Alcoholic Anonymous Essay

What I learned from Alcoholic Anonymous is that AA is meant for people who promise that they will never drink again and they drink again anyways. Its singleness purpose identifies that alcoholics work best with other alcoholics and the only difference from the twelve step fellowships out there is the first part of the first step and the middle part of the twelfth step. What I am powerless over and who we carry the message too? Many alcoholics in AA raise their hands introducing themselves as alcoholics, but never knew what it meant. In the Speakers meeting the groups felt really connected with the speaker, and gave him their full-undivided attention. The groups focused solely on the speaker and no one else, it was mainly white, black, and Hispanic men and women of all different ages starting from their early twenties up to their mid fifties. Around thirty people attended on October 21st at eight o’clock. The meeting was very humorous the speaker knew how to relate to the AA members by bringing his personal life experiences with alcohol to distribute his indication on the importance of sobriety. The speaker knew how to make the environment funny, happy, and outgoing. The speaker often referred to the Big Book specifying the hopeless condition and mind of the body. The first step is understanding the problem, the solution, and the program of action to bring back the solution. The main reason the speaker joined AA was because he could not imagine not drinking at all. The Big Book states that unless identification takes place then little or nothing can be accomplished. For the speaker the first step is the key in following through all the other steps. The question the speaker raised was what does it mean to be an alcoholic? He mentioned that one happens when he drinks it and the other happens when he does not drink it. Other than that he had a pretty good way of handling alcohol. The speaker always knew when to state his jokes. He described alcoholism as a physical allergy coupled with a mental obsession. The phenomenon the he craves when he wants a drink never occurs in the average drinker. This triggered a phenomenon craving to desire alcohol. An allergy meant that it was an abnormal physical reaction and the manifestation always showed up. The body of an alcoholic is quite abnormal as its mind. He got to AA not knowing how to explain his behaviors, and why he kept promising that he was not going to drink anymore and does it again repeatedly. The speaker always stated that he never knew the reason why he did it, his only reason was that he just did. Alcohol triggered a craving bigger than him that he couldn’t overcome. Men and women drink because they like the effect produced by alcohol. The sensation was so illusive for him that the quantities and qualities started to move around. The sensation he received from alcohol was so strong that he could not differentiate the truth from the false. Today looked a whole lot like yesterday and yesterday looked a whole lot like last week and it seemed that he was doing just enough to get by. The speaker viewed his alcoholic life as the only normal one. His observations to the way he reacts to alcohol wouldn’t mean him anything if he didn’t take the first drink. The alcohol craving is in his mind rather than in his body. His physical allergy to alcohol is not his biggest problem his biggest problem is that he gets restless, irritable, and discontented. All his problem happen to him when he is sober, and his main problem was that he could not stop starting because his problems will not go away when he stops drinking. He couldn’t choose whether he was going to drink or not. He related to the audience that he loved pawned shops because it was a pure equation to him. He could walk in with a deer rifle and walk out with the money. He never had a pawnbroker ask him what is he going to do with the money. His only problem was that he did not own a lot of stuff so he had to pawn things that did not belong to him. This created hard feelings around his family. He was poorly treated as a child that he finally ran away at the age of 47, and never went back. I learned that alcoholics make awesome plans but their plans work right up to where they don’t work anymore. The speaker tried to pull some kind of scam that would get everything out of the pawnshop. He pulled an insurance scam and had enough money to get everything out but had to stop for one drink and he was blackout for five days and only remembers 30 seconds of it. He lost the power of choice and control. His life was becoming unmanageable and his first step was to admit he could not manage drinking.

Effects of alcohol in human body

Alcohol is the most abused drug in most countries. The consumption of alcohol is more intense than any other drug due to its availability, and the laws governing its consumption which does not prohibit its consumption unlike other drugs, for example, hard narcotic drugs such as Marijuana.Although the law of different countries restrict the drinking age, which is 18 years and 21 years in some states, there is increased consumption of alcohol among the young people below the recommended age.The effects of alcohol are numerous and vary with the amount of alcohol consumed as well as the personal characteristics such as body weight, nutrition status, age, period of consumption and gender among others. This paper aims at analyzing the various effects in a human body attributing from alcohol consumption.Alcohol leads to deposition of fatty plaques in the inner walls of the arteries hence they become narrowed, as a result blood supply becomes insufficient. The insufficiency of blood in the b rain leads to stroke while into the heart leads to heart attack.However, evidence in recent research has shown that alcohol may lower heart diseases’ risks. According to the research, the consumption of one to two standard drinks of alcohol per day in middle aged and above (35 years and over), offers some protection against heart disease. (Glen et al, 2005)BrainAlcohol causes damage to the brain cells which leads to memory loss; an individual becomes confused and suffers hallucinations. Alcohol is regarded as a downer due to its direct effects on the brain cells. The damage can be fatal or lead to insanity if alcohol is taken in large amounts or taken along with other hard drugs such as narcotics over a long period of time.Alcohol cuts the supply of oxygen to the brain, a situation which kills thousands of brain cells each time a person takes alcohol. This may lead to hyper alertness to normal situations such as perceiving sound to be louder than normal or light too bright th an in the real situation (that is augmentation).The drinker may develop alcohol influenced behavior (learned behavior syndrome) which   stops after the person quits drinking and it can only be re-learntThe central nervous system (CNS)The brain, spinal cord and nerves originating from it form the Central nervous system. The transmission of sensory impulses and motor impulses pass from the CNS. Alcohol affects the CNS leading to intoxication hence affecting emotional and sensory function, memory, judgment as well as decreased learning capabilities.The smell and tenses are impaired and the ability to withstand pain increases with increase in Blood Alcohol Level (BAL). The long term effects of consumption of alcohol on the CNS causes tolerance, dependency and brain irreversible damages. The functioning of the nervous system deteriorates in every drinking episode that leads to intellectual dysfunction; disturbances in the sensory and motor control follow. (Haven and Gerald, 1996 pp. 19 8-256)BloodAlcohol causes blood sludging, a situation whereby the red blood cells bunch together causing the small blood vessels to block up, starve the tissues of oxygen causing the death of cells. In the brain this death of cells is more severe and often goes unnoticed. Due to increased pressure, the capillaries break, leading to red eyes in the morning, or the red, blotchy skin which appears on the face of a heavy drinker.Hemorrhage or death may occur when Blood vessels break in the stomach and esophagus. Alcohol effects on the blood can also cause: anemia, sedation of the bone marrow (this reduces the white and red blood count, and weaken the bone structure lowering the body’s resistance to infection. (Raymond et al. 1996 pp. 43-213)

Outsourcing is a business model

Outsourcing is a business model in which one organization enters into a contract with another to manage and operate its business processes.   India has turned out to be one of the largest offshore outsourcing hubs for the IT sector and IT enabled services and processes.   About 44 % of all the outsourcing in the IT and the BPO industry is done to India.   There may be several reasons as to why India has turned out to be an IT hub (Schaaf, 2005 & Sharma, 2004).The human resources available in India are well trained, skilled, not very expensive to hire, and are basically English speaking.   The population of India is young and can be utilized in almost any field.   The human resources available in India (especially in the IT sector) have been high.   These resources are increasing in number tremendously and are becoming more and more available for the IT sector.   The cost of hiring human resources in India is much lower than several developed countries in which the MNCâ €™s originate.   Companies have to pay about 10 times more if they want to hire a professional in their home nation.   Hence, investing in India could be a huge benefit (Schaaf, 2005).India does belief in the social upliftment and offering policies that would help women to become more independent and free.   As the IT and the KPO industry is not labor oriented, it is officering a good opportunity for women to work.   Slowly the situation of women has improved in the country, and people would basically thank the booming outsourcing business (Burzi, 2005).   Personally I feel that women are more suited to do jobs in which meticulous concentration is required and the BPO industry is offering a huge opportunity for women.The Indian government has setup policies that do favor outsourcing and building the country into a global outsourcing hub.   India is very much interested in creating international relationships and establishing international business with several nation s in the world.   As the BPO industry is offering a huge benefit for the society and upliftment of the people, the government is continuously encouraging foreign companies to setup shop in India (Schaaf, 2005).India has been growing at a tremendous rate in the last ten years.   The growth annually has been about 6 %.   India may even be able to grow at a faster rate.   One of the mains causes for such a high growth rate is the booming outsourcing and the knowledge-processing units available in India.   India has been especially been open to the field of IT and software, and application of Information technology has expanded into various other sectors.   Effectively, many companies are having their back-end office in India, which offers back-end support (Schaaf, 2005).There may be a few issues that need to be considered for foreign companies whilst investing in India for outsourcing.   India has a large number of universities and a huge number of graduates are produced every year.   However, several of these universities may not meet international standards, and only about 10 to 20 % of those who graduate out every year are able to meet international standards.   The cost of hiring these individuals may become very difficult in the future due to a shortage of human resources.   Many people still consider the outsourcing business as unattractive and it may be difficult in certain instances to actually acquire the staff for such businesses.   Foreign companies may have to consider investing in the education system so that the quality of education is improved (Schaaf, 2005).India may be available to offer specialized services in certain fields.   However, in several other fields expertise may not be available.   The international investors who want to setup back-end support offices in India may not know this.   The investors have to conduct a detailed research so as to know the resources available and accordingly plan to utilize them, b efore actually investing (Schaaf, 2005).Another problem, which exists in India, is that it may be very costly to setup telecommunication links with the parent company in the US.   If due to some reason this telecommunication links are lost, life may be virtually be shut down completely in another part of the world.   Outsourcing businesses are usually conducted in developed cities of India, and several far-flung areas are unable to offer any support to the BPO’s.   Land is very costly such places, and companies would have to pay a huge price to actually setup infrastructure (Burzi, 2005).It may be very difficult for Indian professionals to work as per the convenience of US or European timings.   Many firms, which have been outsourcing their business processes to India, need to take several issues into considerations before actually conducting work.   They would have to take care of the conveyance and security of the employees (especially females) before having them work as per the US and European timings.   Socially, an Indian woman may not like to venture out of her home at night and work during night shifts.   This may be one of the major issues.   However, several of the MNC’s have guaranteed proper security, conveyance and flexible work timings to ensure that they have the staff to work according to the US and European timings.Hence, although India does offer a huge amount of opportunities for foreign investors, several issues need to be taken into consideration before actually investing.   It may actually be a challenge, but finally if these issues are sorted out, the companies could bear true fruits for their investment.   Besides, it has really become a trend for a company to setup a business in India that would offer backend support.References:Burzi, F. (2005), Outsourcing in India Gets Cultural Backlash, Retrieved on September 10, 2007, from Impact Lab Web site: http://www.impactlab.com/modules.php?name=News&file=arti cle&sid=12101 Schaaf, J. (2005), Outsourcing to India: Crouching tiger set to pounce, Retrieved on September 10, 2007, from Deutsche Bank Research Web site: http://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/DBR_INTERNET_EN-PROD/PROD0000000000192125.pdf  Sharma, S. (2004), BPO Industry in India- A Report, Retrieved on September 10, 2007, from BPO India Web site: http://www.bpoindia.org/research/bpo-in-india.shtml

Early Childhood Education-Learning Through the Senses Essay

As parents of young children, we often ponder which Early Childhood Program to enroll our children in. At one point in time they were non-existent. As early childhood educators emerged, programs were created. Interestingly, the Montessori approach is a specialized method created by Maria Montessori. The Montessori Method; which is widely used today was created with the focus of children learning from their environment (Morrison, 2009). Montessori’s are not aimed at talented and gifted children; this method is expressed in public and private school settings in conjunction with children attending up to age 18. In addition, Montessori serves the needs of children of all levels of mental and physical abilities (Stephenson, 2011). In 1870, Maria Montessori, the first Italian woman to secure a medical degree (Stephenson, 2011). With her degree she entered the fields of psychiatry, education and anthropology. She had a passion for young minds. She believed that children educate themselves. Montessori became a physician in 1896, attending the University of Rome psychiatric clinic. During her tenure, Dr. Montessori developed an enthusiasm for the study of children with special needs; where she also spoke on their behalf. Twenty-six years later, Maria relocated to San Lorenzo, Rome to study children without disabilities. There she observed fifty children which resulted in success. This success was recognized and spread all over, attracting travelers from all over to this remarkable case study. An in-depth explanation of what a Montessori truly is, Stephenson (2011) clearly states: A Montessori can be defined as a revolutionary method of observing and supporting the natural development of children. Montessori educational practice helps children develop creativity, problem solving,  critical thinking and time-management skills to contribute to society and the environment, and to become fulfilled persons in their particular time and place on Earth. The basis of Montessori practice in the classroom is mixed age group (3 ages- 6 ages in one class), individual choice of research and work, and interrupted concentration. Group lesson are seldom found in a Montessori classroom, but learning abounds. Since Montessori’s death, educators all over continue to implement and notice this method has worked all over the world with all kinds of children (wealthy, poor, gifted, normal, learning disabled, etc.) and environments (from slums, to elegant schools, etc. ). Maria agreed that when physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs are met, children glow with excitement and a drive to play and work with enthusiasm, to learn, and to create. In conjunction, children exude a desire to teach, help and care for others and for their environment (Stephenson, 2011). During her lectures and travels, Maria Montessori was nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. In addition to the explanation of a Montessori, the following is the Montessori Method. This method meticulously exemplifies how Montessori educators implement the method in various programs across the country. There are five basic principle associated with the Montessori Method. They are: Respect for the child, The Absorbent child, Sensitive periods, The Prepared environment and Auto-education. Respect for the children occurs when educators assist children with new projects, allowing them to learn for themselves. Giving the child room to explore their boundaries flourishes abilities for positive self- esteem (Morrison, 2009). Montessori also believed having respect for the child is a key element. She said (Morrison, 2009), As a rule, however we do not respect children. We try to force them to follow us without regard to their special needs. We are overwhelming with them, and above all, rude; and then we expect them to be submissive and well-behaved, knowing all the time how strong is their instinct of imitation and how touching their faith in and admiration of us. They will imitate us in any case. Let us treat them, therefore, with all the kindness which we would wish to help to develop in them. When it comes to a child’s mind; it can be described as a sponge. Their young minds continuously â€Å"absorb† information. Unintentionally, children cannot help but learn. In their own environments and in shared environments. The Absorbent mind refers to the idea that the minds of young children are receptive to and capable learning (Morrison, 2009). From birth to age six, these are the most important years of the absorbent mind. Shortridge (2003), compiled an essay about the absorbent mind in which Montessori states that the child learns by unconsciously taking in everything around him and actually constructs himself. Using his senses, he incarnates, or creates himself by absorbing his environment through his very act of living. Morrison (2009) adds, â€Å"What they learn depends greatly on their teachers, experiences, and environments†(Ch. 9). In the sensitive periods; learning is most likely to occur (Morrison, 2009). In our text (2009), Montessori recalls a sensitive period: A sensitive period refers to a special sensibility which a creature acquires in its infantile state, while it is still in a process of evolution. It is a transient disposition and limited to the acquisition of a particular trait. Once this trait or characteristic has been acquired, the special sensibility disappears. It is imperative for an educator to observe and ascertain sensitivity periods and sustain the proper environment. Many theorists believe this stage is considered the critical period. The critical period and the sensitive period contain a sensitive difference. The critical period mildly describes a child not receiving the â€Å"right† or enough stimuli during the window; they will be stagnant in learning in the future (Oswalt, 2008). However, theorists who believe in the sensitive period noted it would post difficulty for the childcare giver to attain what was not learned during the learning window of opportunity, still there is room for the child to learn at a later time (Oswalt, 2008). In a prepared environment it is believed children learn best. In an environment where children can do things for themselves; children are at liberty to explore materials of their own choosing. Within these prepared environments, are six principles: Freedom, Structure and Order, Beauty, Nature and Reality, Social environment and Intellectual environment (Irinyi, 2009). Freedom environment includes freedom of movement, the child must experience freedom of exploration. All of these freedom movements lead to a greater freedom (Irinyi, 2009). Structure and order in the classroom mirrors the sense of structure and order in the universe (Irinyi, 2009). A beautiful environment should suggest harmony and should invite the worker to work. Nature and reality strongly influenced Maria Montessori and believed children should actively interact with nature. Social environment promotes the freedom of children socially interacting with one another and also develop a sense of compassion and empathy for others (Irinyi, 2009). Briefly, auto-education is last principal of the Montessori Method. The prepared environment also stimulates auto-education which is the idea that children teach themselves through appropriate materials and activities (Morrison, 2009). Children who decide to â€Å"work† in the â€Å"kitchen† are able to role play as chefs and are able to make themselves and their peers something to eat. In the Early Childhood Education field, Montessori’s are not the only education program developed to focus on children’s developments. The High- Scope theory is based on Piaget, constructivism, Dewey and Vygotsky (Morrison, 2009). Children help establish curriculum. Experiences guide the programs of studies in promoting children’s active learning (Morrison, 2009). The Reggio Emilia approach founded by Loris Malaguzzi (1920-1994), a city in northern Italy, based on the philosophy and practice; that children are active of their own knowledge (Morrison, 2009). Curriculum is project oriented and learning is active. The Waldorf Education founded by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) highlights the teaching of the whole child-head, hands, and heart (Morrison, 2009). Steiner strongly believed that education should be holistic. The study of myths, lores, and fairy tales promotes the imagination and multiculturalism (Morrison,2009). Combining all of the early childhood education programs, there is no one perfect curriculum. Today, there is a combination of all four education types being taught in school districts. Each approach is important and critical. Personally, I would agree that The Montessori Method best serves the needs because this approach allows children to grow and learn at their pace. They are not forced to retain information if the brain is not processing at the pace that is requested and required for children. Also, the environment plays a serious role in this learning and teaching process. If a child is in a stressed environment, the child is less likely to participate and socialize with his or her peers. When a child is in a peaceful or beautiful environment, the child is more inclined to interact with the world with a clear mind. Indeed, while there are multiple Early Childhood Education programs available, the Montessori Method was created with the focus of children learning from their environment (Morrison, 2009). Not to say that this particular method is paramount, but beneficial results have emerged from this program. In Head Start facilities, High- Scope, Reggio Emilia Approach, the Montessori Method and the Waldorf Education should be integrated in facilities today and for the future. References Irinyi, M. (2009, March 18). Principles of the montessori prepared environment. Retrieved from http://montessoritraining. blogspot. com/2009/03/principles-of-montessori-prepared. html Morrison, G. S. (2009). Early childhood education today. (11th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Oswalt, A. (2008, January 17th). Senisitive periods in mental health. Retrieved from http://www. mentalhelp. net/poc/view_doc. php? type=doc&id=7923&cn=28 Shortridge, P. D. (2003). The absorbent mind and the sensitive periods. Retrieved from http://www. pdonohueshortridge. com/children/absorbent. html Stephenson, S. M. (2011). The international Montessori index. Retrieved from http://www. montessori.

Dead Stars Essay

1. Is the title â€Å"Dead Stars† appropriate for the story? Justify. Yes, the title Dead Star is very appropriate for the story. In the story, dead stars symbolize a dream for something that is nonexistent. Alfredo loved Julia. She was his dream, his star. He thought there was love there. But like a dead star which is far away, and whose shine could actually be the leftover traveling light from it, he was a long way from getting the girl. And when the time came that they parted from each other, Alfredo kept on wishing to be with Julia but when finally they met again, he realized that the love he thought was possible was in fact, never was. The spark that he saw in his star was gone a long time ago even before he realized it. When he was with Julia after many years of separation, it was then that he learned that all along, he was dreaming for a love that was only an illusion, he was dreaming for a dead star. 2. What Filipino practices are evident in the story â€Å"How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife†? Perhaps one of the most evident Filipino practices shown in the story is the formal introduction of the wife-to-be to the parents of the man before the actual wedding. This is done as part of giving respect to the parents and also to get their blessings. This is a very important Filipino trait and it still done until now although there are instances that it is neglected. Another is the prevailing rule of the father in the family which is the common arrangement of the family system here in the Philippines. It was also shown in the story the tendency of the Filipinos to test the girl or boy so as tofind out his/her real personality and intentions. This was greatly depicted in the character of Leon’s father through Leon’s brother. 3. Does Filipino custom explains that love is absent when you don’t see the person? Filipinos are best known for being loyal people especially when it comes to love. This is mainly because our culture dictates that loving should be in this way, with all honesty and loyalty and being stick-to-one no matter what the hindrances there may be. These hindrances may include the long  distance between two lovers but still the relationship grows stronger because of the distance and this is one proof that even when we Filipinos don’t see our love ones, we still continue to love them deeply. In the case of Alfredo and Julia in the story Dead Stars, Alfredo had only thought that it was love that he had for Julia but in fact it was only a misconception and misinterpretation. So, the question could not be applied to them because at the first place, it wasn’t love that Alfredo felt for Julia before they were separated. However, there are really instances when love fades away due to the long absence of our love ones. This is only a case to case basis and it does not generalized the Filipinos. To answer the question, I would say no for love is not grounded in physical presence only. Personally, I would say that love for another continues to live even when the person is not present as long as it is being acknowledged and appreciated, otherwise, it will fade away.

Patient education and prevention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Patient education and prevention - Essay Example One of the important strategies for prevention of acute exacerbations in a COPD patient like James is regular physiotherapy. It is very important for the nurse to educate the patient about the importance of physiotherapy because; education enhances active participation in health care, increases coping skills, enhances the understanding of the disease, assists in self-management and increases adherence to treatment plan (Neish and Hopp, 1988). According to the NICE guidelines (2004), physiotherapy must be instituted to reduce work of breathing associated with COPD, to restore the maximum function of the patient and to improve respiratory and peripheral muscle weakness. There are many techniques in physiotherapy which help to manage breathlessness. Positioning of body, control of breathing, chest clearance, exercise training and chest physiotherapy are some of the methods which are commonly employed to reduce breathlessness in COPD patients. Breathing control techniques also help the p atient cope with breathlessness. Adaptation of certain positions decreases oxygen consumption of the body and also increases ventilation-perfusion of the lungs, thus decreasing breathlessness. Patients must be advised to choose a position that makes them feel comfortable. While adopting such a position, the arms must be relaxed and supported.

Why has the concept of work life balance become such a focus concern Essay

Why has the concept of work life balance become such a focus concern in the past decade - Essay Example working from home, compressed work weeks and flexible working hours), leave arrangements (e.g. maternity leave, paternity leave, and leave to care for a sick dependent), dependent care assistance (e.g. on-site daycare, subsidised daycare, eldercare, and referral to child care), and general services (e.g. employee assistant programs, seminars and programs related to family needs)’. These initiatives give employees work flexibility and ensure that those depended on them, children and the elderly parents, are cared about, thus reducing the family-work conflict, as well as providing time to be spent for personal interests and hobbies, which reduces stress and increases employees’ satisfaction with life and work. The issue of work-life balance was aroused in the USA in the mid of 1980s, yet since then it has become only more vital. This was caused by a number of reasons. In this paper we are going to discuss the sources of the problem and highlight the aspects making it a pr oblem, as well as benefits of work-life balance. Work-life balance initiatives are essential for creating normal conditions of work for people. Reports and surveys indicating the problem have been released and conducted for several decades already. However, the issue continues acquiring its vitality. In May 2005 Europe was worried by the report released by the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO) showing that the workers in 10 new state entrants to the European Union worked three weeks more than employees in 15 core EU countries. Voters blamed politicians for shrinking vacation period. The 22 days of paid vacations in Estonia, Lithuania, Poland ad Slovenia were perceived as the violation of human rights. Meanwhile, according to the Families and Work Institute report 79 percent of US employees got no more than 16,6 days of paid vacation in 2001, the figure having dropped to 14,6 days by 2004. About 37 percent of US workers took less

Labor Market Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Labor Market - Research Paper Example It is evident that the effect of selecting candidates from international culture is going to affect the corporate culture of the hotel. The cross-culture in the hotel can bring in positive responses in terms of drawing more customers or pleasing international customers who visit the hotel from all parts of the world. It can be stated that US is largely lagging in keeping up with its ethnic candidates. Due to this mixed-cultural foray of candidates, sometimes misunderstandings or communication problems may take place. The youth is also considered eligible for these jobs. Candidates who possessed an advanced bachelor’s degree were more preferred for higher posts such as in the managerial position of the hotel. For entry level positions, a minimum of bachelor’s degree was essential for the candidate to have. Those who were college graduates they got more jobs but not the specialized jobs. People who are proficient in languages are given more preferences. â€Å"According t o the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute, 21.8 percent of hotel workers in 2000 were Hispanic, compared with only 11.3 percent of all U.S. workers. Other target populations include older workers and individuals with disabilities, which are currently underutilized in the workforce.† (U.S. Department of Labor, 2006, p10). ... The United States is a high receiver of immigrants who possess low-skills and are fit to work in hotels. It can be found that the hotel industry represents the highest absorber of immigrants than any other industry in US. The majority of working population in the hotel are generally low-wage workers, do not possess high qualification and thus come from a multitude of migrant workers group who are mainly Asians or Hispanics. (Lerman and Schmidt, n.d) Demographics: Immigrants are almost half of the population which have selected for the jobs. The Asian and Hispanic people are found to be coming more in the hotel industry. The main age group of 25 to 54 years old has been mainly absorbed in the hotel. The ethnicity of the US people fails to reflect in the hotel industry. A distressing factor about the shifting ethnicity is the prospective blow to the structure of education of the workers. Hispanic workers have little educational qualifications of any major ethnic group.   Thus, unless Hispanic youth and immigrants raise their educational attainment, their growing presence in the job market will lower the educational base of the labor force at the very time when the demand for skills is continuing to increase. But the growing share of Asians in the labor force will moderate this trend, since their educational attainment is higher than the rest of the workforce   (Lerman and Schmidt, n.d). Educational Background: The positions that are open in the hotel for the candidates, call for varying education and training necessities, starting from on-the-job training to bachelor’s degree programs. The candidates who have been selected to work in the hotel are mostly young people. The people who have been appointed for the front desk or other clerical positions,

Potential of Deregulation of the Electricity Sector in the State of Essay

Potential of Deregulation of the Electricity Sector in the State of Qatar - Essay Example The highest number of vacancies in employment sector is related to Oil and gas industry. Examples of posts are Rotating Equipment Engineer, Terminal Supervisor, and Mobile Concrete Pump Operator and many others. Least job opportunities are available in retailing services and IT related jobs (Chaddock, 2008). Estimated percentage of literacy in 1985 was 74%. The percentage increased to 81% in 2000. Centre for eliminate literacy rate was formed in 1954 in Qatar. There were seven schools in 1956, which could cater to the requirement of 614 students. By paying utmost attention to this sector, literacy has increased dramatically. Elementary schooling is of four year period in Qatar. Illiterate students were educated under this program and were granted certificates. Incentive allowance is given to such students, which was QR150 per month (Guides, 2010). The estimated population in 1998 was 579,000. 20% among this population was Qatari. The remaining population is of foreign workers. The po pulation living in urban areas is 91.4 % and the remaining 9.6% lives in rural areas. The total population is an imbalance. The number of males is greater than females. Basic reason is that the foreign workers are not living with their families, as they come alone. The type of visa allotted to foreign workers is work visa, which are temporary visas. Most of the foreign workers come from Pakistan and India (Chaddock, 2008). Production The production of electricity in 2008 was approximately 4263 Megawatts (MW). It is assumed that in 2011 it will double and increase up to 8707 MW. These values prove the development of electricity sector in Qatar. The number of substations of high voltage has increased to 139 in 2008. By the turn of century there were 87 substations in... This paper approves that the expansion of power stations is done by placing complex power equipment in different substations. This activity is performed by the employees of KAHRAMAA. They are making the electric power system highly developed and dependable as well. Many international companies are interested in the project launch of Qatar Electricity Transmission Networks. There basic goal is to expand their transmitted network. The projects of KAHRAMAA are considered as the largest projects in the world. Phase VIII was the largest project of network expansion. The contracts of this project are worth US$ 3.5 billion. Phase IX is the next upcoming network project. KAHRAMAA has also decided to expand the network of Phase VIII. Their technical department is responsible for tracking deadlines. Basic target of the researcher is to research and find the best suitable structure for electricity production and management in Qatar. It will not be easy to regulate electricity sector in Qatar. This report makes a conclusion that while collecting the data, it will be ensured that no confidential/classified information offered by the companies is misused. Official permission from electricity authorities will be taken in writing to use their data. The data will be protected. Names of the participants in my primary data collection interviews/survey will not be displaced in any situation. The company data and any personal information collected during this research will be safe guarded carefully to ensure no information theft or misuse of information.

IDS policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IDS policy - Essay Example Also, there are different evils associated to these network structures. For instance, personal information theft, business information hacking and virus attacks are the contemporary issues businesses are facing nowadays in the network communication and data transfer areas (Frederick, 2002). Furthermore, because of the increasing amount of intrusions the local networks and Internet have turned out to be uncertain, therefore, businesses more and more applying a variety of systems that monitor information technology security breaches (Sans, 2009). Network intrusion as its name represents, attempts to recognize attempted or applied intrusions into network and to carry out proper actions for the intrusions. Intrusion detection includes an extensive collection of methods that differ on several axes. A few of these axes comprise: (Silberschatz, Galvin, & Gagne, 2004) The types of input inspected to identify intrusive action. These could comprise user shell commands, process system calls, as well as network packet headers or contents. Several types of intrusions might be identified only by correlating information from various such sources. The variety of action capabilities. Basic and straightforward types of actions consist of changing an administrator of the possible intrusion or in some way halting the potentially intrusive action, for instance, killing a course of action engaged in actually intrusive activity. In a complicated type of action, a system might clearly redirect an intruder’s action to a trap. A false resource exposed to the attacker with the aim of observing and gaining information about the attack; to the attacker, the resource appears real. These levels of freedom in the design of space for detecting intrusions in systems have brought an extensive variety of solutions acknowledged as intrusions detection systems (IDS) (Silberschatz, Galvin, & Gagne, 2004). Gem Infosys desires to protect

Equity and Trusts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Equity and Trusts - Essay Example The elements are that there is an intention that there be property given to a trustee for use of a beneficiary or beneficiaries.1 Moreover, there must be a certainty that a trust is what was truly was intended, and not a bailment, gift or agency relationship.2 Additionally, there must be certainty about the terms of the trust – what is the property, and who is to benefit from the property.3 The trust must also be for the benefit of people, and not for a purpose, which means that the beneficiaries may be able to decide how to use the property.4 This is known as the three certainties – there must be a certainty of intention, subject matter and object.5 There must also be, for an express trust, a transfer of property to the trustee.6 There is some question, however, about this particular trust. While it appears to be for the benefit of beneficiaries, in that the people of the company are who would benefit from the trust, the trust might also be construed as a purpose trust , which means that the trust is set up for the fulfillment of a purpose, not the for the benefit of a person.7 The court might construe the trust as being a purpose trust, because it was set up for the purpose of providing medical care and rest and recuperation care to the employees. ... Another possibility is that this money would be treated as a resulting trust.8 This would occur if the court assumes that the settlor of the trust are the people who contributed the money into the trust, and the trust itself fails, because of the lack of certainty of the objects of the trust.9 A resulting trust can also result when the objectives of the trust no longer become possible or relevant by the time of the transfer to the trustee.10 Alternatively, the trust could treated as a quistclose trust, which occurs when a creditor lends money to a debtor for a particular purpose.11 If the trust fails, because the purpose that the debtor was to use the property fails or cannot be fulfilled, then the money reverts back to the creditor.12 Either way, the money would be considered to be a resulting trust, which would mean that the settlors would retain the value of the money.13 This would mean, of course, that the trustees would not be able to use the money for other purposes – as with a quistclose trust, the money in the trust fund was to be used for a very specific purpose, which is to be pay for medical care and rest and recuperation care for any employee or the family of an employee who suffers injury or a medical condition arising from their work. This is what the fund was specifically set up for, and, since this purpose is no longer valid, the settlors would retain the money. This would mean that the people who contributed the money into the fund would retain the rights to the money, and the trustees would not be able to divert the funds for other things. Even if the court does not treat the trust as a resulting trust, it is still doubtful that the trustees would be able to use the funds for something else. Assuming that the trust is considered to be

Wolf Motors Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wolf Motors - Case Study Example Mr. Wolf is concerned about the availability of the team members with the right traits as the right people is most essential for apt after sales service. Also, the company resorts to adequate forecasting of demand of products based on historical data as well as factors like seasonality. The owner also put due emphasis on the investments and storage space as he focuses more upon purchasing of parts and materials. John Wolf should look forward to devise an efficient supply chain strategy so that he could strengthen the dealership network. Application of ERP framework is highly recommended. Also, he could use methods like ‘Just in Time’. Purchasing policies differ because while purchasing the materials and spare parts, they have to purchase those directly from the branded stores like GM. But again when the company purchased oils and lubricants, they could purchase those from any store. Sometimes, the spare parts are purchased by Wolf Motors to be utilized in the after-sales service while many a times such parts are directly sold to the customers. Therefore, the purchasing policies differed with respect to different items. With efficient supply chain design and integration, John Wolf could reduce the working capital as well as transit time to a great extent. Dedicated enterprise resource planning architecture can help in managing the balance between the dealers and the buyers. The efficient management of the closing stock holds the

Good dictator, bad dictator article summary Essay

Good dictator, bad dictator article summary - Essay Example He further regarded United Fruit Company, the US multinational as a quintessential American colonialism in Central America. In this article, Bucheli argued that the strong affiliation of the company with the local dictators facilitated it to acquire considerable status in Latin America. He further illustrated the prevalence of three periods in Central American nationalism that impacted overall functioning of United Fruit. Accordingly, Bucheli related first period as an era of resistance in the context of labor movement, which witnessed by United Fruit relating to power and supportive nature of government. Furthermore, he relates second period when United Fruit faced government opposition to its operations for the first time. The third period has been related with the target of seeking nationalism, wherein the company was forced to sale a few of its properties (Bucheli 1-42). Based on the above analysis, it can be summarized that alliances can survive as long as the multinationals fac ilitate the dictators to experience financial stability of the country. On the other hand, he argued that when the multinationals become powerless or their capabilities are reduced to provide adequate benefits to the dictators, they adopt rigid approaches to find out other alternative ways for gaining well-acknowledged reputation especially in Latin America (Bucheli 1-42). I firmly agree with the response of the authors related with multinationals in the early part of 20th century.

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Final - Essay Example There were several aspects responsible for the ineffectiveness that was part of Decision Tech. one of the elements related to effective teams is that combination of people results in better and more efficient work while individualistic work is not as productive. In comparison, the employees within Decision Tech were simply busy in leg pulling, competing against each other and not trusting each other to function as a coherent and cohesive team. Team mates are supposed to nurture and help each other grow in order to be an effective team. However, in Decision Tech this was not the case at all, as most employees were busy with their own work to focus on anyone else. Each member was focused on making sure they could get ahead instead. This was a clear situation where the organizational performance was being jeopardized. The executive team was such that people would call them the staff within the organization. The main reasons behind this were that the executive body would fight against each other, not letting the other succeed. As a result, in most meetings, it was noticed that the executive team could not come to any mutual decisions successfully. Individually, each person was brilliant in his or her job and was working perfectly fine for the organization, however, collectively, they were not being productive as a team. The team had developed a culture of its own where it was hostile and silent in most cases and the team could not perform well due to these issues in the culture of the executive team. Most elements of the norming stage were not even reached where the team would tend to ignore differences and move towards cohesiveness. Instead, the team was primarily stuck in the forming stage where the team mates were still trying to adjust to each other and were more inclined to work independently than as a team. It was noted that the team had not reached all the four stages of team development at all. From the four stages of team development, the executive team at

An Economist's Account of the Existence of Moral hazard in the Essay

An Economist's Account of the Existence of Moral hazard in the healthcare sector, and describe the mechanisms necessary to tac - Essay Example However, it is argued that the existence of the excessive utilization of these systems is due to the absence of a financial barrier to control the demand, and presence of financial arrangements on the supply side, which enables providers to supply wasteful amounts. Generally, unregulated, competitive markets result in private health insurance, which contributes to the concept of more insurance, which helps reduce health risks, but at the same time, increases demand and cost. In this regard, Nyman (2003) argued that most economists view the idea of controlling the supply side as a possible way of alleviating this problem. With such deliberations, it has been difficult for both the policy makers and economists to measure the level of demand and supply considered ideal in the market. In light with this, initiatives have been formulated in order to counteract moral hazard. Consumer moral hazards counter policies In order for policies to respond to consumer moral hazards, various issues h ave to be put into consideration without necessarily focusing on financial ones. The use of primary-care doctors as the gateway to preventing overuse of hospital services has been endorsed by many high income countries (Culyer and Newhouse 2000). On the other hand, the same modality has been endorsed by lower income countries by way of using bare-foot doctors. Nevertheless, numerous measures have been designed to counteract consumer moral hazards. Co-payments Co-payments have been utilized by a number of countries to exert some financial burden on the consumer in order to discourage unnecessary use of health care. This involves several schemes, which differ on the basis of the financial arrangement (Sexton 2010). Nevertheless, individual scheme is composed of flat rate change for each unit of service, a deductable akin to excess, and co-insurance. One of the most notable contributions of co-payments comes from the famous health insurance implement (HIE). In this particular experimen t, families that participated in the experiment were randomly assigned one of the different free-for-service insurance plans. The free for service plans involved different levels of cost sharing. Covered expenses included most medical services. Another set of the plan involved free access to inpatient services. The outcome of the experiment indicated that utilization responds to amounts paid out of pocket. Per capita total expenses on the free recorded 45 percent higher than those on the plan with a 95 percent co-insurance, however, spending rates on the rest of plans was on average. On the other hand, outpatient expenses on the provided free plan recorded an increase of 67 percent higher than those on the 95 percent co-insurance plan. The findings from this experiment indicated that an increase in the user price will lead to a decrease in demand. In this regard, it is apparent that implementing charges would lead to doctors concentrating more on those who can afford to pay (Sexton 2010). However, the implication is that those more in need tends to have less access to services. This becomes the problem of the approach advocated by RAND study. This is arguably true because in aggravate, the figure of those more in need of service and able to pay is replaced by those less in need and unable to pay. The other important issue of concern is whether the response of demand for health care to adjustment in its prices is the same or different for several groups in society (Nyman 2003). It is also necessary to

Genetically Modified Organisms Research Proposal

Genetically Modified Organisms - Research Proposal Example However, the main argument against consumption of genetically modified organisms is that they might have dome harmful effects to their consumers. The data that will be used in this research will be collected using a number of data collection methods. The method that will be the most used is literature review. There are sufficient information from literature materials such as books, journals, blogs that can give more insight on the advantages and limitations of genetically modified organisms (Munhall and Chenail 167). There will also be a study on the statistics on the health difference of people who consume more genetically modified organism and those who consume more. Genetic engineering and health official will also be interviewed with the aim of getting their views on the advantages and limitations of genetically modified organisms (Denscombe 97). With the data that will be collected through the above mentioned methods, the researchers will carry out analysis through techniques such as filtering, retrieving value, computation, and sorting to come up with a clear conclusion on the total number of viable advantages and disadvantages that genetically modified organisms have (Ogden and Goldberg 175). With the result the researchers will be able to give a conclusion stating their thoughts on whether or not genetically modified organisms should be

Non profit organizations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Non profit organizations - Research Paper Example Non-Profit Organizations Every firm is driven by a motive. The early stages of business school usually teach students only about one such motive, which is profit. They learn the marketing strategies, management techniques, and accounting methods as required by profit-driven organizations, because such firms make up majority of the firms in existence today. There is, however, a whole other side of business, which involves in running a business for reasons other than profit. The reason may be to collect charity, provide a social service or to bring together a certain community of people (Anheier, 2005). These organizations are non-profit organizations, and carry out their operations and procedure very differently than those carried out by profit-driven firms. Non-profit organizations operate for the good of community usually, instead of any personal interests, which are why they are not required to pay taxes on their incomes to the government (Holland & Rivto, 2008). The money they ear n is not called profit, but income, and they are not allowed to distribute this income amongst owners or other stakeholders; instead, they have to invest that income back into the organization, in order to accomplish the mission that the organization revolves around. For example, a cancer research organization will work on raising funds through donations and fund-raisers, which it will then invest in research to find the cure for cancer. Any money it raises that is left over after their expenses have been covered, will all be invested in research once again, and will not be claimed by any party as ‘profits’. Non-profit organizations typically take up causes, which they feel are important but not given the required attention by the government or those responsible. These motives can include a variety of causes (Holland & Rivto, 2008). One common example is organizations aiming to conduct research on highly dangerous diseases with no known cure, such as AIDS or cancer, in order to find a cure and decrease the number of sufferers per year. This includes organizations such as AKDN, founded with the aim to continue research to find the cure for social, cultural, and economic poverty. Other examples include those organizations who are dedicated to preserving some form of nature before the constant industrialization and reckless treatment of animals and their habitats leads to their extinction. Examples of such organizations and societies are those who aim to prevent the extinction of animals, which are dying off, such as rare birds or insects such as WWF, the World Wide Fund for Nature. Other types of non-profit organizations are those firms, which work to provide a service to the community, which they feel that it needs but is incapable of providing for it, or a service, which they feel the government should be providing to the community but is not. This includes organizations that provide scholarship funds to deserving students who cannot afford educat ion. They also include organizations, which form schools and similar organizations for special children belonging to poor families who cannot afford to enroll them in proper institutions, which will cater to their needs and educate them in the manner that they require, such as different societies for rehabilitation of special children. These are all a few examples of the many

Perform to Serve (PTS) Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Perform to Serve (PTS) - Research Proposal Example The research is also aimed at making recommendation for improvement of performances in our navy forces. Although the proposed research project is aimed at the navy forces, result from the research studies can be adopted across the different forces in the military. The research project will mainly concentrate on the management problems affecting members of the navy forces particularly those that are related to sustainability of experience. Secondly, the project is aimed at establishing the relationship between induced management criteria and self-taught management criteria. Thirdly, the project will analyze the impacts Fleet RIDE-PTS (FR-PTS) on sailors. Thus, the project will be concerned with the long-term implication of the program on sailors. Finally, the project will analyze changes in the behaviors of our sailors and their family in relation to economical changes. The main aim of the proposed project is to asses the impacts of PTS program on members of the navy forces. The study will be stretched to cover the long-term impacts of the program on the sailor’s family members. Secondly, the project will analyze the positive impacts of the program on sailors by looking on its long-term implication on their military training and service in the navy. Finally, the project will seek to make recommendations on the best management practices that need to be adopted in the navy. Hypothesis H0: more than 70% of navy officer recommend PTS as critical to their training. H1; Sailors in the ranks E3-E6 with less than 14 years of service are likely to enroll in the program. Literature Review The PTS program is a dream among most service men and women; however, the program is a source of ethical dilemma. According to Linton and Lawrence (2010), the program is a major source of ethical dilemmas to the US navy. The author focuses on the program as a boundary between military service and ordinary life. In the article, the authors access the issue using age and pay grade a s the main criteria of determining the impacts of the pts program. Although the PTS program is essential for members of the U.S. naval forces, the program needs to be restructured to fit the required standards. Wide consultation from officials of all ranks would be essential through the consultation process. Beginning in March of 2003, the Navy decided to implement a new procedure called Perform to Serve (PTS) (NAVADMIN, 2003). PTS is a performance based program designed to keep the top achieving Sailors and allow Sailors in overmanned ratings the opportunity to convert into undermanned ratings for which they qualify (Lyden, 2011). The process would involve those sailors who had been enlisted for their first enlistment period or whose job was within the three different Career Reenlistment Objectives (CREO) to be forced to separate the military. Since 2003, the Navy has revised this policy eight times, making it difficult for sailors to continue their service (Administrative Message, 2003). The article gives precise description of the PTS program and its impacts on navy officials. In addition, the article concentrates on the first reaction and encounters of members of the navy forces with the PTS program. According to the Navy All Hands magazine (2011), the most

Leadership - Does Gender Matter Essay Example for Free

Leadership Does Gender Matter Essay Does gender affect the ability of an individual to become an effective leader? Some researchers believe that effective leaders are just born while others believe that effective leadership can be learned. But few of these researchers discuss the difference that gender may make in becoming good leaders. When we take a look back through history, we can see that the evaluation of women leaders was slow. Today, only 2. 4 percent (Gettings, Johnson, Brunner, Frantz, 2009) of the Fortune 500 Companys are lead by women which is an increase from the 1. percent (www. money. cnn. com) of female Chief Executive Officers in 2002. The gender differences in the corporate world posses several issues for the Human Resource Managers such as management style differences, pay equity, promotion fairness, and work-life balance. Women began entering the workforce in the late 1800s. During that time, women were employed in what society considered female specific careers such as teachers, nurses, and seamstresses and women made up a very small portion of the workforce. This all changed with the on-set of World War II. While the men left to fulfill their military obligations, women stepped up to the plate and filled positions in industrial factories across the nation doing jobs typically performed by men. Following World War II, many females continued to work and over the decades have set career aspirations which have led them to the top. As time went on, it became obvious that the gender differences in the work place required Human Resource Management intervention. Historically, the workplace was predominantly masculine when it came to organizational theory. Organizations were structured on centralized authority, specialization and expertise, and division of labor. Aggressive and dominating leadership styles became less popular among organizations. The era of masculine leadership styles then gave way to the newly desired feminine way (Lowen, 2007) of leading. In the late 1900s, organizations became more feminine in nature utilizing concepts such as delegation of authority, collaboration, and empowerment. In addition, interpersonal relations became a focus for organizations and such things as trust, openness and concern for the whole person kicked off the feminization of leadership (Frankel, 2007) and in 1963 the Equal Pay Act was created which mandated equal pay, regardless of gender, for workers performing the same job. This became extremely important as women began to hold top level positions within organizations. Women possess many gender specific qualities and characteristics which enhance their leader effectiveness in todays feminized leadership. According to a study conducted by Caliper, a Princeton based management consulting group, women leaders are more empathic, flexible and possess stronger interpersonal skills. The strong interpersonal skills of women enable them to be objective in taking in information from all sides and then take this information and weighing the concerns and objectives of their people. Empathy and genuine concern make subordinates feel valued, supporte d, and understood. In addition, this same study noted that women were able to be more persuasive and assertive in taking risks as compared to their male counter parts. This often leads to women coming up with more innovative solutions to problems, and ultimately, getting things accomplished. Many studies conducted across the country within various businesses have concluded that women executives are rated higher than men in the areas of producing high quality work, setting and achieving goals, and mentoring subordinates (Sharpe, 2000). These studies also found that women were not as concerned with self-interest as men and did not accomplish tasks or achieve goals based on what was in it for them, but instead for the mere enjoyment of their success. It is this type of attitude which inspires companies to employee women in their executive positions. In addition, one of the areas in these studies showed that women excelled at teamwork and motivating teams in getting results. But these studies also included areas where men were stronger such as strategic and technical ability. Men also seemed to be better at giving punishment and were found to issue double the amount of punishments as compared to women. With so many differences in management styles between men and women, it was necessary for Human Resource Managers to design diversity programs which included education on gender differences, as well as, racism, discrimination, etc. Women are slowly making their way into the corporate ranks of Fortune 500 Companies. According to CNN Money, there are currently 13 female Chief Executive Officers in the Fortune 500 and 26 female Chief Executive Officers in the Fortune 1,000. Believe it or not, the number of female Chief Executive Officers has doubled compared to 5 years ago when there were only 6 female Chief Executive Officers in the Fortune 500. But, if women make equally effective leaders as compared to men, then why are there so few employed in top management positions? In Tischler’s article â€Å"Where are the Women? ,† she talks about how women â€Å"scale† back their work in exchange for a balanced personal life (Tischler, 2007). She also discusses the competiveness of men compared to women and how that might contribute to the larger number of men holding top executive level positions. Most often, women simply dont want to deal with the work-life balance. Top executives put in grueling long days and their lives are controlled by the companys success or failure. Women have a natural instinct to nurture and often put their family life before their career. When I read Morris’ article, â€Å"Trophy Husbands,† it made me stop and think how husbands could assist in helping their spouse to balance the work-life balance. In Morris’ article, she discusses how husbands have given up their careers to assist their female spouses in reaching the top (Morris, 2002). I think that this is a huge step in elevating women to the top ranks of the corporate world. These husbands stepped down for many reasons, but some stepped down because they knew their wives had the potential and determination to fill these top positions. They were supportive and wanted to assist by elevating any family related stress by ensuring that things on the home front were taken care of. In fact, although the number of female Chief Executive Officers appears to be low, the truth is women are successful leaders. There are over 9 million women-owned businesses in the United States and women hold over 45 percent of the managerial positions within large corporations. Indeed, women can and are successful at leading. Yet there is still a large difference in the pay scale of female and male executives. Is it simply a blatant decisions that these companies make, or is it a simply mistake because these organizations do not have an established pay scale system? Human Resource Managers need to be cognizant of pay differences and promotion bias. According to Stites article, one way to avoid this dilemma is to establish systematic pay systems, ensure equal access to promotions, and document discrepancies with legitimate business reasons (Stites, May 2005). So, does gender matter when considering leadership effectiveness? According to the text, men and women are equally effective at leading, but each gender utilizes different styles in their leadership abilities (Northouse, 2007). It is my position that gender is neutral. Males and females can both possess the skills necessary to be effective leaders and I believe that women can lead companies to success just as well as men. To be an effective leader, one must know how and when to apply the many different styles and characteristics to each unique situation. Both men and women have unique qualities about them, but the ability to learn from the opposite gender will enhance ones leadership abilities. I believe that men and women can combine and adapt their unique styles of leadership to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses within the workplace. Regardless of gender, developing a leadership style is a difficult and challenging feat for all managers. In researching the many definitions of leadership, I have determined that leaders are defined as those who inspire workers and develop their skills and creativity to achieve goals. Of the many definitions I read, not one referred to male or female gender when defining a leader. Male or female gender shouldnt matter when it comes to determining an individuals ability to lead. The Human Resource Manager must ensure that they are concerned and aware of the gender differences and difficulties which must be dealt with in the business world. Indeed, gender does matter, especially since women have become a large percentage of the work force and are now moving up the corporate ladder into top level positions. Gender differences create many issues that Human Resource Managers must be able to prevent, mitigate, and/or resolve. Today’s Human Resource Management education programs have increased the ability of individuals to fill these vital management positions. In order for Human Resource Managers to accomplish this task, they must be aware of gender specific management styles, pay equity, promotion fairness, and work-life balance.

The Middle East Essay Example for Free

The Middle East Essay Petroleum being one of the most indispensable resources to man is a commodity that is produced in one of the regions in the world characterized by people who sport long beards, dresses for both men and women and a turban. This region is the Middle East which is responsible for producing most of the worlds supply of oil. Therefore, one must be aware of the history and current status of the Middle East because it produces one of the most important fuels that make our life convenient nowadays. The Middle East is a region that includes southwestern Asia and Egypt. Formerly known as the Near East, it is the origin of most of the major religions in the world such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. As of 2009, the Middle East has a total population of 202,687,005 comprising around 3% of the total worlds population. Saudi Arabias total of 27,019,731 includes 5,360,526 non-nationals and UAEs total population of 2,602,713 includes 1,576,472 non-nationals making them among those that are highly active in terms of commerce and industry. The population of the Middle East is still expected to grow rapidly because of the young age structure, having one third of its entire population under 15. The fertility of mothers rose from 4. 3 births per woman in 2000 to 7. 2 in 2010. Nearly 60% of the population live in urban areas therefore making the urbanization rate high. Population density varies among countries and Yemen for example has a population density of 34. 2 square meters per person, 10. 2 for Saudi Arabia, and 30. 9 for UAE. Ethnic groups that comprise the Middle East are Persians, Arabs, Turks, Armenians, Jews, and Greeks. Major religion is Islam but other religions are also present such as Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism. Major language being spoken is Arabic followed by Persian and Turkish. The history of the Middle East dates back to the empires of the Byzantines and the Sassanids. The Arabs who were before at competition with each other were bounded by one religion that is Islam. The Arab Islamic group spread to more countries but was eventually repaced by a Turkish Islamic group known as the Ottomans. The Ottoman empire lasted for decades but reached decline when the Europeans took control because of their interest in Middle East lands. To save the empire, the Ottomans collaborated with Germany during WWI but due to the loss they sustained, they were eventually a destroyed empire. The Middle East countries were granted freedom since the 1920s to the 1970s. Monarchs and dictators emerged and ruled the political system of the region. Internal forces affecting politics are instabilities caused by coups, revolutions and civil wars while the external force that affected the politics in the region is the importance placed on them by other super powers such as the United States and other Europen States. The main product that fuels the economy of the Middle East is the oil they produce. 1965-1985 was the period considered as the best in the economy of the region. This was due to a dramatic rise in the prices of oil. Due to this, literacy rates rose, job opportunities grew and the oil-producing countries gave constant aids to non-oil producing countries. Among those that experienced wealth are Saudi Arabia and UAE while Yemen stayed to be among the poorest. However, dramatic as the rise, the decline was equally dramatic because of the fluctuation in oil price from 28$ in 1985 to 10$ in 1986. Currently, the economic future of the Middle East is affected by two forces. Internally, it is the rapid population growth in the region. This will clearly affect the economy because this will cause stresses in resources of the region. Take for example water, since the Middle East is among the water-scarce region in the world. Other aspects to be taken into consideration that will be affected by population growth are food resources, medicine and education. Externally, the factor that would affect the economy of the Middle East is the price of oil in the world market. If there is a rise, then further economic growth will be attained. But if the direction would be a decrease, then it would not be good news for the region. Therefore, alternative sources of income should be exploited. In conclusion, as long as there is a need to fuel the modern technology that man has created, the Middle East will continue to thrive as a region that is rich in cultural heritage as well as a region that is the best resource for oil. Works Cited Shah, Anup. 29 December 2009. â€Å"Middle East†. Global Issues. 5 June 2010 http://www. globalissues. org/issue/103/middle-east

Impact of Student Socio-Economic Background on Performance

Impact of Student Socio-Economic Background on Performance â€Å"THE IMPACT OF STUDENT’S SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE† A CASE STUDY OF NORTH-EAST STUDENTS IN LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY (PUNJAB) JALESH GURUNG CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ORIENTATION OF THE PROBLEM Education is a basic tool used by society for transmission of its societal values and culture. so, every parents are the most immediate relation of a child for their development and growth. Their financial status and education do have an important influence on the personality of child. For instance educated parents can better understand the educational needs and their children’s aptitude. They can help their children in their early education which affects their proficiency in their relative area of knowledge, confidence, idea, etc. While, Belonging to strong financial background, parents can provide latest technologies and facilities in a best possible way to enhance educational capability of their children as well as they provide good education facilities also. Socioeconomic status is an economic and sociological combined total measure of a persons work experience and of an individuals or family’s economic and social position relative to others, based on income and education, and occupation (Marmot, Michael, 2004) indicates When analyzing a family’s social economic status, the household income, earners’ education and occupation are examined, as well as combined income, versus with an individual, when their own attributes are assessed. Many factors and reasons have been given as being responsible for the continuous falling in the academic standard of our present educational system. These includes; attitudes of teachers to work, lack of seriousness on the part of the students, effect of the dwindled economy and to some extent the increasing degenerating moral system. According to Lareau, Annette ( 2003) observes that Socioeconomic status is typically broken into three categories, high, middle, and low to describe the three areas a family or an individual may fall into when placing a family or individual into one of these categories any or all of the three variables income, education, and occupation can be assessed. Additionally, low income and little education have shown to be strong predictors of a range of physical and mental health problems due to environmental conditions may be the entire cause of that person’s social predicament to begin with. Most economically disadvantaged children have effectively mastered the usual developmental childhood tasks of motor and language skills, and have learned the values of social practices of their homes and neighborhoods (Harry Klingner, 2007); but they may not have learned particular forms of language or the ways in which schools use specific forms of language to the extent that their middle inco me peers have. Therefore, it can be assumed that students’ failure to achieve academically may be explained by other factors also. The amount of money that a family has or the color of a child’s skin should not influence how well that child learns (Rothstein, 2004) Literature review These chapter focus on the relevant and related literature of various researches in an attempt to relate their work to this study. Sub topic related to the literature review are as follows: The concept of social and economic problems Relationship between parents income to the students. The students academic performance as well as social adjustment (i)The concept of social and economic problems While sociology use some broad theoretical sense to explain the concept and meaning of society and its activities. They divide the macro-level society into two broad perspectives, namely functionalism and conflict theory, and then the feminist theory, which combines both micro and micro-levels of analysis, and also the interactions theory, a micro –level analysis which is by far the most influential of the social psychological theories in sociology. (Coleman and Cressey, 1999).The idea make up of the society in such that individual and group of individual is co-exist in the society and make them as a harmony and pace without any threat to the society. Moreover the concept of social and economic problems is that misconstrued by many people. (ii)Relationship between parents income to the students. APA ( 2001) describe the relationship of family socioeconomic status to childrens readiness for school, Across all socioeconomic groups; parents face major challenges when it comes to providing optimal care and education for their children. For families in poverty these challenges can be formidable. Sometimes, when basic necessities are lacking, parents must place top priority on housing, food, clothing, and health care. Educational toys, games, and books may appear to be luxuries, and parents may not have the time, energy, or knowledge to find innovative and less-expensive ways to foster young childrens development. Furthermore,( Ominde, S.H 1964) observes that even in families with above average income parents often lack the time and energy to invest fully in their childrens preparation for school, and they sometimes face a limited array of options for high-quality child care both before their children start school and during the early school years. Kindergarten teachers throughout the country report that children are increasingly arriving at school inadequately prepared. Families with low socioeconomic status often lack the financial, social, and educational supports that characterize families with high socioeconomic status. Poor families also may have inadequate or limited access to community resources that promote and support childrens development and school readiness. Parents may have inadequate skills for such activities as reading to and with their children, and they may lack information about childhood immunizations and nutrition. Lareau, Annette (2004) state that low maternal education and minority-language status are most consistently associated with fewer signs of emerging literacy and a greater number of difficulties in preschoolers. Having inadequate resources and limited access to available resources can negatively affect families decisions regarding their young childrens development and learning. As a result, children from families with low socioeconomic status are at greater risk of entering kindergarten unprepared than their peers from families with median or high socioeconomic status. Amutabi, M.A (2003) says that the impact of socioeconomic status on children’s readiness for school: while the segregating nature of social class, ethnicity, tradition may well reduce the variety of enriching experience through to be prerequisite for creating readiness to learn among children activates. Similarly, cast ethnic value, housing, neighborhood and access to resource that directly or indirectly affect enrichment or deprivation as well as the acquisition of specific value system (iii)The student’s academic performance as well as social adjustment Academic performance of students in the classroom is very important as this is capable of determining whether the student is doing well or not. Parents, Teachers, School Administrators attach so much importance to students’ academic performance that if the students are not performing well academically, then they see all other efforts of the students in the school programme as a total waste. These people pretend as if there are no other activities for the student in the school environment aside the academics, hence academic performance defines the totality of the child in his school life. Contrary to the opinion of this group, it is important that there are many factors that determine the level of a student’s academic achievement, chief among these factors is social adjustment. Moreover, academic performance has been seen as a term used for students based on how well they are doing in their studies and classes. This definition tends to see academic performance as the culmination of all the activities of the student in the school. Academic performance for the student is also seen as the extent to which a student has achieved his educational goals (Wikipedia, 2012-2014). 1.3 Statement of the problems According to study published in 2001 issue of Psychological Science found that children of parents with a high socioeconomic status tended to express more disengagement behaviors than their less fortunate peers. In this context, disengagement behaviors represent actions such as fidgeting with other objects and drawing pictures while being addressed. Other participants born into less favored circumstances tended to make more eye contact, nods as signs of happiness when put into an interactive social environment. The more fortuitous peers felt less inclined to gain rapport with their group because they saw no need for their assistance in the future. However, Socio-economic status can be measured in a number of different ways. The prime things that commonly it is measured by father’s education, occupation and income. All familys socioeconomic status is based on family income, parental education level, parental occupation, and social status in the community such as contacts within the community, group associations, and the communitys academic performance of the family, while families with high socioeconomic status often have more success in preparing their young children for school because they typically have access to a wide range of resources to promote and support young childrens development in day to day life. They are able to provide their young children with high- quality child care, books, and toys to encourage children in various learning activities at home but lack in poor ones. And , they have easy access to information regarding their childrens health, as well as social, emotional, and cognitive development. In addition, families with high socioeconomic status often seek out information to help them better prepare their young children for school and college. The study aimed at finding o ut the contribution of socio-economic status of the family on the academic performance of the student in private Universities in Punjab, A case study of North-East students in lovely professional university. 1.4 Objective To study the relationship between socio- economic status of families and its impact on the academic performance of the students in university. To study the impact of the level of parents’ education on the academic performance of the students in university level. To study the impact of occupations of parents on academic performance of the students in the in university. Similarly, to know about the negative impact as well as positive impact on the students performance. To study the impact of family income on academic performance of the students in the various courses in university. To study the impact of expenditure on children’s education on their academic performance in the university. To know about the student’s academic performance (TGPA/CGPA) according to their families socio-economic background. CHAPTER-II METHODS AND PROCEDURE 2.1 STUDY AREA 2.2METHODS While, according to the availability of data the method adopted for this study was descriptive and statistical in nature. The sample consists of 95 students selected from different courses in the university. Therefore, Out of 95 students 36 were males and 59 were females in age range of 20 to 30 from different schools. To have a comparative study of the boys and the girls ,the sample was drawn from both the boys and the girl’s institutions. Stratified random sampling technique was applied for selection of the students for the sample. Similarly, For a detailed technical discussion of all that will be presented in this section, see Dachs et al (2006) Figure 1 –Heretical web of determinants of academic performance of students at university (Dechs et al. 2006) 2.3 QUESTIONNAIRE A self designed questionnaire was used for collection the data. First of all, The questionnaires were designed keeping in mind the objectives of the study and the clarity required at the field level for filling the questionnaire. In this study both types of questionnaire are used i.e. closed-ended as well open ended or combination of both. 2.4 DATA COLLECTION The primary data was collected through the help of questionnaires. While its carry both types such as closed ended as well as open ended questions and they are self administered. All around 95 of questionnaires ware distributed in different block of the University. Secondary data were collected by the appropriated data sources including news paper, books, journals, and activities both published and un-published data sources. Therefore, the data were collected by the method of snow ball survey as well as self distributed. Generally I followed this methods because it was save my time and costs. Additional documents were collected by the university faculty and from friends as well. 2.5 PROCESSING OF DATA The Entire data from the field observation was processed and tabulated in the computer unit. However these processes include the writing, interpretation, analysis of data etc. The programmed for the data feeding, coding of data, scrutinizing of data, preparing of table for the report as well as preparing of statistical volume and analytical tools likewise bar diagram, percentages, pie chat etc.

Inequality in Brazil: An Overview

Inequality in Brazil: An Overview Introduction In this report my task is to determine the level of wellbeing in Brazil. To make this decision, the following components have been investigated/evaluated with high amounts of research:   gender equality and empowering women; eliminate extreme hunger poverty; and universal primary education. General Information Brazil is the worlds 5th substantial nation and has an area of 3,287,613 which smaller than the US but 35 times larger than the UK. Brazil has a scope of landscapes which compromise from large forest areas, deserts, plains and grasslands to mountain ranges. Brazil is well-known for the Amazon River which goes on for 6,516km. Most coastal areas are humid and moist, in Amazonas areas it varies from tropical to temperate. The capital is known as Brasilia, there are other major urban areas known as Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paula and so on. The official language is Portuguese, Christianity is the most common or principle religion but there is freedom to worship any religion. The expected life average is 69.9 years for males and 78.4 years for females. The nation consists of a population of 196.50 million. Brazil is given the status of federal republic; the elected constitution accommodates crucial rights and certifications of citizens. Brazilian constitution allows citizens the right to get free medical assistance provided by the government. Brazil surpassed the UK to become the 6th largest economy in the world Wellbeing in Brazil Compared with OECD nations and the Russian Federation, Brazil has some regions of relative strength and quality and some areas of relative weakness across the OECD well-being dimensions. Brazil has set a name for comprehensive development and poverty reduction. Brazil has a high rank above the average in subjective well-being, social connections. Unfortunately, Brazil is below average in income wage and wealth, occupations and profit, lodging, ecological quality, health status, and education and skills. When considering jobs and education, 66.7% Brazilians were employed in 2013, more than in the OECD on average (65.9%). Furthermore, the share of Brazilian employees regularly working very long hours was 10.4% in 2012, below the OECD average of 12.5%. Only 46.4% of adults in Brazil have been privileged with the ability to achieve upper secondary education compared to an average of 77.2% in the OECD. The intellectual abilities of children in Brazil are below the average (measured by PISA study). 6.7% of people living in a household live without basic sanitation which is higher than the average. The calculated life expectancy at birth is 75 years which is 5 years lower than what the OECD have recorded from other nations. On the bright side, results tell us that air quality in Brazil is substantially better than most countries. The safety of individuals is still a factor which has still to be dealt with, death through assault is 6 times higher than the average. Concerning the public sphe re, there is a strong sense of community and high levels of civic participation in Brazil, where 90% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need. Impacts of Gender Inequality    Social: Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. It arises from differences in socially constructed gender roles. Gender inequality primarily affects women: they experience poverty differently from men because they are denied equal rights and opportunities, lack access to resources and services and are excluded from important decisions that affect their lives and development. Gender equality measures of gender equality include access to basic education, health and life expectancy, equality of economic opportunity, and political empowerment. Health and life expectancy have less than average results. Tiny air pollutant particles small enough to enter and cause damage to the lungs and respiratory system, this case has been recorded by individuals and families. Water quality is not as satisfying as the OECD average which is 81%. Life expectancy in Brazil is 75 years which is 5 years lower than the average collected by a series if countries. Brazil has been tackling problems with income equality between genders despite the high rates of growth, this is due to disadvantages in schooling. Gender Inequality is very high in Brazil, some say that its it increasing. Recent presidents have stated to make gender equality a priority but limited efforts have been put in to quantify the impacts of gender-based policies. Participation of women in the society has increased in the past few years, this led to new policies mitigate gender discrimination. From statistics, women spend an average of 25.9 hours on chores, however men only spend an average of 15.5 hours. Brazil has one of the highest rates of violence against women, it remains high for two reasons. Firstly, the laws are not enforced properly and are not given enough effort to allow the law to be strict and permanent. Secondly, there is refusal to acknowledge the law and the reason behind it is inequality between men and women. Impacts of Hunger and Poverty Economic and Social: Poverty is general scarcity or the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. It is a multifaceted concept, which includes social, economic, and political elements. Poverty is an economic and social issue. Factors that effect poverty are a culture discrimination, education and inequality. The level of poverty in Brazil is well above the norm for a middle-income country. Within Brazil, there are wide disparities in the extent of poverty. More than half of all poor Brazilians live in the Northeast. Despite urbanization, rural and urban areas contribute equally to national poverty. Population below poverty line: 21.4% note: approximately 4% of the population are below the extreme poverty line. Brazil has only a few wealthy people but are very high on poor people, the gap between the highest and lowest social levels are very high. Stabilization of the economy has given more purchasing powers to the poor. Income inequality is one of the main factors effecting poverty in Brazil. The system distributes money from 90% of the poor to the top 10% of the richest.   The richest people in Brazil have access to over 40% of the countrys income while the poor only have access to 1%. Environmental: Because extreme poverty doesnt always lend to widespread birth education, many poor women lack the resources necessary to engage in birth control. Therefore, it is common for poor women to continue having children well after they would have liked because of little to no access to resources and education. Air pollution is another way in which poverty contributes to environmental degradation. As mentioned above, poor communities lack the proper knowledge when it comes to production techniques. Thus, the ways in which they use resources to help them survive are harmful to the resources around them, and ultimately the world at large. Impacts of No (Lack of) Education Economic and Social: Lack of education is the disadvantage of receiving very limited education, very basic and below average to read or write, not able to understand maths. Lack of education is a root cause of poverty, it is preventing millions of people from escaping the cycle of extreme poverty around the world. Brazil children have access to free public education at all levels. Education at a Primary level is compulsory, and most of the Primary schools are maintained by the municipalities or the states that they occupy. This means that wealthier cities or states have better schools than their poorer counterparts, and the children suffer because of a lack of adequate amenities and resources. This, in turn, means that poorer children receive a lower level of education. Many children do not attend school because of malnutrition, as this makes them unable to develop intellectually and to adjust to the social environment of a school. Child labour amongst poorer children is also an enormous problem, despite its being technically illegal to employ a child less than 16 years of age. Poor families generally prefer for their children to start working as soon as possible, so that they may bring in an income. This has resulted in labourers as young as 10 years old, missing school in a desperate attempt to earn money. The high examination failure rate is another factor that influences non-attendance at schools, despite there being free. Conclusion After comparing all three dominant factors, it is decided that lack of education is the main cause of inequality. It reduces chance of a good life, you can never get a job and this can lead to increase in poverty, this also gets rid of their opportunity of income. Knowledge can bring up new leaders and change the world. It can make most social, economic and environmental issues disappear. Education reduces poverty and inequality. Women leaders will gain respect and decrease gender inequality.

Purpose And Definition Of OEE Engineering Essay

Purpose And Definition Of OEE Engineering Essay 2.1 Introduction These days, in this demanding world, the total elimination of waste is for the survival of the organization. The waste caused due to the failure or shutdown of facilities that has been built with enormous investment, and also waste such as defective products ought to be completely eliminated. In a manufacturing sector, companys facilities have to be functioning efficiently in order to gain desirable productivity, inventory cost, delivery as well as quality. In this context, the motive of OEE analysis and measurement is to reduce the equipment losses to zero and has been recognized as a necessity for many organizations. According to Bamber et al. (1999) [5], the role of teamwork, small group activities and the participation of all employees is crucial to accomplish equipment improvement aims. Hence, OEE is use as metrics to determine the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) activities. On the other hand, it can also be said that OEE shows a consistency approach to measure the effectiven ess of TPM as well as other programs by providing an overall structure for measuring production efficiency. As explained by (Dal et al., 2000) [6], the role of OEE goes far beyong not only monitoring and controlling, but also takes into consideration of process improvement initiatives/programs, provides a systematic method for establishing production targets, prevents the sub-optimization of individual machines or product lines, as well as incorporates practical management tools and techniques. This ensures the attainment of a balanced view of process availability, quality and performance. Another statement made by Lesshammar and Patrik (1999) [7], in their case studies, have presented how OEE is being used in industry and as well have reported that this metric forms a useful part of an overall system of measurement. In other words, it provides a useful method to measure the effectiveness of manufacturing operations from a single piece of equipment to the whole manufacturing plant of several manufacturing plants in a group. In doing so, OEE not only provides a complete scenario of where productive manufacturing time and money is being lost, but at the same time uncovers the true , hidden capability of the industry. Thus, it becomes the key manufacturing decision support tool for constant improvement programmes [8]. Apart from that, OEE is an established method of measuring followed by optimizing the efficiency of a machines performance or that of a whole industry plant. The effectiveness of a plants production highly depends on the effectiveness with which it makes use of equipment, materials, man and methods as explained by Suzuki (1999) [9]. Besides, OEE can have a significant impact on the productivity of a manufacturing unit. Therefore, through OEE manufacturers may systematically direct their business towards attainment of continuous improvement operating margins, optimized competitive position and maximized utilization of capital. Some of the more prominent firms have benefited from OEE as a measurement gauge for implementing improvement activities that increases company profits and costs. . 2.2 History of OEE OEE is an essential metric and basic methodology for manufacturers practicing a Lean manufacturing strategy that is zero waste in their value streams. This metric element follows the well-founded principle: If you cant measure it, you cant manage it [10]. Some advocates are fond of the view If youre not taking score, youre only practicing [10]. In 1972, the Japanese Plant Maintenance Institute (JPMI) developed a theory called Total Productive Maintenance [11]. The preliminary aim of TPM was to eradicate the six big losses and subsequently the eight wastes. It was first implemented and developed in Toyotas automotive plants, soon after evolving into world renowned Toyota Production System. An organizational culture was formed by Toyota that focused on the systematic identification and elimination of all waste from their production process where the technical / human contributions to production are maximized. Reengineering and organizational change is used to maximize yield, minimize cost and time-compress the supply chain by fully excluding non-value added activities and not right first time events. The OEE gauge came forward from the Japanese production focused, equipment management framework of TPM [10]. OEE is the key measure of the tangible benefits accessible from TPM by Seiichi Nakajima, the founder of Total Productive Maintenance who initially used OEE to depict a fundamental measure for tracking production performance. He (Seiichi Nakajima) challenged the complacent view of effectiveness by focusing not merely on keeping equipment running smoothly, but on creating a sense of joint responsibility between maintenance workers and operators to optimize the Overall Equipment Performance. OEE symbolized in the first of the original pillars of TPM. Guided all TPM activities and measured the results of these loss focused activities. Therefore, the use of OEE had evolved into the current focused improvement pillar, one of eight TPM pillars. During the mid 1990s, coordinated by SEMATECH the semiconductor wafer fabrication industry has adopted to improve the productivity of the fabrication [11]. Since then, manufacturers in other industries throughout the world have embraced OEE ways to improve their asset utilization. 2.3 The purpose of OEE The OEE metric can be applied at a number of different levels within a manufacturing environment. First, OEE can be used as a benchmark for measuring the initial performance of a manufacturing industry as a whole. Thereby, the initial OEE measure can be compared with future OEE values, hence quantifying the level of enhancement made. Subsequently, an OEE value calculated for one manufacturing line can as well be used to compare line performance across the industry, thus highlighting any poor line performance. If the machines processes work individually, an OEE measure can discover which machine performance is worst, and therefore indicate where to focus TPM resources ( Nakajima 1988) [5]. Dal et al. (2000) [6] declared that by utilizing largely existing performance data, such as preventive maintenance, absenteeism, accidents, material utilization, conformance to schedule, labor recovery, set-up and changeover data, etc., the OEE measure may possibly provide topical information for daily decision making. Due to this, the OEE measurement method within a industry becomes the elementary measure of TPM activities, as well as a basis of improvements for the TPM process. 2.4 Definition of OEE In the era of globalization today, manufacturers are forced to look for creative ways to maximize additional investment due to the continuous pressure of global competition which results in lower margin. In this state, OEE has becoming a hot topic. In its most basic form, OEE offers a straightforward ways to keep track of manufacturing performance as well as to measure the total equipment performance- the degree to which the asset is doing what it is supposed to do. However, the true power of OEE as a dedicated application lies in the ability to use it as a change-enabler, or tool for continuous improvement and lean manufacturing programs [8]. There are various methodologies to gauge manufacturing efficiency. Generally most companies will have a number of measures already in place. Nevertheless, many now disagree that none of these approaches are as comprehensive or far reaching as the OEE achievement, since OEE provides a way to measure the effectiveness of manufacturing operations from single piece of equipment to the manufacturing plant in entirety, or several manufacturing plants in a group. as a result, OEE can be well thought-out as a central KPI (key performance indicator). It drives an organization to examine all aspects of asset performance in order to ensure gaining the maximum benefits from a piece of equipment that is already bought and paid for [12]. Thus, it is obvious that OEE acts as an approach for monitoring and managing the lifecycle of manufacturing assets. On the other hand, OEE can be expressed as a commonly accepted set of metrics that bring clear focus to the key success drivers for manufacturing enterprises [13]. In other words, it measures both efficiency (doing things right) and effectiveness (doing the right things) with the equipments. These measurement comprises of three fundamental elements where each one is expressed as a percentage and accounting for a different kind of waste in the manufacturing process. Thus, it is understood that OEE is a function of the three factors. The three factors mentioned below are briefed as: Availability or uptime (downtime: planned and unplanned, tool change, tool service, job change etc.) A measure of the time the plant was in fact available for production compared to the manufacturing requirements. Any losses in this area would attribute to major breakdowns or extended set up time [14]. Performance efficiency (actual vs. design capacity) The rate that concrete units are produced compared to the designed output. Losses in this area would attribute to slow speed running, minor stoppages or adjustments [14]. Rate of quality output (Defects and rework) A measure of good quality, saleable product, minus any waste. Losses in this element would attribute to damage rejects or products needing rework [14]. Measuring OEE can be done simply by capturing the five basic pieces of information as stated below: Planned Production Time the planned amount of time in which production is planned for a specific line. Down Time specify as the amount of time the process is not running during the planned production time (interrupts to production). Ideal Cycle Time represent as the theoretical minimum of time needed to produce a single piece of product. Total Pieces denote as the total number of pieces produced during the planned production time. Good Pieces signify as the total number of pieces produced that meet quality standards. Figure 2.1 The Overall Equipment Effectiveness flow chart 2.5 Objectives of OEE Overall Equipment Effectiveness records and data informations are used to categorize a single asset (machine or equipment) and/or single stream process related losses in order to improve total asset reliability and performance. Besides, the information is useful and essential as it helps to identify and categorize major losses or reasons for poor performance. OEE offers the basis for setting enhancement priorities as well as for the root of measurement and analysis. In addition, the percentage determined is used to track and trend for improvement, or decline, in equipment effectiveness over a period of time. Hidden or untapped capacity in a manufacturing process can be pointed out through these percentages and lead to balance flow. On top of that, OEE can be used to develop and enhance collaboration between asset operations, maintenance, purchasing, and equipment engineering to jointly identify and reduce (or eliminate) the 2 major causes of poop performance since maintenance alone cannot improve OEE. 2.6 The use of OEE The root why companies uses OEE is to avoid making inappropriate purchases, and help them focus on improving the performance of machinery and also plant equipment they already own. Companies should also start with the area that will provide the greatest return on asset because OEE is able to find the greatest areas of improvement. These OEE formula with the major factors involves will show how improvements in quality, changeovers, machine reliability improvements, working through breaks and more. In business world today, when many manufacturers strive towards world class productivity in their facility, this simple method will perform an excellent benchmarking tool [15]. Besides, the simple derived OEE percentage makes a great motivational system as it is easy to understand and this single number is displayed where all facility personnel can view it. By giving employees such as operators and workers an easy way to see how they are doing in overall equipment utilization, production speed, and quality, in return they will strive for a higher number instead. 2.7 Defining Six Big Losses One of the major goals of TPM and OEE programs is to reduce and/or eliminate what are named as the Six Big Losses, the most common causes of efficiency loss in manufacturing sectors. This was put forwarded by Nakajima in 1989 [16]. There are basically 3 categories of OEE loss which include: Down Time Loss, Speed Loss and Quality Loss. Each of these types has been divided into two sub-losses. They are known or called the Six Big Losses. Basically, OEE is generally measured in terms of these six losses as showed below. They are categorized as stated below: Breakdown Losses Setup and Adjustments Losses Small Stops Losses (Idling and Minor Stop Losses) Reduced Speed Losses Startup Rejects (reduced yield losses) Production Rejects (quality defects and re-work) Categorizing these data makes addressing the Six Big Losses much easier, and a key goal should be fast and efficient data collection, with data put to used throughout the day in the real time. 2.2 Addressing the Six Big Losses Measurement is essential to establish appropriate metrics. It is important necessity of continuous improvement processes. As stated by Nakajima (1988), an efficient way of analyzing the efficiency of a single machine or an integrated manufacturing process is through OEE measurement [17]. It is a function of availability, performance rate, and quality rate. In fact, the three dimensions are measures in terms of equipment losses. Following this, Nakajima (1988) defined these losses into six major categories as follows [17]: 2.7.1.1 Availability Losses Based on the mechanism principle, a machine most likely is available 24/7/365. However, this comes from an ideal perspective, from which one can measure true machine availability. There are few genuine factors that affect on availability, some of which are planned, and some unplanned. For planned downtime, it takes into account of holidays, scheduled maintenance and vacation. While for unplanned downtime, it includes equipment failures and setup and adjustments. It is possible to factor in the planned downtime; however it is the losses due to unplanned downtime that can negatively affects machine availability. Breakdowns Breakdown Losses are classified as by far the biggest of the Six Big Losses. These losses are significant due to the fact of its sudden, dramatic failure in which the equipment stops completely [18]. In the view of the fact that there is no production therefore this unexpected breakdown are undoubtedly elements of losses. The breakdown can cause all equipment functions to be terminated even though the source lies in a single specific function. Nevertheless, deterioration related to problem and losses are also regard as break down losses. It is important to improve OEE by eliminating unplanned downtime. But if the process is down, other OEE factors cannot be dealt with. Therefore, it is not merely important to know how much downtime your process is experiencing (and when) at the same time to be able to attribute the lost time to the specific reason or cause for the loss [19]. Setup and Adjustments Whenever the production of one product stops and the equipment is adjusted to meet the requirements of another product, this is where setup and adjustment take place. The loss of time due to this delay is known as setup and adjustments Basically, setup and adjustments period of time is normally measured as the time between the last good parts produced before setup to the first consistent good parts produced after setup. In order to constantly produce parts that meet the quality standards, it should generally include substantial adjustment and/or warm-up time. Various innovative ways have been used by companies to reduce setup time. These comprises assembling changeover carts with all tools and supplies necessary for the changeover in one place, pinned or marked settings so that coarse adjustments are no longer necessary, and use of prefabricated setup measures [20]. 2.7.1.2 Performance Losses Machine performance referred to as the net production time during which products are produced. The more the machine produces, the greater the OEE metric. However, speed losses and small stops will inhibit the overall performance of machine. If such losses is not recognized and addressed, the machine performance cannot be fully optimized. Reduced Speed Reduced Speed can be classified as one of the most difficult of the Six Big Losses to monitor and record. This is due to the reason that there is a significant difference between the theoretical maximum speed and what people think the maximum speed is. In most cases, in order to prevent other losses such as quality rejects and breakdowns, the production speed needs to be optimized. Losses due to reduce speed are therefore, often ignored or underestimated [21]. It happens when the equipment runs slower than its optimal or maximum speed. Apart from that, reduced speed is the difference between designed speed and the actual operating speed [21]. There are various reasons where equipment may be running at less than its designed speed, for instance non-standard or difficult raw materials, history or past problems, mechanical problems, or fear of overloading the equipment. This loss of speed is actually converted into time during the OEE calculation. Small Stops We can also assume small stops as one of the most difficult of the Six Big Losses to monitor and record. Whenever a machine shows short interruptions and does not have a constant speed, this will not result in a smooth flow of production. Minor stoppages and the subsequent loss of speed can be the cause from products blocking sensors or products getting stuck in the conveyor belts. The machines effectiveness will be diminished drastically if these hitches occur frequently [21]. The occurrence of these losses happens whenever equipment stops for a short time as the result of a temporary problem. As an example, a work-piece is jammed in a chuck or when a sensor activates and shut down the machines, this will definitely result in a minor stoppage. As soon as someone removes the jammed work-piece or resets the sensor instantly, it operates normally again. These losses also include idling losses that occur when equipment continues to run without producing. Thus, since idling and minor stoppages interrupt jobs, therefore they can also be categorized as breakdowns. Despite that, the two are fundamentally different in that a minor stoppage and the duration are usually less than 10 minutes. 2.7.1.3 Quality Losses A scrap is when the final product is not saleable, and the entire process has been wasted on product that will never make it to the customer. Thus, it is very essential to take into account the quality of the product while evaluating OEE. Availability and speed often has been the main focus, and quality is left behind. The key to keep in mind is that without a good product, the rest of the operation is a white elephant. Generally, quality losses are generated during startup while the machine is ramping up, during adjustment, or during normal production, as rejected/unwanted product due to process instabilities. Startup Rejects Products that do not meet the quality standards are called scraps, even if they can be sold as sub-spec. A specific type of quality loss is the startup losses where these losses occur due to when: Starting up of the machine: the production is not stable as soon as the machine starts and the first products do not meet the quality standards. The process of the machine at the end of a production run is no longer stable and the products no longer to be able to meet the specifications require. Quantities of products are no longer counted as part of the production order and consequently are considered as loss. These are usually hidden losses, which are often considered to be unavoidable. The scale of these losses can be surprisingly large [21]. Certain adjustments and warm-up time is required for several equipments to obtain optimum output. Losses that happen in the early stages of production during machine setup to stabilization of product quality are called the startup losses. The losses differ with degree of stability of processing condition, operators technical skill, maintenance level on equipment, and many more. Production rejects A product that does not meet the quality specifications/standards for the first time, but can be reprocessed into good products is known as rework products. Reworking products is not a disadvantage as the product can be sold to fit other demand needs. However, the product was not right first time and is therefore a quality loss just like scrap [21]. Production rejects are classified as quality losses that are not caused by startup. These losses arise only when products produced are not conforming to the specifications. Parts that require rework of any kind should be considered reject and this happens during steady state production. Example of the Downtime loss, Speed loss, and Quality loss is depicted in the following page. The Six Big Losses with three categories are shown in figure below. The following table shows how this Six Big Losses are categorized with examples given. Figure 2.3: Classification of Six Big Losses. The table below lists the Six Big Losses, and show how they are relate to the OEE Loss categories. A typical major loss, the categories of OEE as well as examples of events is shown as follow: OEE Loss Category   Six Big Loss Category   Event Examples   Down Time Loss   Breakdowns   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Tooling Failures à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Unplanned Maintenance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ General Breakdowns à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Equipment Failure   Setup and Adjustments à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Setup/Changeover à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Material Shortages à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Operator Shortages à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Major Adjustments à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Warm-Up Time Speed Loss   Idling and Minor stops   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Obstructed Product Flow à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Component Jams à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Misfeeds à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sensor Blocked à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Delivery Blocked à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cleaning/Checking   Reduced Speed à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rough Running à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Under Nameplate Capacity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Under Design Capacity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Equipment Wear à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Operator Inefficiency Quality Loss   Start-up Losses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Scrap à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rework à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In-Process Damage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In-Process Expiration à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Incorrect Assembly   Defect Losses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Scrap à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rework à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In-Process Damage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In-Process Expiration à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Incorrect Assembly Table 2.1 : The Six Big Losses in OEE 2.8 OEE factors As explained in previous subsequent chapter, the OEE calculation is based on the three OEE factors. This comprises of Availability, Quality and Performance. They are as well referring as Effectiveness Factors. Here is how each of these factors is calculated. Availability The Availability part of OEE represents the percentage of scheduled time that the equipment is available to function [18]. This Availability element is a measurement of the uptime that is designed to exclude the effects of performance, quality, and scheduled downtime events. Since Availability takes into account of Downtime loss, the formula is calculated as: 20 Availability = Operation time Planned Production time Where, Operation time = Planned production time Unscheduled Downtime Production time = Planned production time Scheduled Downtime Downtime losses zero indicates the availability is 100%, where the gross operating time equals the available time for production. i.e. Operation time equals Planned Production time. Therefore, it can be said that 100% Availability means the process has been running without any recorded stops. Performance Performance can be denoted as the ratio between Net Operating Time and Operating Time. Since Performance takes into account of speed loss, the formula is calculated as: 22 Performance = Net Operating Time Operating Time The Performance portion of OEE corresponds to the speed at which the machine runs as a percentage of its designed speed. This Performance element is a measurement of speed that is designed to exclude the effects of availability and quality [18]. Performance does not penalize for rejects, which imply even if the work is rejected or rework, it will still be included in the planned and actual hours accordingly. Since Performance takes into account Speed Loss, the formula is calculated as: Performance = Ideal Cycle Time Operating Time / Total Pieces 23 Where, Ideal Cycle Time = the minimum cycle time that the process can be expected to achieve in optimal circumstances. It is at times called, Theoretical Cycle Time, Nameplate Capacity or Design Cycle Time. Since Run Rate is the reciprocal of Cycle Time, Performance can also be calculated as: Performance = Total Pieces / Operating Time Ideal Run Rate 24 Performance is limited at 100%, to make sure that if an error is made in specifying the Ideal Cycle Time of Ideal Run Rate, the effect on OEE will be limited. Therefore, it can be said that 100% Performance means the process has been consistently running at its theoretical maximum speed. Quality Rate The Quality portion of the OEE signifies the good units produced as a percentage of the total units produced [18]. The Quality metric is a measurement of process yield that is designed to exclude the effects of availability and performance. Quality is the ratio of Fully Productive Time to Net Operating Time. Quality = Fully Productive Time / Net Operating Time 25 Quality = Good Pieces / Total Pieces Since Quality takes into account of Quality Loss, the formula is calculated as: 26 (Total no of units of processed products- No of units of no good products)/(total no of units of processed products). Thus, it can be said that 100% Quality means there is no rework or reject pieces. Therefore, since OEE takes into account all three OEE factors, the formula is calculated as: 27 OEE = Availability x Performance x Quality Therefore OEE is the product of its effectiveness factors; Availability, Performance and Quality. The study of each of these effectiveness factors will improve the Overall Equipment Effectiveness. Below diagrams shows the three major elements of OEE together with formula calculated . Figure 2.4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.Shows the formula on how to calculate OEE Figure 2.5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Shows the OEE Factors Loss OEE Factor Planned Shutdown Not included in OEE calculation Down Time Loss Availability is the ratio of Operating Time to Planned Production Time (Operating Time is Planned Production Time less Down Time Loss). Calculated as the ratio of Operating Time to Planed Production Time. 100% Availability means the process has been running without any recorded stops. Speed Loss Performance is the ratio of Net Operating Time to Operating Time (Net Operating Time is Operating Time less Speed Loss). Calculated as the ratio of Ideal Cycle Time to Actual Cycle Time, or alternately the ratio of Actual Run Rate to Ideal Run Rate. 100% Performance means the process has been consistently running at its theoretical maximum speed. Table 2.1 indicates the 3 main factors of OEE Quality Loss Quality is the ratio of Fully Productive Time to Net Operating Time (Fully Productive Time is Net Operating Time less Quality Loss). Calculated as the ratio of Good Pieces to Total Pieces. 100% Quality means there have been no reject or rework pieces. 2.9 OEE Components of Plant Operating Time 2.9.1 Components of Plant Operating Time In order to establish an accurate measurement, OEE analysis begins with Plant Operating Time. Basically, this Plant Operating Time implies as the amount of time the facility is open and available for equipment process. It can also be refer as the maximum amount of time and is a constant. One day consists of 24 hours of 60 minutes. While, for one week, it consists of 7 days of 24 hours. Whereas, in one year consists of 52 weeks. At times, Plant Operating Time is also referred to as Theoretical Production Time. It consists of different losses like speed and quality loss as well as fully productive time 2.9.1 Plant Production Time Once a category of called Planned Shut Down is subtracted from Plant Operating Time, the remaining available time is called Planned Production Time. The Planned Shut Down shall include any events that should be excluded from efficiency analysis since there was no intension of running production [22]. For example, tea breaks, lunch breaks, scheduled maintenance or periods where there is nothing to produce. Nevertheless, Planned Production Time is also known as Available Production Time. OEE initiates with Planned Production Time and analyze efficiency as well as productivity losses that occur, with the aim of eliminating or reducing these losses. OEE starts with Plant Operating Time and end up with Fully Productive Time, screening the source of productive loss that occur in between. 2.9.1.1 Operating Time From Planned Production Time, the downtime loss is subtracted to gain Operating Time. The downtime losses inclusive of any events that stop planned production for an appreciable length of time (normally several minute-long enough to log as a traceable event) [22]. Examples of these include material shortages, equipment failures, and changeover time. Since it is also includes as type of downtime, the changeover time is included in OEE analysis. Even though it may not be possible to reduce 9 changeover times, however, it can be reduced in most cases. The remaining available time is called Operating Time and also known as Gross Operating Time [22]. 2.9.1.2 Net Operating Time From the Operating Time, the speed loss is deducted to obtain Net Operating Time. The speed losses take account of any factors that cause the process to operate less than the maximum possible speed while running. Examples of these include machine wear, substandard materials, miss-feeds, and operator inefficiency. 2.9.1.3 Fully Productive Time As for Net Operating Time, the Quality Loss is subtracted and the remaining available time is called the Fully Productive Time. These quality losses accounts for produced pieces that do not meet quality standards, together with pieces that require rework. The goal here is to maximize Fully Productive Time w