Supreme Court of the United States and Reasonable Accommodation

35-1Discuss fully whether any of the following actions would constitute a violation of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, as amended. 1. Tennington, Inc. is a consulting firm and has ten employees. These employees travel on consulting jobs in seven states. Tennington has an employment record of hiring only white males. 2. Novo Films, Inc. is making a film about Africa and needs to employ approximately one hundred extras for this picture. To hire these extras, Novo advertises in all major newspapers in Southern California.The ad states that only African Americans need apply. In depth it is a bit different. If Tennington, Inc is approached by more highly qualified white males than other genders, races, etc then no violation has been committed. If not then it is likely a violation. The film industry is perfectly capable of using makeup on other races to make them look African. In any case it makes sense that a film about Africa should use people who look like Africans. Films about the civil war generally look for actors who look like Lincoln, etc†¦ *tangent* historically in the music and theater industry there used to be â€Å"white face† and â€Å"black face†, of the two only white face really still exists in the form of mimes) All in all this is a bit of fact mixed with opinion, and I'm not in any way a Business Law expert. Hopefully all people are experts in one sense or the other on Ethics though 35-2Chinawa, a major processor of cheese sold throughout the United States, employs one hundred workers at its principal processing plant.The plant is located in Heartland Corners, which has a population that is 50 percent white and 25 percent African American, with the balance Hispanic American, Asian American, and others. Chinawa requires a high school diploma as a condition of employment for its cleaning crew. Three-fourths of the white population complete high school, compared with only one-fourth of those in the minority groups. Chinawa ha s an all-white cleaning crew. Has Chinawa violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Explain.Educational requirements can be legally imposed providing the educational re ­quirement is directly related to, and necessary for, performance of the job. The requirement of a high school diploma is not a direct, job-related requirement in this case. Chinawa obviously comes under the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title VII, as amended, and the educational requirement under the circumstances is defi ­nitely discriminatory against minorities. 35-3 PGA Tour, Inc. , sponsors professional golf tournaments. A player may enter in several ways, but the most common method is to successfully compete in a three-stage qualifying tournament known as the â€Å"Q-School. Anyone may enter the Q-School by submitting two letters of recommendation and paying $3,000 to cover greens fees and the cost of a golf cart, which is permitted during the first two stages but is prohibited during the third stage. T he rules governing the events include the â€Å"Rules of Golf,† which apply at all levels of amateur and professional golf and do not prohibit the use of golf carts, and the â€Å"hard card,†which applies specifically to the PGA tour and requires the players to walk the course during most of a tournament.Casey Martin is a talented golfer with a degenerative circulatory disorder that prevents him from walking golf courses. Martin entered the Q-School and asked for permission to use a cart during the third stage. PGA refused. Martin filed a suit in a federal district court against PGA, alleging a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Is a golf cart in these circumstances a â€Å"reasonable accommodation† under the ADA? Why or why not? Yes, a golf cart is a reasonable accommodation for a talented golfer who suffers from a disability that prevents him from being able to walk the entire golf course.To qualify on a claim under the ADA, Martin must sh ow that he had a disability, was otherwise qualified for the PGA golf tournament, and was excluded from the tournament solely because of his disability. Here, Martin suffers from a degenerative circulatory disorder, was otherwise qualified to play golf in the tournament, but was excluded because his disability made him unable to walk the course. Allowing Martin to use a golf cart in these circumstances would be a reasonable accommodation. The court ordered PGA to permit Martin to use a cart. PGA appealed to the U. S.Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which affirmed the order of the lower court. PGA appealed to the United States Supreme Court, which affirmed the lower court’s decision, ruling that a golf cart is a reasonable accommodation for a disabled athlete. PGA argued that making an exception to its â€Å"walking† rule would â€Å"fundamentally alter the sport of golf. † The Supreme Court disagreed, stating that the â€Å"use of a cart is not inconsist ent with the fundamental charac ­ter of the game of golf,† PGA’s tours, or the third stage of the Q-School. Golf is defined by â€Å"shot-making,† not by walking.The Court explained that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is applied case by case. In other words, â€Å"the needs of a disabled person are evalu ­ated on an individual basis. † Thus, in this case, â€Å"even if petitioner’s factual predicate is accepted, its legal posi ­tion is fatally flawed because its refusal to consider Martin’s personal circum ­stances in deciding whether to accommodate his disability runs counter to the ADA’s requirement that an individualized in ­quiry be conducted. † 35-4 The United Auto Workers (UAW) is the union that represents the employees of General Dynamics Land Systems, Inc.In 1997, a collective bargaining agreement between UAW and General Dynamics eliminated the company’s obligation to provide health insurance to employees who retired after the date of the agreement, except for current workers at least fifty years of age. Dennis Cline and 194 other employees over the age of forty but under age fifty objected to this term. They complained to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, claiming that the agreement violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967. The ADEA forbids discriminatory preference for the â€Å"young† over the â€Å"old. † Does the ADEA also prohibit favoring the old over the young?How should the court rule? Explain. The ADEA did also needed to prohibit favoring the old over the young. The ADEA should not only forbids discriminatory preference for the young over the old but should also forbids discriminatory preference for the old over the young. Just because the young are least likely to be using or needing health insurance they also need to be covered due to them also being human and they might as well need it due to health problems t hey might suffer accidently, airborne, and/or genetic. 35-5 Kimberly Cloutier began working at the Costco store in West Springfield, Massachusetts, in July 1997.Cloutier had multiple earrings and four tattoos, but no facial piercings. In June 1998, Costco promoted Cloutier to cashier. Over the next two years, she engaged in various forms of body modification, including facial piercing and cutting. In March 2001, Costco revised its dress code to prohibit all facial jewelry except earrings. Cloutier was told that she would have to remove her facial jewelry. She asked for a complete exemption from the code, asserting that she was a member of the Church of Body Modification and that eyebrow piercing was part of her religion. She was told to remove the jewelry, cover it, or go home.She went home and was later discharged for her absence. Cloutier filed a suit in a federal district court against Costco, alleging religious discrimination in violation of Title VII. Does an employer have an o bligation to accommodate its employees’ religious practices? If so, to what extent? How should the court rule in this case? Discuss. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, an employer must offer a reasonable accommodation to resolve a conflict between an employee’s sincere religious belief and a condition of employment, unless such an accommodation would create an undue hardship for the employer’s business.An accommodation constitutes an undue hard ­ship if it imposes more than a minimal cost on an employer. The only accommodation that Cloutier con ­sidered reasonable was a complete exemption from the no-facial-jewelry policy. This could be construed to impose an undue hardship on Costco. The company’s dress code could be based on the belief that employees reflect on their employers, especially em ­ployees who regularly interact with customers, as Cloutier did in her cashier position. Thus, Cloutier’s fa ­cial jewelry could have affected Costco’s public image.Under this reasoning and in such a situation, an employer has no obligation to offer an accommodation before taking other action. The court should issue a judgment in Costco’s favor. 35-6 For twenty years, Darlene Jespersen worked as a bartender at Harrah’s Casino in Reno,Nevada. In 2000,Harrah’s implemented a â€Å"Personal Best† program that included new grooming standards. Among other requirements, women were told to wear makeup â€Å"applied neatly in complimentary colors. † Jespersen, who never wore makeup off the job, felt so uncomfortable wearing it on the job hat it interfered with her ability to perform. Unwilling to wear makeup and not qualifying for another position at Harrah’s with similar compensation, Jespersen quit the casino. She filed a suit in a federal district court against Harrah’s Operating Co. , the casino’s owner, alleging that the makeup policy discriminated against women in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Harrah’s argued that any burdens under the new program fell equally on both genders, citing the â€Å"Personal Best† short-hair standard that applied only to men.Jespersen responded by describing her personal reaction to the makeup policy and emphasizing her exemplary record during her tenure at Harrah’s. In whose favor should the court rule? Why? The court granted a summary judgment to Harrah's. Jespersen appealed to the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which affirmed the lower court’s judgment. The appellate court acknowledged that Jespersen was effectively terminated for failing to comply with the makeup requirement and agreed that â€Å"appearance standards, including makeup requirements, may well be the subject of a Title VII claim for sexual stereotyping. In this case, however, there was no â€Å"evidence to establish that complying with the ‘Personal Best’ standard s caused burdens to fall unequally on men or women, and there is no evidence to suggest Harrah's motivation was to stereotype the women bartenders. † Some standards applied to members of both sexes, some only to men, and some including the makeup policy only to women. â€Å"The only evidence in the record to support the stereotyping claim is Jespersen's own subjective reaction to the makeup requirement. We respect Jespersen's resolve to be true to herself and to the image that she wishes to project to the world.We cannot agree, however, that her objection to the makeup requirement, without more, can give rise to a claim of sex stereotyping under Title VII. If we were to do so, we would come perilously close to holding that every grooming, apparel, or appearance requirement that an individual finds personally offensive, or in conflict with his or her own self-image, can create a triable issue of sex discrimination. † 35-7 Cerebral palsy limits Steven Bradley’s use of his legs. He uses forearm crutches for short-distance walks and a wheelchair for longer distances. Standing for more than ten or fifteen minutes is difficult.With support, however, Bradley can climb stairs and get on and off a stool. His condition also restricts the use of his fourth finger to, for example, type, but it does not limit his ability to write—he completed two years of college. His grip strength is normal, and he can lift heavy objects. In 2001, Bradley applied for a â€Å"greeter† or â€Å"cashier† position at a Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , Supercenter in Richmond, Missouri. The job descriptions stated, â€Å"No experience or qualification is required. † Bradley indicated that he was available for full- or part time work from 4:00 P.M. to 10:00 P. M. any evening. His employment history showed that he currently worked as a proofreader and that he had previously worked as an administrator. His application was rejected, according to Janet Daugher ty, the personnel manager, based on his â€Å"work history† and the â€Å"direct threat† that he posed to the safety of himself and others. Bradley claimed, however, that the store refused to hire him due to his disability. What steps must Bradley follow to pursue his claim? What does he need to show to prevail? Is he likely to meet these requirements? Discuss.As per the law an employer is legally liable for discrimination against people with disabilities if as an employer he falls under these criteria’s: private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies, labor organizations, and labor-management committees. The part of the ADA enforced by the EEOC outlaws job discrimination by: all employers, including State and local government employers, with 25 or more employees after July 26, 1992, and All employers, including State and local government employers, with 15 or more employees after July 26, 1994. Another part of the ADA, enforced by the U.S. Department of Justice, prohibits discrimination in State and local government programs and activities, including discrimination by all State and local governments, regardless of the number of employees, after January 26, 1992. To be protected under the ADA, you must have a record of, or be regarded as having a substantial, as opposed to a minor, impairment. A substantial impairment is one that significantly limits or restricts a major life activity such as hearing, seeing, speaking, walking, breathing, and performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, learning or working.If you have a disability, you must also be qualified to perform the essential functions or duties of a job, with or without reasonable accommodation, in order to be protected from job discrimination by the ADA. This means two things. First, you must satisfy the employer’s requirements for the job, such as education, employment experience, skills or licenses. Second, you must be able to perform the essential fu nctions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. Essential functions are the fundamental job duties that you must be able to perform on your own or with the help of a reasonable accommodation.An employer cannot refuse to hire you because your disability prevents you from performing duties that are not essential to the job. The crux of the matter is whether there is such a thing as a right to a job. Obviously there isn’t. The only right here, which is violated by the federal agencies, is the one of the owner of the establishment. The right to one’s property, a right protected by the constitution, which implies that one is free to hire whomever one wishes to and for whatever reason suits one’s fancy.While refusing admission or a job because of someone’s race, gender, nationality or any reason other than lacking the required qualification and experience for the job may be foolish but one has the right to run one’s own business foolishly if one wishes to. There is no right such as the right to a job, right to health care, right to education, etc. A right implies something one has by the virtue of being a human being, not a service to be provided or exchanges with another human being. If one has the right to demand an exchange of services, not via mutual agreement but by force then that’s slavery for the other person.One has the right to one’s property and dispose of it as one wishes to. As long as no one forces the parties involved to deal with each other, no one’s rights are violated. Not real ones at least. One can imagine several non existing rights and cry foul play, however that won’t hold ground constitutionally and reasonably. Hotels, clubs and several other organizations exercise this right; however some businesses are DISCRIMINATED against by the federal authorities and held liable for what is their right. At best Wal-Mart can be accused of foolish business practices, nothing more. It is shocking that the courts completely disregard the basic tenets of the constitution. If something requires a service to be provided to me by someone else then it can not be a right. An exchange of services requires mutual agreement. The only thing required as far as the rights are concerned is that people don’t violate yours. Again this is the case of the government preaching morality, which isn’t the business of a government. Interestingly why has the federal government limited the application of discrimination statutes to firms with a specified number of employees, such as fifteen or twenty?Shouldn’t these laws apply to all employers, regardless of size? The federal government limits the application of discrimination to firms with 15 or 20 employees because an organization under the law is responsible for providing reasonable accommodation. The ADA does not, however, require an employer to lower its product or performance standards to accommodate a disabl ed employee. If a particular accommodation would impose an undue hardship — such as a major financial strain on a company — a business owner must first try to find another way to comply.If a small business cannot afford to install a wheelchair ramp, for example, it might offer to split the cost with the employee. In extreme cases, however, undue hardship can exempt you from ADA regulations on a case-by-case basis. If rights were indeed violated then the size of the company shouldn’t matter at all. Whether an individual steals a single dollar or millions, its thievery, it is a violation of someone’s right to their property. Just because a poor person steals doesn’t make it alright.The punishment ought to befit the crime; however that is a separate issue. The federal agencies can not discriminate and create rights that do not exist and then cherry pick the people it will hold liable for the violation of these supposed rights. The fact that this is un constitutional and not enough people are outraged is a reflection of the extent to which the left has infested the mind of most people. Only in soviet Russia the need of a person is justification enough for the violation of someone’s rights.

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Smaato is the leading global mobile advertising exchange and helps mobile app developers and p ublishers make more ad revenues worldwide. As an industry pioneer and leader, Smaato provides Ads for Apps – operating the innovative leading mobile advertising optimization platform called SOMA. SOMA’s unique feature is the aggregation of 80+ leading ad networks globally to maximize mobile advertising revenues. More than 70,000 app developers and publishers use Smaato to monetize their content in over 230 countries. The company was founded in 2005 in USA, Smaato’s global headquarter is in San Francisco.Eu ropean headquarter is in Hamburg in Germany and the APAC headquarter is in Singapore. Smaato is one of the AlwaysOn Global 250 winners in the Mobile category (2012 & 2011) and was named a â€Å"company to watch in 2010? by Financial Analyst Company GP Bullhound. Currently we are looking for: Java Developer (Hamburg, GERMANY) As a Java developer you will join a team o f developers, where you will be taking part in designing, building, testing, and troubleshooting of the software platform SOMA . Currently our platform processes more than 1 billion inbound ad-requests per day.Each incoming request generates multiple outbound requests to Smaato's partners. SKILLS ? Attention to detail ? Knowledge of relevant procedures and tools ? Teamwork, initiative, flexibility and commitment ? Good knowledge of English ? Motivation to develop themselves personally and professionally ? Desire to work in a fast growing environment ? German language skills are nice to have QUALIFICATIONS ? Minimum Education: Bachelor's Degree ? Minimum Field of Expertise: Information technology ? Evaluated Experience in Java development ? Preferred Experience 3 years Do you find this challenge attractive? Please send your CV on: [email  protected] eu

A look at the key considerations in determinate vs. indeterminate ruling and overcrowded state and federal prisons in America

A look at the key considerations in determinate vs. indeterminate ruling and overcrowded state and federal prisons in America Determinate Sentencing versus Indeterminate Sentencing and Overcrowding The recent switch back to determinate sentencing in the past thirty years has ultimately overcrowded America’s federal and state prison systems. Despite a substantial decline in crime rates since 1991, the number of people being imprisoned increased continuously until 2011 and the imprisonment rate until 2007. Prisons and jails in 1991 held 1,219,014 inmates. The rate was 481 per 100,000 population. By 2008, the number of inmates had almost doubled to 2,308,390. Both the numbers of people admitted to federal and state prisons, and held in them, substantially increased in 2013. (Tonry, 1997.) Determinate sentencing has a specific number of years, no minimum or maximum. Whilst determinate sentencing was created to promote equality of sentencing, it does not always do so. Determinate sentencing and truth-in- sentencing have very limited discretionary/parole release. This laws are based on the justice model introduced by David Fogul and the concept of â€Å"just deserts,† offered by Andrew von Hirsh. These concepts are based on the similar approach that punishment is to be commensurate with the seriousness of the crime. (book) However, these â€Å"tough on crime† sentencing laws are what caused the current prison overcrowding dilemma in our nation. (Abadinsky, 2015.) One goal of determinate sentencing is to rid the system of parole boards. However, parole and parole boards have proven to be helpful to the system. Parole release has been used for upholding prison discipline and decreasing prison overcrowding for years. As I stated before, parole stemmed from pardons issues by governors. This tactic was used when prisons became overcrowded before parole boards were created. During the period of indeterminate sentencing, parole agencies served as a â€Å"safety valve† for crowded prisons. When Texas prisons were overcrowded in the 1980s, Texas increased parole release. By 1983, roughly forty percent of inmates were released on parole after their first hearing. (Abadinsky, 2015) Another pressing issue with determinate sentencing is prosecutorial discretion. The Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 abolished indeterminate sentencing and was intended to reduce sentence disparity and rid the system of parole release, but the discretion lost by judges was gained by prosecutors which resulted in longer prison terms and overcrowded prisons. Ronald Wright stated in his article Managing Prison Growth in North Carolina through Structured Sentencing, that â€Å"Legislativley mandated determinate sentencing has not proved to be a workable alternative to the traditional indeterminate system.† (Abadinksy,2015.) Sentencing disparity has been another rising concern with the abolishment of parole boards and determinate sentencing. In the determinate sentencing scheme, the role of the parole board to decrease sentence disparity is ignored. Since one of the main functions of the parole board is to review the sentences of all state prisoners, it can act as a mediating factor. The state of Nebraska is a prime example. The parole board there functions as an â€Å"equalizer,† mediating between ninety-three prosecuting offices and multiple jurisdictions. (Abadinsky, 2015.) Prisons are not constructed to house every offender ever given a prison sentence. Prison is meant to work like a circulation system. Unfortunately, the circulation system has come to halt. Politics have had an influence on prison sentence policy change and ultimately, overcrowded prisons. One theory suggests that high rates of incarceration in the United States and the overcrowding of U.S. prisons and jails result from decisions by policy makers to increase the use of prison sentences as well as the severity(Travis, Western, Redburn, 2014). In 1982, when President Reagan declared the war on drugs, law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges alike began to treat drug offenses more seriously and this led to an increase in incarceration. (Javitze, 2009.) Politicians who preach â€Å"tough on crime† statutes are to blame for prison overcrowding as well. â€Å"Clearly, parole was an easy target for those looking for political opportunities,† notes Barbara Krauth, and â€Å" emotional appeal of an attack on the system that released criminals to the streets may have benefited some political careers more than if actually addressed any of the complex problems of criminal justice.† (Abadinksy, 2015.) Some have described sentencing reform as a â€Å"political football.† (Stansky, 1996.) Because of our nation’s democratic system of frequent legislative elections, widely dispersed governmental powers, and election of judges and prosecutors, law makers tend to be susceptible to public opinions about crime and can become vulnerable to pressures from the public and political opponents to quickly enact tough legislation (Javitze, 2009). Indeterminate sentencing schemes are a much better alternative than determinate sentencing. Indeterminate sentencing usually involves a minimum and maximum, with the actual release determined by a parole board or the result of the accumulation of good time. This type of sentencing was first introduced in 1840 when Alexander Maconochie set out a philosophy of punishment based on reforming the individual criminal; the criminal was to be punished for the past and trained for the future. (Abadinsky, 2015.) In contrast to determinate sentencing, indeterminate sentencing is less likely either to permit premature release or to allow prolonged confinement beyond that needed to ensure the safety of society. (Slobogin, 2011). Indeterminate sentencing focuses on a rehabilitative and reformative approach rather than a â€Å"just deserts† approach. Rehabilitative correctional programs cost more than a prison system that merely aims at unsparing punishment, but benefit society and the prisoners themselves more in the long run. Indeterminate sentencing requires regular evaluations and hearings, treatment teams, and means of rehabilitation in the community in addition to places of confinement. However, community programs are less expensive than institutions once they are established, and are better at reducing recidivism, thus better at reducing the overcrowded prison population (Slobogin, 2011.) Indeterminate sentencing serves two important purposes: one being that indeterminate sentences and parole help to prepare prisoners for the outside world. â€Å"In the absence of discretionary release by a parole board, there is little, if any, pressure on prisoners to prepare for post release.† (Abadinsky, 2015.). The second being that this type of sentencing scheme protects the public from violent, habitual offenders while helping the nonviolent offenders gain opportunity in life. (Gault, 1921.) Another benefit of indeterminate sentences and parole boards is that distinctions can be made between inmates deserving early release and those who do not. Assessments can be made to determine which inmates should be released before the expiration of their sentence and which inmates should be denied release. This type of discretion is allocated to parole boards, who evaluate inmates carefully and decide who stays and who goes. Parole boards stem from the power of governors to pardon selected criminals. In states who use determinate sentencing, a similar release function is carried out by prison officials using good time. Although, prison officials do not have the information, time, or expertise to make accurate release decisions. Indeterminate sentencing and parole allows for parole boards to make discretionary decisions based on their knowledge of the offenders, and also provides an incentive for prisoners to develop personals goals and become motivated to be law-abiding citizens. (Abadinsky, 2015.) In conclusion, overcrowded prisons can be attributed to the use of determinate sentencing over indeterminate sentencing. Indeterminate sentencing offer the option of early release at the discretion of a parole board. While critics of indeterminate sentencing and parole boards claim that this discretionary decision should be left up to judges, parole boards are much better equipped to properly handle the release of offenders. Parole boards also provide support for inmates to prepare them for life on the outside. Without parole boards and a variety of other similar programs, there is little pressure on inmates to prepare for post-release life. This situation ultimately leads to higher recidivism rates, and finally, overcrowded prisons.

Presentation paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Presentation paper - Essay Example However, merit pay has been used to develop the standard payment structure that is common and applicable to all the employees (World at Work 60). Merit pay is as described as pay for performance based on the results set on a standard operative module. It is an approach to compensation that rewards well performing employee. It focuses on offering additional pay for the best performing employees. Despite the challenges, the merit pay system has several advantages. First, it enables the employer to differentiate between high and low performers in the company. Unlike the profit sharing or bonus pay schemes, it allows the employer to differentiate between performances of employees. While there are several programs and schemes are developed to reward overall performance of employees, merit pay offers compensation for strong performers. Merit pay allows the employer to recognize individual performance once meaning to continue benefiting from the scheme the employee must be able to continue the performing perfectly (Jiang, Xiao and Qi 67). Despite the numerous advantages of the scheme, it has been found that it does not offer a better support mechanism to the employees and the employer. The failure to address the essential issues that may affect performance both the group and individual makes the scheme non-effective. The scheme lacks accuracy affecting its ability to differentiate the ability of the individual employees. The success of the scheme has been reduced by the increasing dynamism in human behavior and factors that affect performance. The merit pay structure is different and creates a serious challenge in managing workers. The use of the total reward system has taken over the development of compensation structures. The total reward scheme is a program developed, by employers, to attract, motivate, and retain employees. The main focus of the program is to include everything the employee perceives to be value resulting from the employment relationships. The con cept has been advanced tremendously through evaluation and restructuring of the process of rewarding employees. When developing a total reward system, analyzing the need of every employee in the team (Jiang, Xiao and Qi 112). The development of a total reward scheme involves six steps with the first phase of the process in analyzing. The process of analyzing the needs of the employees includes the examining of the current policies. After analysis, the design process will involve the determination of compensation and the compensation strategies that can be employed in the process. During the design process, all the available approaches in total reward schemes. After the design, of the total reward scheme, the development of the plan and operation strategy involves the use of the various methods (World at Work 45). After the creation of the necessary plan and strategy, the plan must be communicated to the employees, so that they understand the reward scheme. Additionally, communicatio n in the company is vital because of the various reasons. Communication facilitates the development process, and the reasons of promotion and wage level setting. The success of the total reward scheme will depend on the various factors including the management design of the process (World at Work 213). The inclusion of all the factors that affect motivation and employee welfare will ensure that the total reward scheme is perfect. In conclusion, the total reward scheme is based on the inclusion of all

Economic issues for a country in Africa Annotated Bibliography

Economic issues for a country in Africa - Annotated Bibliography Example They further stated that the nation’s credit ratings have been decreased by both S&P and Moody’s rating agencies and this has happened for the first time since the apartheid ended. S&P stated that they have decreased their ratings as a feedback to the strikes and the uncertainty of the political conditions of South Africa. The article further asserts that a huge part of the workforce and in accordance to the findings of the Deutsche Bank, 30% of the total mining workers are at strike. The Bank has even made a calculation of decline in the GDP that is targeted to decline by 2.5% if the strikes continue. The mining industry happens to be the backbone of South Africa and it is a huge producer and exporter of minerals such as palladium and platinum. These strikes pose a very significant issue to the economy of South Africa as the 50% of the exports gained by South Africa are backed by mining industry. These strikes are not only impacting the nation in a negative manner, the effect has been experienced by nations that import minerals from South Africa as an example of Anglo American company has been stated that has experienced reduction in production as a result of these strikes. South Africa’s strikes in the mining sector has increased concerns for people all over the world as these strikes have entered different areas of mining such as coal, gold and metal. The most interesting point of this article is that issues that are caused in one nation do not only impact the nation in a negative manner, they even impact other nations around the globe. For example: in this article the strikes conducted by the South African miners have negatively impacted industries that acquire minerals and commodities from South Africa. If the South African strikes continue to exist, they will not only impact the South African economy, they will

Colombia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Colombia - Essay Example Colombia, a country in northern South America, borders the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean and is situated between Panama and Venezuela. Encompassing more than one million square miles, Colombia is ranked currently as the 26th largest country in the world, slightly smaller than twice the size of Texas (Central Intelligence Agency, 2011). Its climate is tropical along its coasts and plains, but in the Andes Mountains it is slightly cooler, and it has a population of 44,725,543 people as of July 2011 (Central Intelligence Agency, 2011). Its government, overall, is a republic with elected officials, with a judicial system that has numerous national and district courts as well as a court of appeals, along with a House of Representatives and a Congress in its legislative branch and a duly-elected President in its executive branch. Colombia was originally colonized under Spanish rule. The Spanish sailed along the north coast of Colombia as early as 1500, but their first permanent settlement, at Santa Marta, was not made until 1525. In 1549, the area was established as a Spanish colony with the capital at Santa Fe de Bogota (Winslow). During the period before Spanish colonization, the area was inhabited by indigenous peoples who were primitive hunters or nomadic farmers, and out of the various Indian groups that were there, the area was dominated by The Chibchas, who lived in the region of present-day city of Bogotà ¡ (Winslow). Columbia actually had its first social movement in history in 1810, when on July 20th of that year the citizens of Bogota created the first representative council in defiance of Spanish authority and to attempt a try for their independence. Over the next three years, they fought for independence, which was proclaimed in 1813, and in 1819 the Republic of Greater Colombia was formed. Simo n Bolivar was elected its first president and Francisco de Paula Santander, vice president. However, just like any other movement, soon conflicts arose between the two leaders and their visions. From their views, two political parties grew and branched out, coming to dominate Colombian politics even today (Winslow). Bolivar managed only to keep authority until 1828, and then everything fell apart. In 1830, Venezuela and Ecuador became separate nations. Through the 19th century and into the 20th century, both political unrest and small, usually unremarkable social movements to combat the social unrest were popular. Strong parties developed along conservative and liberal lines; the conservatives favored centralism and participation by the church in government and education, and the liberals supported federalism, anticlericalism, and some measure of social legislation and fiscal reforms (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2007). The structure of Colombian society in the 1980s, which was always str ongly influenced by traditions inherited from sixteenth-century Spain, was highly stratified, having well-defined class membership, pronounced status differences, and limited vertical social mobility. The urban sector was characterized by a more flexible social system, a growing middle class, and greater participation of the population in national politics. Rural society in all but a few regions was organized in rigidly hierarchical structures in which change of status was very difficult. Only in the coffee-growing departments of Caldas and Antioquia were there sizable segments of the population exhibiting the traits of a rural middle class (Colombia: National Front). Various social movements existed in the 1960s and 1970s, and even well into the 1980s that eventually formed into armies. In 1964 the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group was born. It was followed by other groups, such as the National Liberation Army (ELN) on January 7, 1965, the Popular Libera tion Army (EPL) on July 1967, the Quintin Lame Movement (MAQL) in 1984 and the 19th of April Movement (M-19). (Colombia: National Front) Currently, there are still social movements in Colombia. Some groups make political statements their main

Hook and Eye Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hook and Eye - Coursework Example We shall illustrate that customer’s satisfaction is determined by evaluating the value of the hotel brand, using its location and service offered to customers. One Mixed Methods central research question Does the brand value define the customer satisfaction by the feedback we get from customers in relation to location and service at the hotel? Three Mixed Methods sub-questions How does the customer’s feedback posted on hotel website qualitatively, explain the customer satisfaction as the brand value measured quantitatively on the location of the hotel and service by the staffs? Does the customer’s feedback on the hotel portal posted qualitatively, explain the customer satisfaction in the context of brand value? How does the customer feedback relate to the services of the hotel and its location in reference to the brand value? Hook and Eye technique analysis We shall identify the words that connect with a location that either describes it positively or negatively. Examples of this are perfect, ideal, at a central place, or convenient this are positive words; the negative description includes the word ‘is located’ then a description like a dumpsite, or noisy place. For service, we shall identify an active verb like ‘was’, ‘were’ or ‘have been’ in describing words like bad, excellent, fantastic, dismal, or impeccable.

Oscilloscope User's Guide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Oscilloscope User's Guide - Essay Example ...24 Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....25 Abstract This is a user guide for an oscilloscope, an electronic instrument used to observe constantly variable signals from electric charges. It entails first part which is introduction containing the different types of oscilloscope like; cathode ray oscilloscope as called the analog, digital storage oscilloscope, dual beam oscilloscope, analog storage oscilloscope and mixed domain oscilloscope. Introduction also highlights brief history of the oscilloscope. There the graphics and symbol section which discusses the various parts of the oscilloscope including; probes, input, time base controls, vertical amplifiers, front panel controls, and the hold off control. In the written analysis and statement, the tests; compliance test, production test and commissioning tests are discussed. Outcome of tests are explained. In this document pictures have been used to create a more realistic image of what an oscilloscope looks like. There is a concluding statement which discusses further the reports from the test and finally giving a concluding recommendation. Other parts of this document include the glossary; a list some terms which preferably user ought to have known, and appendices which include some information which may be of importance to the user of this manual. Introduction An oscilloscope is an electronic instrument or tester which is used in the observation and reading of a constantly varying electrical signals like voltages and current. (Witte, 2002) The observations and the readings are made from a series of potential differences; voltage drops which are displayed in a two dimensional graphs which entails axes y (vertical rise) and x (horizontal change). Electrical signals like sounds always cause a change in electrical potentials over time thus inducing or are conve rted to voltages. The created signals (voltages) are displayed in this graphs; forming a constantly repeated and periodic patterns. Since the signals are often repeated they always appear as a steady picture. In most cases, oscilloscopes have been used to capture sample of non-repeating wave forms. For this to be used to derive a meaningful information, the capture of the wave forms have to be done for some period of time (specified) and be stored to show a steady display of the captured segment. This enhances the exact observation of the wave shape of a signal which is electrically created, for example signals from sound wave. For proper observation, these instruments; oscilloscopes are as a rule calibrated. (Lee,2004) From such calibrated devices, voltages and time can be easily read by human eye with a lot of ease. The calibrations are done in such a way to allow for the measurement of the peak voltages of the wave form under study, frequency of the induced signals, rise time for the full amplitude, time taken between consecutive pulses and the timing of the signals which are related to

Organizational change Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational change - Article Example Consequently, companies need to anticipate change, notify the concerned people, enforce the change gradually and proceed to reconfigure the firm. This ensures that the change process is successful, which determines the productivity of the company. Organisational change refers to the transformation of a company’s structure, position and quality, which is achieved by bringing in the most recent dealings and ideas aimed at improving global adjustment and performance of the firm. There are two kinds of organisational changes that can be introduced in a company. The first one is first order change, which is also referred to as evolutionary or incremental change. The second one is second order change, which is also referred to as revolutionary or strategic change. Evolutionary change is usually implemented at a small scale, therefore, aiming at changing few sections of the company such as, reshuffling departments. On the other hand, revolutionary change is usually radical and involves changing the entire framework of the company, for example, the organisational structure. Organisational change can either be planned or emergent. An organisation can plan organisational change by highlighting the required changes and projecting the time required to implement them. This is done when an organisation wants to change its status from a disreputable organisation to a reputable one. Then again, an organisational change can be developed circumstantially when it wants to adjust to unexpected changes such as new competition in its business environment. Organisational change can be attributed to various reasons such as, emergence of new technologies, market competition, different kinds of economic crisis and organisational growth among others. Resistance to change is normally seen in an organisation, as employees try to maintain the status quo. Resistance to change is a time consuming and expensive process that hinders productivity in an organisation. It may have

Machiavellis Cycle of Governance Essay Example for Free

Machiavellis Cycle of Governance Essay Ancient Rome such a stable and economically fruitful empire. Concerning the structures of governance as it was in 16th century florence, Machiavelli expressed the opinion that only six forms of government exist that maintain a perpetual cycle of short lived power before sucuming to, what he viewed as a natural end. This is brought about either due to a successful insurection and instalment of a form of government which evolved out of oppression or a form of government that eventually grew to become greedy and corrupt through generational changes. The model Machiavelli presents begins with a society in a state of nature or Anarchy that exists until the people begin to realise strength in numbers and seek leadership from the foremost individual who assumes rulership, thus evolving into a Monarchy. The good Monarch is however, succeeded by corrupt rulers who use their power for their own gain and control through Tyranny. The Tyrant is eventually overthrown by a rebellion and the rebels retain control amongst themselves collectively producing an Aristocracy. The Aristocrats are then succeeded by a generation that again, begins to use its powers to oppress the people and becomes an Oligarchy. Like the Tyrant, they are overthrown by the oppressed who then form a Democracy. As time progresses, order and control dissolve completely until we find ourselves in a state of nature or Anarchy once again. As Machiavelli saw it, because of mans propensity to greed and corruption against the collective force of the oppressed victims, the cycle of instability could only ever provide temporal security and was not an effective enough solution. Machiavelli lived in a period of insessent political conflict and social disharmony which provided him with a deep rooted motivation to ensure order and stability could be demonstrated within the system he sought. Machiavelli drew the conclusion that a balance of power shared between a monarchical figure, an aristocratic institution and a democratic institution, as the Ancient Romans had implemented, was the most benificial arrangement in the interest of the state. In order to sustain order, it is necessary to employ the method of checks and balances, meaning each faction must regulate the other to prevent the accumulation of too power in the hands of an individual or particular group. Today we use the term separation of powers to identify this form of self monitoring government. Although critics of this form of power regulation state that it slows up progress, promotes excesses of executive power and unaccountability, those who would champion the method maintain it is an effective means to ensure liberty and democracy while avoiding the possibility of tyranny.

Development of Logistics Industry in China

Development of Logistics Industry in China Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background With the expansion of the globalization and the rapid development of the Information Technology (IT), the logistics industry has become one of the most important industries in the 21st century. The scope and role of logistics have changed dramatically over recent years. In the past, logistics played a supportive role to primary activities such as marketing and manufacturing. Now logistics has expanded from its traditional aspects: transportation and warehousing to purchasing, distribution, storage management, packaging, manufacturing and customer service. More importantly, the role of logistics has changed from cost absorbing to an important of competitive advantage for logistics companies. Modern theory of logistics in China was introduced in 1980s. Since its economic reformed and opened up in 1978, Chinas economy keeps booming, with a growth rate of nearly 10% in annual GDP which has become a global manufacturing centre. (Appendix 1) After China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, foreign companies were allowed to invest in China at the beginning but only in form of joint ventures that Chinese partner took up the majority. At the end of 2005, this restriction was completely phased out. At present, state-owned, private, and foreign logistics companies are all equally allowed to entry and compete in logistics industry in China. Chinas logistic industry has been experiencing fast growth because of sustainable economic growth. The logistics industry reported an annual growth rate of 31% in 1999, 35% in 2000, and 55% in 2001, and was expected to continue to expand rapidly in the future. (LI FUNG RESEARCH CENTRE, 2008) According to Exhibit 1, the average annual growth rate of the logistics industry in China was 22.2%, added value has reached to RMB 1.4 trillion in 2006 up 13.9% over 2005; and in 2007, the added value even reached to near 1.7 trillion up 20% over 2006. It is expected that Chinas logistics market value will continue to maintain an annual growth of 20% in 2010. Exhibit1: Total volume and growth of Chinas logistics industry 1.2 Total logistics market size The GDP of China was above RMB 10 trillion in 2002 that achieved a real growth of 8%. In the 10th Five-year Plan, China government is forecasting an average growth rate 7% per year from 2002-2007. According to the forecasts by State Development Planning Commission (SDPC), the GDP will be quadruple, about US$4.3 Trillion by 2020. In a detailed survey by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP), the total logistics market was estimated at RMB1, 788 billion, 20% of the GDP in 2000. In 2002, it was estimated that the total logistics market of China were about RMB 2 trillion. According to HK Trade Development Council, leading logistics companies in China such as UPS, FedEx and DHL-Sinotrans have all recorded annual growths in over 30% on operations in China and there are more outsourcing contributes to the growth of professional logistics companies. 1.3 Players in the China Logistics Market Chinas logistics market is fragmented. Government registration shows there are about 700,000 logistics companies in China and many of them are small, poorly managed with fundamental infrastructure and technology. (Alan Dixon, 2008) Those of the players are lack of nationwide competences and customer target is narrow which mainly focus on simple transportation and warehousing activities. Competition is intense, especially in the low-end market. Traditionally, Chinas logistics market is dominated by the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) which provide 90% of the logistics services in China. 1.3.1 State-Owned Players There are many state-owned players in China logistics market. Before China joined WTO, Chinas logistics industry was a monopoly industry which could only be managed by state-owned enterprises (SOEs), mostly for transpiration and warehousing. The characteristics of the SOEs are small-scale local enterprises, slow product renovation, poor management, production plans following from various government agencies. Because of government investment and monopolistic operation, these enterprises obtained large assets and became relatively large-scale business organizations. Relying on their sufficiency capital and existing market share, these enterprises became leaders in China logistics industry at that time. The following is a list of SOEs that ranked top 5 in 2008 in China logistics industry: China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO); China Railway Express Company Limited (CREC); China Post Logistics Company Limited (CPLC); China Railway Container Transport Company Limited (CRCTC). COSCO Logistics COSCO Logistics is a branch of China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) which was established in 2002. Because of the existing market share and advantaged infrastructure, it ranked number 1 in China logistics companies from 2002 to 2008. (Cen, 2005) COSCO Logistics has 300 logistics facilities, covering 90% of the China market and the competitive advantage is shipping transport. 1.3.2 Private Players Since the mid-1990s, Chinas private domestic logistics firms started to develop themselves such as St-Anda, PGL, China Overseas logistics and so on. The private logistics companies are in medium-size which keeps the rapid growth in the market because of achieving in efficiency and effectiveness and they are more focused on geographies, service and customers. But they are lack of sufficient financial supporting for market expansion and ineffective management to support high growth and profitability. (Fu. and Gwi, 2004) EAS International Transportation Ltd (Shanghai). This company was established in 1985. In the past twenty years, EAS has acquired tremendous achievement in building the unique operation platform to develop modern logistics business according to the demand of customers. 1.3.3 International Logistics Players (ILCs) Although the domestic companies dominate the general China logistics market, ILCs are also playing a very important role and their market shares are increasing rapidly. The most famous international logistics players in China are: DHL, TNT, UPS, FedEx and so on. DHL DHL entered China in 1981 and in 1986 it used joint venture with Sinotrans, one of the biggest SOEs in China logistics industry. DHL-Sinotrans has the biggest market shares in courier service. In the past twenty years, DHL has invested about $273 million in China. (Cen, 2005) Nowadays, many foreign logistics organizations have built good relationship with Chinese logistics companies by using joint ventures. Foreign companies have competitive advantage in technology and management, when they are integrated with experiences and existing service network of Chinese firms that they could be brought into full play. Therefore, Chinese logistics companies usually face Merge and acquisition (MA) risk. Many inland Chinese cities offer lots of commercial opportunities to foreign logistics companies but it need time for foreign companies to fully penetrate into the Chinese market. 1.3.4 Third Party Logistics companies (TPLs) Third Party Logistics companies (TPL) is a new concept for most of the Chinese companies. A TPL company normally provides process-base services rather than a function-base logistics service, which generally toward to the integration and fully control of a part or whole process of customers logistics network. (Fu. and Gwi, 2004) Because small or middle sized companies may not always achieve economics of scale in operating, which is even one of the advantages for third-party logistics companies. But due to the fundamental infrastructure of China logistics industry and developing technology, the TPLs are still need time to further improve the internal management in order to be expert in handling business. 1.4 Major modes of Transport in China After enter 21st century, the construction of transport infrastructure keeps rapidly increasing in China. 1.4.1 Ports Since China government opened ports to foreign investment companies in 2002, Chinese port facilities had taken huge steps that tremendous increased the capacity. In 2003, the total investment in Chinese port construction was US$2.2 billion, and in 2004, the Ministry of Communication has reported this figure was to reach nearly US$4.3 billion. Currently, Chinas coastal cities such as Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, which dominant regional logistics centres are completed new berths building. (Exhibit 2) In Shanghai for example, in 2003 the container throughput are 11.28 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) that is expected to increase to 14.5million TEUs in 2004 and in 2005, the TEUs of capacity has expanded 2M more. (Richard Brubaker ¼Ã…’2005) Although such huge investment and abroad expansion, Chinese ports need to keep up with the increasing demand by use foreign terminal operators more. Exhibit 2: Logistics hubs in China. Source: Beijing Readies Logistics Stimulus, 2008 1.4.2 Road China government heavy invests on China transport infrastructure, so the road transport becomes the prior choice for inland distribution. During the Five-year Plan from 2001 to 2005, transport infrastructure has been built significantly including 250,000 kilometers of highways and 24,700 kilometers of expressways. (Fu. and Gwi., 2004) By the end of 2006, the total length Chinese highway has reached 3,457,000 kilometers and 77,000 kilometers of railways. 1.4.3 Rail Compare with China road and port infrastructure, Chinas railway infrastructure has received relatively low levels of investment. The Ministry of Railways plans to increase Chinas existing rail network from 72,000 km to 100,000 km by 2020. (Woosir, 2009) Use of the Chinese rail system increased 6% year on year from 2003 to 2004, the modest increase is because the weak demand of rail transportation. There are many problems cause the weak demand for logistics companies, such as poor handling practices, delays, unpredictable delivery times, theft and a general lack of infrastructure. However, despite these issues exist, the heavy subsidization still makes Chinas railway become the cheapest transportation compare with shippers. 1.4.4 Inland Waterways The most significant Infrastructure on inland waterways is the Yangtze River, which increased 8% from 2003 to 2004. (Richard Brubaker ¼Ã…’2005) Yangtze River can handle ships up to 6000 tonnes totally, however, the capacity of canals and low bridges are relative in low level because of the dry season in China. There are many waterway projects such as Gorges Dam which can serve to extent dry seasons and keep water levels low. 1.4.5 Air freight Chinas airfreight sector is developed rapidly which has become the second-large domestics airfreight market in the world. According to Boeings World Air Cargo Forecast, the market has grown at more than 20 percent annually since 1991. (Richard Brubaker ¼Ã…’2005) The airports are fast developed by three economic zones: the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), the Pearl River Delta (PRD), and the capital city of Beijing. Moreover, the agreement between China mainland and Hong Kong gives Hong Kong airlines greater opportunities that access to the mainland. But the China airfreight is limited by insufficient infrastructure. In the coastal cities, the airfreights are more developed than that in inland cities. 1.5 Statement of the Problems Since China jointed WTO, the logistics industry developed rapidly. But there are lots of problems during the development; here the researcher mainly focuses on cost, productivity and expansion of China logistics industry. 1.5.1 High Cost Since China became one of the members in WTO, China logistics industry developed rapidly which kept high growth among all the industries. But the most important factor that slow down the development of China logistics industry is the high logistics cost. Chinas logistics expenditures took up 20% of the GDP in 2000 whereas logistics spending accounted for 10.3% of United Statess GDP, 14% of Japans GDP, and 10% to 13% of European Unions GGP. (Exhibit 3) The annual growth rate of total logistics expenditures is 10.29% in 2002, 12.99% in 2003, 16.76% in 2004 and 12.86% in 2005. (Song H. and Wang L., 2004) Statistics published by China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing shows that Chinas total logistics expenses reached RMB3.8414 trillion in 2006, up 13.5% year on year at current price, a growth 0.6 percentage points higher than in 2005. The rate of total logistics expense of GDP was 18.3%, 0.2 percentage points lower than in 2005. In 2007, the total logistics cost increased by 18.2% to 4540.6 billion yuan compare with 2006. Exhibit 3: Cost of moving and storing goods (as share of GDP). The total logistics cost in China generally includes three cost components: transportation, inventory storage and management cost. In 2004, the total cost amounted to US$ 352 billion, grew by 16.6% compare with 2005. Of this total, transportation cost took up the largest portion which accounted US$ 200 billion and had the highest growth rate which was 56.9% of total. On the other hand, inventory storage and management cost were US$ 102 billion and US$ 49 billion, accounting for 29.1% and 14% of the total logistics cost respectively (Exhibit 4). Exhibit 4: Total logistics cost and its composition, 2003-2007. Source: CFLP, 2007 Adding the costs of packing, transport, storage and damage cost, the ratio of total logistics costs to total industry production ranges from 40% to 60% in China logistics industry, whereas in the United States this percentage is close to 20% (Zhang Z.Y. and Andres M.F., 2006). So general speaking, the transportation costs in China logistics industry are twice as expensive as in developed countries such as US. Japan and European countries. 1.5.2 Low in productivity The ratio of total logistics cost to GDP represents the efficiency of logistics operation in the economy which means the productivity of logistics industry. It is also used as an indicator to the level of development in logistics industry. In general, the higher the percentage, the less efficient is the logistics industry. Exhibit 5 shows the total logistics cost as a percentage of GDP in the 10th Five-year Plan period (2000-2005) in China. Although the total logistics cost as a percentage of GDP has a downward trend that decreased from 19.4% in 2000 to 18.57% in 2005 and the total cost savings in the 10th Five-year Plan period are 109 billion RMB; according to exhibit 3, the logistics cost are higher than that in US, Japan and developed countries which means China logistics industry is still in high inefficiency. As predicted by the CFLP, the ratio of total logistics cost in China to GDP will continue higher which resulting inefficiency of modern logistics industry. CFLP predicted t hat total logistics costs during the 11th Five-year Program period (2006-2010) will grow at 10% annually, 2% higher than that of the 10th Five-year Plan period. It also forecasted that the total logistics cost will reach 5,400 billion RMB in 2010, the ratio of total logistics cost to GDP at around 16.8% and cost savings yield during the period will be around 435 billion RMB. (Ling Feng research centre, 2006) Exhibit 5: Total logistics cost as a percentage of GDP, 2000-2005. 1.5.3 Slowly expansion/outsourcing One of the most significant drivers of growth in the global logistics industry is the trend of mergers and acquisitions. Although many big China logistics companies have established overseas offices from the 1980s and 1990s to support their international transportation, their businesses are heavily depend on agents which means the Chinas global logistics network is still weak. For example, Sinotrans has business in nearly 200 countries, but there are only 40 overseas offices and most of the international businesses are done by the agents. In this situation, the expansion for China logistics industry is very slow. So, the global market share of China logistics industry is still relative low. As Contrill claimed, â€Å"dont expect a wave of Chinese 3PLs to land on Western shores soon. The pace of change in China is slow by Western standards and there is much to do in the home market†. (Cen Xuepin, 2005) 1.6 Research objective The objective of this research is twofold. To understand the development of China logistics industry in the last decade. To investigate the factors affecting the development of China logistics industry and recommend the solutions to improve on the problems to further develop logistics industry in China. On meeting the two objectives, this paper will develop a framework to address the factors that affect the development of China logistics industry. 1.7 Research questions Three questions will be discussed in this article: 1: Review the development of logistics industry in China in last decade? 2: What are the factors that affect the development of China logistics industry? 3: How to solve the current problems to further improve logistics industry in China? 1.8 Significance of study In this article, the author introduces the development of China logistics industry in last decade. Also, this paper will contribute by indicating and analyzing some of the problems that affect development of China logistics industry according to questionnaires and interview by managers in logistics companies in China. The theoretical framework is based on an extensive review of the hypothesis in literature review (Chapter 2) to ensure the main factors that affect development of China logistics industry. After that, the searcher will give readers recommendations that solve the problems in China logistics industry. 1.9 Limitations of the research Because of time restriction (from September to November, 2009), this thesis will be finished within 3 months, the research will cover the detail of logistics management (Transportation, Warehousing and IT supporting) as specific as possible. Because of the location of sampling in Shanghai, China, the researcher has to come to China but only around 1month, so it is time limited to the questionnaire distributing and receiving which may cause low response rate. There are many problems that influence the development of logistics industry in China; in this paper, the author only focus the above 5 main problems. Because some logistics companies are not public listed companies, it is difficult to find the data from the current annual reports released by these companies, so the researcher may analyze data in these companies using the previous annual report. (Eg: Annual Report of company A in 2006 or 2007) Some of the questions in questionnaires are directly related to the internal strategy of company management, so managers may do not want to answer which will cause the low response rate also. 1.10 Chapter Outline Chapter one Introduction: This provides the readers with background information of the study which creates a pictorial flow of the main research, research objectives, background of study, problems and significance as well as the limitations faced by the researcher are clearly stated in this chapter. Chapter two Literature review: This chapter explores relevant literature; it basically dealt with pertinent literature on problems of current China logistics industry with discussions on related research variables such as government policy and regulations, transportation cost, warehousing and storage, IT supporting and infrastructure. Also, 3 indicators to development of China logistics industry are given to be as dependent variable when analyzing the correlation with independent variables. Chapter three Methodology and Data collection: This chapter describes the research design used to conduct this research. This chapter will further disclose the ways used in analyzing data collected, limitations of the methods used and how the data are collected. This section concludes with discussions of the data gathering techniques and the data analysis procedures that are used to answer the hypotheses and research questions to readers. Also, theoretical framework is given to show the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables. Chapter four Results and discussions: This chapter outlines results of data analysis, provides discussion of research findings and builds bridges between objectives, findings and relevant literature. The result section summarizes the analysis of the data and present findings of the study with respect to the hypothesis and research questions, while the discussion section reviews the findings of the study in the context of the theoretical framework of the study. Chapter five Conclusions and recommendations are provided in this chapter together with discussions on the future of the study. This chapter concludes the research and documents the implications of the study with recommendations for future research. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Definition of logistics â€Å"Logistic† is the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the flow and storage of goods, services using related information from their point of origin to point of destination for the purpose of fulfilling customer requirements in efficient and effective way. (Raymond F. B. and Wm. B. M. Jr, pp: 45-55, 2004). Luo Wenping and Christopher Findlay (2002) said that the provision of logistics services requires inputs from a number of service providers; including the providers of transport and warehousing as well as other value-adding activities. Basically, logistic is business flow that connects packaging, distribution, storage and warehousing integrated Information Technology (IT) to transfer goods and service to the end users to satisfy their requirements. The concept of logistics has undergone many significant changes. Luo Wenping and Christopher Findlay, (2002) divided the development of logistics into three stages: Stage 1: Physical distribution or outbound logistics system (during 1960s and 1970s). Organizations attempted to systemically manage a set of interrelated activities including transportation, distribution, warehousing, finished goods, inventory levels, packaging, and materials handling to delivery finished goods to customers in efficient way. Stage 2: Integrated logistics management (during the 1970s and 1980s). Firms began to recognize the additional opportunities for savings by combining the inbound side (materials management) with the outbound side (physical distribution). Initially, this provided potential savings by having a single transportation manager who could coordinate inbound and outbound transportation. Companies also become aware of the opportunities to view the whole process, from raw materials to work-in-process inventory to finished goods, as well as managing the whole process from a systems perspective which could lead to more efficient operation. Stage 3: Supply Chain Management (from 1980s to 1990s). Logistics management is one of the parts of Supply Chain Management (SCM) that companies expanded their purpose on the logistics processes to include all the firms involved, making use of partnerships/alliances between manufacturing companies and their suppliers/vendors, customers (channels of distribution), and other related logistics parties such as transportation and public warehousing companies. 2.2 Third Party Logistics (TPLs) Third party logistics and related concepts are most often developed by researchers or consultants in collaboration with businesses demanding or offering third party services. Thus, the definitions reflect the phase of third party cooperation (Tage Skjoett-Larsen, 2000). Alessandra Marasco, (2008) used the following definition: â€Å"Third-party logistics involves the use of external companies to perform logistics functions that have traditionally been performed within an organization. The functions performed by the third party can encompass the entire logistics process or selected activities within that process†. According to this definition, third party logistics includes any form of externalization of logistics activities previously performed â€Å"in-house†. Through interviews with a number of North European third party service providers, Prabir K, B. and Helge V. (1996) have pointed out the following definition: â€Å"A logistics alliance indicates a close and long-term relationship between a customer and a provider encompassing the delivery of a wide array of logistics needs. In a logistics alliance, the parties ideally consider each other as partners. They collaborate in understanding and defining the customers logistics needs. Both partners participate in designing and developing logistics solutions and measuring performance. The goal of the relationship is to develop a win-win arrangement†. This definition emphasizes the strategic dimension of the concept and presupposes that several characteristics are fulfilled before the relationship between buyer and seller of logistics functions can be characterized as TPL. These characteristics include certain duration, joint efforts to develop further cooperation, a customerization of the solution, together with a fair sharing of benefits and risks. 2.3 Measurement the development of logistics industry Logistics has dramatically evolved from a supportive role characterized as passive and cost absorbing, to a primary role and critical factor in competitive advantage (Fu Chinchin and Gwi Ok Kim, 2004). Companies experiencing growing pressure to reduce costs and provide better service can improve their logistics by outsourcing to third-party logistics (3PL) firms, an option that can improve both efficiency and effectiveness, so logistics outsourcing has become a rapidly expanding source of competitive advantage and logistics cost savings. 2.3.1 Productivity Alan Stainer (1997) believe that, in measuring logistics performance, a comprehensive strategy of measurement is necessary for the successful planning, realization and control of the different activities which comprise the business logistics function. He also pointed out that, there should be a family of measures. This is a balanced collection of four to six performance measures, usually including productivity, quality and customer satisfaction, which together furnish an all-inclusive view of results but, individually, also provide a diagnostic value. Within this performance scenario, productivity can be seen as a measurement of resource utilization, including the time element. Alberto G. Canen and Ana Canen, (2002, number: 2.pp: 73-85) points out, the productivity philosophy and its improvement has been a high priority, in the first instance, in manufacturing, then in marketing, and later in physical distribution and materials management. Thus, the time is now ripe to focus on the whole logistics process. The term productivity is often ill-defined but, basically, its measurement is that of a prescribed output to the resources consumed. It can be divided into three main types: Partial measures being a ratio relating output to a single input, such as labour, materials or capital. Total factor or value-added productivity being based on sales less bought-in goods, materials and services. Total productivity measures being a ratio of total output to total input. There is a clear link between productivity and performance improvement, as purported by Lynch and Cross (1995, pp. 63-91). They show performance as a pyramid which is filtered down from the corporate vision, with market and financial measures as the main resultants, supported by customer satisfaction, flexibility and productivity as core business processes. Despite this emphasis on performance, previous research by the author (Stainer and Stainer, 1995), based on a survey of both manufacturing and service industries in the UK, France and Germany, suggests that the implementation of formal productivity programmes is still marginally behind that of the US a decade ago. Further analysis of the survey divulges the use of these three productivity measures for all respondents, as well as for those respondents employing productivity measures in the field of logistics. 2.3.2 Cost The total Logistics cost as a percentage of GDP has widely been used as an indicator of the development level of the Logistics industry in many developed countries. In general, the higher the percentage, the less efficient is the Logistics industry, which means the cost affect the development of logistics industry. The costs associated with logistics activities normally consist of the following components: transportation, warehousing, order processing/customer service, administration, and inventory holding (e.g. Lambert et al., 1998; Saccomano, 1999). Not surprisingly, total logistics costs often represent a large portion of total supply chain costs, especially when the supply chain is extended to the global market. As more organizations are outsourcing their products or services to global suppliers, it becomes increasingly critical to understand and evaluate the various logistics cost components in order to assure the profit margin. 2.3.3 Expansion /outsourcing Elliot Rabinovich, Robert Windle and Martin Dresner, (1999) said that: the outsourcing of logistics functions to partners, known as â€Å"third-party logistics providers†, has increasingly become a powerful alternative to the traditional, vertically-integrated firm in logistics industry. A growth in the number of outsourcing partnerships has contributed to the development of more flexible organizations, based on core competencies and mutually beneficial longer-term relationships. Overall, some 60 per cent of Fortune 500 companies report having at least one contract with a third-party logistics provider. Such buyouts and mergers enable logistics players to build up their infrastructure and service scale, both of which are critical to remaining competitive. By merging their operations and collaborating on technology, complementary services partners can also scale up their logistics capability without having to invest heavily in infrastructure. The result is lower cycle-time, streamlined business processes and lower manpower costs, which in turn boosts companies productivity and profitability. The development of logistics outsourcing broadly defined in this paper as long and short-term contracts or alliances between manufacturing and service firms and third-party logistics providers has been largely based on the needs that companies have to obtain cost savings and to concentrate on their core competencies. They also indicated that, the market and firm characteristics influence the decision to contract multiple combinations of third-party logistics services. These services range from single transportation activities to integrated warehousing, distribution, and information management activities. Also several authors have indicated that across many industries logistics outsourcing has become a rapidly expanding source of competitive advantage and logistics cost savings in logistics industry. For example, Elliot Rabinovich, etl (1999) reported that some firms routinely have achieved up to 30 per cent to 40 per cent reductions in logistics costs and have been able to greatly streamline global logistics processes as a consequence of outsourcing. Other studies, however, have indicated that some logistics outsourcing arrangements are not successful. These

America Needs Affordable Health Insurance :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Health Insurance is one of the nations top problems, the cost is rising for premiums, and many businesses just cannot afford it. As Americans many of us have the luxury of health insurance, but far too many of us have to go without it. This is something that always seems to brought up at congressional debates, but little is done about it. â€Å"In 2013 there were 41 million people reported with out health insurance coverage, this is too many considering those people probably were sick at some point through out the year, and they couldn’t afford treatment.† We need to find someway to make sure that every citizen of the United States is able to have affordable healthcare for themselves, and their families.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most people rely on their employers to provide them with health insurance, but with many health care is not available through the employers. Many small businesses can simply not afford the high cost of health care, or it may be available, but the employee needs to pay the entire premiums.   A lot of employers are utilizing part time employees, the part time employees are usually not qualified for benefits, like health insurance. This is very unfortunate for these part timer’s not only because they will not get benefits such as health insurance, but also they probably have a slim chance of going full time because of the health insurance dilemma. Business owner’s need to assess what is good for them financially, and having plenty of part time employees who do not require insurance is probably the most cost effective method to keep the Business up and running.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An option for folks who have no money is Medicaid. Medicaid is designed for the very poor people. Unfortunately you must meet Medicaid guidelines in order to be eligible for it. â€Å"In order to be eligible you must make below the poverty level that the government allows, this is about $1,497 a month for a single person, also if you are a child who is under 19, if you are pregnant, if you are out of work for a long time, or if you are HIV positive, you may be eligible to apply.† These guidelines alone generally rule out many of Americans. â€Å"The U.S. Census reported young adults (18-to-24 years old) remained the least likely of any age group to have health insurance in 2001.† More than 28% of this group does not have coverage.

Critical evaluation of An Inspector Calls Essay -- English Literature

Critical evaluation of An Inspector Calls An Inspector Calls ‘An Inspector Calls’ is a play set in the mystery/ detective thriller genre. It is set in 1912 however it was written by J.B Priestly in 1945 and staged in Moscow. As he lived through both wars he could see what had actually happened in the time the play was set. J.B Priestly uses the characters to express his views on the issue of social responsibility, morality and about class divisions with many themes including greed, regret, guilt and blame. ‘An Inspector Calls’ is about the Birling family who are quite wealthy. They are celebrating their daughters engagement with her fiancà ©, Gerald. An Inspector arrives and breaks up the party, questioning the family on the death of a young Eva Smith, who had killed herself by drinking disinfectant. Upon questioning each member of the family seems to be involved in her death and is slowly forced to confess. When the Inspector finally leaves they find out that he is a fake. But at the very end they get a phone call telling them that a young woman has just killed herself and that there is an Inspector on his way to speak to them about it. An Inspector Calls is what is known as a well made play. Its progression is that from ignorance to knowledge (for both the audience and the characters). During the course of the play the action is mostly focused on Eva Smith/ Daisy Renton. At the beginning of the play Sheila is described as a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited. The reader gets the impression that she is a very relaxed, spoilt, and innocent girl who is very naà ¯ve. At the start of the play Sheila has a very good, happy relationship with her family and fianc... ...ing about the public finding out and if the inspector is real or fake. Sheila is the character which is explored in this essay. Responsibility is developed through her character as her reactions and responses are compared to her family’s. Although she is the youngest, she behaves in a mature manner answering the Inspector’s questions whereas her family refuses. She understands what has happened and takes responsibility for her actions. Change is developed from the beginning to the very end. In the beginning Sheila is carefree, innocent and naà ¯ve. She has no worries or concerns. However towards the end she develops a social conscience and an understanding of the real world. She is emotionally stronger and has doubts about her parents. She has learnt a lot from her experience and even though the inspector was a fraud she is still aware of her actions.

Use of Dialogue in The Sun Also Rises :: Hemingway Sun Also Rises Essays

Use of Dialogue in The Sun Also Rises The remarkable thing about the book was its liberal use of dialogue and how Hemingway used it to carry the reader through the book. There was no plot in the book in the sense that there was no twists, intrigue, or goals for any of the characters and the dialogue was the only thing that moved the reader through the book. Hemingway used so much dialogue that it was difficult at times to follow who was saying what, but I believe this didn't matter because any of the characters, except for maybe Jake, could have been carrying on those conversations. I say anyone except Jake because he was different than all the other characters in more ways than just being the narrator. He obviously had received a wound from W.W.I that caused him to be sexually scarred and thus set him apart from anyone else. Jake seemed to be an observer who was watching the lives of his friends unfold and happen around him, but without his participation. I read that Hemingway had purposely re-written the book in first person and this was probably to spell out that Jake was an observer and was thus aware of what was written on the pages. There is a scene towards the end of the book where Jake finds all of his friends eating at a restaurant and thinks to himself that he is too far behind to catch up. Jake always seems behind, or at least only a marginal player put so in his position because of his injury. He must have had relations with Brett before the injury and was a "player" before it, so this leads to the assumption that Jake purposely removed himself from being a participant. As I was reading I was trying to make connections and read into the story to try

Argumentative essay Essay

The notion of marriage as an institution which necessarily preserves the vital social values of stability, continuity and propriety, only at the cost of brutally suppressing equally powerful individual needs, naturally comes under scrutiny. During the XX century, there have been heated discussions concerning romantic love and its impact on long-lasting relations. Some people suppose that pre-arranged marriage ensures long-lasting relations based on trust and financial gain, but it is also profoundly dangerous precisely because it can release and feed as many urges as it satisfies. They state that romantic love is not a good basis for marriage. Thesis Romantic love is a good basis for marriage because it ensures warm and friendly relations between spouses; it has a positive impact on human relations and their development, and ensures loving and friendly relations with children as â€Å"product† of love. Help with Argumentative Essay. â€Å"Romantic love is not a good basis for marriage† Help with Argumentative essay. â€Å"Romantic love is not a good basis for marriage† Warm and friendly relations between spouses are the core of successful marriage and trust. When people meet an â€Å"ideal person† their mind has perceived that the situation calls for some emotional reaction. From the psychological point of view love is caused by the feeling of personal freedom and self-realization. Sexual attractiveness is closely connected with an ideal image created by a person, while the desire to have children reflects sexual affection. It is possible to say that fools fall in love because they need sexual satisfaction with an ideal person to give birth to their offspring. Marriage â€Å"is about staying in love and staying together for a lifetime despite the fact that both partners are individuals who change over time† (Marriage is Forever, 2006). The common ground between the sexes, therefore, is getting smaller, and the institution of marriage is beginning to fall to pieces if people do not understand and value each other. A woman when she marries ‘is cut off from men’s society in all but the most formal and intermittent ways. For this reason, love and friendly relations are crucial for successful marriage and happiness. Romantic love has a positive impact on human relations and their further development when love disappears. It is not a secret that many couples. Some researchers underline that love therapy is a useful tool to create or restore positive relations and family happiness. Jennifer Chalmers comments that â€Å"The topic of creating and sustaining the feeling of love was  never discussed in any of the marriage-related workshops that I attended, but the issues [discussed] were not intended to help couples create the feeling of love† (Chalmers, 2006). The author gives special detailed attention to the difficulty which can follow elderly couples, but she underlines that love can be recreated in order to save marriage. In this case, love comes from overcoming the barrier by sharing feelings and comforts. Also, when love disappears, people still bond to each other leaving no space for anger and despair (Wilding, 2003). Divorce is the institution, the ‘custom’, which enables private life to adjust to the pressures of the market, and divorce is the ideal solution for pre-arranged couples without love (Knapp, Stearns, 1993). On the hand, there is little research which could help to indicate that love actually produce real, live marriages among the poor. Romantic love is the main power which forces people to have a family and give birth. To give birth and to become a parent is a natural wish of nearly every person. For this reason, a male or female chooses a healthy and strong, beautiful and successful person for reproduc ­tion. It is an instruct feeling to choose a partner, but it causes falling in love. Every person wants to have good children, and for this reason he/she chooses a â€Å"special† person. Bonding comes with the shared activity afterward, in which people learn about each other through co-operation. Trust emerges not just with sex, but also with shared activity through which people bond by learning to trust each other. Romantic love is a good basis for marriage because it supports an instinct or desire to give birth. It is based on the evolutionary success of pair bonding as a reproduc ­tive strategy. This cause is closely connected with sexual attractiveness, but it has different stimuli (Sternberg, Barnes, 1989). Love as care does not refer to an emotion or a state of mind so much as to a human faculty of identification with others, sympathy with all beings. Also, love is a basis for intimate relations and sexuality. Following O’Sullivan love â€Å"enhances our well-being, improves the quality of our lives, and helps us to prevail over difficult times. Those living without intimate relationships are at risk† (O’Sullivan, 2004, p. 71). In addition, for most couples, sympathetic and compassionate relations help to overcome life grievances and troubles they face. The most appealing feature of romantic love is firm personal standards applied to everything around people. Love is  eternal value which can lead to sufferings, but it does not influence the essence of human existence.

Obesity and Government Control

Obesity and Government Control In today’s society there are many Americans who are either overweight or obese and have diabetes. David Zinczenko in â€Å"Don’t Blame the Eater† argues that fast food companies ate to be blamed for the obesity that is now very common in the US. Radley Balko argues in â€Å"What You Eat is Your Business† that the government is responsible for the obesity epidemic that the US is found in today. The government should have some in not all control or regulations on what the people of the country decide to eat.With no control the US is headed for a nation of overweight, obese, diabetic, and unhealthy people. Before the early 1990’s, diabetes found in children were usually because of genetic disorders and around five percent of the children were obsess or had Type Two diabetes. According to the National Institute of Health, about thirty percent of the children population has Type Two diabetes. Because of the increase in the amount of people who are being diagnosed with diabetes, the amount of money spent on health care costs is a surprising one hundred billion a year.Since 1969 that has been a dramatic increase of about ninety-seven billion. (Zinczenko) Zinczenko argues that many fast food restaurants don’t give information on the calorie count their food contains. Unlike grocery items, there aren’t many fast food companies that provide their clients with the calorie information on their food labels. By not giving out this important information, consumers aren’t aware of the unhealthy consumptions.Although this is a good point, we as humans are smart enough to know that if we walk into a fast food restaurant, the food we buy isn’t going to be the healthiest and that if we eat this type of food twice a day every day or even every other day, we will eventually put on a great amount of weight and make our body vulnerable to health risks such as diabetes. The government should m ake it a law for restaurants such a McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s put exactly how many calories each thing on their menu has.The fast food industry doesn’t only target adult but also children by selling kids meals that come with a toy from that popular movie every child wants or has watched or that popular toy company. This is how they attract kids but in return for the money, they give kids that delicious but unhealthy burger with a toy that usually ends up lost or in the garbage after a few days or even hours. Instead of giving a side of fries and soda, what they should do is give kids a daily fruit serving with he choice of either orange or apple juice. There should be a regulation on the amount of calories children can consume at these restaurants. These children are the future of the country and if they grow up having horrible eating habits, how this country going to get anywhere with people who aren’t able to do a certain job because of their health problems? The government should put very tight restrictions on how the fast food industry carries itself when it comes to selling food that isn’t healthy.According to Zinczenko, â€Å"prepared foods aren’t covered under Food and Drug Administration labeling laws. † (Zinczenko 393) This is one very important thing that the government should definitely change. People need to be informed with the amount of calorie intake that delicious Whopper has. If the person sees how many calories they are eating they may second guess about eating fast food four times a week. Changing this regulation can make a difference on someone’s life.Balko states that, â€Å"state legislatures and school boards across the country have begun banning snacks and soda from school campuses and vending machines,† (Balko 396) and that this is not the way to combat obesity. By the government banning the unhealthy foods we eat, they are taking responsibility on our health car e and wellness, instead of us worrying and taking care of ourselves. Although Balko makes a good point, right now the government had no control on our food consumption choices and we are still making horrible health choices.If the government takes control on the food we can and can’t eat, we soon will accustom ourselves to pick a fresh apple over some deep fried onion rings. Pretty soon the US will find itself in a society where the amount of people who are diabetic and obese isn’t sky rocketing. Like everything, there is always going to be those people who don’t agree with the government telling us what to eat and what not to eat. The way I see it right now, in this specific time in life, I would agree with the government helping us out.A little push won’t hurt and in the long run it can make a huge difference on our own health and for the health of those we care most, them being our children, parents, family, and friends. Works Cited Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. â€Å"Don't Blame the Eater. † They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2010. 391-94. Print. Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. â€Å"What You Eat Is Your Business. † They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2010. 395-99. Print

Organizational Performance Management Table Essay

After you have completed your individual research on your chosen type of health care organization, collaborate with your Learning Team to complete this table. Then, refer to this table as you collaborate to write your paper. Include this table as an appendix to your paper. Fill in the necessary information in each cell, but be as succinct as possible. 1. Provide names of or links to specific organizations. Summarize key products or services provided by each type of organization and identify the primary customers they serve. Organization One Organization Two Organization Three http://www.fda.gov/ U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2. Outline the overall content of the major regulations, accreditation requirements, and other standards that affect each organization. Provide the title, section, parts, or subparts or the numbering system and so on of the specific regulations or accreditation requirements. For example: Use of electronic signatures in electronic medical records is equivalent to handwritten signatures on paper; FDA regulation; Title 21 CFR Part 11, Subpart C, Â § 11.200 Electronic Signature: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?cfrpart=11 Organization One Organization Two Organization Three Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA) Because of their importance, an agency’s rulemaking plans are of great interest to a wide range to stakeholders. Therefore, the Federal Government publishes a semi-annual agenda of upcoming regulations in the Federal Register, usually in the Spring and Fall. As part of FDA’s Transparency Initiative and FDA Transparency Results Accountability Credibility Knowledge Sharing (TRACK), we are also providing periodic updates on FDA’s Unified Agenda rulemakings. On the Unified Agenda-TRACK Web page, we will maintain an updated agenda of FDA’s Unified Agenda rulemakings. 3. Highlight the effect of each organization’s regulations, accreditation requirements, and other standards on the risk- and quality-management functions and activities. Organization One Organization Two Organization Three The scope of FDA’s regulatory authority is very broad. FDA’s responsibilities are closely related to those of several other government agencies. Often frustrating and confusing for consumers is determining the appropriate regulatory agency to contact. The following is a list of traditionally-recognized product categories that fall under FDA’s regulatory jurisdiction; however, this is not an exhaustive list. In general, FDA regulates: Foods, including: dietary supplements bottled water food additives infant formulas other food products (although the U.S. Department of Agriculture plays a lead role in regulating aspects of some meat, poultry, and egg products) Drugs, including: prescription drugs (both brand-name and generic) non-prescription (over-the-counter) drugs Biologics, including: vaccines blood and blood products cellular and gene therapy products tissue and tissue products allergenics Medical Devices, including: simple items like tongue depressors and bedpans complex technologies such as heart pacemakers dental devices surgical implants and prosthetics Electronic Products that give off radiation, including: microwave ovens x-ray equipment laser products ultrasonic therapy equipment mercury vapor lamps sunlamps Cosmetics, including: color additives found in makeup and other personal care products skin moisturizers and cleansers nail polish and perfume Veterinary Products, including: livestock feeds pet foods veterinary drugs and devices Tobacco Products, including: cigarettes cigarette tobacco roll-your-own tobacco smokeless tobacco 4. Specify components of performance-management systems—policies and procedures, self-audits, benchmarking, complaint management, corrective or preventive action, education and training, communication, and other mechanisms—to be used by each organization. Organization One Organization Two Organization Three Risk communication staff: Our Risk Communication Staff’s objective is to assess and enhance FDA’s approaches to effectively communicate the risks and benefits of using FDA-regulated products. This includes providing leadership in identifying, developing, conducting and promoting cross-cutting research, promoting understandable communication, and finding ways to improve the consistency and effectiveness of our communication approaches. This program also directs the activities of FDA’s Risk Communication Advisory Committee, which was established: to advise on strategies and programs to communicate the risks and benefits of FDA-regulated products so as to facilitate optimal use; to review and evaluate FDA’s and others’ research relevant to such communication; and to facilitate interactively sharing risk and benefit information with the public to help people make informed independent judgments about use of FDA-regulated products. Our major functions include: Coordinating development of agency policies on risk communication practices. Coordinating agency strategic planning activities concerning risk communications. Coordinating agency research agenda for risk communication methods. Facilitating development and sharing of risk communication best practices and standard operating procedures. Conducting risk communications research on methodological and cross-cutting issues. Leading management and coordination of the FDA Risk Communication Advisory Committee. Staffing and co-leading FDA’s Communications Council 5. Provide links to any relevant sources that will be useful as your Learning Team completes the paper. Organization One Organization Two Organization Three Fda.gov