Problems in Allure Cruise Ship and Star Cruises

Annodated Bibliography essays

Annodated Bibliography essays 1. Congressional Record House. Congressmen in near fight. Page 9552 May 20,1924. Washington: U.S. house, 1924. Congressman Mclafferty (R) of CA and Howard (D) of Nebraska almost come to a fist a cuffs over objecting to procedure. The gentlemen both had issue the wished addressed before the brake of the early session both charged the other but other congressmen kept them apart. 2 Congressional Records House. Venereal disease in the District of Columbia, address of bill H.R. 491 sec.2 68th congress 1st session may 14 26 1924. A dictated description of a session of congress in which, the issue of Soldiers declaring that they have a venereal diseases to the judge before appearing in court. The report cites health officials form the board of health in Indiana. He makes claims that out of 28 boys inducted into the service 27 have a venereal disease. He would cite Venereal diseases as the greatest destroyer of mankind. 3. Congressional Records House. Shadow boxing with Religion. Page A4602. Oct 10, 1941. This article is a rebuttal to the comments made by the president from Hon. Henry C. Dworshak. The article spoke on the claim that religious freedom in the Soviet Russia was equal to that of religious freedom in America. The comments made by the president were made in hopes of unifying an alliance with Soviet Russia and America. 4. Congressional Records House. Observations from Washington, exstention of remarks. October 27, 1941. A description telling of the christening of the new USS Indiana. The report also tells of the increases of civilian employment during wartime for military production. A plan is also laid out that describes the military recruitment of civilian companies for wartime production. 5. House of commons Great Britain Sessions Papers. Page 43. 1854 1845 Table showing the number of persons committed or bailed for trail, charged wit...

Data management in cloud environments Thesis Proposal

Data management in cloud environments - Thesis Proposal Example There has been research conducted in this particular field which forms the framework for future research study. However the major reason behind selecting such research topic is that it would help to gain sufficient knowledge regarding multiple ways to store data in cloud environment. This study would even outline the challenges which are witnessed by the data stores and the appropriate ways through which most of such challenges are eliminated from the system. It can be stated that this research study deals with the intricacies which are associated with such data management system. The study would even be supported by some practical examples in order that audience gain insights in terms of internal functioning of cloud computing. In the past few years the increasing trend of computational power has also overwhelmed the data flow. It can be stated that recent advances that are associated with web technology has enabled users to store content of various sizes which is considered to be data management in cloud environment. There has been a paradigm shift in mechanism of large scale data processing and computing infrastructure. Cloud computing sets forth the provision for such computing infrastructure. This research study would aim at clearly distinguishing the various data management techniques in cloud environment. The main aim of the study can be further subdivided into identifying different data storage engines both SQL as well as noSQL. This study would not only focus on determining different data engines but would even encompass their respective pros and cons, performance issues and scalability between such data management engines. The research problem statement would be – â€Å"Identification of d ifferent data storage engines in cloud environment and outlining performance and scalability between these data management types.† This problem statement or research question would be addressed throughout the analysis. The major objective of the

Happy Trails Management Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Happy Trails Management - Article Example The foremost reason for this is that Happy Trails is a 'for profit organization' which means that it is expected to be able to fund once in a month collective bargaining agreements or meetings. The need for such meetings would not arise so often as once in a month unless some urgent matters are at hand. Secondly, the implication that salary increases will suffer might be taken as an underlying threat to LPN's for unionizing. Moreover, a third implication can be, lets say the LPN's do not unionize due to this very reason, will happy Trails fulfill their implied promise of raising salaries for not unionizing or on half yearly or yearly basis' Considering this it seems it would be a temporary solution to keep the union at bay, but it would emerge any time. It is a better strategy to let them form an association and deal with them by collective bargaining. The threat element in this strategy makes it a bad move. This would be one of the best counter union strategies to discuss the benefits of being employees of Happy Trails as objectively as possible. However, the dialogue should remain strictly objective and should not seem as if the management is threatened by the LPN's decision to unionize and wants them to back out. It should be an objective statement of what is already being provided to them by the management and what they can further expect in future. Under the NRLA, the employer can not promise benefits to the employees to discourage them from forming unions. This strategy has to be practiced very tactfully and with care. 4. Threaten to close the facility due to the Union Campaign I would strictly advise Happy Trails' management against any such moves. The "threat" element in any outgoing communication from the management side is enough to provide opportunity for activists to raise charges against the organization. The employees are protected under the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959(Landrum Griffin Act) Title VI and have the right to form unions and to raise issues like labor relations practices. Title VI provides the authority to investigate the disciplining, sanctions, penalties or threats on part of employers to the union members. 5. Assist in the circulation of anti union petitions. In the immediate future this would not be a prudent move since it would serve the purpose of bringing the LPN's together and would provide a cause to fight in future. However, in the longer run, the management could maybe patronize another union within the organization which would serve as a competitive force to the LPN's union. 6.Counter Union Exaggerated claims on flyers This would be perceived as an anti-union move and Happy Trails can face litigation under NRLA. Flyers would provide written proof against Happy Trails and their anti union moves. 7. Tell employees that they do not need to talk to union organizers, they can vote against the union, and the organization does not welcome the Union. Happy Trails can not follow any of these strategies since the unions are protected by NLRA. 8. Solicit employees to request the return of their authorization cards Under the NRLA, employers can not "Question employees about their union sympathies or activities in circumstances that tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees in the exercise of their rights under the

Marketing project Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marketing project - Term Paper Example Proctor and Gamble produces one of the most popular laundries Detergent known as Tide. The brand was initially marketed and promoted in its current shape in the year 1949. The washing powders were introduced during 1880s which changed the way the laundry was done in the household chores. The new products of doing laundry were only the spewed soap. After various other manufacturing companies and brands, N.K.’s Fairbank Company’s Gold Dust Washing Powder and Hudson’s Rinso, the alkyl benzene sulfonates brought further revolutions in the business of detergent (Eduard, Wolfgang, 2002). When mixed with the utilization of chemical "builders", they made it possible for the household to machine wash the fabric with hard water. Thus, Procter and Gamble got the opportunity to launch "Tide" which later became one of its popular brands. The laundry detergent, Tide, is an imitation which is specifically designed for the machine cleaning which is heavy-duty. First launched in United States, Tide was test marketed in the year 1946 as the first heavy-duty detergent in the world; ands was nationally distributed in 1949. The product claimed to be "Americas Washday Favorite." It was able to gain quick authority in the detergent markets of the US, UK and Middle East. Along with that, Tide dwarfed the sales of Rinso, Ivory Snow, and Gold Dust Washing Powder and caused their demise. Later, the brands were introduced in more familiar soap-flake and soap-powder forms. However, Tide is the only brand that was initially launched with the shape of white powdered bead. Afterwards, the product line of the brand was enhanced to comprise of a clear orange-tinted liquid in1984. Currently, various forms of the liquid Tide exist in dark blue, except the "Tide Free", which is clear. The development of Tide, in the year 2006, was nominate d an ACS National Historical Chemical Landmark in acknowledgment of its

Ethical Issues In Operations Management Commerce Essay

Ethical Issues In Operations Management Commerce Essay Ethics in the business sector especially in the operations management is getting more popularity. Ethics is concerned about the rules of human behavior and considers whether or not there is any objective right or wrong. The study of ethics is divided into certain divisions which include descriptive morality, ethical theory, and applied ethics. In business, the concept of ethics is present for thousands of years now. The purpose of this research is to explore the body of knowledge with regards to ethics in operations management. Three questions are presented to set directions as follows: (1) what are ethical issues faced in operations management; (2) how do companies resolve ethical issues in their operations management; and (3) does ethical behavior within the operations function need management. Operations management refers to the approach of managing, designing, improving, and operating business processes or systems that are focused on producing or delivering goods and services. A review of literature about the operations management and the ethical issues within it is conducted to obtain answers to the research questions which are presented by the end part. Chapter I Introduction Ethics is a term which refers to moral philosophy that focuses on the aspects of good life and the difference between better and worse. Ethics is concerned about the rules of human behavior and considers whether or not there is any objective right or wrong. Furthermore, ethics is concerned about the foundations of moral principles and how it evolved. Vee and Skitmore (2003) listed three things that contitute ethics as follows: (1) ethics refers to a system of moral principles which serves as a basis for judging actions as right or wrong; (2) ethics refers to the rules of conduct which illustrates a particular accetable group of human actions; and (3) ethics refers to moral principles of an individual. Considering the definition of ethics, it can be deemed that its main objective is to guide the society on deciding what is good from bad and what is better from worse which is also referred to as normative ethics. This may be done in a general way or may address certain ethical issues o nly. Another form or ethics is termed as metaethics wherein the meaning of ethical language is analyzed to identify their true meaning. Simply speaking, the true meaning of referring to something as a moral act or a right act is analyzed. The study of ethics is divided into certain divisions which include descriptive morality, ethical theory, and applied ethics. The first division which is termed as descriptive morality refers to ethics which is based from the actual principles, customs, beliefs, and practices of the society. Cultural facts differ from certain societal groups to another around the world and these forms as the basis for their acts and what they believe should be right. Second division of ethics is ethical theory which refers to the understanding and justification of moral concepts, principles, and theories. Final division is applied ethics which is focused on the ethical issues in the society. This report belongs to the applied ethics division since its objective is to obtain an understanding on ethics in business and the ethical issues in operations management and how may these be resolved. To achieve this objective, some basic concepts on ethics shall first be discussed followed by its relation to th e business world specifically in operations management. Moreover, a literature review shall be conducted to examine the common ethical issues that occur in operations management and how these are faced by the business sector and other concerned societal groups. This report is expected to add in the body of knowledge which is concerned about ethics in the workplace with discussions that connect the three mentioned division of ethics. Its significance shall be seen in a way that it examines the ethical trends and changes that occur in the business sector from the traditional era to the modern era. Research questions that will serve as guides for the paper are as follows: (1) what are ethical issues faced in operations management; (2) how do companies resolve ethical issues in their operations management; and (3) does ethical behavior within the operations function need management. Some examples of ethical considerations in operations management decisions include customer safety, employee safety, materials recyclability, waste disposal, pollutions, repetitive tasks, stress in workplace, restrictive company cultures, employment policies, fluctuations in working hours, consumption of energy, energy efficiency, implications of plant location, closure, and vertical integration on employment, impact of process location on environment, and exploitation of resources. The next section shall present a literature review of the ethical issue in operations management that actually existed in the business sector and how are they resolved. It shall provide an overview of the ethical issues in the real world to offer a better understanding of the phenomenon. Chapter II Literature Review Businesses in todays world are faced with the pressure of having to comply with the ethical standards to ensure their continued market penetration without risk of being stripped out of the limelight. Businesses face this challenge through their own corporate social responsibility. In this review, the literature regarding the ethical issues in operations management is explored. Articles wrote by authors who focused on the topic of ethics in operations management are identified. Subtopics to be considered are the ethical issues that exist and challenge the operations management, the ethical leadership of an operations manager, their ethical decision-making, how the operations managers ethically influence the people under them, and how ethics in operations management can boost the morale and integrity of an organization as a whole. This review is structured to analyze ethics in operations management through a deeper examination on the mentioned subtopics and findings are considered in t he end. Ethical Reasoning Ethical views differ from one society to another due to the differences in religion. People more often take their religion as the basis for their ethical reasoning since religions present a certain standard for morality. For example, Christians are guided by the Ten Commandments found on the Bible. Other religions are also guided by their own religious books like the Koran and Bhagavad Gita which teaches what people ought to do. Models for good or moral acts are also established in some religions like the Saints or holy people. Despite the fact that the society seem to have grown with the tradition of basing their ethical standards with their own religions, philosophers believe that ethics can stand alone without religious grounds. In philosophy, ethics base its analysis on what is right or wrong on reasoning and experience rather than incorporating religious standards and teachings. This fact also articulates that people who have valid ethical views or ethical standards of living ar e not only those that belong to any religious sector but also those that do not believe to any religion at all. Moreover, the challenge for religious ethics is the idea that something is referred to as ethical because it is approved by God which makes it arbitrary. Ethics should be independent and saying that something is right or wrong should not be based on someones approval. For this reason, a person should learn to have his own skill of moral reasoning. The goal of philosophical ethics is to deal with ethical issues without regarding to any religious views. Ethics is evaluative. This means that referring to an act as either a rightful act or a wrongful act is equivalent to judging or evaluating it. However, it is not enough just judge or evaluate something. A judgment should be supported by certain norms or reason. Furthermore, it is not acceptable to say that a conclusion is given just because the speaker feels that way. A speaker who evaluates something is expected to explain deeper why he delivered such conclusion or attitude. Giving justifications to certain ethical conclusion is essential to ethics. A persons reasoning may be based from a prior experience regarding the said conclusion. Reasoning may not always be rational of objective since everyone can admit that in every decision making done, emotions and feelings always interfere. A person can conclude that say because he might have experienced the emotions that are accompanied in that certain situation. Ethical evaluation has several domains including action, consequences, character, and motive. In evaluating a certain situation, the actions of either the parties involved constitute either right or wrong deeds. When concluding who of the parties is right, it is necessary that a person know the meaning of the term right. Right actions are those that are permissible including those that are obligatory and optional while wrong actions are those that are not permissible. Another domain of evaluating an ethical situation is the analysis of the consequences. An action is considered right if the results are positive while it is considered wrong when the consequences are otherwise negative. This is studied in teteological ethics which is beyond the scope of this report. Another area of ethical evaluation is the analysis of character of the doer of an action. People with bad character traits usually has negative outlook on life and are likely to act in a way harmful to others. Last domain if ethical evaluation is the motive or intention behind an action. These ethical evaluation domains shall guide this report in analyzing the reasons behind ethical issues that exist in business. Ethics in Business Ethics in business is not a new trend. In fact, it is already present for over four thousand years now. With the changing trends in the business world, the society is getting more concerned about the corporate responsibility of businesses. Debates have also been conducted focusing on the social issue of poverty among the workers and the corresponding responsibility of the employers about the issue. Even in the ancient times, issues on ethics in business can be observed just like in the teachings of Aristotle about the harmful effects of the gaps that exist between the economical utilization of goods and the profit making objective of many merchants. At present, the rise of the concept of corporate social responsibility among the business sector constitutes corporate initiatives of integrating several ethical aspects such as establishment of codes of conduct, environment management system measures, health and safety in the workplace, compliance to financial reporting standards, certif ications schemes, company partnerships with community groups, and support for projects that are aimed for community development. There are several factors for the demand of the society for business ethics as a corporate responsibility. Some of these include the changing social role of corporate entities, globalization, developments in technology, and moral authority democratization. In the past, the responsibility or regulating all aspects of social life rests in the hands of the government. However, with the evolution of time, some duties are being moved from the government to the other sectors of the society including the individuals, the social groups, and the business sector. With this trend, corporate entities are required to establish their own self-regulation policies especially that the government has recognized the fact that fully controlling the business sector is not always an efficient way of influencing corporate behavior. Increased pressure is put on the business sector about the possible consequences of their policies on the society. Globalization is another driving factor for the societys demand of business ethics among the business sector. Currently, many businesses enter the international market and corporations tend to invest worldwide since this gives them more opportunities to grow. However, with the trend of entering in different foreign markets, there are complex things to consider including ethics. Customs and traditions in foreign lands differ from each other and some business practices that may be acceptable to one nation may not be accepted in the same sense in another. Businesses are often expected to adapt with the customs and values of the foreign land that they are trying to penetrate. Pressure on companys corporate social responsibility is high since there is still no firm and effective supervision governing the international business behavior. Developments in technology seem to be a great source of questions of morality. Technology at the current time is considered advanced and it provides a way for people to experience things that are thought to be impossible before. Technological development brings convenience to the society and contributes to the establishment of a kind of life that is better than before. Ethics come to picture as the society examines the real consequences of technology to the way of life. The effect of technology to the world is complex and the government has not enough capacity to handle the issues accompanying it which makes it necessary for the business sector to take actions on whatever consequences their own technology may bring. In the past, moral authority often rests among a few groups in the society including the Church, the government, and the theorists. At present, the opinions of the mentioned authorities are now considered as a regular opinion which can be aligned with the opinions of a regular entity. The power and control they once had over judging and handling ethical issues has faded and now there is a democratization of moral authority. This again puts pressure on the business sector to manage their ethical affairs seriously since everyone seem to have the authority to criticize their business practices are compliance to ethical standards. Businesses are compelled to open their policies to the public when questioned about their business ethics. Moreover, with the intrusion of media, the businesses are more exposed to public which makes them susceptible to any ethical criticism. The relationship of a business to its stakeholders is the primary concern of business ethics. Stakeholders may include all the entities that have interest on a company or are influenced by the company such as the shareholders, the customers, the employees, suppliers, competitors, the government, and others. Seeking business strategies that will consider the interest of all the stakeholders is not an easy task for a company but an important mission of every manager and all the high ranking company officials. Like any other company managers, operations manager has one of the most important duties of handling decision making processes regarding ethics in operations management. Ethics in Operations Management To obtain a better understanding of operations management, it is necessary to define what operations mean. Operations refer to the portion of business which is responsible for the production of goods and services. Operations management therefore refers to the approach of managing, designing, improving, and operating business processes or systems that are focused on producing or delivering goods and services. In other words, operations management involves the process of converting a set of inputs into outputs (Hassin, 2009). The term operations management originated from the concept of productions management used in the past which refers to the process of converting raw materials into finished products. However, with the evolution of time, the term expanded to production and operations management to integrate the operations in the servicing industry until currently, it is now termed as operations management. The main objective of the operations management is to ensure that products and services are delivered to customers at best quality but at lowest costs. Some huge organizations have separate operations management departments that do operations activities while some companies do not have, but regardless of this fact, all organizations have operations endeavors and every organizational member is involved in operations in some way. A companys operations management function is headed by the operations manager who has the primary duty of managing resources involved in operations. Some of the areas of decision making that are included in the duties of a companys operations management are formulation of operations strategy, setting of operations performance objectives, configuring process types, ensuring prompt service, layout design, planning for long-term capacity, facility location, technology to be adopted, designing of products and services, designing processes, and employee motivation. Business activities which are considered as operations include manufacturing, supply, transport, and service. Manufacturing activity involves the conversion of raw materials to final products which are eventually sold to customers. Supply is another business activity which involves the change of ownership of a certain physical good from the company to the customer. This is a usual business activity among the companies in the retail distribution industry. Third business activity described as included in operations is transport. This refers to the process of transferring of goods from one place to another. Finally, service is an operations activity which involves changing of the condition of the customers. Operations of a certain company may not only be limited to only one of the mentioned activities. For example, a company which manufactures a certain product also supplies the same to the end customers. In this company, several operations management activities involved are manufacturi ng, supply, and transport. Different organizations belonging to different industries adopt operations strategies that fit their businesses. However, some approaches adopted by different organizations in their operations strategies tend to be common and similar to each other. Certain requirements for an effective operations strategy include appropriateness, comprehensiveness, coherence, consistence, credibility, and ethicality. Appropriateness refers to the alignment of the operations strategy with the companys competitive strategy. This is especially necessary when operations strategy is formulated for the purpose of connecting the companys operations to its goal of developing a competitive edge over the competitors. An operations strategy is also required to be comprehensive where all aspect of operations is tackled. Operations management is included in a companys complex process of business and achieving excellent performance which makes it necessary for every strategy to deal with every aspect of operations rather than limiting tactics on minor operational decisions. Furthermore, it is not enough that operations strategy be comprehensive, it must also be coherent. Every element of the strategy which refers to specific operations function must point to the same direction for the strategy to be effective. From period to period, operations strategy may be modified but one important thing is noted, it should be consistent through time. Credibility is another factor for an effective operations strategy. It is important that every strategic goal is realizable to maintain credibility. A strategic objective which the operations management failed to achieve may give a negative impact on the strategy and the employees may be discouraged to support it subsequently. Finally, an effective operations strategy should be ethical. An operation strategy may have consequences after its implementation which makes it necessary to be formulated based of ethical standards. The role of ethics in operations management is important especially in world-class operations and it should be considered in corporate responsibility. This claim is based on the fact that most of the ethical issues in businesses originate from the operations level. Another reason for importance of ethics is the ethical consequences that arise from the strategy of some companies to obtain cost advantage by outsourcing. Ethics in operations management is concerned on the way how profit is obtained rather than on the quantity of profit which is considered enough. The tension is between profits and the responsibilities of the company. Steenkamp (2010) described operations management as a management function which receives least attention and understanding. Aspects in operations are often left to the engineers and other concerned professionals or especialists. The term is not even used among the organizations in the servicing industry. Realizing this gap, it is important to understand that operations management should be taken into consideration since it is one of the functions that helps an organization to create and increase its value. Ethical issues comes with the importance of understanding operations management. Ethical dilemmas refer to a certain situation or issue wherein a decision has to be made to adopt one of the two equally urgent yet incompatible alternatives (Mirwoba, 2009). One popular ethical issue discussed in the literature regarding operations management is opportunism. This issue has been a topic of many empirical studies conducted to focus on business and management field. Opportunism is considered in the literature as an unethical behavior which refers to the abuse of opportunity. In company operations, managers or other professionals involved are vulnerable to unethical choices due to plentiful number of opportunities which may be abused. Some of the factors that drive professionals to engage in unethical behaviors are the pressures brought by the demands for cost reduction and unrealizable strategic objectives. One area of operations which is faced with an increased vulnerability of engaging to unethical behavior is the procurement since the employee assigned in this proce ss handles a significant amount of company resources (Carter, 2000). Furthermore, the procurement process has an increased exposure to the external environment of a certain organization which makes it possible for easy conduct of an unethical act. This is not beneficial to the organization since its reputation is in jeopardy since the employee assigned in the procurement process acts in behalf of the organization as a whole when dealing with third parties. The empirical and conceptual research history of ethics in the procurement process of a business is affluent. The procurement activity within business operations is also the subject of another article by Ho (2012). The importance of ethics in managing business operations is stressed out in the article. Ethics is an essential requirement in order to build and maintain a good relationship between a business entity and other parties included in the conduct of its operations such as the suppliers. The procurement function in a business organization is critical for the achievement of business goals since. An organizations effective operations depend on the effective performance of the purchasing function while achieving global competitiveness depends on effective operations. It is therefore important that ethics is integrated in the whole process to ensure good relationship to suppliers and eventually to satisy the needs and wants of the customers. One ethical challenge by procurement off icers is the situation where many suppliers compete and offer different favors and gifts just to create a business deal. In many situations, the relationship of the procurement officer not only to the supplier but also to his employer may also be affected. More ethical challenges include having to exagerate the problem of either the buyer or the supplier in order to obtain a business deal, offering preferential treatment to certain parties, allowing certain personalities to interfere with business deals, engaging in reciprocity, and seeking and providing information of different qoutes from different competitors either in a fair or unfair manner. Bribery is another requently mentioned ethical issue in the literature (Vee Skitmore, 2003). Bribery refers to the act of offering payments, goods or opportunities in exchange for something favorable. Accepting gifts is not a bad act but the situation tells whether it is unethical. When in operations, accepting gifts from people who have direct influence on the operations functions maybe considered as unethical expecially when the person being gifted and have the ability to satisfy the interest of the gift giver. Other ethical issues to consider in operations are breach of confidence, negligence, and fraud. The establishment of a code of conduct within an organization can greatly help operations especialists to decide on a certain ethical issue. Everyday, everyone are faced with the need to decide on a certain ethical issue. Organizations are faced with the pressure of having to demonstrate to the public their ability to decide correctly on an ethical issue. Organizations need to maintain a good reputation and the public trust to ensure their existence on the market. In order to achieve this, it is important for an organization to develop their own ethical code of conduct to guide every employee to decide correctly and to instill discipline among them. Ethical leadership is seen as an important factor to instill ethics in a certain organization (Monahan, 2012). In the literature, ethical leadership is increasingly studied relevant to the operations of organizations. Many articles relating to the role of unethical behaviors in the failure of great companies take the example of Enron where thousands of employees were harmed due to the unethical actions of a few executives. Not only were the employees harmed but the ethical controversy also influenced other external factors such as the confidence of the public over the financial systems and the emergence of more strict government legislations. The increasing number of companies being involved in many ethical controversies which even brought them down made it possible for the others to realize the importance of integrating ethics in managing company operations in order to ensure profitability. Companies are more and more aware of this trend and have started to take actions to redirect their strategic plans to include ethical strategies in their paths to success. However, this move is never an easy way since in the current business environment where every company strives for international penetration or globalization and competition is getting tougher, ethical considerations are getting complex and extensive too. In this situation, ethical leadership in a company is needed to be headed by a charismatic leader (Mackie, Taylor, Finegold, Daar, Singer, 2006). In two studies mentioned by (Monahan, 2012), it was revealed that one problem among organizations that concerns ethics is the lack of ethical leadership. Employees often do unethical actions or misconducts due to their lack of trust over their company leaders and the situation is even worsened by the poverty and weak economy. Furthermore, survey results support the idea since a significant percentage of employees were observed to question themselves is ethics even exists within their own organizations. Actually, having to follow the standards is an easy task. However, everythings gets complicated when ethical dilemmas arise and there is no one in the organization to take responsibility. This prompted the need of every organization to have an ethical leader. Managing ethical behavior not only within operations management but within an organization as a whole is one of the nost pervasive and complex challenge of modern companies (Stead, Worrell, Stead, 1990). There are three theories introduced in the literature which describe ethical leadership (Plinio, 2009). These theories include transformational leadership, servant leadership, and authentic leadership. The first theory states that a leadership transforms both the leader and followers through increasing the level of conducts and aspirations. The second theory, on the other hand, states that the leader should possess the character of devotion to change the ethical views of the followers. Finally, the third theory states that ethics comes from every individual through being true to themselves. Ethical character within an organization will not be achieved unless every member develops their own ethical character within themselves. Every member of an organization should have the choice of analyzing their inner character in every mistakes done, career setbacks that occur, and failures on their jobs. In other words, every organizational leader should develop their integrity to foster ethics. Harris, Sapienza, and Bowie (2011) mentioned in their article the decision-making process of managers. Individual differ in ethical decision-making. In fact, those that belong to the business world even have greater differences than those that do not. The differences may be due to different influences such as socio-cultural factors. Decision-making in a certain ethical situation is really a dilemma. This is especially true when the operations manager is required to choose between two alternatives which are unfavorable. This can be considered a tough challenge for the person in the situation. In some cases, ethical dilemmas may be impossible to resolve due to reasons like disintegration of value system. In todays world when every company aims for globalization, companies are faced with conflicting issues between the company objective of profitability and their corporate social responsibility. Ethics in the global market is complicated, so is the decision-making that operations managers have to face. The literature proposes theoretical concepts regarding ethical decision-making including relativism, moral imperialism, and universalism (Mirwoba, 2009). Relativism refers to the principle that a company should follow the ethical standards and norms of the country where they do business. Companies, therefore, follow different sets of ethical standards depending on the culture of a certain nation. This can be unfavorable to a business since there is no constant standard that employees should remember. A company cannot establish its definite ethical standards since cultures in other nations may be conflicting. Complexity occurs when operations in home market differ from the operations done in foreign markets. In the theory of moral imperialism, things are done in the opposite way of relativism. Moral imperialists argue that individuals should retain their own ethical views even when doing business in foreign lands. Ethics applied in operations in the home market is done the same way in other company branches even in global markets. Some authors, however, argue that the mentioned theories can both serve as bases for an ethical decision making where a certain alternative is chosen considering the norms in the foreign market and the company standards. In the theory of universalism, universal guidelines are considered. These often include fundamental human rights issues, environmental protection, consumer protection, and basic freedoms. This foundation of code of ethics is the most advantageous to many corporations since serious mistakes in actions and uncertainties in operations may be avoided. Most of the discussions focused on the operations management in private corporations which are profit-oriented. However, ethical issues not only occur in profit-oriented companies but also with non-profit corporations (Robinson Yeh, 2007). The challenge of strict compliance to ethical standards among the non-profit corporations is driven by the attempt of doing the right things. Furthermore, non-profit organizations are inclined to achieving their social goals rather than maximizing profits. When people encounter the concept of soc

Stereotyping :: Prejudice Stereotype

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"That person must belong to a gang, just look how he dresses†. How often have we heard somebody mention these things, yet, how often have we said something similar? I believe our society is based on the superficial things, which we categorize people because of the actions of a small percentage. All of the above statements are prejudicial notions used to define members of a social or an ethnic group, and are called stereotypes. Unfortunately, stereotypes negatively affect our ability to understand members of a different group or ethnicity, and are we usually resistant to change because of them. We stereotype various groups of people, but none like professional athletes and different ethnic groups in our country. Professional Basketball, Football, and Baseball players have been the victims of many stereotypes. Hearing people call them dumb is common. A misconception by many people is that pro athletes aren't educated. This is such a ridiculous situation since the vast majority of them have attended prestigious colleges and universities, and received degrees in different fields of study. A popular misconception is that the educations they did earn were in areas like Liberal Arts, or other general fields of study, which didn't challenge their mental capabilities. Another stereotype is that pro athletes received preferential treatment while in college. Many believe that if an athlete needs a certain grade to remain eligible to play sports, then the faculty would grade him or her lighter than the rest of the class. We have also stereotyped athletes as "above" the law. There have been, on occasion, incidents where a pro- athlete is treated better by the justice system than an average citizen would be in the same situation. We are satisfied to say it's because of the athletes’ fame and wealth, but fail to realize that it was probably a first offense, or to follow the story up and see that punishment was dealt accordingly. The mos t common stereotypes are those, which we have aimed at different ethnic or racial groups. African-American stereotypes are the most obvious. We have often stereotyped Young black men as gang members solely because of the kind of clothes they wear. The media constantly blasts images of black men involved in crime and gangbanging across the six o'clock news, but hardly ever the White or Asian doing the same. We have also stereotyped African- Americans as the largest ethnic group on public assistance, which is not true at all.

Review of BPR methodologies

This paper presents the advantages and disadvantages of using a methodology in the context of BPR. It also provides a critique of existing BPR methodologies which erved as a basis for the development of the CONDOR BPR methodology. The paper also presents the main points of the implementation of this methodology to three European construction companies. What can a methodology offer to the BPR field? According to Preece and Peppard (1996), a methodology is simply theory put into practice aiming at dealing with real world situations.According to Valiris and Glykas (1999) a BPR methodology should provide ‘ ‘a consistent set of techniques and guidelines which will enable the business process redesigner to reorganise business ctivities and processes in an organisation†. The use of a methodology is essential for a number of reasons. First, a methodology provides a means of codifying experience, knowledge and ideas, in a form that not only can be easily applied, but also ca n be evaluated and tested. Second, a methodology offers a certain level of organisation, and facilitates planning and monitoring.In BPR initiatives, a methodology enables the organisation, on the one hand, to have a clear picture of its current processes along with their associated problems and, on the other, to design the new state of these processes. In addition, by following a certain methodology, BPR re-engineers† have the opportunity to monitor and evaluate the progress of the re-engineering effort. Third, a methodology enables those who are involved or affected by the BPR to understand their tasks and clarify their roles.A BPR methodology which is clearly defined and explained to those who are leading the BPR work can facilitate the communication between them, and serve as a kind of ‘ ‘contract† in which all the parties understand their responsibilities and are, therefore, able to monitor the overall process re-engineering progress. Finally, adoption of a methodology allows a standard set of required skills to be identified and developed. Key skills required for BPR include process modelling, organisational development techniques, and skills to deal with resistance to change.There are, however, a number of problems related to the use of a methodology. One important reason which explains the reluctance of developing and using methodologies or models in the BPR context is that the widely accepted methodologies are based on how the business processes should change and how the organisation should adapt itself in this change, rather than on the evaluation of urrent practices and on the codification of successful practical experiences (Simsion, 1994).Moreover, the BPR literature search reveals that there are an increasing number of successful re-engineering implementations and case studies using BPR methodologies. Although each business situation has some unique characteristics, an appropriate methodology will need to allow tor assessme nt and re-use ot existing successful approaches and practical experiences. In addition, a methodology hides the danger of restraining creativity and innovation. The latter are crucial elements in he radical thinking during the re-engineering process.By encouraging those who are involved in the reengineering process to comply with the requirements of a given methodology, there is a potential risk of restricting the opportunity of optimising the results according to the level required by the methodology (Simsion,1994). Critique of existing BPR 239 240 In conclusion, there are many advantages and disadvantages regarding the use of a specific methodology or model in the re-engineering initiative. Each side demonstrates equally important arguments that affect the organisation.The lternative to using a methodology in an attempt to minimise the negative consequences is not anarchy but a contingency approach tailored to suit the objectives and needs of every organisation or business sector, building on basic principles of planning and monitoring as well as on previous successful working practices. Critique of existing BPR methodologies and models The are many BPR methodologies and models available, and most of them pursue a similar path and exhibit commonalities in key areas (Butler, 1994).Today, an increasing number of methodologies, models and tools taken from other disciplines re available in the market, claiming that they are suitable for BPR initiatives. Ruessmann et al. (1994) reported the results of their research, claiming that BPR methodologies are based on a synthesis of techniques drawn from other disciplines and methodologies such as soft systems, total quality management (TQM), benchmarking, and organisational development. According to a I-JK BPR methodology survey summary findings (Archer, 1996), the number of stages involved in BPR approaches varies greatly, despite the fact that they do present key similarities.

Success Plan

Running Head: My Success Plan UNIV100-3104B-13 Colorado Technical University For: Professor Bryant Neal Phase 5 IP By: Amber Light Date: 12/19/2011 Abstract Finding a plan is a fundamental key to college success. What works for me might not necessarily work for the next person. This will require me to know myself and my learning capabilities. The following paper will guide me to my overall plan to succeed in college. I will be able to realize my strengths and weakness, along with recognizing obstacles that will come up that may create barriers for me to complete the task at hand. While I know that the road to success is not easy and curves will be thrown my way, having a solution to those curves will straighten the road again, making it only that much easier to see that the end is near. By knowing these things in advance it will only better my odds of achieving my short and long term goals that I will set. Success Strategy Plan Step 1: Student Success Strategies Choosing to attend college means that you are choosing to make a commitment, being a college student is a full time job. Between assignment deadlines, posting on discussion boards, listening/taking part in live chats, or reading your weekly chapters you can imagine the stress loads start piling up; but especially if you already have a busy schedule. I am a full time single mother. I have an amazing three year old, that I live for and I will die for. He is my inspiration and motivation all wrapped up in one. While he will help me through my journey (because I want to be a better person for him, and having an education leads to being a better person), he will also always come first to a higher learning. Having a strong motivation is of utmost importance to finding a reason to succeed in college. My motivation is simple, I stare at him every minute I can. On top of attending school and raising a child, I am also employed full time as a customer service manager at a local grocery store. While my attentions are to scale down on the number of hours I work, I also am getting called weekly to help fill other shifts. As a result, I have had to learn to deal with managing my time more effectively. One of the things I found was that with an increased amount of things biding for my time, I tend to forget a lot of them unless I write them down. If I don’t write down what I need to do, I almost certainly forget. Thus, owning and using a planner is probably the best way to manage one’s time. I have also found that there are just too many things going on in my life to possibly do everything (i. e. family events, outings with friends). Therefore, it is important to be able to say â€Å"no,† and not over-commit myself. Remembering that studying is a top priority, and sticking to making school work higher on the â€Å"to-do† list than all the fun things I could be doing instead is extremely difficult. Making school a priority and structuring other activities around that will almost inevitably equate to a higher GPA, more success, and a richer, more rewarding time in college. Of course, I also need to remember that having fun is important to staying healthy. All work with no play leads to burnout, not necessarily success. Therefore, I will plan to have one day a week where my plan will involve nothing to do with work or school. I can concentrate on having a good day with my most amazing son. By incorporating these strategies into my life I am assured to reach my long term goal of finishing school and obtaining that all important piece of paper; a degree. Motivation is the key factor in the success of anything. If you aren’t motivated, you seriously need to ask yourself why you are going through the stresses of completing it. Once you have found a motivation, managing your time effectively becomes crucial to your success. Successful time management means you’re able to incorporate all of the tasks you are tackling, while doing it to the best of your ability. After finding the best possible way to manage my time, it is necessary for me to have some fun. This is not only for my sanity, but also for the pleasure of my son. He still needs to be the focus of my livelihood. His happiness involves doing fun things with his Mommy. Success in these three areas will undoubtedly create a beneficial road for leading to my end goal. I had a strong inclination from the beginning of what it will take for me to be successful. The biggest struggle for me will be learning to live on less income. I have already reduced the amount of hours I am working on a regular basis, but how will I learn that I can’t buy the items I am normally used to having. When my friends come to me and say, â€Å"Amber, let’s go out tonight† will I be able to say I can’t because I don’t have the means. I will have to stay strong and true to my budget in order to make this area of my life balance in a way that is beneficial to my success in school. I know the type of person I am may lead to me saying, â€Å"Just work more. † But I also know that the least stressed I feel about completing projects/schooling, the better off the outcome of those assignments I am completing. It seemed as though there were quite a few students that were in the same boat as me, very busy schedules and trying to dedicate themselves in a few different directions. The most repetitive response was â€Å"don’t forget to create time for you. † I have always been a selfless person, putting me first has never been a priority. I think occasionally doing this will most definitely lead to me being a more successful student. I just have to remember that putting me first will lead to a better life for my son also. Success Strategy Plan Step 2: Self-Assessment & Goal-Setting Strengths Self-motivation has never been hard for me. However, things have happened in my life that has stalled my finishing school. I have been on a steady track to improving some aspects of my life for a quite a while now, but it wasn’t until I had my son that I really focused on what I needed to do to become a better person. In order for me to set the examples I want my son to follow in, I needed to finish school. Sometimes having that inner motivation isn’t enough, you need it thrown in front of you to realize how important something is. My son gives me that extra drive to be the best I can be, because I never want to fail him. Being a learner is a choice. I always enjoyed school and enjoyed doing well in school. Having a love for learning is something that will always give me that drive to continue to learn, wanting to learn will in turn lead to success. It’s a drive that not every individual will have, but choosing to be a life learner is part of the success of being a good student. Choosing to take online classes takes discipline, organization, and focus. Knowing when to study is a key to success in these classes. It is not the right time when the whole family is coming over, or your three year old is just coming home from school. Scheduling time out for your studying will only better your chances to doing well in school. Focusing is a key to understanding what you are learning. If you cannot focus, you will not comprehend. I am in tuned with my learning habits, I know what works best for me when trying to learn: scheduling. Sticking to what I already know, will only better my chances of finishing my degree. Developing this on a weekly basis will help me manage my time to the best of my ability, so that at the end of the week barring any major setbacks I am not going to be struggling to get something completed. Procrastination is the biggest enemy when it comes to being successful at school. Weaknesses Perfectionism is my downfall, a task that should only take me 30 minutes (like creating price signs at work), can take me 1 – 2 hours. Luckily, I am strong at multitasking so I am doing more than just this one task. It slows me down tremendously. Therefore, I have to be that much more in tuned with my weekly schedule so that my perfectionism doesn’t lead to me not completing task in a timely matter. This trait leads to another weakness, stubbornness. I develop in my head what I expect something to be, and won’t stop until I get it there. Stubbornness at times can also be iewed as strength because I am unwilling to accept anything that doesn’t equal what I want so it gives me that extra drive to succeed. The most troubling weakness I carry is my shyness. It’s strange I am not shy when it comes to dealing with things that I am really comfortable with, but put me in an uncomfortable situation and I clam up. This is probably due in part to my perfection ism as well because I am scared to make a mistake, or in part say something that doesn’t come out perfectly. It’s all in part of being comfortable in my own skin. Knowing that what I do is the best that I can do. If I give it 110% that is all I can ask for, and if it’s not to my Professors standards than I simply need to take the criticism he/she gave me and use it toward making my next assignment/test positive. Opportunities Opportunities present themselves to me on a daily basis. If you don’t take advantage of the opportunities given to us there is no one to blame but yourself. I have been blessed with a very strong family unit. They amaze me day in and day out. Without the unconditional loving support of my family I definitely wouldn’t be where I am at today. Regardless if it is picking my son up from school because I am at work, or taking my son so I can concentrate on school for a few hours; if I ask for help they come running. I can always count of them; it is their goal to see me succeed as well. The school itself provides students with the ability to succeed. They offer so many different options through the virtual campus to find help. Whether it is through the learning labs, tutoring, or advisors there really is no excuse to being confused. There are outlets to all issues you may be having. Taking advantage of these opportunities will only help lead me to further success. Many people forget that our Professors are there for asking questions. The most successful people are people that aren’t afraid to ask for help. Our teachers aren’t the only ones we should ask questions from, the other students in my classes are most likely to be just as smart as me, I won’t underestimate their ability to help with any questions I may have. Their past experiences may help in issues I am having. The college makes it easy to access both teachers and students by utilizing an instant messaging system. Obstacles, Barriers, and Threats I am a mother and a mother first. Things will arise with raising my son, which will no doubt interfere with my plans at times. How I deal with this is a choice that will affect the outcome of my schedule (plan). There aren’t many times of the week that I plan on doing the bulk of my studying while I am physically parenting my son. I plan on doing as much of it as possible when he is either at school or sleeping, so hopefully this doesn’t cause a threat as much as it could. The toughest barrier I will need to overcome to be successful in college is finances. Being a single mother, I was living pay check to pay check as it was. I feel it is necessary to decrease the amount of time I am spending at work to make up for the amount of time I am putting into school, so that my time with my son is basically not affected at all. How will I manage things now, if it was so hard then? I have to learn to cut many things out of my life that I was used to indulging in. Although it will be hard to do, giving up a little now will be a small sacrifice for what I get in return. Changing things that I have been doing for the past 10-15 years will be hard. But I know that the benefit of a degree may make the difference between living comfortably or living stretched pay check to pay check. Short Term and Long Term Goals Goals can be anything you want to accomplish — personal, academic, social, you name it. Goals are important because they help you get what you want, improve your performance, keep you focused, stay on track and can even get you motivated. Many people who are successful in school and at work set goals to get what they want. My long term goals will help set up my short term goals, in order to achieve my long term goals my short term goals will ave to be set. My ultimate priority is to receive a Master’s in Business Administration Management degree with an emphasis is Healthcare Administration Management. To get there, I need to get an Associate’s degree in Business Administration, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. The reward is simple; self-satisfaction. I will be able to show my son how important it is to make good, solid choices in life and the rewards of a healthy lifestyle those choices will give you. My first short term goal is to receive my AA is Business Administration. The timeline for completion is May 2013. Although, this seems a distance away, two years will fly by. I hope to complete this degree with honors. Doing something and doing something well are two different things in my book. I feel I have the ability to complete my education at a high level. It’s all about the effort I put in. When I complete this task I will undoubtedly be taking a strong step towards my long term goal. Completing this task will give me a big boost of confidence in knowing that I can really do it. I can juggle all the life is handing me. What doesn’t kill us will only make us stronger. I don’t necessarily need a purchased reward from completing this; I think that confidence obtained is reward enough. After completing my AA, I will continue to receive my Bachelor’s degree. I don’t have an exact date this will be received; I assume that it will be another 2-year degree. As the perfectionist that I am, I hope to complete it at a high standard; and with hard work and determination I am positive that I am capable of this. Once I complete this goal I will have a strong chance of taking a pretty good position in the field I am going into. This will be my reward. Right now my work schedule is all over the place, I work day shifts and swing shifts. Having a set schedule will be so rewarding. The road to success in my goals will be one of my toughest challenges yet. It will take hard work and determination to complete my schooling. By taking advantage of the strengths and tools available to me while being aware of weakness and barriers that may present themselves to me, it will be harder for me to fail than it will be for me to succeed. Success Plan Step 3: What I Have Learned This course is guiding me to take a step in the right direction. I am learning to use the abilities that I have in the correct way to be successful in school. I have rediscovered applications that I haven’t used in many years (Microsoft PowerPoint), relearned some key factors in math, writing, and reading from the MyLabs, and learned the fundamentals of APA writing. Probably the most useful thing I gained from this class was the confidence that this can be accomplished with my busy schedule. I am hoping that taking on two classes won’t completely overwhelm me, but I think I have come up with a solid plan that should help me succeed. MyFoundationsLabs modules definitely created a love-hate relationship with me. I appreciated the fact that it was bringing fundamental keys to basic educational areas that I needed to work on or remember, but I also got very frustrated with some of the instruction on the modules, and the tediousness of some of the modules. I made some silly mistakes in the actual test, which I really knew the answer to but made a small mistake; so having to go completely through a module seemed a little redundant. Overall, though I appreciate what this lab has done for me and the preparation it is giving me for my future classes. Success Strategy Plan Step 4: Looking to the Future Organization helps you work faster, more efficiently, helps you to portray a professional attitude and can make you feel less frantic and more optimistic about your education. This success plan that we have created helps us get organized. By following the guidelines this plan has set forth there are no excuses to failure. It has set the path for us to discover a way to find and reach our ultimate goal, for me that is receiving my Masters in Business Administration Management with a focal point in Healthcare. In today’s society there are so many other things that I either want to do or have to do, and finding the time to accomplish those tasks are far and in between. By using this plan I will be able to prioritize and organize to be more efficient and effective in these areas as possible. Having a plan makes anything possible. School has always come naturally for me; it was finding how to fit everything else in that created the struggles. Long ago, I figured out a method that works for me and it has yet to fail me. I know what it takes for me to complete my classes to my standards, and will take nothing less than that. I figure out a schedule that works for me, and dedicate myself to staying as tight to that schedule as possible. Of course, things will come up, but straying too far from the course I had laid out does not work. Having an outline of how I will complete my task above and beyond the expectations is the key. I look forward to the journey of completing my education. I believe whole-heartedly that we are not given anything that we cannot handle. So therefore, I will take what is thrown my way and run with it. I have taken the first steps forward, and I will not look back. The end of the road is near.

Podium vs. Lectern

Podium vs. Lectern Podium vs. Lectern Podium vs. Lectern By Maeve Maddox A reader laments the confusion between these two words: Here in the United States anyway, people are constantly using the word â€Å"podium† (what you stand on) to refer to the â€Å"lectern† (what you stand behind). The reverse, not so much. Confusing these two words erodes the richness of the language. We’re on the verge of having two words for â€Å"lectern† and none for â€Å"podium.† The confusion must be widespread: the OED already notes the use of podium to denote a lectern as â€Å"North American extended use.† I’d call it â€Å"extended misuse.† And it’s not just the North Americans who confuse the words. I discovered this example in a British newspaper: Just days after Sarah Palin revealed she was â€Å"seriously interested† in running for president in 2016, she stood behind the podium at the Iowa Freedom Summit and delivered a bizarre and rambling speech to the audience.- The Independent The Associated Press Stylebook- an American publication- recognizes the difference: lectern, podium, pulpit, rostrum: A speaker stands behind a lectern, on a podium or rostrum, or in the pulpit. The word podium derives from the Latin word for foot. One stands on a podium for improved visibility. For example, a band director stands on a podium to conduct. The word lectern derives from the Latin verb legere, â€Å"to read.† Readers or speakers stand behind a lectern and rest their notes on its sloping surface. In looking for misuses of the words podium and lectern, I used variations of prepositional phrases beginning with behind and on. Note: It is possible to stand behind a podium. For example, athletes stand behind the podium until it is their turn to mount the podium and receive their awards. Standing on a lectern, on the other hand, would be a risky thing to do. Speakers usually stand at or behind a lectern. The following examples illustrate nonstandard uses of lectern and podium: Incorrect: Minutes later, he entered Room 5, stepped onto the lectern for the final time, and tried to summarize how it felt to be leaving a job and a school he felt blessed to have worked for. Correct: stepped behind the lectern Incorrect: Dr. Bryan used no electronic slides or projection system but simply  stood behind the podium and delivered  what was for me the most thought provoking lecture  of the week. Correct: stood behind the lectern or stood on the podium Incorrect: The lecturer stood high up behind a tall podium,  so you could just see the top  of his head. Correct: stood high up behind a tall lectern Incorrect: These people were obviously in full view  of Romney as he  stood  at the  podium  and spoke for more than an hour. Correct: as he stood on the podium Dictionaries notwithstanding, careful speakers will continue to observe the useful distinction between lectern and podium. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†5 Lessons for Mixing Past and Present Tense20 Criminal Terms You Should Know

Calorie restriction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Calorie restriction - Essay Example This understanding stemmed from direct experiences of the early homo-sapiens. Large-animal kills led to abundant food supply and consumption immediately after the kill and a period of fasting or restriction in food consumption after the food from the kill was exhausted. The period of restricted food consumption ended when the next large-animal kill occurred. This cycle of abundant food consumption and restricted food consumption led to the observation that abundant food consumption led to lethargy, while restricted food consumption provided the benefits of heightened alertness. Eating is a pleasurable experience and desisting from eating not an regimen to follow. Yet, at a time when alertness was critical to the hunting of food and protecting the members of the community, restricted food consumption was practiced among hunters and soldiers, so that their alertness was heightened increasing the chances of a successful hunt for the hunters and success in warding of attacks from the ene mies in the case of the soldiers (Mehta & Roth, 2009). The next step in the understanding of the benefits from restricted food consumption, prior to modern science, came from the spread of the early religions and the religious practices that called for fasting. Asceticism comprising of hard rigors including fasting became an extreme form of religious practice. Mehta & Roth, 2009, p.29, quoting Robert Thurman, define asceticism as â€Å"the impulse in human beings to attempt consciously to improve control over their habitual life processes, with a view to bettering their situation at least in a relative, and, if possible, in an ultimate way†. Remnants of asceticism as a religious practice continue even today among the general populace. Fasting is a continued practice among the followers of several religious faiths in the modern world. For example, the Muslims fast for forty days from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, while the Christians observe restricted food consumption dur ing the Lenten period. Prior to the development of modern science, it was religion that provided a systematic means for humans to exert control over their human condition. It was also possible through established religions to communicate the observations, insights, and explanations throughout the populace and spanning generations. For instance, Ayurveda, the popular branch of cultural medicine practiced in India is steeped in such religious observations, insights and explanations, a part of it dealing with the quantum and quality of foods consumed Calorie restriction as a part of modern medical science has become more relevant in the modern world because of the abundance of food and the economic capacity to purchase and consume large quantities of food. Overeating and consumption of rich foods has become more the norm in daily life than a part of feasting during festive days of the yesteryears. As a consequence of the poor eating habits conditions and diseases associated with it lik e obesity and diabetes type 2, high serum cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease have become a bane of society. The beneficial impact of calorie restriction as a medical intervention on these conditions and diseases thus become more relevant to modern society than ever before (Delaney & Walford,

Molecular and ellular Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Molecular and ellular Biology - Essay Example Genes may be incorporated into bacteria, plants or animals. In this process recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology is used to incorporate gene of interest into organisms and that organism in which gene is inserted is said to be genetically engineered. Through this process off springs with unique characters are produced. Recombinant DNA is also referred to as Chimera. By the combination of two different strands of DNA a new strand of DNA is obtained. The first step in genetic engineering involved the production of hormone insulin which is important and helps the cells to properly absorb sugar. In recombinant DNA technology recombinant DNA is made by splicing a small fragment of a foreign DNA into a small molecule that can replicate on its own such as bacterial plasmid as a result a clone of inserted DNA can be obtained. AN organism that receives a foreign DNA is called transgenic organism and these organisms can be used in research or in commercial applications such as production of human insulin in transgenic bacteria (which receives genes from human responsible for the production of insulin). This application gives the idea that how important DNA recombinant technology is.(Recombinant DNA technology). Two classes of enzymes play an important role in DNA recombinant technology. Restriction endonucleases: They recognize specific sites on DNA and cleave DNA at that site into smaller fragments. DNA ligases: They link the foreign DNA with the vector DNA. Cloning of DNA involves the following steps: 1: First step in making recombinant DNA is to isolate donor and vector DNA. 2: Cloning vector is cleaved with restriction endonucleases. 3: gene of interest is obtained by cleaving chromosome of foreign DNA with the same restriction endonuclease into smaller fragments. 4: Fragments are ligated to the cloning vector by DNA ligase as a result a recombinant vector is obtained. 5: This recombinant DNA is introduced into the host cell where it replicates and produces copies of recombinant DNA. (Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry fourth edition). Recombinant DNA technology in the synthesis of insulin: Insulin is an important hormone which regulates the storage of carbohydrates in the body. It is secreted by the beta cells present in the pancreas islets of langerhans. Insulin is a small protein and is composed of two polypeptide chains which are linked together by disulfide bonds. When blood glucose level is high insulin is secreted into the blood stream and removes excess of glucose from the body. Human insulin is the only known protein which can be produced in bacteria by DNA recombinant technology in a way that its structure and composition resembles the original molecule. In diabetes patients problems are associated with the production of insulin due to which sugar increases to dangerous levels which could be life threatening. These patients are treated with insulin which is produced in another organism. Although insulin can be produced in animals whose insulin resembles human insulin in terms of composition with minor variations like bovine and porcine insulin but, it was observed that when bovine and porcine insulin were injected into the patient’s body antibodies were produced against them thereby, neutralizing it’s action and producing inflammatory response at the site of injection. These problems suggest that a suitable vector like E.coli could be used to produce insulin. E.coli is a common inhabi tant of the human digestive tract and is a key organism used in the production of insulin by genetic engineering. Following are the steps involved in the production of insulin from a bacterial host. 1: Isolate gene: The gene that produces insulin in human is isolated and is