost of the Czochralski process is mainly dependant on the required raw materials as well as the size of the crystal being manufactured. Compared to small ones, large crystals are more expensive and difficult to grow. They also require higher degrees of control to ensure that the resultant crystals are of high quality. When choosing raw materials for use in production of crystals in the Czochralski process, one should consider different options since some are more expensive than others (Geilker, Kwapil and Rein, 5). Crystals grown using the Czochralski process are chemically the same to those of natural formations but they are more reliable and of higher quality. In normal circumstances, the production cost of the Czochralski process MonoCrystalline is about $24.55 per kilogram while that of polycrystalline is about $9.97 per kilogram.

Conclusion

The Czochralski process is the most popular method for growing crystals of high quality. A crucible is heated in a furnace after which the material to be melted put in. The crystal only grows when it’s pulled out vertically and this is due to phase change. After the melt has heated up, a seed crystal is lowered into it. The temperature of the melt in the crucible is constantly adjusted such that the temperature at the middle of the melt attains the freezing point of material. After this, the seed crystal is removed by being rotated as the crystal begins to grow. Compared to other methods, the Czochralski process has several advantages (Vasileska, 59). First, the Czochralski process makes it possible to observe both seeding and growth. Secondly, crucible walls do not restrict the crystals during cooling down and growth. Lastly, it is easy to control the level of forced convention in the melt.

Works Cited

B.S. Xakalashe and M. Tangstad. ”Silicon Processing: From Quartz to Crystalline Solar Cells”. Sothern African Pyrometallurgy, 2011.

Dragica Vasileska. Nano-Electronic Devices: Semiclassical and Quantum Transport Modeling. Springer, 2011. Print.

Juliane Geilker, Wolfram Kwapil and Stefan Rein. “Light Induced Degradation in Compensated P- and N- Type Czochralski Silicon Waters”. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol 109, 053718, 1-6, 2011.

Robert Castellano. Solar Panel Processing. Archives contemporaines, 2010.

Tom P. Hough. Recent Developments in Solar Energy. Nova Publishers, 2007. Print

Current and future challenges of VCL

Current and future challenges of VCL

Executive Summary

This report will focus on the current and future challenges of VCL .The current challenges include management and operations. Besides that the report will highlight the strengths of the company because they are the ones that have brought it this far. Though these challenges are temporary if they are not addressed they could jeopardize the mission of the organization in future. The workforce of this company is comprised of generalized staff that is expected to play roles of different personnel at a go. This is just a clue of the current challenges that will be covered in this report. On the other hand, there are future challenges that are yet to be experienced. This report will focus on the threats that are posed by these challenges and develop an action plan that will remedy these forthcoming issues. By understanding future challenges, the organization will have ample time prepare itself in anticipation of future changes.

Introduction

VCL specializes in automobile spares and of late it has managed to establish three branches. In organizational development it is important to analyze what has been achieved and what is yet to be achieved. Once this is done then the focus shifts to the barriers of development. In the case of VCL the size of workforce is in itself an obstacle because no one can be an expert in all fields. Moreover the challenges fall into two categories namely current and future challenges. An organization therefore needs to have a clear vision of future expectations and make the necessary adjustments. The challenges could also come with new opportunities. For instance if the market for automobiles is flooded then the organization could venture into a new market. But then care should be taken while drafting the action plan because every move will cause a positive or negative impact to the organization. It is therefore important to weigh the options early enough.

1.Current and Future Challenges at VCL

Current Challenges

The present challenges revolve around the company’s human resource department and the finance department The HR department is more of administrative rather than strategic. In addition, the employees represent the inputs that VCL use to generate results. Besides that, the financial situation is the core element of the organization because it reflects on the status of the company (Baum & Locke, 2004). From the look of things, VCL puts more efforts towards retaining its customers. Perhaps what the managers of this company do not know is that it is unhealthy to make sales without paying attention to accuracy of financial reporting.

The organization does not understand the significance of finance department, but perhaps by the time the truth will be downing on the administrators it will be too late. The finance department requires effective support services for it to improve its performance. The success of an organization is not measured by the number of sales generated, but also on the performance of each individual department (Shantz & Latham, 2009).

The provision of the necessary resources will ensure that the tasks performed by employees in the finance department will be more accurate and satisfying to both the employees and the customers (Cornelius & Schwab, 2003). Similarly, the tasks will become easier, and thus they will be completed within a very short time. Upgrading the finance department will help in reducing the expenses that are sometimes avoidable. The records that are held within the finance department can be relied upon to give a history of VCL since its inception four decades ago. Moreover, the impact of all company initiatives is reflected in the finance department, regardless of whether the impact is negative or positive.

Strengths Weakness

Ability to meet market demand and Effective preventive maintenance.

£600 million annual turn over.

Adequate workforce.

Have been in the industry for 40 years

Operations are not centralized Staff without relevant skills

Inadequate support staff ( shared secretary)

Poor policy implementation

Neglected HR and Finance departments

Opportunity Threat

Introduce new products

Newer markets beyond national boarders

Increased client base

Creation of new sources of income Stiff competition from other competitors

The market could collapse in the near future

SWOT Table

As shown in the SWOT table above, the workforce of VCL is not well resourced and the administrators do not reckon this shortcoming. The company has managed to remain competitive for forty years because of the reliability of its workforce and therefore the workforce should not be disregarded (Drach-Zahavy & Erez, 2002). In fact, VCL would not have achieved its goals without the workforce. This is why more emphasis is needed in this area. The HR department needs to appreciate the efforts made by the employees for all those years because this is what will keep them going.

Just like one cannot serve many masters at the same time, the generalized staff can serve all their assigned roles evenly. It is illogical to think that an employee can be an expert in everything to make him/her work all round the entire company. Perhaps VCL prefers a generalized staff because it costs less to hire and maintain such personnel (Gully et al., 2002). While the administrators may be overlooking the importance of HR department the staff who work there could be overwhelmed by the numerous roles they are supposed to play.

In essence, it seems the generalized staff serves different purposes simultaneously. For instance, the two persons are the company’s help desk, public relations and human resource managers, and one support staff aids them. Both the support staff and the generalized personnel cannot work efficiently because they will concentrate on areas that they are more acquainted with. For instance, if the personnel is a trained accountant he/she will deliver outstanding results in this area because he/she has the relevant training. The other areas will be overlooked and he/she will attend to other areas for the sake of pleasing the employer. Maybe this approach of generalized recruitment was employed for the sake of minimizing operations cost but then VCL should consider what specialized personnel could achieve (Jay, 2004).

Zhao, Seibert, and Hills (2005) reckon that the generalized staff is forced to tackle tasks that they are not familiar with and they are likely to make uninformed decisions. The above argument is supported by the fact that the same generalized personnel have the mandate of drafting the policies that are implemented in other branches of the organization. For instance, an accountant cannot make policies that are going to influence the other departments in an organization without consulting the people who head the other departments. This is because does not understand the concepts that can or cannot work in every individual department. It is like forcing a marketer to emulate the policies recommended by the manufacturer while it is clear that marketing is not close to manufacturing.

When the policies drafted by the supposed mastermind fail to deliver the desired results, VCL should blame itself. This is because the wrong person drafts the policies. Additionally, the generalized staff is always at the head office and so they do not know exactly what happens in the sites apart from the information that is conveyed to them by the site managers. In fact, the policies should be drafted after the site managers have been consulted. Centralizing functions is another challenge because it reduces the process of implementation. Having a centralized HR means that each branch cannot make its decisions without the approval of the head office (Locke & Latham, 2002). VCL should embrace the latest technology for effective management of its branches. This is because each branch has its own unique needs, and the individual HR managers understand the areas that need improvement.

Future Challenges

The generalized staffs at VCL make decisions that are based on their previous experiences in other organizations. The strategy employed by VCL does not create room for exposure, which is much needed by the generalized staff (Pinder, 2008). Situations change with time, but since the HR department is under staffed the approaches recommended by the policy makers may not work in future. When challenges arise, VCL can only rely on generalized personnel to draft an action plan. This limits the chances of solving the problem because the people on the ground are not involved in making decisions that affect them on a daily basis.

In addition, VCL branches have a single client and this could spell doom in the future as competition stiffens. This implies that the existence of VCL is fully dependent on the existence of these designated customers. The company would no one to buy the automobile parts. Seijts and Latham (2005) argue that by having a single customer, the company has limited its options and its chances of survival are very narrow. Should this speculation happen, VCL will be ejected from the market because it will not meet the market demand.

The company has one stream of income and this is a problem in waiting because the company will have to close down incase the market does not favor its ambitions. Having several different product lines guarantees survival because revenue can be obtained from either side. A time will come when the current personnel will have to leave the company and thereafter a vacuum. In will be left in the company. This is because VCL does not have a succession plan especially in the head office. In essence, the STEEPLE table below depicts the issues discussed in this section,

Social Disposable income, ageing population, shift in customer demand

Technology keeping with technological trends

Environment policies and pollution

Economical Recession, Interest rate, inflation, Fuel price going up

Political Britain not part of Europe, changing Government policies, export regulations.

Legal Employment law, Legislation

Ethics CSR,( ethical practices with labor according to UN ETC

Learning and Development Implications of VCL’s Challenges

The development of an organization is dependent on the knowledge that is contained in the organization. This knowledge can be obtained through learning which comes in different forms (Baum & Locke, 2004). Knowledge can be transmitted in formal learning institutions or through observation. VCL employs apprenticeship and vocational training. This strategy is ideal because it is voluntary, and thus the learner learns at his/her own pleasure. Likewise, apprenticeship is convenient and cheap both to the organization because it takes place within the premises of the company (Selden & Brewer, 2000). However, a functional HR department must be established to oversee the implementation of learning and development.

Learning through observation is also useful because the learner applies the concepts of the lesson in his/her tasks. Alternatively, vocational learning enhances the talents that are possessed by individuals by refining them for the benefit of the organization. The advantage of apprenticeship is that it gives the learner hands-on experience, and therefore incorporating those skills becomes easier (Shantz & Latham, 2009). Learning contributes to increased performance because the employees are able to improve the outcome of their inputs. However, learning can loose its relevance if the learners are not allowed to apply the concepts learned. In the end it will be a waste of time. This suggests learning is the catalyst of organizational change. There is no point of investing in learning if the organizational behavior will not change (Wise, 2005).

The challenges that have been cited in VCL can be traced in the company’s organizational culture. However, the Chartered engineer at Windy Hill site is herself an agent of change. She is a very radical person because when she came on board she assessed the situation at the site and identified a fault in workforce management. It is impossible to initiate change without understanding why certain are done in a particular way (Srivastava, Bartol, & Locke, 2006). She relied on her broad experience, which in this case was her source of knowledge. She may have encountered a similar challenge elsewhere and fortunately, for her those challenges presented an opportunity to learn. She realized that the employees, especially the junior employees, were not motivated in any way. The head office would have initiated change long before the new manager was hired but then they chose to ignore the challenges.

In light of this, organizational learning and development should be a gradual process (Jay, 2004). The new manager is aware of this because she realized that change was not going to be experienced overnight. She realized that change need to start from somewhere and spread to other branches of VCL. So far, her initiative has achieved commendable results, and thus her station should be viewed as the role model by the other branches. The new manager must have spent time with the employees in her site for addressing their needs.

Organizational learning should be inclusive because the members have to move ahead as one block (Gully et al., 2003). Currently, VCL employs selective learning and thus organizational development cannot be felt in the entire organization. Likewise, biased learning can cause the employees to be demoralized because they think that the organization favors certain people at the expense of other employees. It is important to solve the current challenges because with time they will pile up, thus causing the organization to be overwhelmed. This is because there are future challenges that are yet to be solved (White, Bandura and Bero, 2009). The current challenges at VCL should be viewed as lessons for handling future challenges. This means that once the problems are eliminated, the lessons should be retained and advanced because the future challenges will be more complex.

The challenges do not have fixed solutions and that is why organizational learning must continue (Whyte & Saks, 2007). The new manager has created a balance between branch growth and personal development. It is evident that she has established a working relationship with her team, which has led to improved performance. Most managers think that employees are only concerned about their pay, which is wrong because there are other issues that contribute to employee satisfaction.

Employees are motivated when the organization appreciates their contribution towards the growth of the company (Jay, 2004). This can be achieved by sharing the achievements with the people who contributed to the achievement of those results. For instance, the yearly turnover stands at 600 million pounds. A certain fraction of this money should be given to the employees because without them this figure would not have been realized. Employees have their own goals that go hand in hand with those of VCL and if those goals are not achieved the employees will be demoralized because they do not have anything to show for their hard work (Wise & Freund, 2005). It is likely that the junior employees at VCL work for the sake of their survival and thus they will leave the organization in case new opportunities show up elsewhere.

Action Plan for VCL

The management of VCL should not wait until the environment demands for change because that way they will miss the organizational goals. The current and future challenges need to be addressed by involving all the members of the organization. The decisions made by the management of VCL should include the voice of employees who work in different sites. This is because each workstation is unique and thus requires unique solutions. The change strategy should be documented so that all the aspects and elements that need to be altered are clearly understood. It is important to set a period within which the changes should be implemented (Zhao, Seibert, & Hills, 2005). Before scheduling change, VCL should set realistic goals that are dependent on availability of resources. For instance, more staff needs to be brought on board but then this exercise requires a commendable amount of money to be dedicated to this purpose. Furthermore, the organization should come up with long-term solutions so that the problems are entirely solved.

Other branches should emulate the changes implemented by Windy Hill’s site manager. However, the changes need to follow a specific sequence because changes are not easy to implement. This is because each workstation has its own capacity and thus unique strengths and weaknesses. The changes should then be allocated priorities based on their importance. The management should identify ways of motivating its employees. A simple gesture such as involving them in decision-making processes will help build lasting relationships.

Furthermore, the generalized staff should be retained, but new experts should be hired for the sake of relieving the overwhelmed staff. This will contribute to improved performance because the employees will concentrate on a single task. Recruitments should be based on qualifications for the sake of guaranteeing effective performance. Further, VCL needs to focus on strategies that can contribute to increased market share. It seems the marketing approach that was employed by VCL was not effective.

More efforts should be directed towards gaining new customers before competitors flood the market. The company should establish a target market and ensure that the products of the company are marketed to people who are likely to make a purchase due to their needs. Potential competitors should be identified for preparing to defeat them. This can be achieved by focusing on the activities of the competitors and advancing them for the benefit of the organization. VCL should identify a different venture that should act as a back up plan.

Markets are very dynamic and thus an organization should be prepared to cope with these changes or risk being ejected from the business. VLC should then identify and document another niche product in anticipation of market change. It is not possible to experience change without knowledge because being aware enables an organization to identify its weaknesses and strengths. Since situations are not dormant, learning should also be continuous. This implies that learning programs should be integrated with the organization. The management should provide the support that is required to facilitate the learning process.

Consequently, the initiatives of VCL need to be assigned resources such as budgetary allocation. The resources allocated to each initiative should not be fixed because the changes in the environment may exhaust the available resources. VCL should also establish channels of communication. Besides that, communication should take a two-way traffic instead of the current one-way approach. This will ensure that the appropriateness of the decisions spear headed by management is closely managed. When the underlying issues are addressed, VCL will forge ahead successfully and remain intact.

Conclusion

VCL must continue assessing its current and future challenges. This is because challenges do not have permanent solutions because they are also subjected to change which makes them tougher than ever before. The HR and finance departments need to be accorded equal relevance just like the other sections. VCL needs to weigh its strengths before embarking on the implementation of the action plan. The plan should include how the market share will be increased over a given period of time. Besides, the goals that will be set need to be realistic because if they are not then the mission would be a waste of time and resources. Organizational learning should be documented in the company’s culture to ensure that it is a continuous process.

REFERENCIES

Cornelius, P., and K. Schwab, 2003. The global competitiveness report. New York: Oxford University Press.

Jay, W., 2004. International perspectives on workforce education and development. New York: Information Age Publishing.

Pinder, C., 2008. Work motivation in organizational behavior. 2nd Ed. Toronto: Psychology Press.

Baum, J. and E. Locke, 2004. The relationship of entrepreneurial traits, skill and motivation to subsequent venture growth’. Journal of Applied Psychology [online], 89, pp. 587-598.

Drach-Zahavy, A. & Erez, M. (2002) ‘Challenge versus threat effects on the goal-performance relationship’. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 88, pp. 667-682.

Gully, S.M., et al (2002) ‘A meta-analysis of team efficacy, potency and performance: interdependence and level of analysis as moderators of observed relationships’. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, pp. 819-832.

Locke, E.A. & Latham, G.P. (2002) ‘Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35 year odyssey’. American Psychologist, 57, pp. 705-717.

Seijts, G.H. & Latham, G.P. (2005) ‘Learning versus performance goals: when should each be used?’ Academy of Management Executive, 19, pp. 124-131.

Selden, S.C. & Brewer, G.A. (2000) “Work motivation in the senior executive service: testing the high performance cycle theory’. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 10, pp. 531-550.

Shantz, A. & Latham, G.P. (2009) ‘The effect of subconscious and conscious goals on employee performance’. Organizational Behavior and Human decision Processes, 109, pp. 9-17.

Srivastava, A., Bartol, K.M., & Locke, E.A. (2006) ‘Empowering leadership in management teams: effects on knowledge sharing, efficacy and performance’. Academy of Management Journal, 49, pp. 1239-1251.

White, J., Bandura, A., & Bero, L. (2009) ‘Moral disengagement in the corporate world’ Accountability in Research, 16, pp. 41-74.

Whyte, G. & Saks, A. (2007) ‘The effects of self-efficacy on behavior in escalation situations’. Human Performance, 20, pp. 23-42.

Wise, B.S. & Freund, A.M. (2005) ‘Goal progress makes one happy or does it?’ Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 78, pp. 287-304.

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Cumulative Trauma Injuries

Cumulative Trauma Injuries

A cumulative trauma injury essentially refers to injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system and occur due to repetitive minute injuries which develop due to the over use of a body part, or due to the wrong use of that particular body part. At times repeated minute injuries due to the application of an external force can also lead to cumulative trauma injuries. At times, a micro trauma may weaken that particular part of the body to the extent that a macro trauma experienced causes more damage than it would in a perfectly healthy body and vice versa. In most cases the trauma occurs due to repetitive stress on the particular body part, causing constant trauma and as a result the injury builds up. Examples of cumulative trauma injuries include carpal tunnel syndrome, epicondylitis, trigger finger, knee bursitis and hand-arm vibration syndrome among others.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is usually characterized by irritation and swelling of the tendons and nerves running into the wrist, due to the application of added pressure onto the nerve. The median nerve and tendons run through a tunnel (carpal tunnel) created by carpal ligaments at the top and the wrist bones at the bottom. Irritation and swelling of the tendons and the sheath compress the median nerve and lead to loss of feeling in the hand as well as in the fingers. This irritation or swelling is usually caused by overextension or overflexion of the hand, repetitive motions, trauma and injuries as well as genetic predisposition. Flexing a hand or a finger usually causes irritation which if allowed time, normally heals, repetitive motions do not allow such time and as such lead to cumulative trauma and as a result carpal tunnel syndrome.

Symptoms

CTS leads to loss of hand strength, reduced muscle development, difficulty in holding or pinching as well as weakness of the thumb. Sensory symptoms usually include stiffness, tingling, numbness as well as pain, more so at night.

Treatment/Management

Preventive measures usually include: Modifying workstations or adjusting the length of time one spends on activities that can aggravate the wrist.

A resting splint may be applied in order to relieve symptoms more so at night.

Physiotherapy can be utilized in the initial stages of carpal tunnel syndrome

Surgery may at times be required for the advanced stages of carpal tunnel syndrome.

It is well accepted that carpal tunnel syndrome is a work related disorder and currently insurers companies are catering for medical expenses of workers. It is therefore currently accepted as a compensable work related injury, with the average figure of compensation being about $33,000 per case. The syndrome contributed to 3.7% of compensable claims from the state fund.

Epicondylitis

Simply refers to elbow pain resulting from inflammation at the epicondyle, due what can be referred to as over use of the forearm or arm. There usually is injury to the attachment point of the muscles and tendons, and can occur laterally or medially, commonly called tennis and golfer’s elbows respectively. This condition is most commonly seen in manual laborers or sports participants, more so painters, carpenters, gardeners, plumbers, racquet game players, golfers and fencers, due to the repetitive use of the arms and forearms in these fields.

Symptoms

Pain radiating to the forearm

Pain that worsens when lifting objects

Pain worsens with wrist movement

Pain on the outside of the elbow, in most cases affecting the dominant arm, or the one used the most.

Swelling around the elbow

Management

In order to avoid worsening the pain, counter force braces such as elastic bands may be wrapped around the forearm

Avoiding overuse of the wrist through tight gripping or such activities.

Treatment

Resting of the affected arm

Application of ice to the inflamed area

Application of cortisone either topically or through injection directly to the site

Use of non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen

In serious cases surgery may be used

Epicondylitis is accepted as an occupational health problem and is compensable, with total compensations for the disorder accounting for 0.4% of compensable claims due to work related musculoskeletal disorders in 2002.

Trigger Finger

This condition refers to the locking, catching or snapping of a finger tendon resulting in pain or dysfunction of the involved finger. This therefore results in difficulty extending or flexing the finger which is accompanied by a popping sound when the finger unlocks similar to the sound achieved when the trigger of a gun is released. The locking usually occurs due to the development of nodules and thickening of the flexor tendon, due to repeated irritation making it harder for the tendon to slide smoothly through its tunnel (the tendon sheath. The locking is therefore as a result of the tendon momentarily getting stuck at the mouth of its sheath, with passage and sudden straightening being accompanied by the customary pop. The condition commonly occurs due to activities that strain the hand and in individuals with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes, although its particular cause is still unknown.

Symptoms

The symptoms usually are of sudden onset and no accompanying injury, although a period of heavy hand use may precede the symptoms.

Swelling

The appearance of a tender lump in the palm

A Catching, locking or popping sensation in the thumb or finger joints

Pain resulting from straightening or bending of the fingers.

The catching or locking worsens with inactivity

Treatment

Resting of the affected finger using splints

Use of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Use of injectable corticosteroids

Surgery aimed at widening the tendon sheath.

Trigger finger is on the list of compensable work related injuries, with a solicitor in the United Kingdom setting the sum of compensation per case at about 1200 to 15000 pounds, depending on the severity of the condition and whether or not surgery is required.

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome

HAV is a condition in which circulation and the motor and sensory nerves of the hand and fingers are affected and at times even damaged due to exposure to vibration. The condition is commonly caused by tools which produce high levels of vibration, ranging from chain saws, grinders, chipping hammers to road drills. This commonly leads to a vasospastic disorder with accompanying discoloration of the fingers and narrowing of blood vessels, usually referred to as secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon.

Symptoms

Whitening of the fingertips with accompanying numbness and prickly sensations due to spasms in the blood vessels during episodes.

Pain and ulceration of the finger tips with gangrene in some severe cases.

Reduced grip strength

Prevention

Use of impact absorbing and antivibration gloves

Use of wrist supports

Treatment

Use of vasodilators such as calcium channel blockers

Surgery to correct the narrowed blood vessels.

Compensation usually depends on the determination of whether the Raynaud’s is primary or secondary, with secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon usually a compensable work related disorder.

Cumnor Ltd Analysis of Macro External Business Environment Influencing Demand for Ice Cream

Cumnor Ltd: Analysis of Macro External Business Environment Influencing Demand for Ice Cream

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Introduction

The business environment is a setting created by several factors which influence the organization’s decision making process and affect its performance. Macro environmental analysis forms the first step of a strategic analysis referred to as an external analysis. A well-known tool used to identify external influencing factors is the PEST analysis that involves research of political, economic, social and technological impacts. The paper seeks to carry out analysis of the developing macro environmental factors affecting ice cream products. External environmental analysis is aimed to help to identify opportunities and threats in the ice cream industry. The two main questions reviewed in the analysis are: what will affect the growth of the industry as a whole, and what are the likely impacts of the processes affecting the industry.

For example, an aging population is a demographic trend in many countries. This trend is expected to result in ice cream sales drop. The opportunities and threats identified in the external macro environment analysis might have positive or negative effects on the industry’s welfare. The effects may include interest rates raise. Hence, the company should be aware of potential consequences. For instance, if the fluctuations in interest rates aren’t expected to affect company’s performance, then the interest rate change should not be considered in the macro analysis of environmental factors.

Macro environment factors of Cumnor Ice Cream Ltd.

Ice cream production in UK has continued to face significant demand. The consumption is expected to register 5-% growth in value terms. Consumers are greatly motivated by indulgence as they continue to search for affordable treats to reward themselves during economic hardship times. Observation indicates that the volume size is growing at slow rates (Michael, 1999, 35).

Economic environment

Global economic factors create an impact on all businesses. Per se, the future economic climate will have a significant impact on Cumnor Ltd. The climate will dictate how consumers, suppliers and other organizational stakeholders will behave in society. When the economy is in recession due to the world’s financial crisis, it creates an impact on the potential customers as their budget gets shortened. Due to the economic challenges affecting people in the UK, consumers may tend to keep the money in their pockets and cut down the rewards they offer to themselves in order to satisfy basic needs. One of the significant impacts the Cumnor Ltd may face in condition of economic crisis is drop in visitors number. If in such conditions the Cumnor Ltd finds a way to propose more considerate prices, many people will increase their visits to the organization. The implication will be a rise in an opportunity for ice cream to most consumers in UK. Customers do not want to renounce totally to go out for ice cream treats therefore they will opt to visit the most affordable places (Robert & Bradley, 1987, 57). Per se, Cumnor Ltd has captured many customers due to its considerate prices. As a result, the financial crises of individuals is not going to affect the sale of ice cream for the organization. And if economic condition changes for better, returning customers will continue to visit the shops for ice cream more often and prefer more expensive types. The economic growth is said to have gained momentum in 2004, and the upturn has continued to grow. But recent indicators show that the economy began to backtrack in 2007. The slow global economy causes the environmental derail in the growth of the ice cream business (Johnson & Scholes, 2002).

Social-cultural environment

Social-cultural environment focuses on the social aspects that affect attitudes, interests, and opinions. The above mentioned factors are what shape the people of the place. They also shape the way people behave and what constitutes the consumption. In the UK, the attitudes have been changing towards habits of self-reward and leisure activities. Most of the young generation people see ice cream as the best activity to engage when having a constructive relaxation time (Robert & Bradley, 1987, 59). People have become very conscious about their leisure activities and the amount of input it consumes. As a result, the UK ice cream markets are expanding regardless of the expansively associated. There is a growing trend towards ice cream culture, and if Cumnor Ltd focuses on exploiting the gap in the market, it will be the best in ice cream sales. People tend to shift towards healthy socio-cultural habits. Organizations such as Cumnor should aim to complement and benefit customers in their lifestyle and behavior. If Cumnor is not able to adopt and respond to socio-cultural changes of its customers and societal changes, it might lose market share and demand. UK holds a significant position in the world when it comes to the happiness index (Robert & Bradley, 1987, 61). Therefore, it can be interpreted that people will spend their time in destinations that offer them quality time in terms of quality services and goods. It means that most people will want to visit the best places to hang out with friends and have a relaxed time in a comfortable and healthy environment. As long as the ice cream industry competitors have not processed the whole market by exploiting the market potential, there are great prospects for Cumnor to venture into the business in even greater indulgences than its current status (Thompson & Martin, 2005, 11).

Ice cream competitive forces

The competitive forces are defined by the market structures; a market is a group of buyers and sellers. Ice cream market in the UK faces stiff competition. Consumers are well knowledgeable of the existing sellers and hence, tend to exercise full consumer choice. The dealers are also aware that there are several sellers of similar products. Per se, the price of ice cream and the quantity cannot be considered essential distinctive factors for any single buyer and seller. Rather, price and quantity is a collective factor determined by all sellers as they interact in the market. Consequently, the markets are perfectly competitive. It means that there are so many buyers and sellers that no single buyer or seller has an influence over the market price (Thompson & Martin, 2005, 21). The most beneficial strategy for Cumnor Ltd is proposing such a price that will suit both the organization and buyers. The company is forced to assume perfect competition in order to generate a sustainable place in the market share. The company will have the easiest time operating in perfect competition market because it does not have the mandate do determine the prices. However, the quality of the products sold in the market will influence the purchases made for a particular customer. If most consumers discover a fault in the products or their trust in the product is lowered, the company sales may go down. It does not automatically translate to loss but eventually the firm will fail to withstand the pressure of the market. Consequently, if the company ignores quality factor, it will run to loss and ultimate closure (Thompson & Martin, 2005, 22).

Internal analysis

Internal analysis focuses on analyzing the internal strengths and weakness. Internal analysis of the strengths and weaknesses focuses on the internal factors that give Cumnor Ltd advantages of the targeted market. The strengths are the factors that assist the firm in meeting the customer needs. The weaknesses are also analyzed from a customer’s perspective, and they offer the flaws that the company does not see (Grant, 2002).

Marketing issues

Cumnor Ltd should keep its social mission; even so, the company needs to develop sales and marketing strategies to centralize their marketing activities. Its main customer task force is made up of a young population. Targeting this group of consumers means that proper advertising should focus on promoting products. The company should weigh the possibilities and advantages of redesigning its advertising strategies. Therefore, it should adjust the design of its packaging to meet the matching status of its current customer’s tastes. Such a move creates an added advantage for the company because the market is perfectly competitive (Grant, 2002). Offering coupons and discounts will ensure that more customers are attracted to the business. The company has discovered ways to expand its markets. One of the ways is through discovering and promoting diverse usage of its products. For example, the company engages in promoting ice cream eating on different occasions and seasons that have significant value to the people. The company has put up strategies to counter the seasonal demand for ice cream and make it a cultural practice for demand of ice cream. A careful advertising is among the methods used in order to achieve the above objective. The company has engaged in giving up weaker boundaries to smaller firms and concentrating in the stronger regions (Grant, 2002).

Some marketing studies advise organizations to try product bundling approaches, brand extensions and dual branding to refresh their strategies and attract new clients (Levin, Devis & Levin, 1996).

Human resource

Cumnor Ltd has maintained its social mission and kept manual labor as well as integrating new labor improved strategies. The company is benefiting greatly by moving its human resource to less labor intensive production. The management of the company has sought to keep the benefits and maintain the levels attained for wage demands and supply. There are enough considerations of strategies that will facilitate the communication of management team and the lower classes of employees as the company faces diversification and growth. There are key strategies put in place in order to disseminate information in all the tiers of communication. The employees are made aware of any changes in the organization and business strategy through swift and efficient communication methods (Hill & Jones, 1998).

Financial issues

Sensitivity analysis indicates that a company’s most sensitive part is its profits or losses. The profits or losses are a sensitive part of cost of sales and administration costs. The company reduced the cost of sales by 1% which led to a reduction in loss possibilities by 29%. The administration cost if cut by 2% will lead to reduction on loss possibilities by 18%. So far, the company has managed to keep its administration costs within the limits of its budgets. There are no bad investments made so far. An acquisition of new equipment will facilitate efficiency but lower the profits of the current year. The new equipment will increase efficiencies within the financial operations of the company. The asset write-off leads to a decrease in profits by 12%.

Operational issues

The shift in customer demands insists that the company should stress the importance of operational activities. The company counter attacks its downfall in the operational issue sector by investing in research and development. It has created a full-time based research and development department that dedicates its resources to the development of unconventional, cutting-edge flavors (Kelly, 2009). As such, the company will be upfront in the market area. The ice cream flavor development has proved to be very successful. Company is able to maintain a low cost on its operational issues. The company follows very strict procedures for selection and purchases. The company gets most of its supplies from established firms hence saves in costs and creates efficiencies (Cole & Kelly, 2011).

Conclusion and proposal

There are no companies operating in the road of success and profitability without challenges. Major investments typically lead to minor losses. Cumnor Ltd is facing a real market for its products; therefore, the investors should have confidence in investing further.

The company should engage in following the proposed strategic options, and it will benefit in several ways. One of the ways is international expansion. An increased sales volume will enable the company to generate more profits and gain from the economies of scale. The cost structure of the organization will go down increasing the profitability margins. Employees will benefit from the satisfaction through better remuneration such that the company will ride down up the learning curve and profit from employee experiences.

Proposed implementations are to incorporate long-term investments as the company should capitalize on global expansions since the UK markets are reaching maturity. Early entry to the international market will ensure that the business gains in future growth.

References

Baumol, J., Panzar, C. and Willig, R. 2000. Contestable Markets and the Theory of Industry Structure. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Cole, G. A. and Kelly, P., 2011. Theory and Practice and Management. Cengage EMEA.

Hill, J. and Jones, G., 1998. Strategic Management – An integrated Approach. Houghton

Mifflin, Boston, MA

Grant, R., 2002. Daimler Chrysler and the World Automobile Industry. Oxford: Blackwell.

Johnson, G. and Scholes, H., 2002. Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases,

Prentice Hall, U.K.

Kelly, P., 2009. International Business and Management. Cengage Learning EMEA.

Michael, S., 1999. Contestable Markets and the Theory of Industry Structure: A Review Article. Journal of Economic Literature 21.

Robert, D. and Bradley G., 1987. The PIMS Principles: Linking Strategy to Performance. New York: Free Press, 64–5.

Thompson, L. and Martin, F., 2005. Strategic Management. Cengage Learning EMEA.

Levin, A.M., Davis, J.C. and Levin, I., 1996. Theoretical and Empirical Linkages Between Consumer’s Responses to Different Branding Strategies. Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 23, pp. 296-300.

Cultures of the pacific

Introduction

While Western influences are noticeable in Papua New Guinea among the Gebusi such as conversion to Christianity, introduction of Christian norms and values into the day to day life of the contemporary society, embrace of the cash money economy, schooling (formal schooling) and other activities like the disco, the Gebusi, nevertheless, resisted some western influence by clinging tight to their traditionally established cultural practices such as spirit séances and witch-hunting. These form an essential part of the characteristics and features of these people who are found in the Pacific Melanesia.

Characteristics of the Traditional Gebusi Society: Political and Social Order

The Gebusi comprises of around 25 clans which are in turn composed of members that are either directly or indirectly related to each other. The Gebusi political leadership and social order is enormously dispersed (decentralized). The leadership has no secular positions like recognized headmen, war leaders, or senior elders. Bruce Knauft, (2009) notes that adult men among the Gebusi are not competitive as well as democratic and egalitarian. He adds that the men are rather diffident as opposed to being boastful and therefore general consensus is the method mainly used in arriving at decisions. The society is made of small communities or settlements which act as effective political units especially during occasions of feasts and fighting events. There are diverse clan affiliations among these communities which are well recognized.

In the social order spectrum, an adult male status to a Gebusi man is conferred through single-stage initiation and consequent marriage. There is no inequality exhibited between the wife givers and the wife-takers. Therefore, they exchange food gifts equally in any current relationships and this is regardless of whether there is a balance or an imbalance of women in the marriage between the two families. To affirm the tight social bonds within and between settlements, food gifts are given and these are accompanied by subsequent exchanges which are done in a fashion that is not competitive at all. The Gebusi respect gender relations as a defining dimension of the society and therefore male members of the society have a prerogative role of presiding over rituals and feast giving occasions. Besides, men also preside over other functions like the bow-and-arrow fighting and other societal rituals.

In terms of social control, the Gebusi settlement communities do not engage in warfare frequently. There is however systematic raiding upon them from their neighborhood (particularly the Bedamini). Moreover, fights occasionally erupt but they basically sprout from sorcery attributions.

In the social association of the society, Gebusi men would rather declare their sexual arousal than keep it secret or hide it. In addition, they sometimes exaggerated this and the senior men in the community joked in disregard of the sensitivity people would associate with such matters. They would announce publicly the sexual encounters they had with other men or women. However, this publicity is much a thing of the past than it is for the present practice (Knauft 2009).

Government decline started to be felt in areas like Nomad where important institutions like the government offices, health facilities, school, police post and airstrip closed down.

Important Rituals among the Gebusi People

Traditionally, the Gebusi people identify with a number of rituals which form an integral part of their life and act as an important defining factor to the society’s continued heritage. Ritual dances and spirit séances are not uncommon among the communities in the settlements. Though there are salient differences in the rituals practiced by the Gebusi as compared to those practiced by other communities that inhabit the Pacific society of Melanesia the Tangu and Gebusi shared one practiced reciprocity sister exchange.

Another ritual that is firmly embedded in the society among the Gebusi is the curing rituals and the traditional curing dances that go along the curing events. During these occasions of the traditional curing dances, the dancers are dressed in traditional attire that is symbolic of the spirit world. To the Gebusi, there two spirit worlds: the upper spirit world and the lower spirit world which must be evoked during the curing dances. Though Christianity was introduced into the Gebusi society by the missionaries, the Gebusi could not abandon their traditions completely for the church but brought in parts of their traditional ritual costuming and mixed it with the Christian fashion to come up with a new blend of Christian-tradition mixture. This is always evident when there are important functions that bring together many people and which sometimes call for welcoming of guests. The church (catholic is the dominant religion in areas like Gasumi and Kiunga). The church leaders encourage the blending of the Christian practices with the long-standing traditions (Knauft 2009).

Surprisingly, when there was an external influence from the missionaries some years back, some of the rituals that were traditionally appealing to the Gebusi seemed to wane. This trend was broken and most of the rituals are back and well practiced as a normal way of life. This shows the mode of resistance employed by these people against external influence on their traditional culture. For instance, though the ritual of witch-hunting was rampant in the traditional days of the Gebusi, it waned for some time but then it resurfaced and it is commonplace. They don’t spare a man suspected of sorcery; neither do they spare a woman suspected of the same.

Ritualized sex among Gebusi men was part of their day to day life and young men were initiated through “secret meetings” where they taught men talk and secrets. During these rituals the Gebusi conducted insemination of boys as a part of traditional ritual of revealing the secrets to the boys at initiation. During the ceremonies, the men inseminate boys orally or through anal sex (male-male sex) after which they rub the semen on the skins of the boys being initiated.

Belief in sorcery and shamanism is very rampant and this is why murders occur of people suspected of practicing it. The ritual that catches a lot of attention is that of intricate male initiation rites. The sexual practices that accompany the rites are of complicated nature. The males being initiated (they were generally mid-teenage or late-teenage) underwent sexual engagements with the older men where they orally consumed the older males’ semen. During these initiation rites, the men wore wa kawala costumes.

Basic Subsistence Economy of the Gebusi Society

Fundamental societal conditions that affect the family level of the society have tremendously changed due to societal dynamics in the Gebusi society. These dynamics were triggered by the colonial powers and other influencing agents like the Christian missionaries and business entities. Due to increased urbanization in the island, the Gebusi people now live in modern houses in a modern world where the economy is basically a cash market economic system. Prior to the coming of the colonialists the Gebusi people depended largely on gathering and hunting where the entire society depended on the hunters and gatherers for food. Hunting and gathering is thus part of the abandoned culture among the Gebusi people. The market economy that was born out of the influence of the colonialists became all the society depended on to generate income for survival and continuity. Traditionally, the Gebusi used to practice subsistence agriculture though the introduction of plantation farming changed the mode of land use. Today, the Gebusi comprise an amalgamation of agriculturalists who engage in small scale farming (banana plots make a bigger percentage of land use), pastoralists and foragers (Knauft 2009).

In trade, the Gebusi carried their trade sporadically and with much opportunistic perspective where they traded in tobacco, cuscus-bone arrow tips, dogs’-teeth necklaces and red ochre. These commodities formed a commodity exchange system where the Gebusi exchanged with the Tangu people.

In the traditional economic setup of the Gebusi society, there was a clear- marked boundary between the activities that were carried out by men as compared to those carried out by the women. This formed a system of division of labour. Men would be restricted to hunting, cutting down of trees, constructing houses and making weapons. Making ritual decorations was also a preserve of men in the society. On the other hand, women would process the sago palms, handle the task of weeding, fetching firewood, and carrying the produce from the garden. Harvesting the produce was a preserve of women and they also made string bags bark cloth, string skirts and sago baskets.

The Nature of the Impact: Historical and Present Day of Western Societies

How the Gebusi conformed to the Western Influence

In the early days of the missionaries, one major achievement made by the missionaries was to win converts out of the Gebusi people into Christianity. Many of the Gebusi were converted into Christianity and became Catholics. To that point, catholic churches (missionary centers) were set up where people went for worship. While the church was busy converting, another force was acting in the Gebusi society creating a n influence din the way of life among the youth and even the old. Discos were introduced into the society which changed the mode of enjoyment for the traditional kind to

Schooling also transformed the society and market introduction of market activity played a role in changing the way the people of this society transacted. Such activities formed a formal order in the society which needed a particular way of doing things that is organized and predetermined; for examples sports leagues would be organized and it would be known that these events would take a given regularity. Nevertheless, the influence created by these features is limited. The initial major center of influence to the culture of the Pacific came from the Christian missionaries and churches who acted as the chief agencies in the spread of literacy. In addition, they influenced the local culture to employ the use of language for critical and aesthetic appreciation. Language would also be effectively employed for recreational purposes. The government educational systems ultimately took over from the Christian churches as agents of literacy. Even though literacy became one of the main approaches to changing the people’s cultural way of life into a new culture, literacy itself had limited impact. At present, the formal governance systems seem to be failing as the Gebusi are seen to be headed back to the rainforest life. Presently, most sports fields are engulfed by grass and are no longer an attraction to the sporting activities.

Resistance of the Gebusi to Western Influence

Though the missionaries came with a different mode of life which is based on Christian tenets, the Gebusi have not inculcated the whole thing. Thus, they have ensured that part of longstanding traditions (like body decorations and ritual attire become part of their religion). And surprisingly, as Knauft (2009) notes, the leaders of the church have had no other option apart from allowing these longstanding traditions to find their way into the Christian practices coming up with a people-friendly blend.

Examining the cultures of the Gebusi people, therefore, one discovers that the cultures are as diverse and they are tending to the original practices that were practiced before the advent of the western influence.

Works Cited:

Knauft, Bruce “The Gebusi: Lives Transformed in a Rainforest World” McGraw-Hill: March, 2009

Transportation research records

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Summary of Transportation Research Record

The trend taken by aviation travel in the long term echoes the growth experienced by growth domestic product (GDP). With growth in the United State’s population and economy coupled with globalization of its economy, it would not be surprising if air travel increases. However, many communities have been against airport expansion due to noise and traffic.

In Denver, Colorado, the opening of a new airport in 1995 marked the end of construction of key new airports. Since then, runways have been added in an effort to expand most key airports. These efforts have however been hampered by insufficient land for expansion as well as the communities’ opposition to the aircraft noise. This explains why the last decade has seen the addition of only 7 runways. Nevertheless, quite a number of secondary airports have experienced tremendous growth, becoming the desired airports for specific destinations. This does not undermine the fact that they have been experiencing delays and congestion, especially in peak periods due to lack of places for the planes to land.

The larger part of the funding for the airports in Denver, Colorado can be traced back to the federal government. However, decisions pertaining to the operation, building and expansion of the facilities are handled at local and state levels. It has been recognized that delays and congestion in airports can only be remedied by comprehensive remedies.

Describe the technical area of transportation covered by this article.

This article examines air travel since it is always a pointer as to the direction taken by Gross Domestic Product of a particular state. In essence, there are concerns about the delays and congestion in many airports resulting from lack of space for expansion. Communities neighboring the airports are also against the expansion due to traffic as well as noise from the planes. This problem however would not be solved by simplistic remedies but a combination of solutions geared addressing the financial, technical and even social aspect of the airports, more so in relation with the neighbors.

References

http://www.trb.org/itpc/expandingairportcapacityintercitytravel.aspx

Skinny models

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Introduction

The modeling industry happens to be one of the most dynamic industries in the recent times. It accounts for billions of money in terms of revenue for the government. However, there has been controversy over the notion that only skinny can or should be on catwalks. Unfortunately, many women have been influenced to make every move so as to be skinny and look like them. However, it is noteworthy that models may end up starving themselves in order to maintain a skinny figure. This poses significant risks on the health of individuals sometimes leading to death. What are the risks of modeling at an early age?

Unfortunately, starving oneself comes with the danger of getting anorexia nervosa. Recent times have seen an increase in the number of young girls who become too frail due to starvation, to the point of fainting in front of the cameras.

In addition, it is noteworthy that when young girls cannot get a skinny image like the models that they admire, they end up having a low self-image to the point of hating themselves. Many women have had to undergo counseling due to low self esteem as a result of hating their image (Hellmich). Many ladies view the skinny image as the model or desirable figure, especially in the fashion industry.

As a consequence of modeling at an early age, girls would fill their minds with self-loathing, as well as suicidal thoughtswhen they cannot attain the ideal figure. It is noteworthy that eating disorders are some of the deadliest mental illness, sometimes having 20 percent mortality rates (Preti et al. 90). Studies show that even when the girls survive, they should expect to lose their lives decades earlier than individuals at a similar age but who never had eating disorders. This is due to the risks posed on the health and wellness of the young girls who starve themselves in an effort to attain the “right” size.

In an effort to imitate their admired models, many young girls tend to engage in substance abuse. Stress is one of the principal elements that come with the fashion industry. This is due to the various pressures emanating from varied quarters such as employers, expectations of the public, the media, and especially, the need to maintain the slim figure. It is noteworthy that most young girls are unable to cope with the stress and, therefore, end up abusing substances such as alcohol and illegal drugs. Quite a large number of models have had to sign up in rehabs due to substance abuse.

Individuals suffering from anorexia nervosa are likely to be obsessed with weight and eating control. They are also likely to check their weight persistently and revert to only certain foods. It is noteworthy that most of the diet plans for models do not incorporate a balanced diet as they mostly involve junk foods. In addition, they may end up exercising excessively and even withdraw from social activities that involve food (Preti et al. 89).

Eating disorders also lead to serious health conditions touching on the behavioral, mental and physical wellbeing of the individual. It is noteworthy that many girls who start modeling at a young age have frail forms and weak bones, which increases the risk of fractures. Bulimia and anorexia are also likely to result in dehydration and other serious medical complications like kidney failure, heart problems among others (Halliwell and Dittmar).

Conclusion

The fashion industry has had a tremendous impact on the lives of many people especially women, who adore the skinny models and strive to attain slim figures. Unfortunately, many people end up starving themselves in an effort to attain the slim figure. This has serious health implications on the lives of young girls who indulge in the fashion world, engaging in substance abuse and eating disorders just to keep up with the fashion world. It is imperative that they be taught that there is a line between being skinny and being healthy. In addition, efforts should be made to uplift their self esteem.

Works cited

Halliwell, Emma and Dittmar, Helgar. “Does Size Matter? The Impact of Model’s Body Size on Women’s Body-Focused Anxiety and Advertising Effectiveness.” Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 23. 1(2004): 104.122. Print

Hellmich, Nanci. Do thin models warp girls’ body image? usatoday.com, 2011. Web. February 29, 2012.

Preti Antonio, Ambra Usai, Paola Miotto, Donatella Rita Petretto and Carmelo Masala. “Eating disorders among professional fashion models.” Psychiatry Research 159 (2008): 86-94. Print.

LG and six sigma

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Introduction

Six Sigma has been incorporated in many organizations as a measure of quality in order to attain perfection, especially as far as the quality of goods and services is concerned. It refers to a data-driven and disciplined methodology and approach for elimination of defects in the organization (Harry 64). This methodology is incorporated in all levels of production from manufacturing to the transaction level in products and services. It is noteworthy that, Six Sigma has varied meanings for varied groups within any organization. This variation depends on an individual’s level, as well as his respective job role in that organization. In the case of the enterprise level, the methodology would mostly be applied as a strategic business initiative. This is where it would focus on enhancing considerable improvements in varied areas including capacity, business growth, customer satisfaction, and investor relationships (Harry, 63). In the case of the operations level, the methodology takes a tactical nature. In this case, it is mostly directed towards enhancing Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), delivery time, Defects Per Unit (DPU), as well as varied other crucial measures of operational efficiency and effectiveness. In the case of the process level, the process is mainly used in reducing variability. This is in an effort to reduce the process cycle times, the number of defects, as well as direct costs. In this case, the mantra is that if any improvement is made, then the gains must be verifiable on a timely basis. In this case, the elimination of a mistake, error, defect or fault in the system must in essence directly translate to a measurable gain. The gain could be in terms of lower overhead costs, reduced headcount and less material.

This implies that Six Sigma is essentially a tactical and strategic system used in the management of the total business enterprises. In this case, the methodology incorporates the capability and the capacity to deliver provider and customer satisfaction, which are essential ingredients for business prosperity (Harry et.al. 97). In essence, Six Sigma marks the epitome the ideals of business prosperity and maximizes an enterprise’s control functions. In its most basic form, the methodology represents 3.4 faults per million defect opportunities. The Six Sigma perspective relates to one defect opportunity for every critical-to-quality (CTQ) characteristic. The methodology rests on the idea that as performance is enhanced, other key aspects of the business would also be improved. These aspects include capacity, quality, inventory time, cycle time and many others. Once these factors are improved, the service-provider and the customers would derive increased satisfaction in the performance of their business transactions (Harry et.al. 132).

Everything carried out in any enterprise involves a process, where there is a beginning and an end. All these processes involve frequency distributions. These are histograms that indicate the number of measurements falling within certain data range. While there are varied distributions that have been investigated and observed, the normal distribution is the most prevalent. The normal distribution incorporates a curve with a bell shape, as well as a center point which is the average or the mean.

Going by the magnitude of the company, it is inevitable that LG electronics would be using the Six Sigma methodology to eliminate wastage and improve efficiency and effectiveness. This is the only way that it would enhance customer satisfaction while safeguarding the success of the company, especially in the long term. LG electronics consists of three companies namely Digital Multimedia, Digital Media and Digital Appliance. Its principal products include refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaner, air conditioners, and air compressors. While it adopted the Six Sigma methodology in 1996, it fully applied it in 2000 so as to upgrade its performance (Park, 67).

In business innovation, LG Electronics Company adopted a Total Quality Control (TQC). On adoption of the Six Sigma methodology, the company adopted varied facets including a Six Sigma e-Academy for training individuals and a Six Sigma marketing strategy, which was essentially its main quality management concept. As a means for total customer satisfaction in product and service provision, the company divided its Six Sigma roadmap into three parts, including the manufacturing six-sigma, research and development six sigma and transactional six-sigma. In the initial stages of application, improving the Rolled Throughput Yield (RTY) was the key project in the manufacturing area. Later on, however, the RTY improvement was incorporated into all the subsidiaries. In the case of Research and Development DFR (Design for Reliability) was the main concern and, therefore, became the key goal for all research and development sectors. In the case of the transactional areas, the Six Sigma methodology was adopted to enhance the company’s market share via total customer satisfaction (Park, 69).

At LG Electronics, Six Sigma is customer-focused, practically implemented and process-driven via continuous Six Sigma projects. In this company, the methodology incorporates three things. There is statistical project evaluation where defect rates in all the processes are measured, while using s-quality level to measure the capability of the measuring process. There is also the business strategy, where the company aims at gaining a competitive edge in cost, quality, and customer satisfaction. In the management philosophy, the company works smarter based on teamwork and data analysis. Customer satisfaction involves analysis of the market needs, which include delivery, quality and price. These needs are solved through working smartly (Park, 73).

Conclusion

The importance of the Six Sigma approach in enhancing the performance of an enterprise cannot be gainsaid. LG has been using it since 1996 and earned an award for it in 2000. It has been able to enhance its performance as pertaining to cutting costs and enhancing the performance of various sectors.

Works cited

Sung H. Park. Six Sigma for Quality and Productivity Promotion. Hirakawacho: Asian Productivity Organization. 2003. Print

Mikel J. Harry, Prem S. Mann, Ofelia C. de Hodgins, Christopher J. Lacke, and Richard Hulbert. Practitioner’s Guide for Statistics and Lean Six Sigma for Process Improvements. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010. Print

Harry, M. J. Six Sigma: A Breakthrough Strategy for Profitability, Quality Progress. New York: May. 1998. Print

(Park)

(Harry et.al. )(Harry)

Neruda Poem Analysis. I Can Write the Saddest Verses

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I Can Write the Saddest Verses

Introduction

“I can write the saddest verses”, is one of the poems that were written by Pablo Neruda to express the pain he felt after he lost his lover. Pablo wrote the poem in 1923. This paper aims at looking at the various aspects of the poem such, as the theme, the styles, and the speaker among other elements. The paper will look at how the poet has used the elements in his poem to bring out his message. The paper will also look at how this poem is relevant to the contemporary society.

Discussion

In every work of art and especially literature, authors use various methods of passing their message. Some of these ways through which an artist or an author can use include styles as well as themes. Through the use of these elements, the authors are able to pass their message in a more appealing way that usually attracts the reader’s attentions. In this poem there are various themes and styles that the poet has used.

Themes

There are various themes that the poet brings out in this poem. One of these themes is memory and reminiscence. In this poem, the poet mainly talks about the memories of his lost love. Through this, the poet shows how loosing someone that you really loved can be painful. In the poems, the poet remembers all the details of their relationship with his lover. The poet is able to juxtapose the various images of the love and the passion that she had once felt for the woman that he loved, with the current loneliness. This shows that it is the pain that the poet had previously experienced that had not elicited the reminiscence of that love. However, the poet is now able to write about the relationship without much pain. This is demonstrated in the line where the poet says that ‘it falls to the soul as dew to the pasture’.

Another theme that comes out clearly in this poem is love and passion. The poet is able to express his immense love for the woman that she had once loved. The poet expresses the physical details of their love when he says that ‘as she once belonged to my kisses, her voice, her light body and her infinite eyes’ (Neruda 123). All these demonstrate how the poet loved his woman, and now she cannot imagine that she is sharing all that love with someone else. This pain is too much that the poet is not able to admit the depth of the love for his lover.

Another important theme that the poet also brings out in this poem is the theme of loneliness and alienation. The poet remembers his passionate love with his lover with sadness. He juxtaposes the love that he had at that time, with the sadness and loneliness that she is undergoing through at the moment. The poet also uses nature to reflect on his present condition. Poets loneliness is demonstrated by him stating that he hear someone in the distance singing. This shows that he longs to be near the person that he hears in the distant. However, the poet is determined to end this condition when he says that those were the last verse that he will write for her. This poem, therefore, was mainly written to help the poet not only remember the good times that he shared with his lover, but also as an act to end his loneliness and accepts the reality.

The speaker

The poet uses first person narration in this poem. It is through the poet voice that the reader gets the message that the poet want to pass. The poet uses the first person narration, so as to ensure that the reader can have the first hand experience. In addition, by using the first person narration the speaker is able to express his feeling deep from his heart. The first person narration also helps in drawing the reader’s attention, as the reader feels that the poet is directly speaking to them. By engaging the reader, the poet makes the reader feel his pain. In addition, first person narration also helps the reader to compare themselves with the poet.

In this poem the poet through the first person narration, is able to describe his love for the woman that she used to love but now he has lost her. For instance, when the poet says that, ‘on night like this I used to hold her in my arms’ (Neruda 123). This helps the reader to understand their relationship better. By further explaining his current feeling, the reader, is able to have an imagination on what is currently happening in the poet live.

Rhythm

Rhythm occurs when the poet uses vowels and consonants sounds in their poems, in a well and organized manner to catch the attention of the reader. The poet has been able to achieve rhythm in this poem by the use of consonance and assonance. For instance, the poet says ‘I can write the saddest poem of all tonight’. The poet uses consonance in this poem to ensure that he is able to emphasize on his message. In this line, the poet tries to show the length that he is ready to go to show how he loved his lover. Rhythm is also usually used in poems to attract the reader’s attention. This usually helps the poet to pass an important point message in such a situation. For instance, the poet says that, ‘we, we who were, we are the same no longer’ (Neruda 123). The poet uses the assonance sound here to show his current situation. Rhythm is, therefore, one of the artistic styles that poets usually use so as to capture their message, as well as attracts the readers’ attention.

Personification

Personification in literature occurs when non living things, are given the characteristics of living things. Personification is usually employed by poets and authors to help them in bringing out a message in a more realistic way. In addition, personification also assists the reader in having a better comprehension of what the feelings and thoughts that the poet is expressing this, by the use of the things that the reader can easily associate with in life. In this poem, the writer uses personification where he says that, ‘the night was full of star, and the stars were shivering in the distance’ (Neruda 123). The poet gives the stars human characteristic of shivering. This, however, helps the writer to drive the message that, even the stars though far were sharing the loneliness that the poet was experiencing at the moment.

Conclusion

In writing this poem, Neruda may have experienced what he was saying, but he was also trying to show the pain that a human being undergoes when they lose what they love most. The relevance of this poem to the contemporary society is that, it shows that, love is an important aspect of every human being. The poem emphasizes the need to protect ones love by all means. The poem also teaches the society how deal with the loss. Through the poet, the society learns that it is right to reflect over the loss of loved one, but it is also important to move on.

Works cited

Neruda Pablo “Twenty Love Poems and a song of despair” (1924) Poem number 123