Saturday, August 31, 2019

Aggression and Social Learning Theory

Aggression, in its broadest sense, is behavior, or a disposition, that is forceful, hostile or attacking. It may occur either in retaliation or without provocation. In narrower definitions that are used in social sciences and behavioral sciences, aggression is an intention to cause harm or an act intended to increase relative social dominance. Predatory or defensive behavior between members of different species may not be considered aggression in the same sense. Aggression can take a variety of forms and can be physical or be communicated verbally or non-verbally.Aggression differs from what is commonly called assertiveness, although the terms are often used interchangeably among laypeople, e. g. an aggressive salesperson According to Kendra Cherry, In psychology, the term ‘aggression’ refers to a range of behaviors that can result in both physical and psychological harm to oneself, other or objects in the environment. The expression of aggression can occur in a number o f ways, including verbally, mentally and physically. (source: aboutpsychology. om) Two broad categories of aggression are commonly distinguished.One includes affective (emotional) and hostile or retaliatory aggression, and the other includes instrumental, goal-oriented or predatory aggression. [2] Data on violence from a range of disciplines lend some support to a distinction between affective and predatory aggression. [3] However, some researchers question the usefulness of a hostile vs instrumental distinction in humans, despite its ubiquity in research, because most real-life cases involve mixed motives and interacting causes. 4] A number of classifications and dimensions of aggression have been suggested.These depend on such things as whether the aggression is verbal or physical; whether or not it involves relational aggression such as covert bullying and social manipulation;[5] whether harm to others is intended or not; whether it is carried out actively or expressed passively; and whether the aggression is aimed directly or indirectly. Classification may also encompass aggression-related emotions (e. g. anger) and mental states (e. g. impulsivity, hostility). 6] Aggression may occur in response to non-social as well as social factors, and can have a close relationship with stress coping style. 7]Aggression may be displayed in order to intimidate. The operative definition of aggression may be affected by moral or political views. Examples are the axiomatic moral view called the non-aggression principle and the political rules governing the behavior of one country toward another. [8] Likewise in competitive sports, or in the workplace, some forms of aggression may be sanctioned and others not. [9] THEORIES OF AGGRESSION: Instinct Theory: Through evolution, humans have inherited a fighting instinct similar to that found in many species of animals.Leading Proponent: Konrad Lorenz (ethology) He says we have a biological need for aggression. It gets stronger a s time passes since the last aggressive act (like hunger increases hours after a meal). This causes our energy level (drive level) to increase. This energy must somehow be released (â€Å"catharsis†). Instinct Theory says that humans learn their own individual ways of expressing aggressive motivation. Nonhuman species behave in ways that are genetically programmed and characteristic of all members of the species.Fixed Action Pattern: complex behavior that is largely unlearned and found in all members of a species (or subgroup), and that is triggered by a very simple stimulus in the environment (â€Å"releaser†). Social Learning Theory: Human aggression is largely learned by watching other people behave aggressively, either in person or in films. It is also learned when we are rewarded for aggression. Leading Proponent: Albert Bandura Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis: Our motivation for aggression increases when our ongoing behavior is interrupted or we are prevented f rom reaching a goal.Negative Affect Theory: Proposed by Leonard Berkowitz, it states that negative feelings and experiences are the main cause of anger and angry aggression. Sources of anger include: pain, frustration, loud noise, foul odors, crowding, sadness, and depression. The likelihood that an angry person will act aggressively depends on his or her interpretation of the motives of the people involved. TYPES OF HUMAN AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR: PHYSICAL VIOLENCE- Physical aggression often involves acts of violence taken with the intention of causing harm to the recipient, including death, by using weapons or even someone's bare hands. VERBAL HOSTILITY- Verbal aggression includes behavior such as bullying, threats or yelling.The Mayo Clinic includes name-calling and insults under the category of domestic violence. Put-downs, intentional or perceived, can have profound detrimental effects on the recipients. * NON-VERBAL INTIMIDATION- Nonverbal intimidation often implies the threat of violence, at least in the perception of the person at the receiving end.Stalking often involves one or more forms of nonverbal intimidation, including following the victim, planting malicious software in a victim's computer, sending unwanted gifts and vandalism against the victim's property. * PASSIVE AGGRESSION- Passive aggression is often generated by resentment on the part of someone who is unable or unwilling to express this resentment directly. PURPOSE OF AGGRESSION: Aggression can also serve a number of different purposes: To express anger or hostility To assert dominance To intimidate or threaten To achieve a goal To express possessionA response to fear A reaction to pain To compete with others Researchers have suggested that individual who engage in affective aggression, defined as aggression that is unplanned and uncontrolled, tend to have lower IQs than people who display predatory aggression. Predatory aggression is defined as aggression that is controlled, planned and go al-oriented. AGGRESSION AND MEDIA: Scholars believe that behaviors like aggression may be partially learned by watching and imitating the behavior of others. Some scholars have concluded that media may have some small effects on aggression.There is also research questioning this view. For instance, a recent long-term outcome study of youth found no long-term relationship between playing violent video games and youth violence or bullying. One study suggested there is a smaller effect of violent video games on aggression than has been found with television violence on aggression. This effect is positively associated with type of game violence and negatively associated to time spent playing the games. The author concluded that insufficient evidence exists to link video game violence with aggression.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Beers and Cutler Company

The Beers and Cutler Company provides accounting and consulting services for other organizations, institutions, or other clients that might require their services. (â€Å"Firm Profile,† 2008) The company primarily acts as an accounting firm, but other tasks and roles carried out by Beers and Cutler include tax and auditing, and even major business-related operations and processes such as strategic planning and consultancy for other business processes.(â€Å"Industry Profile: Accounting Services,† 2008) However, the latter aforementioned services provided by Beers and Cutler are only available in Washington, D. C. (Sarath, 2008) The company has been around since 1967 operating primarily for the real estate industry. However, the aim of Beers and Cutler company to expand and add value to the its reputation, image, and capabilities motivated it to venture into new fields and areas and implement a wider range of services that are highly beneficial to most organizations or i nstitutions.At the moment, Beers and Cutler is able to cover the needs and demands of various fields such as the â€Å"automotive, construction, hospitality, retail and technology† (Sarath, 2008) industries. To further its capabilities and advantages, Beers and Cutler have become a member of The Baker Tilly International which facilitates communication, networking, sharing or resources, and such between accounting firms and business organizations around the world. (Sarath, 2008)Beers and Cutler considers the fulfillment of various goals and objectives in diverse and multiple organizations as the company’s mission. The company aims to accomplish this mission by helping business organizations achieve their corporate goals and objectives by providing aforementioned services timely and efficiently. (â€Å"Firm & Profile,† 2008) Moreover, the employment of highly knowledgeable, skilled, and competent individuals is one of the company’s strategies in gaining co mpetitive advantage.Career opportunities made available by the company include job openings for students, fresh graduates, as well as experienced professionals. For students, the company is searching for individuals who might fit jobs under the fields of Assurance and Tax, and Consulting. (â€Å"College Recruiting,† 2008) For experienced professionals, Beers and Cutler is looking for individuals that might fulfill roles under the areas of Assurance and Tax, Consulting Practice, and Practice Administration and Support. (â€Å"Experienced Professionals,† 2008)For the good of its employees and members, Beers and Cutler offers reasonable salary packages and benefits. Reviewing available career opportunities that the company is offering, the salary packages that Beers and Cutler are offering range from $60,000 to $150,000 annually. However, as the total amount of the salary package increases, the number of needed individuals or employees decreases. For instance, the career opportunity that pays $150,000 a year only offers one single slot for the said position. (â€Å"Beers Cutler Jobs in Washington, D. C. ,† 2008)On the other hand, the benefits provided by the company to its employees are competitive enough, fostering full compensation for the contributions of its constituents. For instance, individuals who get hired for a position in the company are provided with the benefit of a four-week break or vacation from work, with payment. This generous package for employees is motivated by the company’s sensitivity to providing a well-balanced working environment for its members in order to foster creativity, productivity, and high quality work outputs. (â€Å"Microsoft Web Developers: BEERS and CUTLERS,† 2008)Basically, the marketing plan of Beers and Cutler follows the concept of direct-to-person marketing or personal contact with clients or consumers. The firm utilizes means or tools of marketing that communicate directly to end user s or individuals. Beers and Cutler utilize direct mailing systems to send informational messages to individuals, seminars to capture the attention of a large audience at the same time, and personal referrals or word of mouth. (â€Å"Industry Profile: Accounting Services,† 2008) References â€Å"Beers Cutler Jobs in Washington, D. C. † (2008).Retrieved November 24, 2008, from Indeed. Website: http://www. indeed. com/q-Beers-+-Cutler-l-Washington,-DC-jobs. html â€Å"College Recruiting. † (2008). Retrieved November 24, 2008, from Beers and Cutler PLLC. Website: http://www. beersandcutler. com/careers/college-recent-graduates/opportunities/ â€Å"Experienced Professionals. † (2008). Retrieved November 24, 2008, from Beers and Cutler PLLC. Website: http://www. beersandcutler. com/careers/experienced/opportunities/ â€Å"Firm Profile. † (2008). Retrieved November 24, 2008, from Beers and Cutler PLLC. Website: http://www.beersandcutler. com/firm/profile/ â€Å"Industry Profile: Accounting Services. † (2008). Retrieved November 24, 2008, from Hoover’s Inc. Website: http://premium. hoovers. com/subscribe/ind/fr/profile/basic. xhtml? ID=74 â€Å"Microsoft Web Developers: BEERS and CUTLERS. † (2008). Retrieved November 24, 2008, from Yahoo! Inc. Website: http://hotjobs. yahoo. com/job-J7ZN5I1Q0Y8? rec=2 Sarath, P. (2008). Beers and Cutler PLLC. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from Hoover’s Inc. Website: http://premium. hoovers. com/subscribe/co/factsheet. xhtml? ID=rysfhtfshyhhhyy

Intercontinental Hotels Group

Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), formerly Bass PLC, was founded in 1777 by William Bass, when he established a brewery in the English town of Burton-on-Trent. The year 1876 was a landmark year for Bass, when it was recognized as the largest brewery in England. Even more notably, it was also this year that Bass’s red triangle trademark became the first trademark to be registered in England. During the 1960s, Bass made two strategic and significant mergers. In 1961, Bass merged with Mitchells & Butler, becoming Bass, Mitchells & Butler. In 1967, Bass, Mitchells & Butler merged with Charrington United Breweries to become Bass Charrington Ltd [30]. The year 1970 marked Bass’s entrance into the world of hospitality, as it purchased about 50 hotels from the oil giant Esso [31]. These hotel holdings became known as Crest Hotels. Renamed Bass PLC in the early 1980s, the company’s leisure subsidiaries, including its hotel division, â€Å"contributed substantially to Bass’s growth and profits† [32]. In 1988, Bass made the first significant international move into the hotel industry by acquiring the international assets of Holiday Corporation outside the United States, Canada, and Mexico for $ 475 million [33]. The year 1989 saw the advent of legislation on the brewing industry through Beer Orders. Through Beer Orders legislation, the government sought to limit the vertical integration within the brewing industry by limiting the number of pubs a brewer could own [34]. Bass’s response was to continue to focus on and develop its international hotel business. Therefore, on August 25, 1989, Bass made a monumental decision to purchase Holiday Corporation’s flagship Holiday Inn chain for $ 2. 23 billion. Included in this purchase were 1,410 franchised Holiday Inns and 177 company-owned and – managed Holiday Inns [35]. Founded by Kemmons Wilson in 1952, Holiday Inn quickly grew into the largest lodging corporation in the world. A 1951 road trip to Washington, D. C. , with his wife and five children had convinced Wilson of a great need for a brand – name hotel/motel that families could trust anywhere they traveled. Importantly, Wilson was aware of the coming construction of a $ 76 billion federal interstate highway system and planned to take full advantage by building Holiday Inns alongside it. His foresight paid off as the interstate highway system popularized travel from coast to coast. â€Å"It has been said that what John D. Rockefeller did for gasoline and Henry Ford did for automobiles, Kemmons did for lodging: standardizing a product and making it available to the masses at a reasonable price anywhere they went† [36]. When Bass purchased Holiday Inn, the chain was in the midst of a decline due to aged properties and poor services. Additionally, the hotel industry was seeing great growth in budget hotel chains such as Hampton Inn. To counter these issues, Bass began a $ 1 billion renovation project for the Holiday Inn brand, launched its own budget hotel chain called Holiday Inn Express in 1991 to add a complementary brand in the limited – service segment, and launched its high – end Crowne Plaza Hotels in 1994 to move the group into the upscale market [37]. It entered the profitable U. S. upscale extended–stay segment with the introduction and development of Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn in 1997 [38]. With the money raised through the sell-off of various retail businesses, Bass outbid Marriott International, Patriot American Hospitality, and Ladbroke Group to acquire the Intercontinental hotel chain from Japan’s Saison Group for $ 2. 9 billion in 1998. Included in the acquisition were Intercontinental’s 211 hotels in 77 countries [39]. Thomas Oliver, then chairperson and CEO of Bass’s hotel division (Holiday Hospitality), summed up the acquisition well when he said that Intercontinental provides an â€Å"excellent geographic complement to Holiday Hospitality’s current structure and gives us a broader portfolio of brands spanning the midscale and upscale markets around the globe. The purchase . . . is consistent with our strategy of growing Bass’s business in markets which offer long – term growth opportunities† [40]. On June 14, 2000, Bass severed its 223 – year – old tie to the brewing industry when it entered into an agreement to sell its beer brewing division to Interbrew for $3 billion [41]. Along with Bass’s sale came the cessation of its name and, on June 28, 2001, Bass officially became known as Six Continents PLC [42]. On October 1, 2002, Six Continents announced that it would be demerging the group’s hotels and soft drinks business, Britvic (to be called Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC) from the retail business (to be called Mitchells & Butlers PLC) [43]. This separation process was completed on April 15, 2003, and Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) became a distinct, discrete company. In December 2003, the midscale extended – stay brand Candlewood Suites was added to IHG’s portfolio. The new brand complemented the existing Staybridge brand and increased IHG’s U. S. system size by an additional 109 hotels and 12,500 rooms. In April 2004, IHG introduced Hotel Indigo, a hotel brand developed primarily for conversions, to fit a variety of markets in preferred locations. The new brand was designed as a lodging alternative for the traveler seeking a refreshing hotel experience, not just a hotel room. IHG announced the disposal of 100 percent of its holding in soft drink company Britvic in December 2005. The total proceeds received from the disposal of IHG’s entire interest in Britvic were ? 371 million. The disposal of soft drink assets allowed IHG to focus on being purely a hotel company [44]. Intercontinental is the world's first truly global brand that has put the knowledge and understanding of each destination at the core of its business. The brand is deeply rooted in a mosaic of cultures and landscapes that define our world. Thanks to its unique heritage, Intercontinental is able to go out of its way to enrich guest stays with authentic experiences that make their world feel bigger. To fulfil this promise, the brand launched a programme to encourage the sharing of local knowledge so guests get more out of their stay. The Intercontinental brand is currently enjoying unprecedented growth, with 63 projects in the pipeline. There is still significant opportunity to expand, especially in high-demand city centres and under-penetrated resort locations. Each Intercontinental Hotel development is unique and indigenous to its location, and attains landmark status in the locale that it touches. The Intercontinental Boston won â€Å"Development Project of the Year† at the Americas Lodging Investment Conference in 2007, owing to elegant design and insightful use of the historic waterline. The Intercontinental Nanjing, currently under construction, will soon stand as one of the tallest hotels in the world. Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts' unique market positioning provides many performance advantages. Resting between upper-upscale and luxury, the Intercontinental brand has greater rate elasticity within both market segments without the typical expenses. So guests experience a luxurious atmosphere while the hotel operates with upper-upscale service – the perfect balance for guests and owners alike. IHG’s success is built upon its commitment to matching owners with the right brands in the correct markets. Intercontinental was among the earliest international hotel chains to enter the Kazakhstani market. IHG operates hotels in three different ways – as a franchisor, a manager and on an owned and leased basis. The business model focuses on managing and franchising hotels. Franchising is the largest part of the business: over 3,800 hotels operate under franchise agreements. IHG manages 624 hotels and owns 16 hotels worldwide (less than 1% of the portfolio). The strategy of Intercontinental Hotels Group is to build the hotel industry’s strongest operating system focused on the biggest markets and segments where scale really counts. IHG’s operating system is made up of all the things it does to drive demand for its brands. This includes advertising and marketing campaigns, 10 global call centres, 13 local language websites, an 8,000-strong sales force, Priority Club Rewards – the world’s largest hotel loyalty scheme which has 48 million members – and all the advantages that IHG’s global hotel distribution and scale brings to brand awareness. One of the points highlighted in the list of strategic priorities of IHG along with such aspects as improving the performance of the brands and generating excellent returns from the hotels is strengthening the organisation through investing in people. The activities IHG supports are aligned with its corporate values and Winning Ways. IHG’s Winning Ways are how the staff members behave every day – a set of behaviours based on values that are helping the hotel chain to become one of the very best companies in the world. They reflect the values that were developed through research with the employees across the world into how they behave at work every day – and how they want the people they work with to behave. The Winning Ways provide a strong sense of shared purpose, and are critical to driving the business performance forward, as well as making each hotel of the chain a great, enjoyable place to work. IHG’s Winning Ways include the following points: Doing the right thing. Everyone engaged in providing services for guests and fulfilling managerial functions must keep promises and must not let people down. They also ought to take responsibility and take decisions even when they’re difficult. Showing care. It implies treating people as individuals, looking and listening for the little things that make a difference and using the own experience to find new ways to deliver great service. Aiming higher means putting hearts into learning new things, challenging and encouraging each other and always looking for ways to improve. Celebrating difference. Every member of IHG should welcome different perspectives and listen to everyone’s ideas, be respectful of all cultures, look to learn from others and play an active role in the communities in which IHG operate Working together. Everyone in the team must work hard to develop excellent working relationships with colleagues, think about what they do and how it might affect others and trust and support each other. Part of the IHG’s commitment to responsible tourism is creating opportunities for local people, preserving local customs and traditions and introducing guests to local cultures. With operations in more than 100 countries across six continents, ensuring that each hotel operates responsibly in local communities is a key priority for the company’s management. Given the economic downturn, focus this year has been on maximising the benefits the hotels bring to local economies via direct and indirect employment, taxes paid, local purchasing and donations to community projects [45]. In addition to their corporate efforts, IHG hotels are also involved in their own right with their communities through in-kind donations, grants and volunteering programmes. Hotels’ grassroots level activity is now surveyed as part of Green Engage. The company trains potential employees in their communities and work with local and regional Chambers of Commerce and trade and industry associations to support workforce development. In China, for example, it has launched an innovative public/private partnership, the IHG Academy, with renowned educational institutes in the region. With the first launched in Shanghai in June 2006. These Academies now operate in 11 locations, are supported by 25 partners in the region and in December 2009 had 5,000 students enrolled on one of these programmes. IHG also works with other companies and government bodies to identify and address workforce issues in the countries where it has a substantial presence. Owing to such issues as working conditions, skills shortages, infrastructure development – particularly in developing countries – on which the hotels need to focus in order to provide local economic opportunities. This is why two key policies for Human Rights and Supporting Communities have been put in place. IHG has detailed Group-wide policies on key Corporate Responsibility (CR) issues, including: code of ethics and business conduct, environment, human rights and community. Environment. IHG understands its responsibility to respect the environment and manage its impacts for the benefit of the communities in which it operates. IHG commits to measure, manage and innovate. Human rights. IHG supports and protects human rights within its sphere of influence. As a responsible company with operations in nearly 100 countries, it believes that strong ethics and good business go together and is committed to complying with the laws and regulations of the countries and jurisdictions in which it operates. To demonstrate its commitment in this area the company: †¢Supports the protection of human rights, particularly those of the employees, the parties with whom it does business and the communities within which it operates; †¢Respects its employees’ rights to voluntary freedom of association, under the law; †¢Provides a safe and healthy working environment; Does not support forced and compulsory labour or the exploitation of children; †¢Supports the elimination of employment discrimination and promotes diversity in the workplace; †¢Provides remuneration, wellbeing consideration and tools for growing careers for the employees; †¢Promotes fair competition and does not support corruption; †¢Conducts its busin ess with honesty and integrity in compliance with applicable laws; †¢Will develop and implement company procedures and processes. Supporting the communities policy. IHG has a corporate commitment to be actively involved in local community issues. The chain has a clear mission that guides all its charitable endeavours: to support global efforts that represent the business goals of IHG and to give back and thank the communities in which it operates. IHG provides great opportunities and experience which helps staff progress. The hospitality industry does not just employ receptionists and room attendants. To keep any large hotel operating round the clock takes a diverse team of highly skilled specialists with backgrounds ranging from accountancy to IT. Therefore maintaining its position as the world’s largest hotel group means IHG can offer more opportunities to develop a career in many different directions. â€Å"IHG is the biggest hotel group in the industry, providing staff with lots of career opportunities. Already I think that the skills that I have gained through working with IHG have given me a better platform from which to launch a successful career† says Mike Li, IHG Academy graduate. A Holiday Inn hotel’s employee asserts, â€Å"IHG offers opportunities to people who aspire to gain experience and develop their profile in an ndustry that is truly international† [45]. To make sure that all of its members share a common purpose of â€Å"creating great hotels that guests love† and are engaged in achieving it, IHG has made a commitment that will create an environment and culture where they can give their best and make a difference. It is called â€Å"room to be yourself†. People may al l work for different brands, speak different languages and like different things, but all of them are passionate about something. Whether an employee’s passion is karaoke or canoeing, IHG promises to provide an environment so that he/she can bring the same amount of energy and the unique personality to work. IHG admits that it is their people who drive the success of the business, so the company invests in their skill to allow them to improve and progress to a more challenging and responsible position. To help the staff to do this IHG offers a range of training programmes designed to develop their potential from the moment they become a part of the IHG team. A range of functional training and leadership development initiatives covers Revenue Management, Sales & Marketing, Housekeeping, Maintenance and Supervisory Leadership. IHG also takes advantage of the online training programmes developed in partnership with the Hospitality Research Institute. In 1966 Professor Chase (Ithaca, New York) who has been associated with the School of Hotel Administration since 1962 undertook development of the first â€Å"management game† for hotel administration. The result of this effort was the Cornell Hotel Administration Simulation Exercise (CHASE). Professor Chase’s course responsibilities involved property management, information systems, accounting, finance, and business strategy. In addition to teaching undergraduates, he has been active in the School's Professional Development Programme (PDP). This programme serves the needs of industry practitioners from around the world in multiple endeavors. IHG is the first hotel group to develop and conduct an online version of the renowned Cornell Hotel Administration Simulation Exercise (CHASE). According to Cornell Professor Daphne Jameson, â€Å"The ever increasing globalization of the hospitality industry and movement of people across international borders heightens the need for intercultural education and training. However, few intercultural training materials have a hospitality focus, and customized instruction is costly. The tool presented helps reduce cultural barriers by providing a low-cost, hospitality-specific intercultural simulation that hospitality practitioners and educators can use with a wide variety of audiences. CHASE has helped companies and non-profit organizations analyze communication problems and develop solutions, for instance, assisted individual hotel companies and tourism organizations in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and the Ukraine in comparing communication strategies and designing effective websites [45]. Senior Leadership Programme offers a structured route to developing the competencies required f or top-level management. The programme offers psychometric assessment and course content delivered by leading university academics that is focused on connecting with individual corporate, personal and career goals. IHG is also the only hotel group that offers assessment centres across the world to help high performing individuals in corporate, executive and supervisory roles move on and up to the next level. The most important promise that IHG gives to each and everyone who works for it is room to grow.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Current Market Conditions Competitive Analysis_365 Essay

Current Market Conditions Competitive Analysis_365 - Essay Example First is the price that has an inverse relation, that means consumers want to buy more when the price is low, and will buy less when it is high. Next is the income wherein the effect of buying depends on the income. But this type of reasoning depends on the kind of commodity. For normal goods, as income increases demand also increase, and demand for product decrease as income lessens. Next is Tastes and preferences of consumers; Demand is also affected by consumers taste and preferences, particularly now, that consumers have become health conscious. Another aspect is the consumers’ expectations. When consumer anticipates a price increase, tendency is to stock up, because this is an expectation of what to happen. A demand for instance, is affected by weather, Consumption increases during hot weather, and decreases in winter. The dictionary has defined equilibrium price as the quantity of goods buyers are willing to buy and the quantity of goods sellers are willing to sell. The equilibrium price is found in a diagram where supply and demand interacts . P1 and Q1 are the points of equilibrium where supply = demand. At any price above P1, supply exceeds demand price below P1demand exceeds supply. (tutotr 2u) Target market of the new Cola drink is the American consumers, who, according to Huffpost Healthy Living, (05, July, 2012), half of the number of American surveyed, drink soda on a daily basis, with an average of 2.6 glasses. Study of Diechert, Mehga, et. al ( Feb 22, 2006)shows soft drink industry has a market share of 46.8 % that competes with that of non-alcoholic drink Business wire( February 04, 2011) estimates soft drinks’ global market to have a volume of 465.4 billion liters, which is an increase in the consumption of 16.7% since 2006. Clearly, this is an indication that the soft drink industry is still strong and a profitable industry. Outside U.S., there is an indication that Coca-Cola does not retain sales

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Injuries Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Injuries - Research Paper Example Bursa is never inflamed on its own but when it is used for a long period, or there is an injury on a joint that exerts a pressure on it, then it inflames. Over usage and injury also causes the sac to fill with extra fluid that exerts pressure around its surrounding tissue. This pressure causes pain and inflammation of the sac and swelling. Age factor plays a vital role in causing Bursitis. Bursitis is mainly caused in shoulders because shoulders have most frequent motion than any other body part. However, the pain caused is aggravated after a night’s sleep that hinders the flow of normal activity. Other areas where these is a great chance of bursitis are â€Å"elbows, hips, knees and base of thumb† (Vigorita et al., 2007). The treatments of Bursitis include many methods but the most common ones are icing, use of inflammatory medicines, physical therapy, and rest. These four methods not only relieve the pain but also reduce the swelling. According to Orthopedic Pathology , â€Å"treatment of bursitis includes usage of NSAIDs. Aspiration and bursectomy are options for more chronic conditions. Intrabursal tetracycline should be used in chronic olecranal bursitis† (Vigorita et al., 2007). References Vigorita, V. J., Ghelman, B., & Mintz, D. (2007). Orthopaedic Pathology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Cause and effect on gluten free diet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cause and effect on gluten free diet - Essay Example One of the main reasons due to which gluten-free diet is being considered is because of an increase in celiac disease and people suffering from this disease appear to be quite insensitive to the consumption of diet that contains gluten. Celiac disease is recognized as an autoimmune disorder that tends to disrupt the smaller intestine and due to this disruption an individual experiences lack of nutrition as well as distress in the intestinal region. If these issues are not countered at an early stages then the chances of an individual developing intestinal carcinoma as well as infertility is quite high. People are moving towards gluten-free diet because in recent years several individuals have been diagnosed with this disease. A study was conducted by Rubio-Tapia in order to identify the prevalence of celiac disease amongst the population of United States and the researchers identified that 35 individuals out of a sample size of 7,798 individuals were experiencing this disease (Rubio- Tapia 1541). Fear of being diagnosed with celiac disease is not the only reason due to which individuals have started moving towards gluten-free diet. Wheat has been found to be the major source of gluten and individuals experiencing allergic reactions caused due to wheat consume less of wheat or they avoid wheat at all times and these individuals even tend to live on a gluten-free diet (Watson 133). Another disease which is regarded as a sign of celiac disease is dermatitis herpetiformis which is categorized as development of burning sensation along with rashes that are red in color and they develop on an individual’s skin (Watson 133). Physicians have proposed that individuals suffering from this disease should even avoid diet that contains gluten. Consuming gluten-free diet can both positively as well as negatively impact an

Monday, August 26, 2019

Short Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Short Story - Essay Example One would feel that they had forgotten the terror revolving on their heads. But the truth was that they had learnt to live in terror. The bus-stop was as usual crowded with waiting passengers. Second last in the queue was a boy who kept opening and shutting the lens of his camera while standing at the bus stop. The big, black camera hanging from his neck was the only thing he was carrying. A lose black t-shirt and a pair of worn out baggy jeans pants were hanging over his thin body frame. Natural goatee marked his chin and his face was colourless, ghostly white. He would be barely out of teens but his demeanour gave his face the maturity of forties. He turned the camera around, slapped it a couple of times and tried to adjust the lens again. The boy managed to squeeze his way to the middle of the jam-packed bus with the man virtually on his shoulder. Though it was a pleasant morning in the Poonch district of Kashmir, the insides of the bus were boiling due to the crowd. Wailing infants and shouting women were adding to the heat. Conductor of the bus rushed towards the new entrants and started handing out tickets. ‘No-no, I don’t regret it, he died bravely like a warrior, though he was a common man. He was just about your age and used to carry the same type off camera around his neck. I am really proud that he died on duty, serving the nation....Do you know, he revealed the exact hideout of the enemy to the Indian army unit posted there just before he died? The Government of India has bestowed Gallantry Award on my son... posthumously. It’s just that I miss him too much and cannot stop myself when I see somebody like him....,’ the man’s voice trailed off as he wiped the corners of his eyes with his hands. ‘Hey chap...Oh boy...,’ Habibulah called after the boy but the boy kept walking at a fast pace. The bus had started off again. The man looked at the departing bus and then ran behind the boy.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

THE ART OF ENGLISH Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

THE ART OF ENGLISH - Assignment Example By analysing individual works, the varying degrees of creativity and literariness can be observed. To begin, it is important to understand two distinct concepts: creativity and literariness. According to the textbook entitled â€Å"The Art of English: Literary Creativity,† creativity is defined as the skill level of the writer in areas such as â€Å"sounds, words, phrases, and overall linguistic form† (Goodman & O’Halloran, 2006). Literariness is a concept that relates to different kinds of literature such as those that are more traditional like poetry, short stories, and novels. However, literariness can also refer to other types of writing such as blogging, websites, pamphlets, and print media advertising(Goodman & O’Halloran, 2006). These two elements are very important in the process of analysis. According to the textbook entitled â€Å"The Art of English: Everyday Creativity,† in order to perform a complete textual analysis, a linguistic analys is, interactional analysis, and ethnographic analysis are needed (Maybin &Swann, 2006, p.429).Completing each analysis will reveal the elements that make up the degree of creativity within the piece. Linguistic analysis looks at the individual language elements such as metaphors, word usage, repetition, parallelism, etc., (Maybin &Swann, 2006, p.429). ... Each of these also helps a reader to take a more cognitive based approach to the text by looking at how it contributes to the bigger picture of human existence. The poem entitled â€Å"I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,† by Emily Dickinson, is a poem that fits within the literary world. Emily Dickinson, who was born in Massachusetts on the 10th of December 1830, is considered to be one of America’s greatest poets and produced over 1,700 poems throughout her life (Pettinger, 2006). On the surface, it appears to be a poem about a person witnessing their own funeral. Whether or not this is truly the situation is up to the reader. Emily Dickinson is an author whose work often inspires analysis due to the multitude of contextual meanings that may be applied to her work. This quality is known as polysemy (Goodman & O’Halloran, 2006, p.70). The critical analysis of the poem through the inherent clues of the poem’s linguistics may find evidence to support several of t hese theories. This particular poem has sparked multiple analyses. Some readers believe that the poem is about a person’s descent into madness. Others think that it is about writer’s block. Still others claim that the poem is simply about death as the basic context might imply. The fact of the matter is that it does not matter who is right in the end. The myriad of possible meanings speaks to this poem’s high degree of creativity. In terms of linguistics, Dickinson utilizes heavy deviation. Deviation is defined as being when words, phrases, and grammatical structures draw attention themselves (Goodman & O’Halloran, 2006, p.70).This can be seen in the poem by the capitalization of words that are not normally capitalized such as â€Å"Funeral, Brain, Mourners, Sense, Service, Drum, etc†

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Organizational effectivenes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational effectivenes - Essay Example This is done by considering resources available to the organization, interests of the organization in business activities and the market segment served by the organization. The market segment is important because it dictates the market share available to the firm and consequently influences resource allocation. The process of resource allocation is the first step among a number of them that lead to the realization of organizational effectiveness. How well available resources are allocated among numerous organizational needs and the extent to which consumer needs are met in that process determines the said effectiveness. Employee-management relationship is another measure of organizational effectiveness. Organizations that foster strong employee-employer relationships have been found to be more efficient that those without strong ties between employees and employers (Rampersad, 2003). In the same regard, an organization that pursues corporate social responsibility is more likely to be more efficient in its business that those which do not. This based on the fact restrained and optimal requirements of performance in order to achieve diversity and dynamism over time require that an organization’s operations and performance be efficient enough. Harley-Davidson is a manufacturing firm that consumers highly value. Its competitors stand challenged by this firm due to its diversity that aims to achieve consumer satisfaction. TPS recommends book keeping and issuance as the principle determinants of the success of an organization. Harley-Davidson adopted this recommendation, becoming one of the most efficient motorcycle and RV manufacturers (Teerlink & Ozley, 2000). Book keeping ensures that all fundamental records that pertain to the manufacturer are made at all levels. On the other hand, issuance enhances business transactions and monitors the overall performance for malpractices. Over and above the above practices, the

Friday, August 23, 2019

MEDICINE MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

MEDICINE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example This paper discusses medicine management of Salbutamol. It starts by examining the legal and ethical frameworks in medicine management and administration in the UK and how they impact medicine management practices; it then discusses safe ordering, receiving, storage, administration and disposal of Salbutamol nebules. The paper then discusses drug management and administration in Patient Group Directions (PGD), this is done by explaining the meaning of PGD and the legal framework that establishes it before exploring the possibility of Salbutamol nebules being included as one of the PGD medications. Finally the paper examines self medication and points out some of its advantages to the whole process medicine management and administration. The legislative framework for medicines management and administration in the UK includes a number of legislations relating to the prescription, supply, storage, and administration of drugs (NHS, 2011). All practitioners including nurses and pharmacists have to comply with these pieces of legislation for the safety of patients as well as for general ethical conduct in the practice of medicine (Grifith, 2009). The control of medicines in the UK is carried out mainly through the Medicines Act (1968) and other related legislation in the country and in Europe. According to NMC (2008) administration of medicines is a significantly important aspect of the professional contract of nurses. The Nursing and Midwifery Council takes recognition of the fact that medicines management is a flexible practice as opposed to being performed in strict compliance with the instructions of the medical practitioners prescribing the drugs. The body recognizes the importance of drug administration being pract iced through professional judgement and though on the part of practitioners (NMC, 2009). Medicines management and administration is one of the areas that are affected by frequent errors and it is well recognized

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Security Analysis Report of Kellogg (stock ticker K) Research Paper - 1

Security Analysis Report of Kellogg (stock ticker K) - Research Paper Example â€Å"The most common deciding factors used in the market to attempt to anticipate future stock pricing are recent price history and patterns, current price relative to past price levels or other stocks, beliefs about future price movement, and a fourth area that can be described generally as ‘reckless optimism† (Thomsett 1). 2. Discussion of background of the company. Kellogg is a leading producer and distributor of cereals, which was founded in the year 1906. From the year 1906 Kellogg had been expanding mainly by creating its own new brands of cereals, cornflakes, and other cereal related food products. The financial statement from 2006 to 2010 contains 5 years, which require to be inspected to recognize the stock activities in Kellogg. It is listed on the Dow Jones Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange. Kellogg’s had expanded over the years and has a good market share. Its stocks and share prices showed a very positive trend and investors were on a rush t o invest in Kellogg stocks. Due to economic recession of 2007 like other companies kellogs socks also took a stagnat approach. So this paper investigates whether an investigator should invest in Kellogg’s shares by buying, or he should be holding his decision or in fact the investor should be selling Kellogg’s shares in the stock market. ... A stock is considered as best or perfect only when all the dimensions are perfect and project a future growth for its investors. An expanding business has growing and healthy revenue. The stock movements are a projection of a business and past results are no guarantee yet the past stock records of a firm influence its present and future movements to a certain extent. A firm which has high sales does not mean it is earning high profits. High sales do not measure a stock’s performance, whereas the profits of a firm directly affect the stock movements. From the income statement of Kellogg, it is understood that the net sales from the year 2006 to 2008 show an increasing trend while the year 2009 and 2010 point out to a decreasing movement in net sales as compared to the previous year. From 2006 to 2008 there was an increase in net sales by around 18%. While in the year 2009 there was a drastic downfall by around 2%, similarly, the year 2010’s net sales also showed a decrea se by 1.41% A consolidated average from the year 2006 to the year 2010 with respect to the net sales of the firm shows that Kellogg has experienced a growth of 13.66%. Comparing the net earnings of Kellogg there is an increase of 24%. In such a case, Kellogg stocks have to be brought. Comparing the net earnings of the years 2009 and 2010, there is a decrease of 2.9%. The profits of a firm are understood from its payment of dividends. A firm with a strong balance sheet does not have to worry about its debt. The return on equity helps to measure how well a firm is converting its resources into profitable business endeavors for expansion purpose. If the five-year annual revenue growth is more

The Lottery Essay Example for Free

The Lottery Essay The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a short story about a small town and their unique summer tradition. This stories thematic element is conformity and rebellion, showing a clash between two well-articulated positions in which a rebel, on principle, confronts and struggles with established authority (Abacarian and Klotz, 289). Jacksons short story caught my attention through her suspenseful structural technique, and incorporation of a serious, seemingly absurd, event in a nonchalant manner. Mr. Summers, who devotes his time to running civic activities, runs this event very year on June 27th. The children are always the first to assemble, innocent to the severity of the event that is about to occur. The head of the household each picks a piece of paper out of a black box, and keeps it sealed until everyone has picked. At the same time all of the men open their papers, and whoevers family has the paper with the black dot has been selected. This year, it was the Hutchinson family. Now, the paper with the dot is placed back in the box along with more blank slips to equal the amount of people in the family. They each pick, and the person who picks the lack dot is the winner, who then gets stoned by the town. Until the very end of the short story the reader is very much unaware of the situation and why this lottery is taking place, which is one reason I picked this story. Suspense in a story is one of my favorite elements and always keeps me wanting to read in order to find out what happens. Through most of the story Jackson shows the town quite cheerful and happy, but she begins to hint towards a dramatic event with statements such as a sudden hush fell on the crowd Oackson,342), l wish theyd hurry. I wish theyd hurry Oackson, 343), and a long pause, a breathless pause Oackson, 343). Once I realized what the point of the lottery is, I quickly thought back through the story and realized how apathetic she was towards this event. Throughout the course of the story, Jackson showed many of the characters acting very casual and carefree, even though one of their towns members was about to be stoned. I liked the way Jackson incorporated the idea of stones with the children in the beginning of the story. This makes the reader originally question its relevance and shows the innocence of youth. She then follows later with the elderly man stating that he had been at these lotteries for seventy-seven years, which showed the town being used to the tradition and show normal it was to the society, and how it only negatively affects the person who won and their family. The characters discuss how many towns have gotten rid of this tradition, and Old Man Warner states Nothing but trouble in that,, Old Man Warner said stoutly. Pack of young fools0ackson, 342). This displays the theme of conformity and rebellion, since the younger generations want to get rid of the tradition, and the older enerations with more power over the society believe it is for the best. Even the death of an individual in their town they say is necessary and tradition, which I found astonishing. oliday atmosphere, which concludes with a horrific event. The holiday atmosphere is used to diminish the immortality of the event, but the author successfully uses the happiness to add suspense to the tradition and add a dark twist to the severity of it all. Overall, the suspense positively adds to the structure of the story and the casual aspect of the stoning and death of a citizen follows the theme of conformity and rebellion.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Ethanol on the heart rate

Ethanol on the heart rate Effects of different concentrations of ethanol on the heart rate of the water flea In this experiment I will be looking at the effects of different concentrations of ethanol on the heart rate of the water flea, Daphnia because using humans in a study to test the effects of Ethanol on heart rate would not be ethical. Daphnia, like many animals, are prone to alcohol intoxication, and make excellent subjects for studying the effects of the depressant on the nervous system due to the translucent exoskeleton, and the visibly altered heart rate.Ethanol is a small molecule, RMM of 43, so it crosses cell membranes by simple diffusion. The exoskeleton of Daphnia is not waterproof, so there are no waterproof waxy layers to cross. The gills are particularly thin-walled and optimised for diffusion. They live in various aquatic environments ranging from acidic swamps to freshwater lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. They are tolerant of being observed live under a microscope and appear to suffer no harm when returned to open water. The experiment consists in preparing 5 different environments to put the water flea in, and observe how the heart rate responds to each change; the change will be the increase of ethanol concentration %. This will be the independent variable. The dependent variable is the heart rate of the Daphnia. Hypothesis : Ethanol will decrease the heart rate of the Daphnia. Null Hypothesis : Ethanol will have no effect on the heart rate of the Daphnia. I will change the concentration of my Ethanol solution by dilution and will therefore plot a graph. In addition, a correlation and ANOVA test will be calculated to determine the relationship (If any) between the concentration of Ethanol and the heart rate of the Daphnia. I have taken into consideration factors that will affect my overall conclusion Factors: Size of Daphnia The size of the Daphnia will affect its absorption of Ethanol and also the metabolism of the drug in the liver. Different rates of metabolism will result in different heart rates. As a result I must ensure that I choose Daphnia which are the same size when conducting repeats. I will use a highly sensitive scale to confirm that both daphnia are of equal body mass. Time kept in ethanol solution The Daphnia must be kept in the Petri dish full of ethanol solution for a specific amount of time. If they are kept in the solution for too long they will become intoxicated which will result in abnormal heart beats that are hard to measure although they must be kept in the solution long enough for sufficient absorption of Ethanol. Each Daphnia will stay in the ethanol solution for exactly 3 minutes so that an equal volume of ethanol is absorbed. Activity of Daphnia Some Daphnia tend to be more active than others and these will have a higher heart rate compared to ones that are idle. After allowing the Daphnia to swim in a specific solution of ethanol I will place them on a cavity slide so that I can observe the heart rate with a microscope. As I will be using a pipette to transfer the Daphnia from the Petri dish to the cavity slide excess fluid will be found on the slide which must be removed with tissue so that all Daphnia remain idle/immobile and not active I.e. swimming on the slide. This will also allow me to measure the heart rate with ease which reduces the likelihood of human error. Time left under the microscope If the Daphnia are left under the microscope for too long they will become stressed due to the heat of the microscope light and this will increase the heart rate of the Daphnia due to the secretion of adrenaline therefore I must ensure that the microscope is switched off when not in use. The cavity slides must be allowed to cool down before using them again as they tend to heat up. Impurities on cavity slide Traces of impurities including ethanol from a previous experiment may be left on the cavity slide which may slightly affect the heart rate of the Daphnia therefore the slide must be cleaned and dried thoroughly before each repeat. Alternatively, a new slide may be used for each repeat. The materials needed to perform this experiment are the following: Normal size syringe 2 Small syringes (must have units of measurement) Open top pipette Ethanol of 1% concentration Various Daphnia to perform experiment on Microscope 6 Petri dishes Cavity slide Marker Kleenex tissue for absorbing excess liquid Scale Stopwatch Method : 1. The first thing that has to be done is the preparation of the different solutions where the Daphnia will be placed. To do this you will need the small syringe, and 5 Petri dishes. It is very advisable to have labels. The first Petri dish will contain 0% Ethanol, in other words just water. With a small syringe, take 10 ml of distilled water (the use of distilled water is important as you will be removing any materials that may have an effect on the Daphnia heart rate) and place it in the Petri dish. The syringe you just used will only be used with water and not for the Ethanol. Put a 0% label on the Petri dish in order to keep track of the different concentrations you will be making. The next Petri dish will contain 0.2% ethanol concentration, and you will make concentrations going up to 0.8%, so: 0.2 %: With the other small syringe (this one will only be used for ethanol), add 2 ml of the 1% Ethanol, to 8 ml of distilled water 0.4 %: Add 4 ml of the 1% ethanol, to 6 ml of distilled water 0.6%: Add 6 ml of the 1% ethanol, to 4 ml of distilled water 0.8%: Add 8 ml of the 1% ethanol, to 2 ml of distilled water remember to label each concentration accordingly 2. Set your microscope up, put it on medium magnification. Do not turn it on yet because the light of the microscope can heat up the environment where you will be observing the Daphnia. It is important to try to keep the temperature of the experiment as stable as possible. Heat may modify the Daphnia heart rate, and the effect of heat on the heart rate is not the purpose of this experiment. 3. Now it is time to pick out one Daphnia from the glass or container where you put all of them in. It is important to use only one throughout this whole experiment because different animals may present variations in their response to different environments. With the open top pipette, try to pick out a Daphnia which is not too small, as it will be harder to observe the heart rate if it is small. Once you have managed to take one out, place it in the remaining empty Petri dish. Take the normal size syringe and very carefully suck the Daphnia in with as least water possible. The objective is to have the Daphnia right at the tip of the syringe. Squirt the Daphnia out into the cavity slide. It is very important to put the Daphnia in with the least water possible, in order to prevent it from moving too much. It is recommended to try to squirt it out with only one drop of water, as this will keep it alive, but immobile. Use tissue to remove excess fluid. Put the slide under the microscope. Turn the microscope on. 4. Make sure you can see the Daphnia clearly under the microscope, once you are happy with the image, look for the heart: 7 is the heart. If you can see the heart, and can keep track of its beating, put the Daphnia, with the normal sized, syringe into the 0% labelled Petri dish. Wash the microscope slide with water and dry it. Turn the microscope off. 5. Keep the Daphnia in the Petri dish for 3 minutes, this lets it adapt do the conditions and also increases the probability of it surviving the whole experiment. With the normal size syringe take it out of the Petri dish and put it onto the microscope slide, make sure that it is practically immobile (by making sure that you squirted the least amount of water possible) and put it under the microscope. Turn the microscope on. 6. Get the paper and marker ready. Look into the microscope and make sure you can count the heart beat. Get someone to count 15 seconds with the stop watch. During 15 seconds, tap the paper with the marker each time the heart beats, after this, count the number of dots on the paper. Multiply this number by four; this gives you the heart rate per minute. Record the result. Do this process 3 times in order to get 3 heart rates. Add the 3 heart rates and then divide the result by 3; this will give you the average of the Daphnia heart rate under those conditions. Keep the Daphnia under the microscope for a maximum of 2 minutes, because the heat of the light in the microscope could have effects on the experiment. Turn the microscope off after the count to prevent further heating caused by the light. 7. Remove the slide from the microscope, and with the normal size syringe put the Daphnia into the 0.2% labelled Petri dish (wash the slide with water and dry it). Leave the Daphnia in the Petri dish for 3 minutes once again. After 3 minutes, use the normal sized syringe to put it onto the microscope slide. Repeat step 6 and record results. 8. Count the heart rate of the Daphnia when placed in all the concentrations. Work your way up from 0% to 0.2% to 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%. Make sure you rinse and dry the slide with the distilled water after each time. You must start from the lowest concentration up to the highest concentration because the Daphnia has to gradually adapt to the changes, you will be reducing the probability of it dying. Another reason for this is that if you start at the highest concentration, the impact on the Daphnia will be too dramatic and you will not see any trends once you try a lower concentration, it will have an effect of intoxication. Remember to repeat each count 3 times to obtain an average of the heart rate. Keep the Daphnia under the microscope during the same amount of time for each concentration, this will ensure that if there was any type of effect from the light under the microscope, all tests will be fair because they were under the exact same conditions. It is possible for the Daphnia to die during these tests; this is why you must have acquired a fair amount of Daphnia, in order to have back-ups. 9. Repeat this experiment once or twice with different Daphnia, in this way you will be able to analyse any trends present in the experiment more accurately. I will use the following tables to record the results of this experiment: Averages will be calculated for both experiments and the results will be organised in a separate table. My conclusion will be based on these averages because they are more representative. Modifications made to method: The Daphnia used in the first experiment died after being placed on the cavity slide from the 0.6% ethanol solution probably due to the lack of fluid on the slide so I had to restart the experiment using another Daphnia. No one was available to count 15 seconds with a stopwatch so I had to use my mobile phone which beeped after 15 seconds prompting me stop counting the number of heart beats. Results

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Supply chain management in operation

Supply chain management in operation INTRODUCTION Background The term supply chain management was first used in the early 1980s to refer to the concept that manufacturing firms should think of their own internal operations as an included whole, rather than as separate departments such as purchasing, stores, production, finished good warehouse, distribution and so on. It was quickly extended to cover relationships with suppliers and with immediate customers the idea being that working more closely and co-operatively with these counterparts would enable a kind of mixing and co-ordination that would lead to reduced inventory, better quality and delivery performance and reduced cost for everyone involved.( Skjoett, L,T. 1999) Today, supply chain management is an important concern in large organizations, and is among the most active areas of research in the academic operations management community. In modern business environments characterized by ever-increasing competition and economy globalization, supermarket companies have been exploiting innovative technologies and strategies to achieve and sustain competitive advantage. As an effective business philosophy, supply chain management has gained a tremendous amount of attention from both the academic and practitioners community in the recent years. (Burnes, B. and New, S.1996). Nowadays, more than ever, companies face an increasing pressure of customers requirements in product customization, quality improvement and demand responsiveness. On the other hand they need to reduce the production cost, shorten lead time and allow inventory level to ensure profitability. In order to survive under these pressure more and more enterprise are serving to develop long-tern strategic partnership with a few component suppliers and collaborate with then in product development, inventor control and non-core process outsourcing. Moreover variou s value-adding process from materials purchasing, production and assembly to distribution and customer order delivery are integrated and synchronized to achieve the common goal of enhancing customer satisfaction. (Beamon, M. B. 1999) A narrow view of supply chain management would restrict it to relatively high-volume industries such as retailing and manufacturing, and would focus on the use of close, ‘partnership style relationships to optimize inventory and production planning, and to eliminate quality problems arising from poor inter-organizational communications. (Haag, S. Cummings, M. McCubbrey, D. Pinsonneault, A. Donovan, R. 2006). It also tends to neglect the service sector and the purchasing of things other than inputs to the final product facts that organizations often spend a large proportion of their total spend on such inputs. Supply chain management (SCM) is the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the operations of the supply chain with the purpose to satisfy customer requirements as efficiently as possible. It is the combination of art and science that goes into the way of a company finds the raw components it needs to make a product or service and deliver it to customers. (Chopra, S, Meindl, P. 2003) Supply chain management spans all movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point-of-origin to point-of-consumption. It is all about managing the flow of information, materials, services and money across any activity, in a way which maximizes the effectiveness of the process. This is a continuous process, not a one-time fix. (Chandra, C. Kumar, S. 2000). Supply Chain Management helps to reduce the costs of both clients and suppliers, while sustaining or improving added value and margins. Consequently, companies that have effective supply chains are most successful. The definition one America professional association put forward is that Supply Chain Management encompasses the planning and management of all activities involved in sourcing, procurement, conversion, and logistics management activities. Importantly, it also includes coordination and collaboration with channel partners, which can be suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service providers, and customers. In essence, Supply Chain Management integrates supply and demand management within and across companies. (Giannakis, M, Croom, S. 2004) Supply chain management deals with the management of materials, information and financial flows in a network consisting of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and customers. The coordination and integration of these flows within and across companies are critical in successful supply chain management. It is important that the information, material and financial flows are coordinated effectively in a supply chain. Material flows involve both physical product flows from suppliers to customers through the chain, as well as the reverse flows via product returns, servicing, recycling and disposal. Information flows involve order transmission and delivery status. Financial flows involve credit terms, payment schedules, and consignment and title ownership arrangements. These flows cut across multiple organizations within a company as well as across companies and industries. In the last few years, the coordination and integration of these flows have attracted major interest on the part of researchers, management, consultants and practitioners in academia and industry. (Cooper, M, C, Douglas, M, Lambert and Janus, D, P, 1997). Rationale As we have the family business of superstores in Bangladesh, this study would help me to achieve the competitive edge for our own business. My decision to do dissertation on Supply chain management and the recent due to my desire to aim for a career in Bangladeshi Superstore Companies. This initiated from our own business in Supply chain, where I had the opportunity to experience the deeply fascinating influences of supply chain. During my stay in Bangladesh I succeeded is establishing a pressure in our own business within a field I knew very little about. In fact, I manage to occupy myself in a supply chain where apart from being given a chance to be involved in the management of the business I was given an opportunity to test my creative skills, by creating a web page to promote the company. Furthermore, the Business Management courses I attended during my stay at London School of Accountancy and Management gave me the opportunity to utilize and put into perspective the knowledge I had previous acquired through personal experience. This made me realize the effect that a Business School education would have upon me both as person and as future professional. In addition to helping out and run my fathers business more effectively in future and establish my own career, this project will help me to broaden my knowledge about supply chain management in Supermarket Company and also helps me to understand about the new innovation in supply chain management in SCM resulting improved in company performance. Purpose of Study The main purpose of this dissertation is to obtain an understanding of the term â€Å"Supply Chain Management† and its recent innovation. To find out the different factors required to improve the supply chain management in International Business Environment. To understand the fundamental issues of supply chain management in different organizations. To suggest some recommendations and identify topics for further research to better tackle Supply Chain Management in multinational organizations. Research Objectives To determine the importance of supply chain management in British supermarkets. To establish the role played by these new innovations in improve company relationship. To determine critical success factors of recent innovation of SCM To determine any limitation of SCM in British Supermarkets. Research Questions 1) How important is supply chain management in todays business? 2) How SCM in different British Supermarkets solve problems related to: 1) Proper Logistic management 2) Controlling Over Cost 3) Time efficiency 4) Proper way of exporting 5) Relationship with customers. 3) What are the new innovations in SCM? And how do these innovations in SCM can improve company performance? 4) What is the role of technology in SCM? 5) How SCM improve company performance? Statement of Problem The basic assumption was â€Å"the more integration the better the management of the chain†. This study discusses what the term â€Å"management† in the concept of SCM stands for. The integration assumption as a â€Å"cure all† prescription for SCM is challenged, and questions raised as to when it is possible and desirable to exercise management in supply chains. The main thesis is that it depends very much on the â€Å"environment† of the supply chain and the power relations between the participants in the supply chain. Problem of integrating the individual activities into key supply chain processes. Significance of Study This study has examined the supply chain management function in the British supermarkets. And how far are the recent innovations in supply chain management successfully achieving the SCM goals and objectives in improved company performance. It has also delineated the changing way of doing supply chain management which is likely more technology based. To enhance the supply chain management in the super market industry the study has highlighted areas requiring innovation in supply chain management. Building customer-supplier relationships: SCM is the securing, coordinating and maintaining of formal links with all parties that perform a vital function. In order to do this, company needs first to develop a SCM process map describing the activities of all members involved in the supply chain and the relationships among them in successfully achieving the SCM goals and objectives. Information and communication technologies changed the way firms conduct transactions, particularly in understanding and restructuring relationships because relationship creation and maintenance helps to breed future success. Communicating benefits of relationships, clarifying customer needs and expectations, assisting in problem solving and conflict resolution, improving performance measures with suppliers, and creating competitive advantage help to maintain effective relationships (Foggin, J.H., Mentzer, J.T. 2003). Developing partnerships is one of the most important steps in building and maintaining customer-supplier relationships. Implementing information and communication technology: Information and communication technology (ICT) is a very important strategic factor in managing supply chains; it acts as the disseminator and enabler for process and product communication along with reducing paperwork and lead times. Rapid developments in technology have created numerous choices from information technology software. However, the brand of technology used is not as important as how effectively it is coordinated with internal and external supply chain partners; along with its compatibility with other relevant technologies used by them. (Graham, G., Hardaker, G. 2000). The role of transactional IT is to acquire process and disseminate raw data about the companys supply chain and to compile reports to summarize these data. This is particularly important because supply chain managers need timely and accurate information about existing and projected manufacturing capacities and costs, finished and semi- finished goods inventories, transportation costs, and customer demands across the firms supply chain. Enterprise resource planning (ERP), manufacturing resource planning (MRP II), distribution resource planning (DRP), electronic data interchange (EDI), and other e-commerce systems are intended to provide supply chain managers the complete and accurate information of this transactional data. (Gunasekaran, A., Ngai, E.W.T. 2004). Thus analytical IT heavily involves problem solving modelling process and use of various descriptive and normative models to find solutions to various supply chain problems. The SCM managers need to know the form and purpose of these models before they apply them in their modelling process. The development of web-based/internet applications is another tool to process information pertaining to supply chain such as processing procurement activities both operationally and strategically. Use of e-mail/faxes, worldwide web (www), EDI, electronic funds transfer (EFT), internet auctions, etc., are the few examples that web-based/internet technologies can offer to perform SCM activities more efficiently.. It is not expected that intranet use will fully replace the use of electronic data interchange (EDI) systems in the near future (Bharadwaj, A.S. 2000). Technologies including EDI are slower, but the efficiency with which it transfers information allows it to maintain its value. New technologies similar to EDI will increase the speed of operations, reduce cycle times and aid management of materials. Re-engineering material flows: Many practitioners of SCM have recognized that effectively managing the flow of materials across the supply chain as one of the important strategic success factor. This is because the costs involved of providing end customers and supply chain member organizations with the materials required, in the right quantities, in the desired form, with the appropriate documentation, at the desired location, at the right time, and at the lowest possible cost are very high. (Duclos, L.K., Vokurka, R.J., Lummus, R.R. 2003). Quickly communicating with suppliers enhances the use of inventory management techniques as like just-in-time (JIT), which is an inventory system intended to minimize stock levels (White, R.E., Prybutok, V. 2001). Technology will help in managing inventory flow and supply within a given supply channel and is key in evaluating and in reducing resource consuming processes. The development of integrated SCM increased the importance of logistical activities to move materials in a timely and cost effective manner across the supply chain. A supply chain wide logistics strategy became an important strategic goal for many companies. Implementing logistics strategy involving distribution networks, transportation modes, carrier management, warehousing, inventory management, order processing and fulfilment, and all other related activities encompassing the entire supply chain became a necessity to achieve this goal. I am confident that this study will provide significant inputs to the innovations in supply chain management resulting in improves company performance as well as academicians towards unleashing the immense potential of the British super markets and enable to realize its rightful place in the global economic place. Nature of Study Nature of this study is more theoretical and depends more on secondary resources like literature reviews and case studies. The research methodology of this study entails a literature study, and survey with senior managers in some of the multinational companies in UK by questionnaire sent through mail survey methodology. Assumptions and limitations The research was limited by two factors: time and resources. Due to large expenses, the research was conducted on the limited number of companies in a relatively short period of time. There might be some biases like sampling bias, response bias and questionnaire bias. Because of limited time I had to depend more on secondary resources like literature study and case studies. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW The post-World War II supply chain was a set of linear, individualized processes that linked manufacturers, warehouses, wholesalers, retailers and consumers together in the form of a human/paper chain (Ganeshan, 2002, in his journal New Directions in Supply Chain and Technology Management, Strategy and Implementation,) Beginning in the 1960s and 1970s, firms started to view themselves as closely linked functions whose joint purpose was to serve their customers. This internal integration was often referred to as material logistics management or materials management. During this period, SCM innovations such as material requirement planning (MRP) were developed (Lummus, R., Vokurka, R.,1999, in their journal Defining supply chain management: a historical perspective and practical guidelines,). Those firms that successfully integrated these functions did improve their performance. However, some constraints, such as customers or suppliers unresponsiveness did hinder the improvements. These constraints prevented the firms from instantly responding to market changes. In late 1970s and early 1980s, US firms faced fierce competition from their Japanese counterparts. Especially in the automobile industry, Japanese carmakers utilized just-in-time delivery to achieve efficient inventory management. Detroits Big Three had to find ways to communicate with suppliers effectively. The solution at the time was to communicate through batch orders and via a standard called electronic data interchange (EDI) (Claycomb, C. Drogue, D. Germain, R. 1999)[1]. Since the 1990s, the pervasive adoption of Internet and Web technology have promised an omnipresent and less costly way to tie companies and their business partners together in the supply chain. The great collaboration made e-Commerce buzzwords like â€Å"B2B† and â€Å"B2C† known to almost everybody in business circles (McKeown, P.G. 2000, in his journal Information Technology and the Networked Economy). With the advancement of information technology, the collaboration of business partners will continuously improve the effectiveness of SCM. Supply Chain: Supply chain has become a vast and strong part of an organization, its work place with regards to creativity and sustainability. More importantly it was always regarded as just being a tool for distribution and logistics. But in the recent decade Supply Chain Management has evolved itself as part of the information and financial flow of any particular organization. The work of Supply chain is to get the right commodity at the right place, at the right time with the required level of quality. â€Å"In the search for a solution to get the right product to the right place at the right time, there are five areas that companies should focus on to improve the synchronization of information flow through the supply chain: demand, supply, manufacturing/scheduling, transportation, and network optimization† (Lummus, R. Vokurka, R. 1999, in his journal Defining supply chain management: a historical perspective and practical guidelines). Supply chain has been discussed in many different ways by different authors: According to (Quinn F. J.,1997) the supply chain as â€Å"all of those activities associated with moving goods from the raw-materials stage through to the end user. This includes sourcing and procurement, production scheduling, order processing, inventory management, transportation, warehousing, and customer service. Importantly, it also embodies the information systems so necessary to monitor all of those activities.† (Swaminathan, J.M., Smith, S.F. and Sadeh, N.M, 1996,in their journal multi-agent framework for modeling supply chain dynamics) defines a supply chain â€Å"to be a network of autonomous or semi-autonomous business entities collectively responsible for procurement, manufacturing, and distribution activities associated with one or more families of related products†. [2] Dainty, A.R.J., Briscoe, G.H. and Millett, S.J. (2001) has a similar definition: â€Å"A supply chain is a network of facilities that procure raw materials, transform them into intermediate goods and then final products, and deliver the products to customers through a distribution system.† (Ganeshan, R. 2002) has yet another analogous definition: â€Å"A supply chain is a network of facilities and distribution options that performs the functions of procurement of materials, transformation of these materials into intermediate and finished products, and the distribution of these finished products to custom ers.† Supply Chain Management: The famous way of defining SCM stated by (Cooper, M, C, Douglas, M, Lambert and Janus, D, P, 1997,in their journal Supply Chain Management: More than a new name for Logistics) where they defined SCM as: â€Å"The integration of business processes from end user through original suppliers that provides products, services, and information that add value for customers†. Supply chain management is described by (Ferguson, B.R. (2000,in his journal â€Å"Implementing supply chain management Production Inventory), as to being to â€Å". . . remove communication barriers and eliminate redundancies through coordinating, monitoring and controlling processes†. According to Professor (Martin Christopher,2005) â€Å"supply chain management is the management of upstream and downstream relationship with suppliers and customers to deliver superior relationship with suppliers and customers to deliver superior customer value at less cost to the supply chain as a whole†. Supply Chain Management (SCM) is â€Å"an integrative philosophy to manage the total flow of a channel from the earliest supplier of raw materials to the ultimate customer, and beyond, including the disposal process† (Cooper, M, C, Douglas, M, Lambert and Janus, D, P. in their journal Supply Chain Management: More than a new name for Logistics†, The International Journal of Logistic Management, 1997). Supply chain management is defined as the systemic, strategic coordination of the traditional business functions and the tactics across these business functions within a particular company and across businesses within the supply chain, for the purposes of improving the long-term performance of the individual companies and the supply chain as a whole (Mentzer, J.T. DeWitt, W. Keebler, J.S. Min, S.Nix, N.W. Smith, C.D. Zacharia, Z.G. 2001). Supply chain management is â€Å"treated as key to building a sustainable competitive edge through improved inter and intra-firm relationships† (Chopra, S, Meindl, P., in their book Supply chain management, strategy, planning operation,2003) A range of benefits has been attributed to supply chain management, including reduced costs, increased market share and sales, and solid customer relations From these definitions, a summary definition of the supply chain can be stated as: all the activities involved in delivering a product from raw material through to the customer including sourcing raw materials and parts, manufacturing and assembly, warehousing and inventory tracking, order entry and order management, distribution across all channels, delivery to the customer, and the information systems necessary to monitor all of these activities. Successful Supply Chain Management reduces the costs of both clients and suppliers, while sustaining or improving added value and margins. Consequently, companies that have effective supply chains are most successful. {In recent times, the theory of purchasing and supply operations has been widely studied under a variety of labels and for a number of reasons. Each of these focuses on different operations within an organisation but SCM is the single most wide-ranging approach in its range of study in considering how Firms utilise their suppliers processes, technology, and capability to enhance competitive advantage (Houlihan, 1985; Cooper et al., 1993; DTI, 1995). Tan and Kannan (1998) consider how all strategic suppliers in the chain can integrate to act as a single entity and enhance overall performance in SCM. One definition of SCM is offered by La Londe (1998) as: `the delivery of enhanced customer and economic value through synchronised management of the flow of physical goods and associated information from sourcing through consumption. Johnston (1995) States it as: `The process of strategically managing the movement and storage of materials, parts and finished inventory from suppliers, throu gh the firm and to customers. The various definitions which have been proposed indicate that SCM prescribes organisational restructuring, extended to the achievement of a company-wide collaborative culture. For Rich and Hines (1997), it embraces a strong sense of integration of all activities controlling the timing and synchronisation of material flows. With regards to SCM implementation, a study by- Lambert et al. (1998), conveys the SCM implementation process as a more straightforward matter. In their view, senior management must address the process and they identify three closely inter related elements to aid the SCM task, namely: the supply chain network structure; the business processes; and the management components. For Bushnell (1999), implementing SCM requires a thorough understanding of the concept and its technology over a lengthy and diverse range of activities and organisations. He states: There is nothing worse than trying to train for a technology when employees do not really understand or fear the concepts that it supports. And there is nothing worse than managers pursuing a concept when they do not understand the importance of, or the difficulties related to, the technology on which the concept depends. The supply chain can be regarded as a business process to construct enterprise-wide methods. It is defined in many ways. The International Centre for Competitive Excellence defined it to be (S. Changchien, H.Y. Shen, 2002) ‘‘the integration of key business processes from end user through original suppliers that provides products, services and information that add value for customers and other stakeholders. With the implementation of supply chain management, the narrow focus of managers and the adversarial relationships between logistics providers, suppliers, and customers are replaced by strategic alliances and long-term cooperative relationships. Suppliers and customers are viewed as partners instead of adversaries with the objective of ‘‘maximizing competitiveness and profitability for the company as well as for the whole supply chain net-work including the end-customer (K. Patterson, C. Grimm, T. Corsi, , 2003) Levary (R. Levary, 2000) suggests that the ben efits of a supply chain include: (1) Minimizing the bullwhip effect, (2) Maximizing the efficiency of activities, (3) Minimizing the inventories, (4) Minimizing cycle times, (5) Achieving an acceptable level of quality. The major success factors for a supply chain are effective management of strategic alliances, extensive data management capabilities, and advanced inter-organizational IS to enable better information exchange; this provides more up-to-date information and allows for more accurate inventory responses to change in demand and appropriate inventory levels (M. Whipple, R. Frankel, 2000).} THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Increasing global cooperation, vertical disintegration and a focus on core activities have led to the notion that firms are links in a networked supply chain. This strategic viewpoint has created the challenge of coordinating effectively the entire supply chain, from upstream to downstream activities. While supply chains have existed ever since businesses have been organized to bring products and services to customers, the notion of their competitive advantage, and consequently supply chain management (SCM), is a relatively recent thinking in management literature. (Carr, A.S. and Pearson, J.N., in their journal The impact of purchasing and supplier involvement on strategic purchasing and its impact on firms performance, 2002) Although research interests in and the importance of SCM are growing, scholarly materials remain scattered and disjointed, and no research has been directed towards a systematic identification of the core initiatives and constructs involved in SCM. Thus, the p urpose of this study is to develop a research framework that improves understanding of SCM and stimulates and facilitates researchers to undertake both theoretical and empirical investigation on the critical constructs of SCM, and the exploration of their impacts on supply chain performance. To this end, I have analyzed over 40 articles and synthesize the large, fragmented body of work dispersed across many disciplines such as purchasing and supply, logistics and transportation, marketing, organizational dynamics, information management, strategic management, and operations management literature. The following are five basic components of SCM. 1. Plan This is the strategic portion of SCM. You need a strategy for managing all the resources that go toward meeting customer demand for your product or service. A big piece of planning is developing a set of metrics to monitor the supply chain so that it is efficient, costs less and delivers high quality and value to customers. 2. Source Choose the suppliers that will deliver the goods and services you need to create your product. Develop a set of pricing, delivery and payment processes with suppliers and create metrics for monitoring and improving the relationships. And put together processes for managing the inventory of goods and services you receive from suppliers, including receiving shipments, verifying them, transferring them to your manufacturing facilities and authorizing supplier payments. 3. Make This is the manufacturing step. Schedule the activities necessary for production, testing, packaging and preparation for delivery. As the most metric-intensive portion of the supply chain, measure quality levels, production output and worker productivity. 4. Deliver This is the part that many insiders refer to as logistics. Coordinate the receipt of orders from customers, develop a network of warehouses, pick carriers to get products to customers and set up an invoicing system to receive payments. 5. Return The problem part of the supply chain. Create a network for receiving defective and excess products back from customers and supporting customers who have problems with delivered products. (Christopher, M., in his book Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 3rd edition, 2005). Research Methodology A literature survey was employed as one of the research methodologies in the study to develop a framework for best practices and innovations in supply chain management of British supermarket industry. The literature on SCM practices, application of IT and innovations was collected primary from journals in the areas of operations management, supply chain, operations research, and information systems. In addition to classifying the literature on SCM practices and innovations, the tools used to model and analyse various SCM environments are also presented. The literature search included journals published by numerous publishers, in particular Elsevier, Emerald, and Taylor and Francis, together with journals such as Management Science and Operations Research. The literature search was aimed at primarily helping researchers and practitioners in implementing a successful IT system for achieving an effective SCM. With this in mind, I looked at the literature that deals with IT-enabled SCM. The primary aim of the literature search was to help researchers and practitioners develop an effective SCM practice. The literature on SCM and some associated references Ire classified according to this objective and are reviewed in the following sections. This would be useful to researchers who are interested in modelling and analysis of various decision-making environments with reference to IT in SCM. The literature search has been conducted wi

Monday, August 19, 2019

Political Dilemmas and the Theories of the German Idealists :: Politics Political Science Papers

Does the Solution to our Present Moral and Political Dilemmas Lie in the Theories of the German Idealists? ABSTRACT: In the wake of the postmodernist onslaught one thing is certain: morality is in crisis. Where are we to look for answers? Perhaps to the German idealists—that is, to their bold synthesis of right and freedom. This paper seeks to bring the timely issue of absolute freedom and the possibility of its total realization back into ethical-political discussion. Through a close comparison of the theories of Fichte and Hegel via a critique of the former by the latter, I show that the antidote to many of our political, moral and theological distresses may well be found in Hegel’s concept of the State and Sittlichkeit-i.e., truly understood as the realization of absolute freedom, or the "We that is I." In the wake of the postmodernist onslaught one thing is certain: morality is in crisis. Where are we to look for answers? Perhaps to the German idealists.—That is, to their bold synthesis of right and freedom. This paper seeks to bring the timely issue of absolute freedom and the possibility of its total realization in today's world back into the center of ethical-political discussion. Through a close comparison of the theories of Fichte and Hegel via a critique of the former by the latter, I hope to show that the antidote to the bulk of our political, moral and theological distresses may well be found in Hegel's concept of the State and Sittlichkeit—i.e., truly understood. Namely, as the realization of absolute freedom, or the "We that is I." In a recent interview, Derrida was asked the following question: "We are . . . in a period of highly perfected, nearly consummate nihilism. Everyone is waiting to know where we are going, toward what should we be moving ourselves. Toward what does work such as yours lead?" Derrida responded: "I don't know. . . . I have no message."(1) In the wake of the postmodernist onslaught—or charade—one thing is certain: morality is in crisis. Where are we to look for answers? Perhaps to the German idealists—and to their bold synthesis of right and freedom. This paper seeks to bring the timely issue of absolute freedom and the possibility of its total realization in today's world back into the center of ethical-political discussion. Through a critical comparison of the theories of Fichte and Hegel I hope to show that the antidote to the bulk of our political, moral and theological distresses may well be found in Hegel’s concept of the State and Sittlichkeit—as truly understood.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

How Birth Order Affects One’s Personality Essay -- Personality Psychol

How Birth Order Affects One’s Personality Everyone in the world is born with a special and unique character. Some of their personality is shaped by their surroundings as they grow up as well as the factor of genetics. It is believed by some psychologists/researchers that birth order has a tendency to influence parts of the personality. Birth order isn’t a simplistic 1-2-3 system that says all first borns are equally one way, all second children are another and last-born kids are always just like this or that. These are simply tendencies and general characteristics that often apply. There are dynamics with families that can change relationships. Through your position in the family you develop your behavior pattern, way of thinking and emotional response. Your birth order helps determine your expectations, your strategies for dealing with people and your weaknesses. Reasons for being interested in Birth order is because it is one way to gain an understanding of friends, family members, boy friends, really anyone you wanted to try to scope out. Unfortunately there aren’t any fortune cards or magic spells to understand family and friends. Knowing and understanding birth order can not only help you understand other people but yourself included. The only- child develops characteristics from having to cope with playing alone and with having to fend off adult intrusion. Only children tend to feel frustrated and throw tantrums when not pleased. They love to say â€Å"Leave me alone, I’d rather do it myself!† They tend to have imaginary companions and feel as if the child within was smothered because they had to grow up so quickly. Therefore in turn allow their own children time and space. As well as always being an emotional and considerate friend that loves to listen. First borns tend to be goal setters and high achievers. Along with being perfectionists who are very responsible, organized and determined people. They are rule keepers and follow all the details. The first born is an only child until the second child comes to take away the mother’s attention. The only child becomes a first born feeling there is no love for him or her. In school, first-borns tend to work harder for grades than do later-borns. They often grow to be more competitive and to have higher educational and career aspirations. Any enumeration of prominent people, em... ...e effects all of the children’s personalities. Not everyone’s personalities match that of their birth order. Variables can affect each family situation. These variables include spacing, the sex of the child (there are actually 12 different types of personalities due to sex coinsiding with birth- order.), the sex of the child, physical differences, disabilities, the birth order position of parents, any blending of two or more families due to death or divorce and the relationship between parents. There are many different studies that have been made dealing with birth order. Each one differs slightly from the next. Some of the studies are completely opposing each other. I have tried to compile ones that are relatively similar. sources: www.rayid.com/main/sibling.htm Joman,(1993)Family Constellation: It’s effects on Personality and Social Behavior. New York: Springer Pub.Co. Leman,(1998) The New Birth Order Book: Why you are the way you are,Grand Rapids, Mich. : F.H. Revell Lederman, Sherri Phd.(2000)Birth Order, New York, New York:Whole Family Center, Inc. Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology, 2ed. Gale Group,2001.in association with th Gale Group and Looksmart