Safety Culture in Aviation

Introduction Safety in the aviation industry is of utmost importance. Mistakes arising from human error or technical problems can lead to loss of lives. Aviation is a high-risk sector that needs stringent measures to improve safety and prevent accidents.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Safety Culture in Aviation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this regard, safety culture is important for aviation maintenance organizations, as it promotes their public image, which often translates into commercial success. Aircraft manufacturers and aircraft maintenance firms implement aviation safety regulations to minimize technical and human errors that lead to accidents. They adopt new technologies and enhance risk awareness among the crewmembers in a bid to enhance the safety of air travel. In practice, aviation safety relies on a number of factors, including technology, organizational culture, and regulations. Aviation crash probes reveal that combination of human and technical factors causes aviation accidents. Some of these errors can be traced to organizational and management practices that define a firm’s corporate culture (Kingma, 2008). In the aviation sector, the approach that an organization uses to address safety issues determines its corporate culture. However, the relationship between organizational culture and safety is an under-researched area. This paper reviews published studies that address the problem of safety within airline transport and maintenance companies. The aim is to identify gaps in research and propose the focus areas of a future study.Advertising Looking for article on aviation? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Problematisation of Safety Culture Safety culture is often a problem during the initial stages of a firm’s growth. New companies, especially those that involve mergers, have a problem creating a sustainable safety culture due to weak change management structures. Thus, when the ‘old’ structures do not support strong quality assurance (QA) practices or improve aircraft production and maintenance issues, the development of safety culture is hindered. Furthermore, mergers shift focus to the pursuit of commercial interests, which create tension between QA and the management, and affect safety culture within the organization (Kingma, 2008). The tension results in the emergence of different in values and norms within an organization. While commercial interests may influence the management, the QA group emphasizes on strict adherence to safety regulations. For instance, QA may want production or safety to be done based on industry checklists without consideration of customer demands or pressure while the management may prefer flexibility to speed up production and meet commercial interests. The difference in focus may affect operations within the organization. In s um, the conflicting positions taken by different company departments, especially the QA and the management, affect the values and norms within the organization. The divergent values make safety culture a problem in aviation organizations. Moreover, since the management exercises the ultimate control over the other departments, QA may be forced to change its stance on aviation.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Safety Culture in Aviation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, values and norms may be eroded when commercial interests and external pressure override safety values and norms within an organization. Moreover, even though an organization may have a strong safety culture, external pressure coupled with commercial interests can affect these norms. Literature Review Aviation safety culture dominates many debates about air travel. Safety culture describes an organization’s position on aviation safety issues as indicated by the measures implemented to reduce technical and human errors. McDonald, Corrigan, Daly, and Cromie (2000) define safety culture as â€Å"the shared and learned meanings, experiences, and interpretations of safety, which characterize people’s attitudes towards risk, accidents, and prevention† (p. 154). This means that safety culture encompasses the practices that an organization implements to minimize danger to its clients and employees. On his part, Reason (1998) defines safety culture in an organization as the corporate system that shields an organization against unsafe incidents. Thus, safety culture, in an organizational context, is a component of corporate culture. The studies that examine organizational culture in the airline industry give various perspectives on safety. Glendon and Stanton (2000) view safety culture as a distinct, independent element in an organization’s corporate culture. The researchers argue that culture is an en tity found in firms that determines organizational outcomes. In comparison, Cooper (2000) views culture as a product of managerial decisions regarding safety. Thus, the development of safety culture in firms depends on organizational factors and managerial commitment.Advertising Looking for article on aviation? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In view of this, Kingma (2008) regards firms as centres of cultural development that are influenced by social and economic factors. This perspective implies that, in aviation context, organizational outcomes, such as airline accidents/incidents and safety regulations, depend on organizational culture. In this regard, aircraft maintenance services, including technical inspection and repairs that promote safety, are determined by an organization’s culture. Other studies examine safety culture as an evolving concept. Richter and Koch (2004) state that culture in organizations is determined by the nature of a firm’s operations, the behaviour considered satisfactory, the norms practiced by employees, and the integration and adaptation approaches within an organization. They further identify various factors that define corporate culture. Artefacts such as posters, buildings, and dà ©cor tell a lot about an organization’s culture. In addition, the values and norms of a firm as spelt out in its mission, goals and strategies identify its culture. The employees’ values and behaviours also shape an organization’s culture. The authors hold the view that cultural meanings in an organization are integrative. Using the author’s perspective (integrative view), one can analyze the safety culture in airline companies. According to Gherardi, Nicolini, and Odella (1998), culture, especially safety culture, comprises of distinct constructs. The authors note that several internal forces, such as leadership styles, management skills and knowledge, and workforce diversity, among others, have a significant effect on organizational culture. In view of this, culture is fragmented into distinct sub-cultures each with a different set of norms and values. Thus, organizational culture is a combination of sub-cultures within an organization. On their part, Farrington-Darby, Pickup, and Wilson (2005) characterize safety culture as a combination of in ternally created sub-cultures in firms. They establish that safety culture is a constantly changing entity with far-reaching implications on organizational outcomes. Thus, the norms and values in each department create sub-cultures, which combine to form the corporate culture within an organization. Common Assumptions in Aviation Safety Four assumptions emerge from the review of literature. The first assumption relates to safety culture as a social construct. It is often assumed that culture is purely a social construct, whereby human factors, including managerial actions and employee values, shape an organization’s corporate culture. However, culture, especially safety culture, in the aviation industry, is a product of sub-cultures created within the organization. The relations among technological factors and human (management and employee) define an organization’s culture and by extension, its safety culture. Thus, an integrative approach would ensure that all differ ent offices in an aircraft maintenance organization collaborate in creating a sustainable safety culture. Another common assumption is that competition within the aviation industry promotes safety culture. It is assumed that aviation companies adopt regulations that create safety culture because they want to gain a competitive edge in the market. It is thought that production pressures and commercial interests motivate airline companies to develop a safety culture built around regulatory policies. However, safety culture, in the production context, is a product of the integration of values and norms within the organization, which translates to commercial gains. Although the improvements in internal safety measures and QA developed out of the need to gain a competitive edge in the airline industry, culture emerged from the integration of values. Thus, self-regulation in aviation maintenance firms involves internal safety controls and procedures. These safety controls depend on a firm ’s market strategy and commercial interests. Perspectives Emerging From the Research Overall, three perspectives regarding safety culture emerge from this literature review. The first perspective perceives culture as a consolidated entity that identifies an airline company or organization. In contrast, the second perspective views culture as a ‘disconnected’ concept that consists of sub-cultures. The third viewpoint holds that culture is an evolving entity with clear meaning in organizations. Because of advancements in technology and skills, organizational culture is an ever-changing concept. It can be argued that, because of the difference in logic, these divergent viewpoints cannot co-exist within a single organization. Thus, each organization employs a different perspective in creating a sustainable safety culture in its operations. Most safety studies involve the integrative view (Richter Koch, 2004). Other studies portray safety culture in aviation as a fra gmented entity (McDonald et al., 2000; Cooper, 2000). Only a few studies describe safety culture as an evolving entity (Besco, 2004; Gherardi, Nicolini Odella, 1998). Safety culture is a social construct that depend on human and technical factors. Since society is constantly changing, safety culture should be conceived as a changing system that keeps pace with advancements in technology and skills. Thus, safety culture is a product of social-technical interaction. Safety culture can also be viewed as a multi-faceted concept that encompasses many sub-cultures. The third perspective views safety culture in terms of the cultural meaning instead of a distinct entity within an organization as held by the proponents of the integrative viewpoint. Similarly, workplace functions in the aviation sector can be viewed in the context of meaning as opposed to distinct sub-cultures. Thus, aircraft maintenance firms can enhance safety by focusing on the cultural ‘meanings’ or ideas ge nerated within the quality offices. Similarly, aircraft manufacturers can create a safety culture by managing the meanings created in the production process. This requires an integration of all sub-cultures within an organization to create a uniform safety culture. In contrast, a disparity in the values and norms applied in different departments affects the development of safety culture in organizations. For example, a company’s management may focus on promoting integration in the production department alone. This may lead to ‘fragmentation’ in the quality unit, which may compromise safety. Some studies also establish a link between safety culture and management action. McDonald et al., (2000) argue that management factors are the leading causes of airline accidents. Management actions such as hiring and promotion of loyal employees often affect service delivery and organizational performance. On the other hand, Besco (2004) notes that organizational policies tha t are not integrative lead to misplaced priorities and create ambiguity in the implementation of safety procedures. It may also result in a clash of goals and affect employees’ consciousness of an organization’s safety culture. Gaps in Research The studies reviewed give different perspectives about safety culture. More specifically, the studies examine safety culture from three perspectives: integration, fragmentation, and meaning created within an organization. Only a few of the studies focus on the evolving nature of safety in an organizational context. As aforementioned, safety culture is not static; it keeps on changing based on industry needs and developments in technology. In this regard, the writer would want to examine the evolving meaning of safety and its impact on organizational culture. The writer would particularly want to know how safety sub-cultures affect on organizational development in the aviation industry. Multiple case studies would help the writer identify the rate at which aviation organizations implement safety measures recommended by aviation regulators such as the EASA. The writer would also want to know the how employee training on aviation safety contributes to the development of safety culture in organizations. Previous studies attribute the development of safety culture to the production and the management departments of an organization. However, the differences in values and norms create distinct safety sub-cultures in these two departments. Thus, the writer would also to identify the effect of these sub-cultures in the organization. In this regard, safety culture, as it relates to either the production or management departments, needs further investigation. While safety culture in the production context involves strict adherence to safety standards, safety culture at the management level is largely driven by commercial interests (Besco, 2004). In line with this assertion, the writer will not only examine safety cul ture as a multi-faceted concept, but also as integrated construct. Thus, in as much as safety culture may be fragmented into distinct sub-cultures, it remains a unified entity at the organizational level. This means that the sub-cultures in the various departments of an organization, including production and management, combine to form the organizational safety culture. Technical safety measures implemented in the production unit and regulatory compliance (management) define an organization’s safety culture. The proposed study will fill in the gaps in research, as it will focus on safety as an evolving entity in a socio-technical system. To achieve this, the research will examine the human (employee) factors that hinder the creation of a sustainable safety culture in aircraft manufacture and maintenance organizations. In particular, communication channels within and between the different departments will be explored. The use of memos among employees communicate safety procedu res will indicate a strong safety culture. The other human factors that the study will examine include teamwork and employee fatigue and stress, as they affect the employees’ attitudes towards safety. Organizational factors such as safety norms, communication channels, and knowledge management also determine a company’s safety culture. Thus, the writer will use an ethnographic approach in examining how organizational and human factors create or hamper the development of safety norms and values. The problem of safety in aviation is often associated with either technical failure or human error. In particular, the writer will consider safety culture in organizations as a product of management practices. However, research on socio-technical aspects of culture will provide new insights into the sources of values and norms that underlie safety culture in organizations. Because technical advancements and safety regulations have a huge impact on the aviation industry, an organ ization’s safety culture will largely depend on how it has implemented the safety protocols disseminated by the EASA. This will need a convergence of the sub-cultures within the organization to establish self-regulation norms that will identify the organization. Discussion and Conclusion In this paper, the problematisation strategy has helped reveal assumptions underlying safety culture in aviation organisations. Through this strategy, issues, such as quality assurance, personnel training, organizational communication, and technology adoption, which are thought to affect the safety culture in aviation organizations separately, were found to have additive effects. In this regard, the identification of the assumptions underlying the development of safety culture made the writer to challenge the existing perspectives on organizational culture. Therefore, because of the probematisation process, safety culture can be redefined as an aggregation of several psychological mechanisms within an organization. In other words, safety culture goes beyond the implementation of safety regulations, quality standards, and advanced technologies. It encompasses socially constructed norms and values that appeal to a particular organizational context. Thus, based on the interrogation of the various perspectives and assumptions about safety, in an aviation context, safety culture is a four dimensional concept that includes procedural (safety regulations/standards), informational (technologies), social (interpersonal communication), and strategic (commercial interests) aspects. The critical review of literature enabled the writer to identify the opposing views regarding safety culture in organisations. In particular, the characterizations of the different sub-culture within an organisation allowed the writer to discover how workplace relations and shifts, such as managerial action, employee values, and leadership styles, create sub-cultures within an organisation. In addition, through the critical review of literature the writer was able to describe the major perspectives on organizational culture. The three major perspectives (integration, fragmentation, and meaning) have been described in literature. The literature review made two major contributions to the understanding of the safety culture problem. First, it provided mainstream theoretical frameworks used to study organisational culture and the interpersonal factors that influence procedures and outcomes. Second, through the critical literature review, gaps in research were identified, especially with regard to aviation safety culture. In sum, the literature review enabled the writer to identify and evaluate common assumptions and perspectives, develop a new perspective, and redefine safety culture in an aviation context. In this module, the writer has learnt new approaches of developing research projects. In particular, the writer now understands how to identify gaps in research through a critical review of literature. Gap spotting in the field of organizational culture helps refine or complete past studies. Since organizations are constantly evolving, a systematic review of previous studies helps identify assumptions in research that need further investigation. At the organizational level, the module also has helped the writer to understand how to problematise a workplace issue in order to adopt a different perspective or corroborate the existing ones. At a personal level, the module also has helped the writer to hone his critical interrogation skills in assessing various dimensions of organizational culture. He can now challenge assumptions in organisational culture and point out weaknesses in the literature. The ideas and practices presented under this module have helped the writer to hone his problem-solving skills. A critical evaluation of the operations in an organization can reveal the causes of a workplace-based problem. Moreover, a critical review of the literature a nd a systematic problematisation technique can generally help to deconstruct the organizational factors, limitations, or contradictions underlying a workplace problem. Problematisation opens up a discussion about the theoretical underpinnings of a common organisational problem. This strategy will help the writer investigate masked managerial problems that hamper strategy implementation. For instance, operational problems are often associated with improper managerial practices. However, a critical examination of a company’s operations will reveal that other factors, including external factors, contribute to the said operational problems. In this regard, alternative assumptions and perspectives that would help resolve the operational problems. In conclusion, the writer intends to adopt a multi-perspective approach in solving the problems associated with safety culture in aviation organisations. A critique of the existing literature/systems and problematisation will help the wri ter in deconstructing disputes that arise in organisational settings. Moreover, these strategies will help uncover the wider organizational structures that lead to disputes. The development of a sustainable safety culture in aviation organizations is of utmost importance. The writer intends to use these two techniques to evaluate how sub-cultures affect the development of safety culture in aviation institutions. These sub-cultures play a crucial role in shaping organisational life and thus, a critique of the traditional approaches used to develop a sustainable safety culture at organizational level can help understand the choices available to organisations. Thus, in his final CAL report, the writer intends to explore the specific sub-cultures that define safety in organisations. References Besco, R. (2004). Human performance breakdowns are rarely accidents: they are usually very poor choices with disastrous results. Journal of Hazardous  Materials, 115(4), 155–161. Cooper, M. (2000). Towards a model of safety culture. Safety Science, 36(3), 111–136. Farrington-Darby, T., Pickup, L. Wilson, J. (2005). Safety culture in railway maintenance. Safety Science, 43(2), 671-677 Gherardi, S., Nicolini, D. Odella, F. (1998). What do you mean by safety? Conflicting perspectives on accident causation and safety management in a construction firm. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 6(5), 202–213. Glendon, A. Stanton, A. (2000). Perspectives on safety culture. Safety Science, 34(1), 193–214. Kingma, S. (2008). The risk paradigm, organizations and crisis management. Journal  of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 16(2), 164–170. McDonald, N., Corrigan, S., Daly, C. Cromie, S. (2000). Safety management systems and safety culture in aircraft maintenance organizations. Safety Science, 34(1), 151–176. Reason, J. (1998). Achieving a safe culture: theory and practice. Work and Stress,  12(2), 293–306. Richter, A. Koch, C. (2004). Integration, differentiation and ambiguity in safety cultures. Safety Science, 42(1), 703–722. This article on Safety Culture in Aviation was written and submitted by user Theo Pate to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Response Kill and Meaningless Story Essay

Response Kill and Meaningless Story Essay Response: Kill and Meaningless Story Essay The Frenchman Just as Pi was blind, near death and beginning to lose hope that he would survive, he crosses paths with a Frenchman in another lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific who, just like Pi, claims to be blind. The Frenchman has also run out of supplies such as food and water and asks Pi if he has anything to spare, which he doesn’t. The two men talk to each other for a while when Pi decides to tell a meaningless story about a banana with the hopes that it would make them both feel better. The story does nothing to satisfy their needs so the Frenchman continues to ask about the supplies Pi has. He then finds out that Pi once had cigarettes but that he ate them. This is when the Frenchman starts to change his behaviour all of a sudden as he calls Pi a â€Å"stupid boy† and asks why eh would do such a thing when he could have traded them. Pi obviously never thought he would meet anyone so he just dismisses the question. The Frenchman goes on and on about how he could have trade d for a boot. Pi has no use for a boot because you cannot really eat a boot and it goes against his Hindu religion, which believes that cows are very sacred. After a couple minutes the Frenchman acts strangely once again as he admits that there was no boot. Pi doesn’t seem too bothered by this and invites the Frenchman to â€Å"feast on each others company†. This was a harmless invitation but it seems that this placed an idea into the Frenchman’s mind so when he arrived on Pi’s boat, he jumps on Pi and

Aztec Calendar Stone Essay Example for Free

Aztec Calendar Stone Essay Obtaining the knowledge that was passed down to them from earlier Mesoamerican cultures, the Aztecs carved the calendar stone in 1479 (Smith 253). At the time, the Aztecs lived in a very civilized world filled with amazing architecture, an impressively complex government system, and they also employed intricate systems of writing and calendric systems (Taube 7). The Calendar Stone was made by basalt stone. For the Aztecs, everything was pictorial in nature around this era. The calendar stone depicted different pictograms or Codex Magliabechianoand, which was primarily written on religious documents (Aztec-History). Art was centered around religion in this era. So the pictograms of the gods on the calendar stone would correlate with that subject matter. The Aztecs were a highly ritualistic civilization devoted to divination and their Gods. The Aztec calendar stone was created as a divinatory tool which was used for rituals, to forecast the future, and to determine which days were lucky and which days not for the outcome of various actions and events (Smith 254). The calendar had two systems. It had the sacred Tonalpohualli, which was based on the 260-day cycle and the Iuhpohualli, which was a 365-day cycle (Palfrey). Seen by the count, there is a five day difference between these two calendars. The five day differences were thought to be the most unholy, unlucky days of the year (Smith 257). The world was thought to be coming to an end. On the Aztec Calendar, the year was divided into 13-day periods. Each group of 13 days had a different deity ruling over the unit. This is because these units were thought to have a special symbolic influence and the deities were to ensure a positive outcome (Smith 256). In the middle of the Sun Stone, is the sun god Tonatuih. His tongue protruding between his teeth resembles a sacrificial flint knife. In his claw like hands he clutches human hearts (Palfrey). ‘Many scholars have debated on the stone’s meaning and purpose. Some suggest that, fixed horizontally; it served as a sacrificial altar, which would make sense because the stone was dedicated to the sun deity. Most agree though, that it offers a graphic representation of the Mexica cosmos’ (Palfrey). In The Aztecs, Smith sums up what is to be believed the thought of the Aztecs when they carved the calendar stone â€Å"The Aztec calendar stone conveyed the message that the Aztec empire covered the whole earth (territory in all four directions), and that it was founded upon the sacred principles of time, directionality, divine warfare, and the sanction of the gods† (Smith 270). Keeping the Aztec calendar is proof of ancient cultures mathematical and scientific achievements without the aid of modern technology. The study of the sun stone could lead to further advances in mathematics and acts as a road map to our celestial bodies from that era of our history. The Aztecs believe they felt justified in believing in this calendar because of numerous events that changed the course of history for them. Because Aztec Indians were fervent astronomers, they tracked the stars and correlated that between the days to create this sun calendar. Examples of events happening within the timeline of the calendar stone being built are these: Between 1452 and 1454, their capital city Tenochtitlan suffered from flood and famine, the following year on 4/16/1445 (Julian calendar) there was an eclipse of the sun. From 1473-1479, there were 4 more solar eclipses within a five year time frame (Aveni, Calnek). During this time the Aztec nation conquered and sacrificed many of the neighboring towns. Their leaders were wounded or killed, followed by violent earthquakes (Aveni, Calnek). There may have been even more visible eclipses seen by the Aztecs that have not been discovered because they were lost, or destroyed, or even confused with other natural events (Aveni, Calnek). If one were to take into consideration the Aztecs being a society with strong beliefs in deities, the Aztecs constant state of turmoil from wars and death and then couple that with a constant flow of solar eclipses; it wouldn’t take much to consider that the Aztecs might have thought there Gods were planning on ending their world†¦. again. The Aztecs might have carved this massive calendar from stone to give their future generations a chance to do things right, where they did not. Many other artifacts of the same caliber and craftsmanship were excavated around the time the calendar stone was. This was an amazing find, because in the early colonial period of the sixteenth century, pre-Hispanic stone sculptures were considered potent satanic threats to successful conversion (Taube 25). With the Spaniards thinking this, this lead to the destruction of many great pieces of art, manuscripts, and other forms of architecture. Thankfully, with the Aztecs foreseeing this frame of mind being a possibility and other circumstances occurring, many artifacts survived by being hidden in caves, on mountain tops, and even buried under Mexico City (Taube 25). After the artifacts were excavated, rather than being destroyed, they were treated as objects of curiosity and to be studied (Taube 25-26). I account for any differences between reception then and today by knowing people today have so many different religions and beliefs. Whereas the Aztecs were ignorant of the different beliefs we have today. They just had knowledge of what was taught to them by their elders as we do ours. There were not that many differences and very many similarities between American Indians of this era. In the way they did things to their architecture and sculptures. As a matter of fact, the Aztecs calendar was based of the earlier Mayan cultures. The Aztec calendar stone and Mayan calendar share many similarities. Both calendars have ritual days. The Aztec ritual day that was formed is the Tonalpohualli and the Maya ritual day is the Tzolkin. The day names on both calendars are also very similar. Both calendars used 18 months with 20 day counts along with other counts. The Aztec and Maya calendar stone is believed to have both mythological and astronomical significance. Both Native American cultures regarded their calendars as religious. Using the calendars, the Aztec and Maya priests dictated when to grow crops, when the dry and rainy seasons were, when to go to war, etc. (World Mysteries). The main way the Aztec calendar differed was in their more primitive number system and less precise way of recording dates. The year also started with different months. The Maya calendar tracked the movements of the planets and the moon. From this came their reckoning of time, and a calendar that accurately measures the solar year to within minutes. The Aztecs also kept the two different aspects of time, the Tonalpohualli, which was counting the days and the Xiuhpohualli which was counting the years (World Mysteries). The Aztecs believed they were living in the fifth and final stage of life. Because the Maya used a 360 day long cycle, they could tell that there were time periods way longer than the age of our universe (World Mysteries). It helped me figure out what some of the major celestial events where during the time the Aztec Sun Calendar was created. Palfrey, Dale. Mysteries of the Fifth Sun: The Aztec Calendar. n. p. Web. 8 January 1999. http://www. mexconnect. com/articles/199-mysteries-of-the-fifth-sun-the-aztec-calendar This is a website with basic information about the Aztec Sun Calendar. It gave me more insight into what the calendar looked like. Aztec-History. N. p. , nd. Web. 1996-2012 http://www. aztec-history. com This website has an enormous amount of information about Aztec Indians, from clothing to their demise and pretty much everything in between. The website gave me most of the information about the calendar stone I have so far. Smith, Michael. The Aztecs. Blackwell Publishers Inc. , 1996. Print. The book is Aztec Indians and their culture. This book helped me to understand the calendar stone more and why it was just a big part of Aztec life. Taube, Karl. Aztec and Maya Myths. British Museum Press, 1993. Print. This book detailed facts and myths about Aztec and Mayan Indians. This book helped me find what the Aztecs art and idols were see as in the early colonial period. Aztec Calendar Stone. (2018, Oct 26).

Critically discuss the statement Entrepreneurs who wish to expand Essay

Critically discuss the statement Entrepreneurs who wish to expand their business should first expand their networks - Essay Example At the appropriate times the company sends customized message to the customers with suggestion for flowers and presents. The company gains a world-wide reputation. Therefore, good management information systems fast the business operation and use resource more effective. Basket Company also involves similar business actives we discussed above, by equipping the management information system, will greatly support business operation. Now the competition f basket market is very furious, it is not enough to improve only the product, we should impress the customers as a person who cares them more than their selves. To achieve the goal, we have to identify the trend f customer needs. Like large office goods supplier---Staples. The company system maintains lists f previously ordered items. Over time, Staples learned a great deal about its customers' preferences and use that information to offer new items. We value our employees as they play an important role in company success, but only with the helps f those tools, our employees and managers can easily make the decision on buy from supplier and predicate the profits. Thus, the good management information system plays a more important role in the competition. One f the outcomes f information system is the strategies for competitive advantages. ... t to play in a competitive strategy, cutting the labor and administration cost during business operation, the business can sell goods or provide services at a price that is lower than the competitors. Surveys and feedback sessions will be conducted from detailed transaction records and various data to access the ongoing project. Expanding business network is in fact an expansion f an organization. Franchising is a generic term that describes a way f doing business. In essence a model f business structure that relies on a relationship in which an owner (franchisor) f a business has licensed others (franchisees) to use a business system and trade name to market and sell products/services. Thus it is a marketing concept f delivering products and services that can be applied across a diverse range f businesses. The International Franchising Association has developed 75 different categories describing the businesses f its members. Who is involved Franchising involves two parties: Franchisor - The franchisor is the initial owner f a business system which has been developed and proven to be a successful method f operating a particular business. As owner, the franchisor has the legal capacity to provide licenses to others (franchisees). Typically the owner seeks to expand the business through a relationship with others who have similar objectives. Franchisee - The franchisee is the party that has entered into an agreement with the franchisor to use the trade mark / business name and business system in a defined outlet or territory. How does it work Essentially the franchisee has agreed to be part f the franchisor's operation. In return for fees, the franchisee secures these rights for a set period f time and can expect from the franchisor: Training in business practices -

Supply chain design (major report) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Supply chain design (major report) - Essay Example Upon provision of guideline for strategic outsourcing the report provides the business with suggestion to outsource functions in order to reap the benefits offered. INTRODUCTION Supply Chain management is originally implemented by companies in order to streamline operations of the business. Overtime importance of the field of management grew more towards art featured science where exploiting different prospects from the business supply chain determined core of success. For instance, well knitted supply chain of high fashion retailer ZARA has been centre of attention for its supply chain being vertically expanded yet offering low response time to market. On contrary to this model of vertical integrated supply chain, outsourcing of supply chain factors have also gained considerable attentions. Hence, in both cases the objective of the in-sourcing and out-sourcing have been to increase company performance (Williamson, 2008). The underlying report provides intends to develop the possible improvements that outsourcing of the supply chain components offer to the business. Upon developing reference from the academic literature and practical example for the outsourcing of the supply chain components the report suggests business to gain increased benefit by outsourcing of its certain components. To mention, the risk associated with this model has also been attended in detail in order to provide comprehensive assessment of the consideration. LITERATURE SURVEY Supply Chain management has taken the driving seat in determining business model of the business. Simchi-Levi et al (2003) noted that supply chain excellence of the business model is its capacity to provide leading excellent experience to customers. The debate on the supply chain has attended both aspects addressing details to dependency on the supplier as well as taking greater control of supply chain components in organizational control. Business giants prefer developing supply chain model with combination of the outsourced as well as in sourced activities considering the role of the activity in respective business model. For instance, Emirates Airline has outsourced its queue management services to Wave Tech in order to provide customers with high quality services, owing to its expanded operations. On contrary to this, businesses have also set examples of in sourcing business function activity for increasing strength of competitive positions such as STARBUCKS has invested in coffee bean farming in China in order develop long term control over business supply chain. Similarly, small business outsource various secondary functions of supply chain such as accounting, payroll functions etc to reduce the cost burden of hiring expert for the purpose on the firm. Flexibility and adaptability of the supply chain are critical factors in the growingly competitive business world. Therefore, businesses are growingly moving towards outsourcing business functions. Respective to the business functions outs ourced emerging trends are giving rise to management businesses ranging from 1PL to most recent 5PL (where number refers to level of functions outsourced or party providing logistics). The concept has been explicitly presented in the image below: (E-logistics Control, n.d.) Expansion of outsourcing the function of supply chain is being adopted for numerous benefits it offers to business. Some of the benefits that outsourcing offers include following: FLEXIBILITY BENEFIT: Outsourcing of a function does not require firm to invest in the

Import and Export Essay Example for Free

Import and Export Essay Physical Exports: If the goods physically go out of the country or services are rendered outside the country then it is called as physical export. Deemed Exports: Where the goods do not go out of the country physically they can be termed as deemed exports. This will be subject to certain conditions as prescribed by the DGFT. Under Deemed Exports, the goods may be supplied to the manufacturer exporter who ultimately export a finished product of which this supply forms a part and ultimately go out of the country. E.g.  Supply of fabrics to the garment exporter who exports the garments made out of the said fabric. The government may announce from time to time the types of supplies that may be considered as deemed export. The Foreign Trade Policy gives the list of supplies considered under the Deemed Export Category. The policies and procedures are different for Physical Exports and Deemed Exports as also the benefits available. In a nutshell, Deemed Exports do not enjoy all the benefits that are available under Physical Export. The Foreign Trade defines exports as taking out of India any goods by land, sea, air. Although the act does not term them as â€Å"Physical Exports†, we have to put phrase to distinguish it from â€Å"Deemed Exports† which is sales in India but considered as exports for limited purpose. Types of Exporters: Exporters can be basically classified into two groupsManufacturer Exporter: As the exporter has the facility to manufacturer the product he intends to export and hence he exports the products manufactured by him. Merchant Exporter: An exporter who does not have the facility to manufacture an item. But, he procures the same from other manufacturers or from the market and exports the same. An exporter can be both a manufacturer exporter as well as a merchant exporter, he can export product manufactured by him or he can export items bought from the market. Once it is decided to export, it is mandatory on your part to follow certain procedures, rules and regulations as prescribed by various regulatory authorities such as DGFT, RBI, and Customs. These procedures, rules and regulations are laid down in the Exim Policy 2004-09, Exchange Control Manual, Customs Act etc. Accordingly Export documents are required to be prepared keeping in view of the requirement of the foreign buyers and our regulatory authorities. INCOTERMS 2013 What Incoterms Rules Are 11 terms of shipment and delivery provided by the International Chamber of Commerce for use in contracts for the business-to-business sales/purchases of tangible, portable goods, for implementation 1/1/11. Legacy to a long tradition of international use since 1936. Written to reflect rather than dictate trade practice. Always abbreviated by a three character English language acronym. Always accompanied by a geographic place the more precise the better. Updated to reflect current trade practice Used exclusively in sales/purchase contracts (we’ll call these â€Å"sales contracts†). Increasingly considered as a replacement for the former Uniform Commercial Code shipment and delivery terms (UCC §2-319 through  §2-324) What Incoterms Rules Aren’t Law. They must be specified in order to apply. All inclusive cannot address such issues as customary operations of carriers, ports, trades, government regulations, etc. What Incoterms Rules Do Divide costs, risks and responsibilities between sellers and buyers. ï‚ · Guide one or the other party into subsidiary contracts required to fulfill designated tasks such as contracts of carriage and contracts of insurance. What Incoterms Rules Don’t Do Address passage of title. Address recognition of revenue. Address remedies for breach of contract. Address more than one contract. (drop shipments) Refer to â€Å"ship’s rail† which changes the delivery point for FOB, CFR, CIF. Incoterms ® is a registered trademark of the International Chamber of Commerce, registered in several countries and used with permission. Definitions Delivery: indicates where the risk of loss passes from seller to buyer. Shipment contract a type of sales/purchase contract under which the seller’s responsibility ends when the contract goods have been handed over to a carrier (i.e., the seller delivers by shipping). EXW, FCA, FAS, FOB,  CPT, CIP, CFR and CIF Incoterms rules are used in shipment contracts. Arrival contract: a type of sales/purchase contract under which the seller’s responsibility ends when the goods have arrived at the agreed place (i.e., the seller delivers when goods arrive). DAT, DAP and DDP Incoterms ® rules are used in arrival contracts. Liner terms: carrier loads and unloads vessel (used with waterborne transport). Ex Works (EXW) + Named Place (place where the shipment originates usually the seller’s premises) Breakdown:  Seller: have goods available when promised and packaged to the extent known or agreed. Buyer: everything else (pre-carriage, export clearance, main carriage, import clearance, on-carriage) Free Carrier (FCA) + Named Place (either place where shipment originates usually the seller’s premises or another place on the seller’s side.) Breakdown: A) When accompanied by the place where the shipment originates Seller: have goods available when promised, packaged to the extent known or agreed, load collecting vehicle, export clearance. Buyer: everything else (pre-carriage, main carriage, import clearance, on-carriage) B) When accompanied by another place on the seller’s side Seller: have goods available when promised, packaged to the extent known or agreed, load delivering vehicle, pre-carriage, export clearance. Buyer: everything else (unload delivering vehicle, main carriage, import clearance, on-carriage) Carriage Paid To (CPT) + Named Place (on the buyer’s side) Breakdown: Seller: deliver the goods appropriately packaged to the carrier for transportation to the named place of destination and pay all transport costs thereto. (The seller delivers at the first carrier unless specified otherwise in the sales contract.), export clearance. Buyer: unloading, import clearance, on carriage Carriage And Insurance Paid To (CIP) + Named Place (on the buyer’s side) Breakdown: Seller: as with CPT except seller must also provide at least minimum cover insurance in such a manner that the buyer can claim directly from the insurer Buyer: unloading, import clearance, on carriage Delivered At Terminal (DAT) + Named Place (terminal on buyer’s side) Breakdown: Seller: export clearance, deliver the goods appropriately packaged and unloaded at the named destination terminal and pay all transport costs thereto. Buyer: import clearance, on carriage Delivered At Place (DAP) + Named Place (on the buyer’s side) Breakdown: Seller: export clearance, deliver the goods appropriately packaged at the named destination and pay all transport costs thereto. Buyer: unloading, import clearance, on carriage Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) + Named Place (on the buyer’s side) Breakdown: Seller: export clearance, deliver the goods appropriately packaged and cleared for import at the named destination and pay all transport costs thereto. Buyer: unloading, on carriage Free Alongside Ship (FAS) + Named Place (alongside a vessel at port on the seller’s side) Breakdown: Seller delivers goods appropriately export packed alongside the buyer-designated vessel at the port on the seller’s side, export clearance. Buyer: everything else (vessel loading, main carriage, import clearance, on carriage) Free On Board (FOB) + Named Place (loaded on a vessel at a port on the seller’s side) Breakdown: Seller delivers goods appropriately export packed on board the buyer-designated vessel at the port on the seller’s side, export clearance. Buyer: everything else (main carriage, import clearance, on carriage) Cost And Freight (CFR) + Named Place (a port on the buyer’s side) Breakdown: Seller delivers goods appropriately export packed on board the seller-designated vessel at the port on the seller’s side and pays transportation costs to the agreed port on the buyer’s side, export clearance. Buyer: everything else (vessel unloading import clearance, on carriage) Cost Insurance And Freight (CIF) + Named Place (a port on the buyer’s side) Breakdown: Seller: as with CFR except seller must also provide at least minimum cover insurance in such a manner that the buyer can claim directly from the insurer Buyer: everything else (vessel unloading import clearance, on carriage) CASE STUDY: You are the exporter. Your factory is situated 100 km from the port. Products can be moved by rail to port for loading, port facilities are good. Insurance is easily arranged. Your country is stable. Ships are available for shipment. What delivery terms would you suggest for sales of your product for the following countries. Country A: Good infrastructure Efficient inland transportation Known for labor dispute Country B: Excellent inland transportation Port congestion from 10 to 90 days Country C: Good port facilities Efficient inland transportation Buyer not reliable Country D: None of the above disadvantages Country is stable Buyer is reliable SHIPPING DOCUMENTS SELLER Invoice: includes value of the cargo, details related to payment, customs duties, insurance claims, declaration of permits and L/C negotiations Types of invoices: †¢Ã‚  Commercial invoice †¢Ã‚  Proforma invoice †¢Ã‚  Consular invoice †¢Ã‚  Customs invoice †¢Ã‚  Non-commercial value invoice Packing list: This statement gives the packing details of the goods in prescribed format. It is very useful document for customs at the time of examination and warehouse keeper of the buyer to maintain a record of inventory and to effect delivery. Essential contents: †¢Ã‚  Description †¢Ã‚  Measurement †¢Ã‚  Quantity Certificate of origin: The certificate issued by local chamber of commerce indicates that the goods which are being exported are actually manufactures in a specific country mentioned therein. It is sent by the exporter to the importer and is useful for clearance of goods from the customs authority of importing country. CARRIERS Bill of Lading (B/L): The document issued by shipping company acknowledging the receipt of goods mentioned in the bill for shipment on board or vessel. The B/L is the legal document to be referred in case of any dispute over the shipment. B/L can be a negotiable document. It contains: †¢Ã‚  The shipping companys name and address †¢Ã‚  The consignees name and address †¢Ã‚  The port of loading and port of discharge †¢Ã‚  Shipping marks and particulars †¢Ã‚  Number of packages and goods †¢Ã‚  Gross weight and net weight †¢Ã‚  Freight details and name of the vessel †¢Ã‚  Signature of the shipping companys agent  Common types of B/L †¢Ã‚  Clean  dirty  stale †¢Ã‚  Through/Tran-shipment †¢Ã‚  Combine transport †¢Ã‚  Master †¢Ã‚  House Airway Bill: The receipt issued by Airlines Company or its agent for carriage  of goods is a contract between the owner of the goods and the carrier. It is a proof of receipt/booking, does not specify loading. Buyer Shipping guarantee (if necessary): Shipping Guarantee is given by the buyer in support of clearing cargo with put B/L. It also protects the carrier against any fraud and indemnify against any claims. CARGO INSURANCE Cargo insurance is the document obtained from the freight forwarder used to assure the consignee that insurance will cover the loss of damage to the cargo during transit. Reasons for Insurance: Protection against risk Prevent financial loss Requirement by bank e.g. L/C term Selling on certain term e.g. CIF Carrier limited liability Reduced business anxiety Documents necessary for claim: Companys cover letter Original policy Shipping invoice Packing list Original B/L or AWB Survey report Landing Account (unloading/discharge report) PAYMENT MODES: Advance Credit account Consignment sale Documentary collection 1. Document Against Payment (D/P): Supplier ship goods and forward bill of exchange to buyers bank through his own bank. No credit involved and buyer obtain title of goods after payment. 2. Document Against Acceptance (D/A): Supplier ship goods and forward bill of exchange to buyers bank through his own bank. Credit period involved and buyer obtain title of goods before payment. Letter of credit (L/C)  It is the letter of undertaking by importers bank to pay overseas exporter against exporters shipping document. Shipping document must strictly adhere to the terms and conditions of the L/C. L/C Procedures: Sales contract between seller and buyer Buyer open L/C with the issuing bank Issuing bank sends L/C to advising bank Advising bank sends L/C to seller Seller ship cargo Seller presents documents to negotiation bank for payment Negotiating bank checks documents and forward to issuing bank Issuing bank checks and pay to negotiating bank Negotiating bank pays to Seller Buyer pays issuing bank Issuing bank releases shipping documents to buyer Buyer uses issuing documents to clear cargo Types of L/C: Revocable Irrevocable 1. Confirmed 2. unconfirmed Red clause Revolving Transferable Back to back Advantages Secure Financial assistance Bank control and hold title to goods Seller receives payment before buyer receives goods Disadvantage Over reliance on shipping documentation No physical inspection of goods Bank not familiar with shipping practices Subject to fraud Very costly ADVANTAGES OF EXPOT BUSINESS Creating goodwill between nations with divergent interests. Exchange of goods unavailable overseas Enhance domestic competitiveness Increase sales and profits Gain global market share Exploit corporate technology and know-how Extend sales potential of existing product Stabilize seasonal market fluctuations Enhance potential for corporate expansion Sell excess production capacity Gain information about foreign competition CHALLENGES IN EXPOT BUSINESS Political and commercial risk Compliance to foreign regulations and standards cultural and language differences Non payment by foreign buyer Currency exchange rates Damage to goods in transit intellectual property rights

Symbols and Symbolism in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner :: Rime

Symbols in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner A close reading of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner will reveal that the Ancient Mariner-who is at once himself, Coleridge and all humanity-having sinned, both incurs punishment and seeks redemption; or, in other words, becomes anxiously aware of his relation to the God of Law (as symbolized by the Sun), and in his sub-consciousness earnestly entreats the forgiveness of the God of Love (represented by the Moon-symbol). ... For Professor Lowes, while he has disclosed a Coleridge of amazing intellectual grasp ... stops short on the border line of purely imaginative experience. In his long study of The Ancient Mariner, he seems to miss the essential allegory.... when all is said, his unsparable book is content to be a review of Coleridge's intellectual and creative relation to his available sources in books, in conversations and in his life history, not (save on occasion as supplying a casual argument) to articulate part with part in the poetic intention as a whole .... ... There is nowhere here or elsewhere in the book [The Road to Xanadu] a hint of the history behind the Mariner's glittering eye, a suggestion of the poet's bold transfer of the glitter in the dead seamen's eyes (Death) to those of the Mariner (Life-in-Death). The poet introduces the Mariner abruptly and repetitively as one with a glittering eye. A similar emphasis is given to the epithet bright-eyed (as in the penultimate stanza of Part VII); and when the fearful question, "Why look'st thou so?", is asked, our thoughts revert to that sinister glitter. Now consider this stanza in Part III: One after one, by the star-dogged Moon, Too quick for groan or sigh, Each turned his face with a ghastly pang, And cursed me with his eye, and these stanzas also from Part IV: The cold sweat melted from their limbs, Nor rot nor reek did they: The look with which they looked on me Had never passed away. An orphan's curse would drag to hell A spirit from on high; But ohl more horrible than that Is a curse in a dead man's eye! Seven days, seven nights, I saw that curse, And yet I could not die; and these again from Part VI: All stood together on the deck, For a charnel-dungeon fitter: All fixed on me their stony eyes, That in the Moon did glitter.

Organizational Security Plan Essay

For every organization and business, physical security is a necessary aspect of protecting its facility, properties and employees against unwanted criminal activities. To choose the best organizational security plan possible, the organization must first conduct a thorough risk and threat assessment to assist in developing physical security plan. Basic physical controls focus on three levels of protection, which is the outside perimeter, the inside perimeter and the interior of a building. Each of these security levels must include at least two to three forms of security measures to make physical controls effective. An organization that is pursuing physical security should follow the recommended security best practices and implement the necessary steps to ensure the most effective physical security possible. At its core, physical security helps achieve protection of the personnel and assets by keeping the theft and other malicious criminal activities. Outer, Inner and interior Perimeter Security To better understand how to effectively implement security measures on the three basic levels of protection, there must be a clear distinction between the outer, inner and interior perimeter security. The outer perimeter of a property is usually defined by the property lines. The facility’s outer perimeter is fenced with a distinctive access point of entry, such as gate. The main purpose of establishing the outer perimeter security is to control all the traffic entering and leaving the property, meaning only authorized personnel and visitors should be granted the access pass the entrance gate. For an organization to decide which type of outer perimeter security is the most suitable one for its purposes, it needs to weigh the pros, cons and the cost of an intruder entering the property versus the physical security available. External Building Security External Security is the next line of defense, right after the perimeter security. External Security must take into consideration various factors that can potentially influence the security measures’ settings, such as weather and natural events. The organization must evaluate the value of what needs to be secured and protected in order to better apply appropriate external security measures. Such assessment of valuables should be objective; there is a difference between external security of high tech laboratories and the one of a small business owner. Each facility has very specific security needs, financial resources and abilities to implement appropriate measures of protection. Many large scale organizations and business use fencing and a gate as a primary source of external building security. Fencing is a clear sign of the property’s perimeter and it means the property is private and any unauthorized trespassing will be reported to local law enforcement authorities. Some private residence owners even use dogs as an external building security. There are various ways to find the most suitable tools, and it should be done so after a thorough consideration of the risk and threat assessment. Lighting is another great security tool to scare intruders or at least make their work more difficult and exposed to the surrounding. Nowadays, there are many sophisticating lighting systems that can be configured to fit exactly the building’s needs. Some lights can be turned on at all times during dark hours. Such approach is however more used for internal lighting and implemented by various companies and their office branches such as UPS, Pet Supermarkets or other retailers. Exterior lighting is extremely important for large outside perimeter, where the facility is fenced, has a main entrance point and even is guarded by a security officer. That security officer cannot have good visual perspective at night, however with the fence being lightened and the building exterior having lighting set up throughout, it allows the security officer to better view suspicious activities and therefore reacts quicker if an intruder trespass the facility. â€Å"PIR motion detector sensor so that it will switch the light on when movement is detected. Some lighting has a handy override feature to allow the light to stay permanently on and is useful if there is a need for light outside the property for a length of time. † (Secure Home, 2012) Modern lighting systems are also sustainable to severe weather such as snow storm, heavy rain storms and other extreme weather conditions. Security Alarms and CCTV Security alarms are very popular and useful security tools that are commonly found in both private residences and organizational facilities. Although they are mostly used for internal security, those that wish to secure their premises with the state of the art technologies, outside security alarms can provide just that. They work very similarly to interior security alarms; they get triggered once the intruder gains an entry without proper authorization. They can be either silent or loud and notify the property owner, management or local authorities directly. Closed Circuit TV cameras are also used for both external and interior security and it depends on the organization’s needs to select in what way to use them. The bright side is that CCTV used to be quite expensive in the past and became rather affordable in the past years. Inner Perimeter Security Inner perimeter security takes care of all the entrance points to a building, including windows, doors and other points of entrance. They all should be secured with some type of lock, whether it is a regular bolt lock or more sophisticated keypad lock. Some entrance points may be guarded by security officers who check employees’ and visitors’ ID’s to ensure only authorized individuals get inside the building. At some instances, biometric scanning devices are used to scan finger prints, eyes or other body parts to protect against intrusion with stolen ID. What type of security measure an organization chooses solely depends on the organizational security plan. Inner perimeter security system should be assessed and updated periodically to ensure the highest efficiency possible. Internal Building Security Internal building security can be perhaps the most challenging when it comes to the overall facility’s security. Especially with large scale buildings with multiple floors, numerous rooms and a large number of employees and staff, an intruder can easily blend in. The purpose of internal security is detecting any type of activity that is out of ordinary and may signalize a possible intrusion or security breach. The organization must also closely follow and adhere to privacy laws to avoid any potential law suits or legal issues. Interior security covers everything that is inside a building or property. There are several ways that an organization can provide security to the building. There are high tech quality cameras such as the Closed Circuit TV cameras that monitor the entire inside, record, and store these movements for certain period of time for a later review. These cameras can work simultaneously with motion detectors to add an extra benefit. Video surveillance is proven to be a highly efficient security measure, especially when the physical security is not able to monitor the entire interior at all times. Not only would it be costly, but quite impractical. With a well configured surveillance system, every floor, every section or even every room within the building can be set up with a Closed Circuit TV camera. Then, there must be designated security personnel to monitor such footage from either a remote location or a specific room within the building to respond if any suspicious activity is detected. They can monitor and view every part of the building without being physically present. If a suspicious activity is noticed, which is of course very likely during the course of time, a trained professional such as the active security officer on duty, must quickly evaluate the occurring situation and decide on action. This approach is often used by many large organizations such as hospital facilities, large retailers or casinos. One of the most important and often difficult parts of the surveillance is to go through the footage and filter out what movement is irrelevant and what may be a signal of security breach. Access Control The major objective of access control is to whom grant authorization to enter certain restricted areas that are not open to the entire personnel. Access control is the foundation of interior security, whether it is access to the internal offices, storage rooms and other areas, IT rooms, and other secure areas in the building. Governmental agencies and institutions conduct thorough background investigations for various job positions to hire only those individuals who able to receive a security clearance, such as industrial clearance or top security clearance, that automatically allow these individuals to work in certain buildings and areas, but not necessarily view all confidential documents, unless specifically permitted. Private organizations can choose their own way how to grant access. One of the possibilities is to issue special ID badges that must be scanned prior to entering certain areas within the building. Another way is to install keypad locks or issue special keys to the authorized personnel. It is up to the security manager and the project manager to decide, which way is most suitable for their organization. These access control measures do not eliminate the presence of a security officer, but rather add an extra layer to the overall security. Every organization must keep in mind that an intrusion does not always happen from the outside, but also from the inside; by the employees and staff, who try to obtain materials they would not be able to get otherwise. Estimated Budget Every organization has very specific needs that are based on various factors. To properly assess those needs and what security measures to implement, there must be specific facts considered. Besides what was already discussed in this paper, such as the size of the building, the capacity, the surroundings and location and the valuables of the inside, there is one factor that ultimately determines what security measures an organization can apply towards its organizational security plan and that are the estimated budget and costs of these security tools. In the present time, there are numerous options, various brands and large number of providing contractors that are competing to get the organization’s business. After a thorough research, an organization can decide what are the pros and cons of these security measures and if they ultimately provide the needed benefit the facility needs. Annually, there are hundreds of millions of dollars spent in the US alone on security measures by private organizations, such as alarm systems, deadbolt locks, keypad locks, surveillance systems and other tools. When it comes to the Federal government, the numbers are even higher. â€Å"Funding for homeland security has risen from $16 billion in FY2001 to $71. 6 billion requested for FY2012. Adjusted for inflation, the United States has spent $635. 9 billion on homeland security since FY2001. Of this $163. 8 billion has been funded within the Pentagon’s annual budget. The remaining $472. 1 billion has been funded through other federal agencies. †

Diversification Strategies Essay

Diversification is a form of corporate strategy to increase profitability of a company through greater sales volume obtained from new products and new markets. It occurs either at the business unit level or at the corporate level. It is a risk management technique that mixes a wide variety of investments within a portfolio. It attempts to smooth out unmethodical risk events in a group so that the positive performance of some investments will neutralize the negative performance of others. Companies may diversify for strategic objectives, expected outcomes, valuable comparison between strategy and expansion. Some companies diversify by conquering new positions through mergers and acquisitions whiles others diversify when there are not much growth opportunities for the market they are in. There are many reasons for pursuing a diversification strategy, but most pertain to management’s desire for the organization to grow. Companies must decide whether they want to diversify by going into related or unrelated businesses. They must then decide whether they want to expand by developing the new business or by buying an ongoing business. There are advantages to diversification, beyond simply expanding one’s product line. For example, a diversified company is potentially better insulated against a loss of revenue in one business tranche. Diversification strategies are used to expand firms’ operations by adding markets, products, services, or stages of production to the existing business. The purpose of diversification is to allow the company to enter new lines of business that are different from current operations. When the new venture is strategically related to the existing lines of business, it is called concentric diversification. On the other hand, when the new and the old businesses are unrelated it is classified as Conglomerate diversification which occurs when there is no common thread of strategic fit or relationship between the new and old lines of business, meaning the new and old businesses are unrelated. Compare and contrast the two businesses—core business, their size, financials, global presence, use of e-business (marketing, sales, etc. ). Johnson & Johnson Inc. – Successful  Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical company founded in 1886, manufacturing sterile surgical supplies. Its core business is the manufacturing of medical devices and consumer packaged goods. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is listed among the Fortune 500. The corporation has grown to have more than 250 operating companies in 60 countries employing approximately 116,000 people, producing medicines and medical devices, as well as consumer products like sanitary goods, baby shampoo and dental floss. National Semiconductor Corporation – Unsuccessful National Semiconductor Company has an international reputation for semiconductors. The pioneering chip maker offers a variety of integrated circuits (ICs), especially analog and mixed-signal (blending analog and digital functions) chips. Its products focus on analog chips, which transform physical information – light, sound, pressure, even radio waves – into data that a computer can use. National Semi’s chips are used in wireless, networking, medical, solar, automotive, and industrial applications. It gets more than 75% of sales from customers outside the US, largely to contract manufacturers that serve its OEM customers. In the 1970s, the company tried to make electronic consumer products in addition to the semi-conductors that went inside them. Compare and contrast their outcomes (one successful, one unsuccessful) Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson is a diversified healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets products in three primary lines of business: Pharmaceuticals (41% of sales), Medical Devices and Diagnostics (35%) and Consumer Products. Since the 1900s, the company has pursued steady diversification. It added consumer products in the 1920s and created a separate division for surgical products in 1941 which became Ethicon Inc. It expanded into pharmaceuticals with the purchase of McNeil Laboratories Inc. , Cilag, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and into women’s sanitary products and toiletries in the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years, Johnson & Johnson has expanded into such diverse areas as biopharmaceuticals, orthopedic devices, and Internet publishing. Recently, Johnson & Johnson has purchased Pfizer’s Consumer Healthcare department. The transition from Pfizer to Johnson and Johnson was completed December 18, 2006. National Semiconductor Corporation The company wasn’t suited for retail manufacturing, and was crushed by companies that were. By the time digital watches became popular in America; National had been driven from the marketplace, suffering losses that overshadowed its success in semiconductors. Analyze the three primary reasons for the different outcomes. First, Johnson & Johnson diversified into items that are strategically related to the company’s existing lines of business. Johnson & Johnson is a diversified healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets products in three primary lines of business: pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics and Consumer Products. On the other hand, National Semiconductor Corporation entered into the production of unrelated products which is not common thread of strategic fit or relationship between the new and old lines of business, meaning the new and old businesses are unrelated. Second, Johnson & Johnson diversified through mergers and acquisitions of new companies. For instance, it expanded into pharmaceuticals with the purchase of McNeil Laboratories Inc. , Cilag, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and into women’s sanitary products and toiletries in the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years, Johnson & Johnson has expanded into such diverse areas as biopharmaceuticals, orthopedic devices, and Internet publishing. Recently, Johnson & Johnson has purchased Pfizer’s Consumer Healthcare department. The transition from Pfizer to Johnson and Johnson was completed December 18, 2006. On the other hand, National Semiconductor Corporation entered into diversification to make electronic consumer products in addition to the semi-conductors that went inside them. They did not embark on growth strategy through acquisition and mergers. They had stiff opposition and were crushed by companies suited for retail manufacturing. Lastly, Johnson & Johnson diversification strategy is well matched to the strengths of its top management team members which are factored into the success of that strategy. On the other hand, National Semiconductor Company top executives did not manage diversification effectively. Recommend two actions the unsuccessful one could have made to make their diversification venture successful First is that National Semiconductor should ensure a diversification strategy which is well matched to the strengths of its top management team members and factored into the success of that strategy. Different diversification strategies require different skills on the part of a company’s top managers, and that factors should be taken into consideration before firms are joined. For instance, the success of a merger may not depend only on how integrated the joining firms become, but also on how well suited top executives are to manage that effort. Secondly National Semiconductor should diversify into related products where they can control the market. To conclude, I must say that if diversification strategy is done strategically to relate to the company’s existing line of business or diversified through mergers and acquisitions of new companies with the support of its top management team members, then its objective of growth and risk taking can be achieved.

Free Essays on Proverty Vs. Inequality

Poverty is a lack of goods and services necessary to maintain a minimal adequate standard of living. The definition of the term adequate varies, however, with the general standard of living in a society and with public attitudes toward deprivation. No university accepted definition of basic needs exists because poverty is a relative concept. In poorer countries it means living at the brink of subsistence, while in our country few improvised families confront starvation, although many suffer from undernourishment. A key issue in the area of poverty is inequality. Inequality has been a problem in all societies. No society distributes income evenly. Despite all the conceptual and technical problems of measurement, the government has devised a widely cited poverty index that reflects the different consumption requirements of families depending on their size and composition, on the sex and age of the family head, and on weather they live in rural or urban areas. Based on past surveys, the designers of the poverty index determined that families of three or more person spend approximately one-third of their income on food. Thus, the poverty level for these families was, therefore, set at three times the cost of the economy food plan. For smaller families and persons living alone, the cost of the economy food plan was multiplied by higher factors in order to compensate for the larger fixed expenses of smaller households. The poverty thresholds are updated every year to reflect changes in the consumer price index but overall rises in standard of living. (levington, page 147) Another issue is that the poverty index has several flaws. First, it does not allow for regional variations in the cost of living or for higher costs in the central city areas, where many of the poor are concentrated. Second, the flood costs for the budget were designed for temporary or emergence use and are thus inad... Free Essays on Proverty Vs. Inequality Free Essays on Proverty Vs. Inequality Poverty is a lack of goods and services necessary to maintain a minimal adequate standard of living. The definition of the term adequate varies, however, with the general standard of living in a society and with public attitudes toward deprivation. No university accepted definition of basic needs exists because poverty is a relative concept. In poorer countries it means living at the brink of subsistence, while in our country few improvised families confront starvation, although many suffer from undernourishment. A key issue in the area of poverty is inequality. Inequality has been a problem in all societies. No society distributes income evenly. Despite all the conceptual and technical problems of measurement, the government has devised a widely cited poverty index that reflects the different consumption requirements of families depending on their size and composition, on the sex and age of the family head, and on weather they live in rural or urban areas. Based on past surveys, the designers of the poverty index determined that families of three or more person spend approximately one-third of their income on food. Thus, the poverty level for these families was, therefore, set at three times the cost of the economy food plan. For smaller families and persons living alone, the cost of the economy food plan was multiplied by higher factors in order to compensate for the larger fixed expenses of smaller households. The poverty thresholds are updated every year to reflect changes in the consumer price index but overall rises in standard of living. (levington, page 147) Another issue is that the poverty index has several flaws. First, it does not allow for regional variations in the cost of living or for higher costs in the central city areas, where many of the poor are concentrated. Second, the flood costs for the budget were designed for temporary or emergence use and are thus inad...

The difference between popular history and the hard facts of the Essay

The difference between popular history and the hard facts of the sexual revolution - Essay Example The sexual revolution of 1960s set a new stage for sexuality as observed in the current society. In popular history, advocates for sexuality rooted heterosexual relationship in which men had a say in the overall relationship. In this perspective, heterosexuality is the accepted form of union that people should have. The tradition also defined the voice of a woman in the relationship. Feminist and other critics argued that the perception of sexuality in the tradition or the Victorian age promoted selfish interest of the male as opposed to the female (Lynch 96). Largely, men could enter into polygamous relationship while women had to remain faithful to their partners. While sexuality in the popular history favored the interest of the heterosexuality, acts such masturbation or homosexuality were also present. Some historians and sociologists have observed that masturbation and other homosexual activities are not new versions in the society, but their amplification resulted from the sexual revolution (Lynch 97). In popular history, the male influenced sexuality by dictating when to have or not to have sexual intimacy on the contrary the sexual revolution has influenced the ability of women to make choices of the sexual partners. For along time, the society considered women who proposed any sexual relationship as immoral or did not observe the societal precept. The revolution did not only change the choice that women make when it comes to choosing sexual partners but also when to engage in the act. In this sense, the sexual relation opened a window for women to make choices for the relationship. Women have used the opportunity to enter and terminate relationship with victimization. In the past victimization was a common phenomenon especially, when women took bold steps to propose a sexual relationship with the male counterpart. In popular history, multiple sexual partners was a preserve for men whereas the

In tune with the infinate by Ralph Waldo trine Essay

In tune with the infinate by Ralph Waldo trine - Essay Example Some have done it subconsciously and achieved this state of being while some have achieved this through reading of scriptures written by people who have done it and have been able to achieve it through discipline (Waldo, 2007). This article tries to analyze the view of one author of a book that enumerates steps that a human being can follow to achieve this state of being while I investigate these views and offer my personal take on the steps that this author gives. In his book, â€Å"In Tune with the Infinite Self†, Ralf Waldo is trying to point out the steps on can take to be able to be a complete human being. He starts by offering that there is a golden thread in all human beings that when a human being discovers it, it will change the person`s life forever. However, this golden thread can only be realized by those who reach for it; those who are willing to trade their weakness and suffering for strength and health, their pain for peace and calmness, and their poverty for fu llness. Waldo looks at this state as the state of being in oneness and in tune with the inner self or the part of oneself that cannot be seen because according to him, everything starts from the unseen before it becomes seen and it is the unseen that controls the seen and thus getting to know the unseen is what every human should aspire to know. To achieve this the Waldo has highlighted the following aspects: Human beings should understand the: 1. Supreme facts of the Universe. 2. Supreme facts of Human life. 3. Fullness of life i.e health and vigor. 4. Secret, power, and effect of love 5. Wisdom of interior illumination 6. Realization of perfect peace. 7. Coming into fullness of power. 8. Laws of prosperity 9. Ways that men have followed to become prophets, seers, and saviors. 10. Basic principle of all religion In so doing, a person will be able to enter into full realization of lasting riches. Most of these things are visibly clear from a human point of view and it takes a step b y step self discovery to realize and understand the next level. The writer says that everything is right but what differentiates these things are the different points of views that we as human beings have, it is however worth noting that if all human beings achieve this state of being in touch with the inner self, the point of view will be one; what the writer calls â€Å"oneness† (Waldo, 2007). One example he gives is that of optimism and pessimism, according to Waldo, both a pessimist and an optimist are right in their own sense with the difference being that a pessimist`s point of view is dimmed by ignorance while an optimist view is illuminated by wisdom. To start understanding one self, Waldo advises that an individual should first understand the supreme fact of the Universe; that there is an infinite source of life and all things be it spirit, wisdom, hope, to mention but a few. According to him, there is only one source of all this and that source is God. Being certain that some would disagree with this opinion, Waldo says that to him God is a name that can take different forms like the â€Å"provider†, the â€Å"omnipresent† for the believers and thus even the non-believers would agree that there is someone in their own understanding that provides for them but they chose to have a different name for that someone (Waldo, 2007). On human beings understanding