Work life balance “Don’t be fired by your family” Essay Example for Free

Work life balance â€Å"Don’t be fired by your family† Essay Best practice has shown that â€Å"both employees and employers can benefit when staff are able to adapt flexible work practices thereby enabling them to better manage their work and family responsibilities† (UQ, 2007, p. 1). In the end result this could increase employees productivity. â€Å"Supervisors have an important role in developing and maintaining a family-friendly work environment† (UQ, 2007, p. 1). â€Å"A supervisor could help creating this environment by flexibly organizing work arrangements and workloads taking into consideration certain factors such as night lecturing, summer schools, acting as a role model demonstrating understanding and acceptance of work family balance, and take a positive approach to negotiating flexible arrangements† (UQ, 2007, p. 1-2). 3. 2 Teleworking is good for business and employees Teleworking is another practice resulted in improving productivity. According to Business Legal Reports (2006), †teleworking has some benefits such as: relocation cost savings, increased productivity by reducing employees absentee, reduced costs for office space, and employee satisfaction† (p. 7). So, when supervisors consider benefiting from telework, they won’t only provide an improved work-life balance for the employee, but also they will get improved business performance for the employer. 3. 3 Other best practices 3. 3. 1 Concern for employee community (Employee Care Program and Employee Relations Program). This practice proved that it could reduce employees’ turnover. This kind of program â€Å"monitors how people are doing in their jobs and in their lives, offers rewards, gifts, annual picnic and holiday, flexible scheduling and telecommuting, and medical coverage. † 3. 3. 2 Encourage employees to take their vacations This practice is important to enable employees to relax enough to avoid stress, anxiety, emotional problems, job burnout in order to let employees perform at their optimum level. 3. 3. 3 Consumer-driven health care Textron, Inc is an example company that adopted this practice. The company â€Å"consolidated employee healthcare options and shifted to consumer-driven healthcare. This resulted in increased productivity, a significant decline in healthcare costs, and decrease in the casual absentee rates and the incidence of disability leave. † (Business Legal Reports, 2007b, p. 3) 2. Conducting Performance appraisals â€Å"Monitoring staff performance is a key for any supervisor. It should be part of on-going discussions with staff and volunteers about their work and the results obtained. † (Mathew, M. , 2007) According to Hays, S. W.(2004), â€Å"an immense amount of energy has recently been devoted to upgrading the quality of performance appraisals by tying them to organizational missions and goals. † (p. 262) 2. 1 Best practices for evaluation? According to Hays, S. W. (2004), best practices concerning evaluation showed that â€Å"HR experts agree that evaluations ought to (a) be based on objective and observable criteria, (b) involve mutual goal setting, (c) avoid the tendency to assess irrelevant worker traits, and (d) be tailored to each individual job and worker (rather than using one form for every employee). † 4. 2 360-Degree performance management feedback system According to Business Legal Reports (2006), â€Å"this system, which solicits feedback from boss, peers and direct reports if there are any, has been increasingly embraced as the best of all available methods for collecting performance feedback. † (p. 4) â€Å"The 360 process allows for multiple points of view to be given on any given individual. It neutralizes what might otherwise be one rater’s bias (either positive or negative) and helps to paint a more comprehensive picture of that individual’s performance. † (p. 4) 4. 3 Other best practices Hays, S. W. (2004) also mentioned other best practices in conducting performance appraisals such as: â€Å"Employee Performance Management System (EPMS), 360-degree evaluation, Team-based evaluations, and Gainsharing. † (p. 262) 5 Resolving Conflict According to Vogel, A. (2007), â€Å"unproductive workplace conflict arises when appropriate communication breaks down. The result is wasted work time; a drop in motivation, productivity and quality of service; employee attrition; loss of authority; a stressful work environment; and even direct damage to the company. † 5. 1 The best approach to avoid â€Å"The best approach to workplace conflict is to avoid unproductive quarreling altogether. And suggested four strategies –mentioned by Daniel Dana- for eliminating strife: (1) address conflict early, (2) avoid a one-sided solution, (3) take risks such as apologizing, (4) respect others’ peace-making gestures. † (Vogel, A. , 2007) 5. 2 Guidelines for managing the situation. Vogel, A, (2007) mentioned some guidelines to help managing scuffles before they escalate into real crisis such as: mediating conflict between two employees, decide to mediate, hold preliminary meetings, conduct a three-way meeting, work out a deal, self-mediation, step outside your office, listen first, and finally manage diverging viewpoints. † 6 Improving Employee Relations 6. 1 Create a newsletter One practice to improve employee relations is to create a newsletter that works for employee communications either a printed one or an electronic one (by e-mail or on the website). 6. 2 Build a forum on your website or intranet This forum will provide an informal communication channel for employees to share their ideas, events or even their problems 6. 3 Create shared events Being a supervisor you could make some events shared even if you turn the routine group tasks into fun shared events. For example CMP Technology made the spring-cleaning records become an event. â€Å"Employees worked together in teams and competed to win a dinner for the team and discarded 12 tons of unnecessary paper in the process. † (Business Legal Reports, 2007a2) III. Conclusion. The main conclusion is that best practices can -for sure- help supervisors and enhance the way they deal with their responsibilities with employees by adopting approaches, techniques, and policies to create a positive, creative, and supportive work environment. Another conclusion is that information technology has an important role in providing effective HR practices. Finally, supervisors should be a model themselves for their employees in order to make a real change. References Bjomberg, L. (2002). Training and development: Best practices. Public Personnel Management. Winter 2002.International Public Management Association for Human Resources Survey. Retrieved April 16, 2008 from http://www. entrepreneur. com/tradejournals/article/160542388_1. html Business Legal Reports, Inc. (2006). Top 10 Best Practices in HR Management for 2008. United States of America: Business Legal Reports, Inc. Business Legal Reports (2007a1). 10 Tips for HR to Boost Intranet Efficiency. Best Practices in HR. (838), pp. 1-2 Business Legal Reports (2007a2). ‘Bin There, Dump That’-Spring Cleaning Recors Becomes Event at CMP Technology. Best Practices in HR. (838), pp. 3 Business Legal Reports (2007b). Case study: Move to consumer-driven healthcare decreases costs, improves employee health. Best Practices in Compensation Benefits. (734), pp. 3 Collins, R. Druten, K. V. (2003). Survey of Australian and New Zealand Human Resource Practices, CCH and AGSM. Retrieved April 16, 2008 from http://www2. agsm. edu. au/agsm/web. nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/CCHREPORT2003/$FILE/CCH+Final+2003. pdf Hays, S. W. (2004). Trends and Best Practices in State and Local Human Resource Management: Lessons to be learned? Review of Public Administration, 24(3), pp. 256-275, SAGE Publications. Retrieved April 16, 2008 from http://rop.sagepub. com/cgi/content/abstract/24/3/256 Mathew, M. (2007). Best Practices Module: Human resources management. British Columbia Museum Association. Retrieved April 16, 2008 from http://www. museumsassn. bc. ca/Images/Best%20Practices%20Modules%202/Human%20Resource%20Management%20FINAL. pdf Orsini, B. (2000). Improving Internal Communications. Internal Auditor. December 2000. Retrieved April 16, 2008 from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m4153/is_6_57/ai_69759744/pg_1 Rubin, L. Merripen, C. (2003). IGDA Business Committee: Best practices in Human Resources. IGDA. Retrieved April 16, 2008 from.

Pipe Surge and Water Hammer Experiment

Pipe Surge and Water Hammer Experiment The objective of the work undertaken was consisted two separate experiments, pipe surge and water hammer. These are both caused by a reduction in the flow rate within a pipe. They are two alternative dissipations of the kinetic energy of the fluid into another form of energy pressure in the case of the water hammer, and potential energy in the case of the surge shaft. The surge shaft is a device used as a way of avoiding pressure surges which accompany the water hammer effect, by allowing the fluid up a shaft near the valve, thus absorbing the pressure exerted by the fluid on the valve and the pipe. The aim of these two experiments was to compare the results with the theory derived from Newtons Second Law of Motion. Introduction Pipe Surge Water pipelines and distribution systems are subjected to surges almost daily, which over time can cause damage to equipment and the pipeline itself. Surges are caused by sudden changes in flow velocity that result from common causes such as rapid valve closure, pump starts and stops, and improper filling practices. Pipelines often see their first surge during filling when the air being expelled from a pipeline rapidly escapes through a manual vent or a throttled valve followed by the water. Being many times denser than air, water follows the air to the outlet at a high velocity, but its velocity is restricted by the outlet thereby causing a surge. It is imperative that the filling flow rate be carefully controlled and the air vented through properly sized automatic air valves. Similarly, line valves must be closed and opened slowly to prevent rapid changes in flow rate. The operation of pumps and sudden stoppage of pumps due to power failures probably have the most frequent impact o n the system and the greatest potential to cause significant surges. If the pumping system is not controlled or protected, contamination and damage to equipment and the pipeline itself can be serious. The effects of surges can be as minor as loosening of pipe joints to as severe as damage to pumps, valves, and concrete structures. Damaged pipe joints and vacuum conditions can cause contamination to the system from ground water and backflow situations. Uncontrolled surges can be catastrophic as well. Line breaks can cause flooding and line shifting can cause damage to supports and even concrete piers and vaults. Losses can be in the millions of dollars so it is essential that surges be understood and controlled with the proper equipment. Water Hammer Water hammer is the formation of pressure waves as the result of a sudden change in liquid velocity in a piping system. Water hammer usually occurs when a fluid flow start or stops quickly or is forced to make a rapid change in direction. Quick closing of valves and stoppage of pump can create water hammer. Valve closing in 1.5s or less depending upon the valve size and system conditions causes an abrupt stoppage of the slow. Since liquid is not compressible, any energy that is applied to is instantly transmitted. The pressure waves created at rapid valve closure can reach five times the systems working pressure. If not considered for, this pressure pulse will rapidly accelerate to the speed of sound in liquid, which can exceed 1200 m/s, causing burst of the pipeline and pump causing as well as fracture in the pipe fittings. For this reason, it is essential to understand under what conditions these pressure waves are produced and reduce the pressure rise as much as possible in a pipi ng system. Risk assessment In experimental work there are always some risks to everyone in the lab, hence a health and safety briefing before commencing the labs. These will aware people to the potential risks and the appropriate steps to reduce the likelihood of accidents. Therefore it is crucial to follow the advice of the staff supervising at all times and use the protection equipment provided. There are different hazard around in the lab, identifying them is important. There are people doing other experiments at the same time in the lab, make sure what the worst situation can happen with it. Therefore knowing where is the closest fire exit is important, or the short route to get out the build. Making sure there are not wire on the floor, incase people fell over it. Make sure that all the equipments going to be used are safe. Connecting the equipments correctly to prevent short circuit. Make sure that the load is not too heavy to left. When loading the equipment, be careful it might fell on to someones toe. Be aware of anything caught into the equipment When leaving the lab make sure things are placed back to the original place, and all equipments are switched off. There are ways to prevent it happen. Make sure you know the risk of the experiment. Ask others to help to set up, if not sure what the equipment does. Do not leave anything unattended. Not lift anything heavy alone or with equipments help. Wear PPE Methodology Pipe Surge The equipment is set up as shown Figure 4 1, where the head loss can be measured. The static head (hs) is recorded through the level on the surge shaft when there is no flow, this will be the datum level throughout the experiment. Then adjusting the gate valve and supply control valve, so that there is a steady of water flowing into the sump tank, where the new reading in the surge shaft is the velocity head (hv). Then the gate valve is close and wait for the oscillations to stop, once it is stopped the lever is opened to operated gate valve and the water level should drop back to the same value for the velocity head. The value of hs and hv are used to calculate the head loss due to friction which is hs hv = hf. The flow rate will be needed by closing the dump tank to find the quantity of water in the tank in 60 seconds. More reading should be taken for better accuracy. The flow rate should not be changed for the rest of the experiment. The maximum and minimum surge heights are measure by the oscillations and the time between the gate valves is quickly closed. The same procedure is repeated but the time taken between the surges passing the datum point is measured. Water Hammer: Follow the Appendix 8 -1 to set the equipment up. Where the water hammer flow control valve should be fully open and the surge shaft valve is fully closed, then the measurement of the volumetric flow rate will be taken and thus calculate the flow velocity. The volumetric flow rate can be measure using the same procedure as Pipe Surge. Then the fast acting valve is release to stop the flow of water instantaneously causing a pressure pulse to travel up and down the pipe. This is instantaneous closures which mean closure less than 2L/c, i.e. the valve is closed before a reflected wave reaches the valve again, as this will give us the same pressure rise as an instantaneous closure. These pulses are captured on the oscilloscope where we record the average amplitude, time base and the duration of the pulse. The time lags between the two pressure transducers are also recorded. For the second half of this experiment, the oscilloscope setting is changed so that the time base setting is increased to 25ms/div. Once it is set up, the same procedure will be repeated as before. The fast acting valve is release and records the average amplitude value and duration of the pulse for the traces that are on the oscilloscope. Discussion When comparing the values gained experimentally to the values predicted from the equations, tabulated in table 6 -1, it can be observed that the predicted flow rates and the period of oscillation are both quite similar with their experimental values. The reason for the slight difference in flow rates is partly due to the fact that the equation that we needed to use to find the flow rate had two unknown values in it, Q and hf. The equation that we used was: The experimental value of frictional head loss is used so that the predicted flow rate can be calculated. The experimental value of Q is used for calculating the theoretical value for frictional head loss by substituting this value in to the equation However this value would have accumulated more errors and therefore the value would be further away from the experimental value. From Figure 6 1 the time period is about 8 seconds can be observed, whereas the predicted value is 7.5705 seconds. The discrepancy between the two numbers is most likely to be as a result of human error, when timing the points of max and min surge and also when the surge crosses the datum a time factor needs to be taken into consideration for the time taken between the person saying when to stop the timer and the other person actually pressing the button. This time delay could easily explain the half second difference between the two values. When comparing the difference between the experimental and predicted values for maximum surge height, the first predicted value is hugely different to the actual value achieved. The reason for this is because the equation gives the max surge from the static head assuming that there are no losses due to friction, therefore the equation will need to be adjust to take into consideration of the effects of friction. This acts as a correction factor. The reason why it need to be use, because the initial head loss which is due to friction, this is the difference between the static head and the velocity head which is much lower than the static head therefore the initial max amplitude should be taken away. Throughout the effects of friction is important as dealing with a small bore system whereas in reality surge shafts have diameters in meters. The effects of friction can be assumed negligible, as long as the initial head at the valve is assume the same as at the reservoir. However in the flow frictional losses are relatively large, this can be seen in the fact that there is a large difference between the static head and velocity head. This is partly due to the small diameter of the pipe, as the friction occurs at the walls and if the diameter of the pipe is small then the area in which the fluid is unaffected by the friction is going to be smaller. In order to take the effects of friction in to account, the equation of the max amplitude must start from the velocity head therefore the head loss due to friction can also be taken into consideration. Water Hammer From observing Figure 5 -1 the single pressure wave, it varies slightly to the symmetrical smooth square shown as in the Fluid Mechanics Lab Manual. The pulse shown on the oscilloscope showed an unsymmetrical, rough rectangle. This irregularity of the line is as a result of not all the kinetic energy being transferred into potential energy, which is the pressure pulse, and the remaining energy being lost in the form of heat, sound and strain. The strain loss is where the compression of the water tries to expand the pipe, i.e. constant volume therefore change the cross sectional area. The reason of that assumption is the irregular graph as when deriving the equations as assumed that the kinetic energy lost is equal to the energy gained in the form of the pressure pulse, this does not take into consideration the effects of energy losses like heat noise and deformation. In another part of the experiment, the pressure transducer set up halfway along the pipe. i.e. 1.5meters away from the valve; this meant there is a time lag between the first wave and the second wave giving the opportunity to measure the speed of sound in water. Firstly the time lag need to be calculated, using 0.75 per division. In the first set up the time axis for the oscilloscope to 2.5milliseconds per division, therefore the time lag is 1.5 milliseconds. The time lag should roughly be a quarter of the time period, so it is as expected the time lag is 1.5625 milliseconds, which is very close to what experimentally gained therefore suggesting that the value has a slight error but not as significant error that the value cant be used to work out Ce. As a result the value of the time lag in the equation can be used An experimental value was given for the speed of sound in the water/pipe system which is 960m/s. This value is used to calculate the time it takes a single pressure pulse to travel a complete circuit of the pipe, in this case 6 meters, and the value is 4.523 milliseconds compared to 6.25 milliseconds from the sketch. The difference between these two values could be due to not reading the number of divisions accurately enough and also where the measure of the period from, both of which could have made the result closer to the result calculated. However the discrepancy might also be due to pulse travelling further than it is assumed. For the calculations, assumption is made that it is just travelling the length of the pipe, however the pulse might travel some distance into the header tank instead of being reflected back at the edge. This would then account for why the measured time period is longer, as it could be travelling further than the 6 meters as assumed. When looking at the table 6 -2 for the water hammer experiment, the predicted and experimental values for the speed of sound in water can be compared, peak pressure and also the duration of the first pulse. There is not much difference the experimental and predicted values of speed of sound in the water/pipe system, this indicates that the experiment went well and that the calculations and therefore the equations used are correct. However there is a significant difference between the peak pressure and also the duration of the pulse, it is quite likely that measured the duration of the pulse inaccurately as determined a rough value for how many divisions the period was, likewise with the amplitude of the pulse. Furthermore when calculating the experimental velocity of sound in water the time lag was used as the time in the equation and the time lag again was measured by reading how many divisions it took up and as a consequence was open to human error in reading it. From Figure 5 1 can be observe several reflected pressure waves. When the pulse is reflected as a low pressure wave, the pulse is going lower than the original start point. The pressure wave is actually reaching the vapour pressure of water and as a consequence the water is boiling and evaporating creating bubbles, this causes a vacuum to be created thus slowing down the pulse. The energy created from the boiling water soon dissipates and when there are not enough bubbles to slow down the pulse then a second pulse starts and the whole process repeats itself. The fact that the pulse is slowed down in the pressure trough by the vacuum and bubbles means that the pulses are not symmetrical. Studying the Figure 5 1 more closely, on the second pulse wave there is a small spike half way between the first pulse and the second pulse can be observe, this could be due to a number of reasons but the most likely is that it is the pulse that has been reflected back from the back of the Header tank. Ideally the experiment would be set up such that the header tank has a big enough change in volume and pressure compared to the pipe that it would act as a discontinuity and reflect the pulse back straight away. However in this case some of the pulse could be being reflected from the back wall of the header tank. This would also explain why there is a difference between some of our experimental and predicted results for the speed of sound in water, as we could be assuming that the distance travelled by the pulse is slightly shorter than it travelled in reality, thus having different values when calculating C. The reason why the amplitudes of the pulse wave are not symmetrical is partl y due to the vaporisation of the water and also as a consequence of friction, as the flow is slowed the frictional head loss also reduces and so the head at the valve increases to the equilibrium position of the static head, that is why the amplitudes converges towards the static equilibrium can be observe. Conclusions In conclusion, the results between theoretical and experimental were similar and close to each other. However, the slight discrepancies might due to human error, e.g. not recording the time as accurately and also the effects of friction will need to be taken in consideration. Therefore if the experiment is repeated to get better accuracy for the result can be more reliable to use. References Fluid Mechanics Laboratory Manual Level 1 and 2 notes on unsteady flow Douglas JF, Gasiorek JM and Swaffield JA, Fluid Mechanics, 4th ed, Prentice Hall, 2001. (ISBN 0582414768) Massey, B, Mechanics of Fluids, 8th ed, Taylor Francis, 2006 (ISBN 0-415-36206) http://www.valmatic.com/pdfs/SurgeControlPumpingSystems.pdf http://ksbpak.com/pdfs/waterhammer.pdf

Moral Responsibility in Business

Moral Responsibility in Business Moral responsibility Moral responsibility is the voluntary attributable responsibility ensuring that acts knowingly and intentionally carried out by rational human beings dont cause injury to other individuals. Wilmot (2001) contrasts the theories that from a business perspective, moral responsibility can be described as the quality of corporate behaviour by which the responsible corporation displays such characteristics as wisdom, prudence and moral fortitude, however from another perspective can be held to mean forcing corporations to account for their actions much as one would an individual. According to Constantinescu and Kaptein (2015), moral responsibility for outcomes in corporate settings can be ascribed individuals within the corporation, the corporation itself, or both, defining these as individual moral responsibility, corperate moral responsibility and Summative Corporate Moral Responsibility. There is a common held traditional belief that the product itself doesnt denote responsibility itself and that it is the user who has ultimate responsibility however this has been distorted over time to incorporate products liability and the effects thereof. According to Federwisch (2015), an individual or party is morally responsible for an event as long as three premises are met, namely if they caused the event to occur, they acted within the bounds of reason and they could have prevented the event from occurring. An example of this is the Perrier scandal in 1992, when a US production site discovered bottles containing the toxic chemical benzene. Perrier was arguably the market lead with over 60% sales derived from overseas exports. Having no contingency plan for product recall, the managements initial response was to pass the event off as an isolated incident, however when benzene was identified in Perrier globally, this was identified as an untenable explanation. In order to attempt to maintain reputation, a product recall of 160 million bottles from 120 countries was instigated at a cost of over $250m. Unfortunately, there was a delay in action from the company and poor decision making along with poor communication led to a loss of reputation among consumers (Caesar-Gordon., 2015). Subsequently, Perrier effectively went out of business, being brought up by the Nestlà © cooperation. This can be contrasted with the earlier effects of the Johnson and Johnson Tylenol event when in the eighties, packets of the pain killer Tylenol were deliberately contaminated with cyanide and placed upon the shelves resulting in several deaths. Immediately, the management body at the manufacturers made an ethical decision in accordance with their ethical perspective and halted the advertising campaign from the product, recalled 31 million bottles- Tylenol accounted for 17% of the companies net income, causing a cost of $100 million. Ultimately, the decision proved to be highly successful. Whilst initial losses were apparent, and stock prices in the firm dipped, public confidence in the firm was restored by the action and within two months of the event, the stock prices recovered and the company regained its market position (Benoit, 2012). There are however, examples in which the conditions become a grey area, notably in the manufacture of products that are designed to cause harm, creating a paradox in the subject of moral responsibility. Constantinescu and Kaptein (2015) posed the question, is there any point in discussing the morality of organizations when this could be rendered redundant in light of existing legislation-as such, do ethics transend law. Comparative morality suggests they do in that a firm may be acting within the bounds of legality, yet still perform unethical actions. An example of this is the production of armaments. Guns are designed to kill. They may not be employed as such as they can be used for certain non-lethal sporting practices e.g. target, filed and skeet (clay pigeon) however that dos not detract from the fact that the primary rationale for the design of a gun is to have the ability to kill. As such it becomes difficult to prove that the product was misused relative to its design specifi cation whilst maintaining that the action met with the conditions outlined earlier that denote responsibility. According to Kurtzleben (2015), it is not true that gun manufacturers are not liable for their goods, however, they have specific legal protections against liability that very few other industries can share, namely the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005-this doesnt absolve arms manufacturers from liability pertaining to defects in the construction of the item however it does provide the mechanism by which use of the device within its intended purpose cannot de facto be classified as misuse thereby, if such a weapon was used to cause harm to an individual, then it is performing as it was intended and a case cannot be bought against the manufacturer. If conversely during the process, the weapon self-destructs and harms the user then the manufacturer is liable. Wilmott (2001) raises the question that the application of corporate responsibility being aimed at the organisation rather than the actions of an individual arises because the probability of ascertaining guilt amongst a complex organisation is unlikely therefore the outcome is questionable. This leads to examination of the nature of punishments incurred by the relative organisation which may often appear complex and disproportionate, however this can reflect upon the nature of the punishment being control or deterrence, and can be compounded by the effect of reputation and image in light of a positive outcome. References Benoit, A. (2012, November 11). Johnson and Johnson: Recalling, Reassuring, and Reviving. Retrieved March 11, 2017, from https://bizgovsoc4.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/johnson-and-johnson-recalling-reassuring-and-reviving-2/ Constantinescu, M., Kaptein, M. (2015). Mutually enhancing responsibility: a theoretical exploration of the interaction mechanisms between individual and corporate moral responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics: JBE; Dordrecht129.2 (Jun 2015): 325-339. Caesar-Gordon , A. (2015). Lessons to learn from a product recall .Retrieved March 04, 2017, from http://www.prweek.com/article/1357209/lessons-learn-product-recall Federwisch, A. (2015). The Ethics of Product Usage. Retrieved March 11, 2017, from https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/business-ethics/resources/the-ethics-of-product-usage/ Kurtzleben (2015), http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/10/06/446348616/fact-check-are-gun-makers-totally-free-of-liability-for-their-behavior Wilmot, S., (2001). Corporate moral responsibility: What can we infer from our understanding of organisations? Journal of Business Ethics: JBE; Dordrecht30.2 (Mar 2001): 161-169

For Esme- With Love and Squalor Essay -- J.D. Salinger Literature Essa

For Esme- With Love and Squalor 1) In â€Å"For Esme- With Love and Squalor,† J.D. Salinger addresses a part of every person’s life. Everyone experiences periods in their life when they question the world and what is happening around them. Most people probably do not experience it quite as dramatic as the writer of the story, Sergeant X, does. He finds himself in the middle of the pure madness of war, and is having a hard time coping with the realities of the situation. Eventually, people find their way of dealing with these moments. Sergeant X relies on his memories of Esme to help him. The theme of the story is that the innocence of youth can serve as a healing power in times when the world seems to be falling apart. 2) â€Å"For Esme-With Love and Squalor† is essentially a story within a story; this is important to the theme of the story because the writer attempts to remove himself from the story (in first person narration) for the purpose of examination (in third person). This use of point of view makes the reader wonder what is â€Å"real† and what the author (inside the story) is â€Å"making-up.† This sounds strange because the whole story is fictitious, but Salinger makes us contemplate this and it adds to the effect of the story. 3) The first part of the story is told from first person narration. We are told the reason for writing is â€Å"†¦to edify, to instruct†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the man that Esme is about to marry. Throughout the first half of the story we are given the impression that the writer is admiring Esme for her youth and innocence, or love as the title suggests. Before the change to third person narration, we are told that this is going to be the squalid or repulsive part of the story. The writer then â€Å"disguis... ...d period of his life. 8) Innocence in a world of death, tyranny, and oppression seems ridiculous. The world has a way of destroying and making one numb to the ideals and values we once held in our youth. In Stephen Crane’s novel â€Å"The Red Badge of Courage,† we are told a story of a young man’s journey into manhood in the backdrop of the Civil War. Henry, as did Sergeant X, had a difficult time coming to terms with the realities of war. Sergeant X dwelled upon his experiences and allowed them to haunt him. We are told at the end of â€Å"The Red Badge of Courage† that Henry is able to â€Å"†¦rid himself of the red sickness of battle.† Crane writes that he turns â€Å"†¦ with a lover’s thirst to images of tranquil skies, fresh meadows, (and) cool brooks.† In â€Å"For Esme- With Love and Squalor,† Sergeant X turns to the tranquil memories of innocence triggered by Esme.

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels Essay -- Political History Marx Engels

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels Karl Marx and Frederic Engels were two very liberal, politically left, philosophers. This means that they were in favor of a large government that is comprised of the people, and involved in the lives of these people. One may reflect that this does not sound very different from the influence the United States government has on the lives of its citizens, a large providing government that acts on the will of the people. In both situations the government is aware of the citizens and aims to instill equality into the societies, but this equality is to be obtained by different means and to different extents. Frederick Engels In response to the industrial revolution, which not only made our modes of production better and faster, but also changed a person’s individual choices and responsibilities to the government, Karl Marx and Frederic Engels were compelled to write the Manifesto of the Communist Party.[iii] Marx and Engels were disturbed by the way the working class was being exploited in this capitalistic time, and their liberal viewpoints of how a man should be treated were included in this document. One concept that Marx mentions in this Manifesto is the autonomy and responsibility each person has to a government and to what extent these concepts should be practiced in one’s own home.[iv] Although the involvement of the citizen in the government is quite similar to the U.S., this Manifesto puts much more control in the hands of the people than in the U.S.. In terms of the governments involvement in personal affairs, the Manifesto creates much more political control over the personal lives to try and insure equality when the U.S. allows capitalism to decid... ... Marx, Section I. Bourgeois and Proletarians [vi] Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, Section I. [vii] â€Å"What are the Major Themes of the Humanities Base?,† Humanities Base Resource Page, [viii] â€Å"Declaration of Independence,† American History Documents, [ix] â€Å"Marxism F.A.Q.† Youth for International Socialism, [x] â€Å"What are the Major Themes of the Humanities Base?,† Humanities Base Resource Page, [xi] â€Å"Life During the Industrial Revolution,† Schools History,

Managing Uncertainty

One of the most important abilities one needs to cultivate in the real world is managing uncertainty, if nothing else.   Corporations are no longer loyal to workers as they continue to outsource jobs to other parts of the world.   Cultivating a wide variety of skills is important in order to move on from this kind of blow.   My father used to work in manufacturing during the seventies and eighties.   At the beginning of the nineties, he lost his job because the company was relocating production to Mexico.   Since he did not know how to do anything else, he bounced from one low-paying job to the next. Maybe had he taken up computer programming, he might have come closer to his retirement goals, but alas, his job might have been outsourced in the early twenty first century as well.   Some say that a college degree is the ideal way to maintain job security.   There is a grain of truth in that as most companies are looking for educated professionals†¦unfortunately, more white-collar mid-level positions are being outsourced as well, and our college-educated companion is out of a job too.   The closest thing to security one can achieve is becoming educated in a field with high market demand, and not enough personnel to fill all positions. Personal relationships are another category where uncertainty is more the rule than the exception.   Most marriages end in divorce, no one knows how their kids are going to turn out in the end, and sometimes friends will stab you in the back.   The easiest way to minimize uncertainty in this realm is to cultivate a large support system of friends and family members. Confining oneself to a marital relationship or association with one’s immediate family will bring nothing but self-destruction in the end should those relationships flounder.   Humans by nature are social creatures, and must form many ties in order to feel secure.   Of course, there are exceptions to this, and I conclude that they are either very introverted or extremely well adjusted.   In this swiftly changing society, one is always out of alignment because of the quickly shifting cultural tides. As a nation, the United States is at a very precarious point in its lifetime.   It is embroiled in a series of foreign wars, which deplete the national treasury.   In five years, the first of the Baby Boomer generation will retire and there will be no money to support them all.   Personal investment plans such as IRAs, 401ks, and mutual funds are key to provide our generation with security in old age.   Gone is the age of depending on the government for necessities.   In some ways, it is a good thing because Americans have lost the self-sufficiency that is part of our illustrious legacy. Starting a meditation practice or exploring philosophical systems that highlight the impermanence of material goods, relationships, and life itself should help the individual come to terms with the unpredictable elements that will always show up—both the good and bad.   The only certainties in life are death and taxes, all other categories must provide for contingencies.l My Future Concerning my future, I have never really thought about it beyond finishing my studies.   However, since I am at the point where I need to seriously consider future options, I shall outline it here.   Now, I think that I would enjoy going into the field of applied science or fiction writing.   Most likely I will end up doing both because breaking into the publishing racket is extremely difficult by most accounts, and I hear that the majority of fiction writers make less than $7,000 a year. In the real world, it is unlikely to find a rat-infested cardboard box for less than $500/ month.   Spaced over twelve months, I would only have $1,000 for a year’s worth of groceries, utility bills, and  Ã‚   Living with my parents for most of my adult life is not in the cards for me.   Not only would that hamper my independent inclinations, our temperaments mesh like oil and water.   One thing I must say in their favor, is that they would allow me to live with them if I were to ever fall on dire straits. If my writing is rejected or is subject to a tepid reception in the market place, I want to get into a field that will always have positions open.   If THAT doesn’t work out, then there is always real estate sales and investing.   Donald Trump et al have made a fortune in real estate investing and my research has shown that is the tried and true method of obtaining financial security.   Incidentally, financial security is an important part of my future.   I want to be in a position to emigrate if the unemployment rate deteriorates or the government embraces fascism.   Should that happen, I think I will move to New Zealand.   From what I have seen of it in the movies, it is a beautiful gem in the South Pacific, and if I don’t like it there, it is a hop, skip and a jump away from Tahiti. Maybe I will get married.   Find a nice young man to settle down with and have 2.1 children complete with white picket-fence and dog.   That sounds like something that I would consider doing in my late thirties, after I am through traveling, investing in my career, and having fun.   Getting tied down at a young age is quite ridiculous considering the divorce rate. Modern technology has made it so much easier for older women to give birth that a first-born child at forty is not out of the question for me.   Since I eat healthily and practice yoga, running after little ones will not be a problem â€Å"at that age.†Ã‚  Ã‚   I have begun writing down yearly, weekly, and monthly goals in order to bring my dreams into reality. Living With Purpose One of the many buzzwords floating around popular culture today is the idea that we need to live with a sense of purpose to our actions.   There are many websites devoted to this cause.   Blogs such as stevepavlina.com, and web sites featuring the ever-ubiquitous Law of Attraction, discuss the need for finding a passion and getting paid for it. Unfortunately, for the vast majority of people, that is clearly not the case.   Most complain about their jobs, their spouses, and their circumstances ad infinitum without doing anything about it.   Perhaps this obsession with purpose is the product of a society going through a mid-life crisis.   Think about it, when a person hits their forties, they usually start reflecting on the past and how their lives were devoted to a meaningless quest for materialism.   Nevertheless, I am not completely cynical about the life purpose. People with purpose usually have clear goals directed to the end of fulfilling their purpose.   These people are not corrupted by indecision, social pressures or conflicting goals; nor do they lose motivation.   There is much to be said for finding and living on purpose, and many writers have made a fortune off of promising to help the masses find this purpose. Choosing a career, finding a mate, and pursuing certain hobbies are part of a grand mission—i.e. something that one was born to do.   First, I must admit that I am extremely jealous of people that seem to have their whole lives figured out.   I, on the other hand, have a hodgepodge of ideas that I would like to experiment with.   Perhaps it is something that evolves organically over time.   Now I know that I have to pick one path and run with it until its logical conclusion or switch gears because I still am unsure about my life’s direction. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to help others but no specific method jumped out at me.   I would volunteer at the convalescent home to read stories to senior citizens, tutor children in the projects, and pick up trash in protected areas.   None of these tasks called to me as a life’s work.   Perhaps that is why I am in school now rather than writing the next great epic, or rubbing elbows with rich and the powerful.   Perhaps I can use one of my chosen career paths to become personally successful so that eventually, I would be in a position to help others through philanthropy. Difference Between Last Era and This One The twentieth century was a time when rogue governments took hold of their nation’s destiny and driven them.   No matter what one can sya, the last century gave rise to a multitude of changes.   First, electricity became widespread in the industrial world, secondly transcontinental transportation became more efficient as cars, airplanes and trains replaced the horse and buggy.   Einstein’s theory of relativity supplanted the old Newtonian model and many scientists of the twenty-first century are seeking to unite quantum theory with relativity without much success thus far.   It was in the last century that organ transplants became common, and the explorations of outer space began. Today, it appears that people are less interested in furthering our exploration of the solar system and the galaxy because there have been no significant manned space missions in more than thirty years.  Ã‚   In sum, we are no different now than we were back then.   Actually, it appears that the world as a whole has regressed into the religious fanaticism of the dark ages.   Fortunately, we have progressed in temrs of race relations domestically, even as we regressed internationally.      

SWOT analysis of Samsung Mobile in China Essay

Strengths Weaknesses ï ¼  Six Sigma’s Quality Control ï ¼  Product Design of Fashion and Beauty ï ¼  Advanced Technology and Innovative Capability ï ¼  Peculiar Strategy to Attract Talent ï ¼  Excellent International Brand Image ï ¼ Operating strategy is conservative, and there is supplier shortage ï ¼ Low contribution rate to the low-end consumer market ï ¼ Rely heavily on Android System ,there is instability factor. Opportunities Threats ï ¼  With advancement of digital technology, there is enormous room for commercial development ï ¼  Huge Potential for Development of Smart-phone market ï ¼  Apple has become Samsung’s strong competitor at the high-end, popular mobile phone market ï ¼  In the mid-to-low price range market, there is Nokia Strengths: 1. The first of Samsung Mobile’s strengths lies in Six Sigma Production, Which is as follows: a. Emphasizing on utilizing grassroots and front line workers for quality control functions b. Emphasizing on strengthening the early stages of production management; Focus on stages of product design, production of samples and adjustment of product c. Paying attention to continuous and stable production of goods to ensure quality d. Using QCC methods to improve quality e. Utilizing quality control education for employees 2. The second strength is in Samsung’s product design that combines Personalized exterior with humanized design. Along with its innovative  features, Samsung’s sleek designs have made Samsung mobile devices a popular choice among the masses. Samsung’s tactic of making bigger screens for its smartphone devices, particularly the Galaxy Note series, has been a big part of its success in differentiating the brand from its competitors. The big screams have become trendy and appealing. 3. Samsung’s lead in technology and innovation comprise its third strength a. Leading the digital fusion revolution – Digital Company b. Subsidizing mobile operating platforms, self-application (AP) processors, and screens 4. Samsung’s fourth strength lies in its strategy to attract the world’s best talent. a. Attracting genius talents through unique talents b. Making public service activities required courses for staff c. Implementing career training for employees d. Using four principles to determine salary – importance of job post, social identity, comparison to original salary, and creation of value 5. Samsung’s fifth strength lies in its brand image. Samsung is named as top rising brand by Inter brand and is the 9th most valuable brand with value nearly $33 billion. It has risen by 40% from 2011 to 2012. Samsung has been able to transform its brand image from a â€Å"value for money† brand to an innovative leader that â€Å"cares for everybody.† Samsung has tried its best to build a contrast between its biggest competitors Apple as a â€Å"self-centered brand† versus itself, a brand that cares for everybody. For example, a recent ad for the Samsung Galaxy S3 shows images of married couples and families with kids, in an attempt to attract a broader audience with slogans like â€Å"designed for humans, inspired by nature.† Weaknesses: 1. The first weakness lies in Samsung’s operating strategy. Samsung does not want to establish business relationships with many suppliers, and this is one of the reasons why Samsung’s development is restricted. Even though Samsung defends this by saying that it is better able to protect its intellectual properties this way, in current time’s environment with fierce  competition, companies with more suppliers are more competitive. Thus, Samsung needs to be more flexible in the company’s operating strategies. 2. Another of Samsung’s weaknesses also lies in not targeting low-end consumer market. Samsung focus on product fashion, so the price is relatively high. And Working in the WiBro (Wireless Broadband access service) and DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) market, but return on investment cycle is long. 3. Samsung’s reliance on the Android operating system (OS) is another weakness. Android phones are extremely customizable and they give you the freedom to experiment to your heart’s desire. One inevitable side effect of this freedom, however, is that sometimes your phone encounters a problem or two. Maybe it won’t boot or maybe it randomly shuts down. Maybe you lost a critical file and now some features won’t work. Opportunities: 1. The first opportunity is that with advancement of digital technology, there is enormous room for commercial development. a. In the digital age – the age of electronic information – there are two major stars: mobile phones and the Internet b. With the advent of the digital age, consumers desire high quality of mobile phone products c. Chinese communication consumers develops rapidly 2. Samsung also has an opportunity in the smart phone market’s development potential. a. The release of Apple iPhones began the wave of smart-phones b. In the mobile Internet age, every large mobile phone manufacturer and operator has promoted and popularized mid-to-low price range smart-phones. China is leading the arrival of the era of smartphone evaluation. Threats: 1. The first threat to Samsung is ï ¼  Apple has become Samsung’s strong competitor at the high-end, popular mobile phone market Apple’s cell phone has a high-end and popular image, and shares high similarity with Samsung. Thus, more than the mid and low-end markets, Samsung experiences a greater  impact from Apple’s competition at the high-end market. Considering mobile phone products of different smart-phone price ranges, Apple attracts greater user interest and has more product competitiveness than Samsung, despite the larger numbers of Samsung mobile phones on the market. This is related to Apple’s unprecedented brand appeal and affiliated operator support force. 2. The second threat to Samsung is ï ¼ In the mid-to-low price range market, there is Nokia a. According to statistics, Nokia had attracted a larger amount of user interest than Samsung at the mid-to-low end mobile phone market, in both the overall and smart-phone market. b. Nokia’s mobile phone market share relies mostly relies on the mid/low-end mobile products. In the past two years, with Nokia’s decline on the mobile phone, particularly high-end smart-phone market. c. The mid/low-end market has become the last sector of the market where Nokia has a lead. Nokia naturally will not ignore this.